tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44516577065061502582024-03-13T11:47:12.081-04:00 Torah, Mussar, Chassidus, Stories, and More! - בּ"ה It is my sincere hope that this blog will help and inspire people to grow in and achieve higher levels of the Service of Hashem. Also, please feel free to quote and/or share anything you want from on here. May all the good things that come from this blog be a zechus for all the members of Klal Yisroel for whatever they need, Amein. (For comments, etc. I can be reached at aishkodesh611@gmail.com).Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-2735172964823231742020-05-15T14:27:00.001-04:002020-06-08T13:17:57.997-04:00Parshas Behar and Bechukosai 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ״ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Behar</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘And Hashem spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai, saying: Speak to the Bnei Yisroel, and you shall say to them; ‘When you will come to the Land that I give to you, and the land shall rest a Shabbos to Hashem.’ </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Vayikra 25:1-2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here the Torah tells us about the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Sabbatical year). But asks </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Kohanim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Why is the matter of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> year coupled with Mount Sinai?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the answer he brings is that it teaches us that just as the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was told over to us at </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with all its generalities, specifics, and fine points, so too with all the other </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But still, the question asked by many is; why specifically is this lesson taught with the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Why here?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}; it is because the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is a proof to the fact that the Torah is from Hashem. The Torah promises us that there will be a great blessing in the sixth year, and the produce of that year will last until into the year after the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> even. Meaning that we will have plenty enough to eat during the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> year, even though we are not allowed to sow, work the field, or do a harvest during it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thus, says the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> proves that the Torah was given to us at </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Hashem Himself. Because no human being would be able to make the promise mentioned above, as obviously, they couldn’t fulfill it. Only Hashem can.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And a man shall not wrong his fellow, and you shall fear from your G-d. . .</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Vayikra 25:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah is talking here about about wronging someone with words. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Yochanan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said in the name </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Wronging someone with words is worse than wronging someone in money matters, because regarding wronging someone with words it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and you shall fear from your G-d</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, and concerning wronging someone in money matters, it doesn’t.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Elazar </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">says: Hurting someone with words is worse because it affects the person themselves, whereas wronging in money matters affects their money.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Bava Metzia </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">58b)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, this is in no way be taken to downplay the badness of wronging someone in monetary matters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And if you will say, “What will we eat in the seventh year? -- Behold we will not plant and we will not gather in our produce!” And I [</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] will command My blessing for you in the sixth year, and it will make produce for three years.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Vayikra 25:20-21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here the Torah reveals to us the wonderful truth and realization that when we keep Hashem’s Commandments, we will never lose out, no matter how things seem. Naturally, a person would think that if they don’t plant or harvest for a full year, things would get very serious in regards to food shortage. But Hashem tells us otherwise: If we keep the laws of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemittah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> year, we will be taken care of completely and actually get more (see </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sforno </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 25:3) -- and further yet, as is known, we will also earn great eternal reward for it! Such is the case as well for the other Laws of the Torah. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For you are sojourners and residents with Me</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 25:23)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yudele of Dzhikov </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that if we make ourselves like sojourners on this world -- meaning that we realize that it is just our temporary dwelling place, and all the “gleam” of its pleasures really are meaningless, and only the Torah and </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are eternal -- then we will be residents with Hashem. In this world and the Next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Sanctuary you shall revere’</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Vayikra 26:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sforno </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This also applies to the sanctified places in our Exile -- the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shuls</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and Houses of Study, even though the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is destroyed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We must be careful to behave in a dignified and respectful manner in </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shul</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orach Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">151:1) rules that we are not supposed to act frivolously in it, such as joking around, or engaging in idle speech.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Regarding such, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimon Schwab </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">writes: “For Hashem’s sake, let us be quiet in our </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaKnesses</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Our reverent silence [from any other speech] during the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tefillah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will speak very loudly to Him Who holds our fate in His hands. Communicating with Hashem is our only recourse in this era of trial and tribulations. There is too much ugly noise in our world today. Let us find peace and tranquility while standing before Hashem in prayer.” (</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Selected Writings</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 13pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One night, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter of Novhardok </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Yosef Yozel Hurwitz </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was sitting in his house of solitude in the forest, when his candle burned out. This wouldn’t have been a problem -- except that he didn’t have any other candles there at the time. He was very distressed about the fact that now he didn’t have the light to be able to learn Torah! But he had very strong </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bitochon </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(trust in Hashem) that he would be helped speedily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">opened the door of the little house, and went outside. And at that very moment, someone -- most likely an Angel or Eliyahu HaNavi -- approached him, presented him a candle, and disappeared! Hashem had truly justified his trust in Him, and now, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was able to go back to his learning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMeoros HaGedolim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "audiowide"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "bevan"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Reb Zusia of Anipoli</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, after </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shacharis</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, would go up to his study, and say to Hashem “Zusia is hungry”, and the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gabbai</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would take that as the sign to bring his breakfast in. This happened just about every day, until the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gabbai</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> thought to himself, “Does the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> really think that this is coming straight from Hashem? I just hear him, and bring in the food.” He decided that the next day, when the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said ‘Zusia is hungry’, he wouldn’t bring in the food, and he would see what happens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was a certain wealthy man who came to Anipoli, and he wanted to receive the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bracha</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, meet him, etc. The next morning, when he was walking along, he encountered Reb Zusia on the street, but he didn’t know that it was the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as Reb Zusia dressed in simple garb. They crossed paths at a juncture in the road where a board had been placed over the puddles to bridge them, and the wealthy man decided to play a small prank on the poor man -- and he pushed him into the puddle! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The wealthy man went about his morning as usual after that, and he came to the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shacharis</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and was hoping to see Rebbe Zusia there. But when he beheld the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he was shocked and mortified to see that the man whom he had pushed into the puddle was none other than Reb Zusia himself! He asked people what he could do to fix his mistake, and they told him that he should, after </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shacharis</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, go and bring some cake and drink to the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and ask his forgiveness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So after </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shacharis</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> went up to his study as usual, and he did whatever kind of preparations he would usually do, and then he spoke to Hashem and said “Zusia is hungry.” The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gabbai</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was sitting there, and he smiled, knowing that he wouldn’t bring the food in this time, and his “test” would soon be vindicated. How surprised he was to see the door burst open, and a wealthy man walk in carrying cake and some drink for the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! It now became quite clear that Hashem was literally the One providing for the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- and truthfully, for all of us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "audiowide"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "bevan"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lev Eliyahu</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it is related that one of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochurim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who learned in the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> where </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Lopian </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> served as </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mashgiach</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, came to him and told him that he was going to leave the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. “Why would you leave </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?” Rav Lopian asked him. “I need to start making a livelihood.” replied the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And how do you know you are going to continue to live?” Rav Lopian prodded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hashem will give me life, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">answered. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But for one person you need such a big livelihood?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, soon I’m going to get married, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And who says you’ll get married?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hashem will help me that I will find the right girl, and we will get married.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But still,” the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pressed, “For only two people, is there a necessity for a big amount of money?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Well, soon enough we will have children. And then we will have all those expenses.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And who says that you will have children?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was confused. “Please don’t curse me, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!” He said. “</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B’Ezras Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I will be able to have kids.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now they had come to where the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mashgiach</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was trying to get at: “I don’t understand,” he said. “Hashem will give you life; He will help you to get married, and even have children, but He can’t help you have enough money to live on?!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Related by the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mashgiach</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Mordechai Finkelman </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ״ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Bechukosai</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you will go in My Decrees</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 26:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you will go in My Decrees </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- that you should toil in Torah. (</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explained that </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ameilus </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(toil)</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> baTorah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> means not just to read whatever it is you are studying, and try to understand it. It means to put your entire mental capacity and focus into the Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mashgiach</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Mordechai Finkelman </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidated further that what a person cares about most, and what they really consider important, they work for. They will toil in it. If someone toils in the Torah, that shows that they realize the importance of Torah. But toiling is more than just learning. It will do more than teach you what the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are and how to do them. It elevates and perfects a person. Learning Torah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b’Iyun</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and toiling in it transforms a person into a </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ben Torah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and leads to performing the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in an elevated and better way. One’s entire attitude and direction in life will be different -- and better. This is what the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> actually implies when it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you will go</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, because toiling in Torah improves a person’s entire life -- everywhere they go. Consequently, if we don’t toil in Torah, the results are clearly quite negative, as we see. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I will put My Dwelling Place in your midst, and My “soul” will not abhor you.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Vayikra 26:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah speaks here about people who are toiling in Torah, fulfilling all of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and doing the will of Hashem. Hashem says that He will bless them with rains, fruitful bounties, peace, security, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and many, many other blessings. One of these other blessings is, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My “soul” will not abhor you</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.’ </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains this in its plain meaning, ‘My soul will not despise you.’ </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asks on </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: What is the meaning of blessing a people who are fulfilling all the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and doing His will, with the blessing that He will not despise them? Is then the reward for being </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and doing all of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos,</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> nothing more than the passive negative fact that Hashem will not despise them? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Furthermore, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asks, even when the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> transgress, Hashem promised them, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I shall not despise them, and I will not abhor them</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Vayikra 26:44). Surely, should not the reward for fulfilling the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be more substantial than “My soul shall not despise you!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Ovadiah of Bartenura</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wishes to give a new perspective on </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, thereby answering both of the above questions: The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bartenura</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> states that, in fact, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> himself, in-between the lines means to ask the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s questions. </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> addresses himself to this and answers that, indeed, the meaning of “</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My soul shall not abhor you</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” is that Hashem shall not despise you, but with an entirely different focus. The Torah speaks in the language that people generally employ. It is common for a person who loves his friend dearly to eventually tire of him and despise him because of his constant proximity to him, for “familiarity breeds contempt”. Therefore, Hashem tells us that He will never despise us nor become tired of us. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s questions on </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are now beautifully answered, since the new meaning of “</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My soul shall not abhor you</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” is that Hashem is actually promising a positive reward for those who fulfill His </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This reward is that His love for </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shall never wane nor erode, forever enduring with all its inherent vitality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thus, according to </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Ovadiah of Bartenura</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Hashem is promising and assuring all those who toil in Torah and observe His </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that, “My Love for you shall never wane.” Hashem is saying, “I am not like a human being, whose love for his friend wears off through frequency of interaction and acclimation.” A human relationship can decline over time, and lose its vitality and vigor. Even the best of friends can tire of and become bored with each other with the passage of time. By contrast, Hashem is confirming to us that His boundless love for us will endure forever, never lessening nor eroding even one iota. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From a </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dvar Torah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mori v’Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the famous </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tochachah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Rebuke), where we read about the bad things that will befall us if, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas V’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we do not listen to Hashem and keep His Commandments, there is a phrase that appears various times: Hashem warns us what will happen if we go עמי קרי -- with Him in a “chance-occurrence” way (see </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to 26:21), קרי being a language similar to מקרה, ‘happening’. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But there is another possible meaning of the word קרי; various later </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explain that it can be related to the word קר -- ‘cold’, thus translating the above phrase as speaking about if we go with Hashem </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">coldly</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. (This is actually somewhat similar to </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s translation).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The truth is that coldness, in whatever manner it manifests itself, is something we must personally strive to overcome in our own lives. For, Judaism is not about just mechanically “going through the motions” of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: There needs to be a holy fire and passion with them -- a burning desire to do the Will of Hashem! We must also work to cultivate </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">varmkeit </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(warmness) towards others, and overall in our Service of the Blessed Creator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "audiowide"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "bevan"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tells us in one place (</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 33b) that everything is in the Hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven (i.e. that everything is in Hashem’s control, except for the choice of our actions, as He gives to us free will), but in another (</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bava Metzia</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 107b) it says that everything is in the Hands of Heaven except for blowing cold.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There appear to be a couple of difficulties here: Firstly, is anything beyond Hashem? Yes, He has granted us free choice over our actions, but blowing cold?! And secondly, if the first passage we quoted from the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said that everything is the Hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven, then how can another come and say an additional thing? It said ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything except for</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…’! So the two teachings would seem contradictory! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Truly though, there is no contradiction or problem whatsoever: The blowing cold that the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">speaks of we may understand homiletically, and actually to be within the overall meaning of ‘fear of Heaven.’ That is, ‘blowing cold’ coming over a person -- a wave of coldness and lack-of-feeling towards Hashem and people. That is within the realm of our free choice, and thus it is up to us, with the Help of Hashem,</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to overcome any waves of “blowing cold” that the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzer Hara</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Evil Inclination) throws at us, and not, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas V’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, fall into ‘going coldly’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. According to </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tosafos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, however, it is ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cold and heat</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. And our explanation that follows fits for this translation as well, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Hashem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Of course, although He has granted us free will, He inspires us and aids us in things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And every tithe of herd and flock; all that pass under the staff, the tenth shall be holy to Hashem.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Vayikra 27:32)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Yaakov HaKohen Pam </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bechoros</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (9:7) describes the procedure for tithing new born animals; the entire flock of animals born during the past season is put into a corral. A narrow opening is made to assure that the animals can only be counted one at a time. Then the owner begins to count them with a staff: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine. The animal which exits tenth is marked with a red dye and the owner announces, “This one is </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maaser</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the tithe).”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This procedure is followed whether one has ten new animals or ten thousand. The flock is lined up and tallied in this time-consuming manner. Couldn’t a more efficient way be found to calculate the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maaser</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? This question was posed by </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliezer Gordon </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of Telshe in Lithuania. On a fundraising mission, he once approached a wealthy industrialist, seeking a donation for his </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The man gasped in disbelief when Rav Gordon asked for a five hundred ruble donation. “</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, do you know how much five hundred rubles is? I can give you fifty rubles, or maybe even one hundred. But five hundred? How can you request so much?” asked the man. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Gordon replied, “Are you familiar with the procedure of taking </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maaser</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from newborn animals?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Surely, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” he answered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Listen, you’re a businessman,” said Rav Gordon. “Wouldn’t it have been more efficient to first count all the animals and then deduct one tenth of them for </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maaser</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Why does the Torah require the owner to count them one at a time?. . .” The rich man was at a loss to answer this question. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Gordon replied, “Let me explain it to you. If the Torah would tell a wealthy Jew to add up all his animals and then remove 10% of them, the person would be hard pressed to comply. Therefore, the Torah prescribes the method of counting one’s flock. ‘One for me, two for me, three for me, four for me. . . eight for me, nine for me. . . and one for Hashem.’ The same procedure starts again. ‘One for me, two for me. . . nine for me. . . and one for Hashem.’ After a while, the owner will even feel a bit ashamed at taking so much for himself and giving so little to Hashem. That will motivate him to separate the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maaser</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with a joyful heart, in gratitude for how much he himself has. This psychological insight will make it easier for the person to willingly fulfill his obligation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“My friend,” the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> continued, “Hashem has blessed you with great wealth. Among your many assets are factories, real estate, and shipping lines. Look how much you have. So why can’t you give 500 rubles “back to Hashem”?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Concludes Rav Pam </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; there are people who find it difficult to be charitable and share their good fortune with the needy. By contemplating the many blessings that </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have, it wouldn’t be so hard for them to part with some of these blessings to help the less fortunate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Pleasant Way</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are 78 verses in </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Bechukosai</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gematria</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (numerical value) of the word חמל -- similar to חמלה, ‘compassion’. This alludes to the blessings we will get if we keep the Torah, and the curses we will get if, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas V’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we don’t, which are talked about in much of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They both truly come from -- and are manifestations of -- Hashem’s great compassion for us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "cabin"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a cold, snowy winter afternoon in Mezibuzh, Ukraine, and the holy </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was with his students when he made this very strange request: “Get the wagon ready -- I want to go down to the lake.” No one dared question their holy </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s intentions, and they quickly readied the wagon and rode down to the lake. As they approached the ice-covered lake, they could see children playing on the ice. As they got closer, they saw that the children were etching a big image of a cross into the ice. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> departed the wagon and sat down to watch the children playing. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chassidim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> couldn’t understand why their holy master wanted to sit and look at a bunch of children etch a cross into an ice-covered lake! But still, they dared not question their </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s intentions.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After a few minutes, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> signaled that it was time to leave and they all boarded the wagon and rode back to town. At this point, one of the students had the nerve to ask, “</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, what was that all about?!” The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> simply replied in a very somber voice, “When a Jew is icy-cold, it doesn’t take long before a cross is etched into his heart.”</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From a </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dvar Torah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of my </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Binyomin Goldstein </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "audiowide"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "bevan"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim Vital </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said that the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arizal</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> used to learn with so much passion and energy, that he would literally sweat, as if he was lifting a heavy weight.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "audiowide"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "bevan"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">* </span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 15pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone once came and asked </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shaila</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and Rav Moshe gave an answer from a </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bach </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The man was amazed and commented how impressive it was that Rav Moshe remembered that </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bach</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so well. Rav Moshe tried to make light of it, saying in a nonchalant voice, “It’s not so hard to remember something when you’ve learned it 60 times.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Related by my dear </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chavrusa</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reb Yitzchok Kahn</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazak Chazak V’Nischazeik! Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-4107272808898199552020-05-08T17:56:00.000-04:002020-05-08T17:56:29.721-04:00Parshas Emor 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-25583998661600967262020-04-08T18:07:00.000-04:002020-04-08T18:07:06.411-04:00Haggadah shel Pesach Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B”H</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kadesh</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מוזגין כוס ראשון</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pour the first cup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A man once came to the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of Brisk (either the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or his son, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), and asked whether one could fulfill the obligation of the Four Cups at the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with milk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> learned that the question came as a result of lack of funds for wine, so he gave the man a certain sum of money, and he went on his way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbetzin </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">witnessed the interaction, and asked her husband about it. “Why did you give him such a large sum of money? One needs much less for the adequate amount of wine.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explained his behavior; “From the fact that this man asked me if one can fulfill their obligation with wine for the Four Cups, obviously he is not having meat at the meal. Therefore, clearly, he was lacking the money for even his basic </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yom Tov</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> needs, and so, I gave him a large enough sum to purchase everything he will require.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Speaking of this, we know from the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">88:6</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that the four cups that we drink at the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> correspond to the four expressions of redemption that Hashem used regarding us: ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will bring you out</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will save you</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will redeem you</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, and ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will take you</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mordechai </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Mordechai ben Hillel </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; why did the Sages specifically establish for us to have four cups of wine -- why couldn’t we have four of something else?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netziv </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were afflicted, lowly slaves. How could they suddenly rise up to the exalted status of a Jew, who is worthy to stand at </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and witness revelations of Hashem? Obviously, they had to become elevated little by little. And so is what happened -- </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">went up level by level until they were ready to stand at </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wine changes a person’s expressions and mind [for good, or if too much is drunk, for bad, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] like no other comestible. Therefore, it is the most fitting remembrance of our </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Geulah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaEimek Davar </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Shemos 6:6</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">אשר בחר בנו מכל עם. . . וקדשנו במצותיו</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who has chosen us from every nation. . . and sanctified us with His </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once, after a pogrom, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Baruch Ber Leibowitz</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> got the whole </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> together to say praises to Hashem for giving us the Torah. His </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talmidim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asked him, it’s not Shavuos, wouldn't it be better to thank Hashem for being alive after such an experience? Rav Baruch Ber replied that if it were not for Torah we might also look like those people who made the pogrom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From my </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Daniel Yaakov Travis </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">who heard it from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Don Segal </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">זמן חרותנו</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Time of our freedom</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that when we observe the Festivals that Hashem granted us, we return to their inner essence -- that time of sanctity, which still has an outpouring affect even now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Tzvi Hirsch Broida </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would say that time doesn’t travel over a person; a person travels through time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, each and every year, during the Shabbos’ and Festivals, we arrive at that “station” of time, wherein is the bountiful holiness from the original one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On Pesach, our season of freedom, when we were redeemed from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, attaining true freedom is an easier feat, as this time is filled with freedom. Thus, it is </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">literally</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, even now, ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our time of freedom</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michtav Mei’Eliyahu vol. 2</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, #21</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Urchatz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">קדש, ורחץ</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kadesh, Urchatz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are the first two sections of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It has been noted that, interestingly, רחץ means to wash -- but the extra </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vav</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the beginning, making it ורחץ (and wash), seemingly connects it to </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kadesh</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Gamliel Rabinowitz </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kadesh</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> implies doing good -- sanctifying ourselves, while </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Urchatz</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would be turning away from evil -- washing ourselves off. We thus see that in order to properly turn away from evil, one must be sanctifying themselves and doing good also. The two go together.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiv HaHaggadah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yismach Yisroel of Alexander </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidates the connection between the two in this manner: The more one sanctifies and elevates themselves, the more they realize and feel their deficiencies [and thus can fix them!], and how they must “wash themselves” spiritually.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Maayanah shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Karpas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By way of </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">remez</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: כרפס has the same </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gematria</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as the acronym ש״ס, which stands for the Six Orders of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And salt-water, which we customarily dip it in</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes in his famous </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iggeres </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(letter) is something that makes one more thirsty. Therefore, the dipping of the כרפס into salt-water hints to us how we must cultivate within ourselves a thirst for more Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Neiros Pesach</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1 </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vinegar also is okay to use.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yachatz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here, we break the middle board of </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">into two pieces, hide away the larger piece, which will be used later as the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afikoman</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and keep the smaller piece with us at the table.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This symbolizes that although we are relating and discussing the miracles Hashem did for us, and the kindnesses He did for us when He took us out of Egypt, there is still much more to the story than we are telling over!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adapted from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Kol Aryeh</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maggid</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">כל דכפין ייתי ויכול כל דצריך ייתי ויפסח</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All who are hungry, come and eat; all who need, come and celebrate Pesach!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While at Smilovitz, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Betzalel Zeitzik</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asked the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to help him plead for Pesach funds (</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maos chitim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) for the poor, contributions for whom had come forth in scanty measure. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in the kindly tones still remarkably clear and distinct, addressed the people in their </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shul</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">"Brethren, I want your advice. I am already growing old, as you see, and expect before long to be summoned before the Heavenly Tribunal of Justice. Suppose I shall be asked, 'Yisroel Meir, you were in Smilovltz? Tell us something about the generosity of your brethren there,’ What shall I reply? To say that you are charitable will not be the truth, and all my life I have never lied. To tell the truth, on the other hand, would be </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lashon hara</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (slander), against which, as you know, I have also cautiously guarded myself. What shall I do?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He no sooner had stepped down from the pulpit than the assembly hurried forward with lavish contributions, as if impelled by the sheer force of his magnetism. For many years the poor of Smilovitz, recalling with tender memories that plentiful Pesach, uttered a blessing when they heard the name of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saint and Sage </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 74-75</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">כאן הבן שואל</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Here the son asks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In many </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadahs</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, these words are printed right before the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mah Nishtanah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Aharon HaGadol of Karlin </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes his father, who says that these words imply that on this night, it is an especially auspicious time for every Jewish son or daughter to ask for their needs from our Father in Heaven.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Aharon</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ואלו לא הוציא הקדושׁ ברוך הוא את אבותינו ממצרים, הרי אנו ובנינו ובני בנינו משעבדים היינו לפרעה במצרים </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And if HaKadosh Baruch Hu had not brought our forefathers out of Egypt, behold, we and our sons, and our sons' sons would be enslaved to Paroah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This passage points out the stirring truth that if Hashem had not taken us out of Egypt, we, yes, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">we</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, even today, would still be enslaved to Paroah (perhaps a descendant-successor, albeit). Imagine!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points this out specially as a lesson, and a wake up call to us to stop taking things for granted. If someone is sick, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they are so happy and thankful when they feel better again. But once they are “back to normal”, they take feeling “normal” for granted. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">thus teaches us to not take for granted the amazing gift of freedom -- and all the other wonderful things Hashem has blessed, and blesses us, with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">וכל המרבה לספר ביציאת מצרים הרי זה משבח</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And all who increase in relating the Yetzias Miztraim, behold, he is praiseworthy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Lopian </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">used to say that the word משבח can also imply to become elevated. We thus see that through abundant discussion of the miracles that Hashem did for us when He took us out of Egypt, one becomes a more elevated person! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Matisyahu Solomon </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that one becomes elevated through the incredible strengthening of </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> they get from speaking abundantly about all the kindnesses Hashem did for us, and how He brought us out from Egypt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Matnas Chaim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">רבותינו הגיע זמן קריאת שמע של שחרית</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Our Rabbis, the time of the morning reading of the Shema has arrived</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chassidim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> relate about </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the great “defender of Israel”, that, as he was returning home from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shul</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on the night of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he would dally a little, and listen from outside the houses how the simple folk would conduct their </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sedarim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One year, he heard a certain simple, unlearned Jew conducting his </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and, as he was reading off about the four sons -- אחד חכם, אחד רשע, etc. -- he would draw out with great fervor the word אחד. And he explained to his family the source for his custom, that he remembers from his youth how his father had taught him that it is written in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that one should draw out the word אחד (in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). So he was doing it here, as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upon hearing and taking this all in, Rebbe Levi Yitzchok lifted his hands towards Heaven, and said, “Ribbono Shel Olam! Who is like Your nation Israel? Isn’t this the entire purpose of the night of the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and relating the story of </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzias Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- to attain acceptance of the Kingdom of Heaven? The great </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tannaim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were reclining the entire night and discussing the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzias Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, until they reached this goal, and their students came and told them that it was time for </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Look at this simple Jew, who, with difficulty begins the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and he is already drawing out אחד like is done in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Minchas Asher </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 78</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ברוך המקום ברוך הוא ברוך שנתן תורה לעמו ישראל ברוך הוא. כנגד ארבעה בנים דברה תורה. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessed is the Omnipresent, blessed is He. Blessed is He Who gave the Torah to His people, Israel, blessed is He. Corresponding to four sons the Torah speaks. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the fact that the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> couples the discussion of the four sons with praise to Hashem for giving us the Torah, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Rimanov </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explained a wonderful thing: Even a wicked “son”, if he immerses himself in Torah, its holy light will help him to come back on the right path. So too, a simple “son”, or one who is “unable to ask”, the Torah can teach them wisdom and understanding.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Menachem Tzion </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Naavah Tehillah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I may add that, of course, a wise “son”, as well, will continue to enjoy further elevation, and wisdom, etc. from the holy Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">רשע מה הוא אומר? מה העבודה הזאת לכם?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Wicked one, what does he say? ‘What is this service to you?’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out that, unlike the wise son, the wicked son does not mention Hashem’s Name at all in his question.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And this is what it means when we say ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He denies the main principle.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Kol Bo</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We see this phenomenon, unfortunately, amongst many of the “wicked sons” out there. They try to deny or ignore the fact that the Commandments are </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from Hashem</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And this is one of the first steps, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in becoming wicked. Because once you say that the rules don’t have a Divine source, then they lose their meaning, and all of them can be thrown aside at will (see </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah Vi’LaMoadim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, beginning of Parshas Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The simple son, on the other hand, although he does not mention Hashem’s Name either, he is simple, and is just inquiring a very basic question -- ‘What is this?’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">יכול מראשׁ חדשׁ תלמוד לומר ביּום ההוא</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One might think that the obligation to relate the Yetzias Mitzraim is from Rosh Chodesh Nissan, to teach us otherwise, the verse says ‘On that day’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question that many ask is, why would we even think that the obligation would begin from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Chodesh Nissan</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? The Redemption happened on the fifteenth day of the month!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; on </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Chodesh Nissan</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Hashem promised to redeem us on the fifteenth. And a promise from Hashem </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be fulfilled, so therefore, it is as if it has already happened. Thus, it is quite logical for the obligation of relating about the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzias Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to begin already from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Chodesh</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, except for the fact that we have a verse that tells us otherwise. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">יכול מבעוד יום תלמוד לומר בעבור זה -- בעבור זה לא אמרתי אלא בשעה שישׁ מצה ומרור מנחים </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">לפניך</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One might think that the obligation begins from the day of the fourteenth, to teach us otherwise, the verse says ‘Because of this’ -- ‘Because of this’ was not stated except for referring to the time that Matzah and Marror are laying before you</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why specifically when we have everything in front of us? </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Baruch Epstein </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that the nature of a human being is that when they see something new or out-of-the-ordinary, it arouses in their heart the desire to know what it is and the reason for it. They are curious. And so we explain it to them, and because they have a desire to know, they will listen, and the information will take root in their minds, being less easily forgotten. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This then, would seem to be the intent of why we specifically are to tell over all the things of </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzias Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc. when the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marror</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and everything is before us. Because the children will see it all, and they will ask about it, and then when we explain it, they will listen and remember.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch She’amar </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Shemos 13:8</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another similar reason, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Meir Lau </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests: </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> knew the proper ways of education of children. That one must not only </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tell</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> them things in words, but also they must </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">show</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> them in action. A picture can be worth a thousand words, as people say. What we </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">show</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> children will likely have a big impact, and they will absorb it into their imagination. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, we tell over the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> while everything is before us, and we perform a little “show and tell”, which is likely to make a bigger impression.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Yachel Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">or </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Saviv L’Shulchan</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ברוך שׁומר הבטחתו לישראל ברוך הוא. שהקדושׁ ברוך הוא חשב את הקץ</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessed is He Who kept His promise to Israel, blessed is He! For HaKadosh Baruch Hu calculated the end</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Originally, as is known, it was decreed that we would be enslaved to Egypt for four-hundred years, but, as we also know, we ended up only being enslaved there for two-hundred-and-ten years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what it means that Hashem calculated the end, קץ, which has the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gematria </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of 190. Meaning that He calculated and subtracted 190 years from the total of 400, amounting to 210, since the harshness of the labor and servitude made up the rest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 63</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that this is the praise that we are lauding Hashem with: Originally, the servitude was to be a lot less intense, and so it would last for longer. But the fact that it was made so much harsher, shortened the amount of years, because the entire measure of enslavement that was decreed on the Jews ended up happening in a much smaller time. Only Hashem could calculate the exact amount of harsh subjugation that would amount to the measure that would have been carried out in 400 years. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasei LaMelech </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 64</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">שלא אחד בלבד עמד עלינו לכלותינו</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> That not one alone has stood against us to destroy us</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mori v’Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> used to often quote from the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Belzer Rebbe </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> another way to interpret these words: Why do nations arise against us to try to destroy us? Only because we are ‘not one’, i.e. united </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b’Achdus</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ולבן בקש לעקר את הכל שנאמר ארמי אבד אבי</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Lavan sought to uproot everything, as it says, ‘An Aramean tried to destroy my father’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim HaKedoshim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> write that Lavan can allude to the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> mainly tries to destroy one thing from us, and that is, the feeling that Hashem is our Father, as it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You are children to Hashem your G-d</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Devarim 14:1). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And maybe this is also what it means that Lavan sought to uproot everything: Because if, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">uproots from our hearts the knowledge that we are Hashem’s children, as it were, and that He is our Father, then he has effectively uprooted everything. For, as long as we feel that we are the child of the King, then we know it is improper for us to behave in a bad way. But if, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that knowledge and feeling is destroyed, then suddenly everything seems okay to do. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas HaLekach Vi’HaLibuv</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ונצעק אל השם אלקי אבתינו וישמע השם את קלנו</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And we cried out to Hashem, the G-d of our fathers, and Hashem heard our voice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out that the implication of this verse is that in a time of trouble, we must not only </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">daven</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to Hashem, but we must literally cry out to Him! And if we do so, He will surely answer us speedily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 196</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">רבי יוסי הגלילי אומר: מנין אתה אומר שלקו המצרים במצרים עשר מכות ועל הים לקו חמשים מכות?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Yosei HaGelili said: From where do you say that the Egyptians were stricken with ten plagues in Egypt, and by the sea they were stricken with fifty plagues?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are three different opinions as to how many plagues Hashem brought upon the Egyptians by the sea, and even how many plagues were contained within each plague that He smote them with in Egypt. Each opinion posits that there were more than the previous one does.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is, why do we go to such an extent to try to say that there were more plagues? What difference does it make? Explains the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; the Sages were indeed trying to derive that Hashem brought more and more plagues on the Egyptians, as many as they could derive. And it makes a big difference, for Hashem promised us that all the maladies and sicknesses that He brought upon Egypt, He would not place upon us, and therefore, the more plagues that were brought on the Egyptians, the more He will not let us get. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah shel Torah; Devarim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בכל דור ודור חיב אדם לראות את עצמו כאלו הוא יצא ממצרים</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In every single generation, a person is obligated to see himself as if he went out from Egypt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Someone related the following: One Shabbos eve, when I was passing by the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s house, I heard his sweet voice, so I approached the window and looked inside. I saw that he was sitting and learning </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Va’eira</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and with every single Plague, he would say with great wonderment, “Ah, Ah!” His wonderment was to such an extent as someone who actually saw the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Makkos</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> happening. I stood there for more than half an hour. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kol Kisvei Chofetz Chaim, vol. 3</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cited in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Vihigadeta Li’Vinicha</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimon Schwab </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells us something further: It is not just כאלו, as if, we personally left Egypt. We actually </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">did</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He explains with a parable: A person’s body, as we all know, is made up of many different parts all together, and over time, it ages and changes. A person grows and develops, and as they do, their appearance changes. A person looks different in adulthood than they did when they were a baby, and then when they grow old, they look different than when they were a young adult, as well. But nevertheless, no matter what stage they are in, virtually every part of their body is [hopefully!] still the same as it was, and when one is 90, they can still truthfully say, for example, “This is the same hand that I broke when I was a kid.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> throughout all the generations is all like one body. Even though we have gotten older, as it were, it is still the same </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and so, yes, we too can honestly say, “</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is because of this that Hashem did </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for me</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> went out from Egypt</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Furthermore, in this paragraph of בכל דור ודור, we mention Hashem’s redemption of our ancestors before us, but in the blessing we soon say ‘</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who has redeemed us</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- אשר גאלנו’, we mention our own redemption first. Again, this implies that we are all equal, like one body, in Hashem’s redemption of us </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from Egypt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayan Beis HaShoeivah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachtzah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מגיד, רחצה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maggid, Rachtzah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alshich HaKadosh </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains the connection between these two sections: We should tell (מגיד) to and share with others the message that we must wash (רחצה) ourselves off from our sins, and return in </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Hashem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Arbaah Amudei Kesef</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Motzi-Matzah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Erev Pesach</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asked his </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shamash</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to go around and try to attain some of a certain item that was banned by the Czar. His </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shamash</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> went on his mission, and was able to get some.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sent him out to go get some </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chometz</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But although the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shamash</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> went to search for some, he came back empty-handed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> then lifted up his eyes to Heaven and said something like, “Ribbono Shel Olam, look at Your People! The Czar has made a rule, and has many policemen and soldiers to enforce it, and yet, people flout it. But You, Hashem, commanded us many, many years ago to abstain from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chometz</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on Pesach, and Your nation continues to uphold this!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marror</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We eat the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marror</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- when not in the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korech</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sandwich -- without reclining (</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch; Orach Chaim </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">475:1</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). Why don’t we recline? Because, as we know, we recline at certain junctures during the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as a symbol of freedom. But the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marror</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a remembrance of the bitterness of the servitude. Therefore, we would not recline when eating it.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah Berurah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">475:14</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Although if someone really wanted to eat it while reclining, they are permitted to (</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah Berurah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ibid.</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korech</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We make a sandwich with </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marror</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alshich HaKadosh</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains, can allude to the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer tov</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, while the bitterness of </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marror</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can be a symbolism for the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By putting these two together for the fulfillment of this, we allude to the teaching of our Sages (</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9:5</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that we should try to serve Hashem with both our </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzers</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by making our </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> follow our </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer tov</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Arbaah Amudei Kesef</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Orech</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elimelech Biderman </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes that it is very important for us to eat this meal with joy and also seriousness and awe, as it is almost like we are eating at Hashem’s Table, as it were (see </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tosafos </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">42a). Certainly we should try to avoid speaking idle words or about mundane matters, rather, we should speak words of Torah and holiness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadas Be’er HaChaim</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzafun</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Binyomin Goldstein </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">asks (in one of his </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dvar Torahs</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">); if the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afikoman</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is so exquisite and so precious, then why do we hide it? And, all the more so, why do we entrust the kids, of all people to find it? Wouldn't we want to guard it and, if anything, keep it away from the kids? What is this custom all about?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He answers with something he heard from his </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Weinberger</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who quoted from </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Nachman of Breslov</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: One of the most beautiful and special things about kids is they can always start again. They don’t give up on themselves. They're resilient. When a kid is running, for example, and he or she falls down and scrapes their knees, they cry a little bit, but then get right back to running. The kid doesn't say to himself, "You know, I don't think this whole running thing is for me. I think I'm going to stay sitting down all day tomorrow; better safe than sorry." The child could fall a hundred times. It makes no difference; the kid is determined to run, because he believes in himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, as we grow older, we sometimes lose that resilience and ability to start anew. We give up on ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Nachman teaches that we must learn from children! In a way, we must be child-like in the service of Hashem. When we attempt to do any </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to learn any Torah or to </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">daven</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to Hashem, we need to do so with the understanding that, "I may fall this time, but eventually I'm going to be able to do this. I'm not quitting until this is completely accomplished!" Our </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodas Hashem</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> needs to be with total simplicity, happiness, and holy-stubbornness, just like a child in his or her "</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">avodah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For this reason the children are the ones that find the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afikoman</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It is to teach us that our true freedom (represented by the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afikoman</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) lies in our ability to pick ourselves up and start anew without being weighed-down constantly by all of our perceived incapabilities. The children are therefore the ones that retrieve the </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afikoman</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the adults, because they are the ones that "retrieve" for us this "hidden" secret to true inner freedom. To not attempt to achieve our potential for spiritual greatness because we do not believe in ourselves is to remain slaves. To never despair and to always push forward with simple faith and happiness, on the other hand, is to experience true freedom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barech</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מוזגים כוס לאליהו הנביא </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We pour a cup for Eliyahu HaNavi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is an allusion to the fact that we believe that just like Hashem </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yisbarach</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> redeemed us from Egypt, He will again redeem us, and send us Eliyahu to tide us [of the Redemption].</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah Berurah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">480:10</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hallel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ישראל בטח בהשם עזרם ומגנם הוא</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Israel, trust in Hashem, He is their Helper and Shield</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was orphaned at a very young age. His mother died giving birth to him, and his father died when he was all of 6 or 7 years old. On his deathbed, his father’s parting words to him were: “Know one thing: Hashem is always with you. Always turn to Hashem first for help whenever you need anything. If you know that Hashem is with you, then you will not fear anything, and you will conquer everything.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said that he took his father’s words and etched them into his heart, and he lived everyday of his life literally feeling that Hashem was with him. Whenever he faced a challenge, he turned to Hashem for help. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From a </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dvar Torah </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of my </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Binyomin Goldstein </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nirtzah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">חד גדיא</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chad Gadya</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov (Jonathan) Sacks </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes on </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chad Gadya</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chad Gadya</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> expresses the Jewish refusal to give up hope. Though history is full of man’s inhumanity to man -- dog bites cat, stick hits dog -- that is not the final verse. The </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ends with the death of death in eternal life, a fitting end for the story of a people dedicated to the great command “</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choose life</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” (Devarim 30:19).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Jonathan Sacks Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We may add, perhaps, that </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chad Gadya </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is also a very fitting way to end off because it shows us that, no matter how much brutality, etc. there is and has been throughout history, truthfully, everything is seen by and comes before the True Judge, and He will mete out the fair and true judgement on everyone according to what they deserve. Nothing ends up unfair or unjust.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">***</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chag Kasher v’Sameach! May it be a healthy one too!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-53959366978515627192020-04-03T06:09:00.002-04:002020-04-03T06:09:57.529-04:00Parshas Tzav Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ“ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Tzav</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This edition of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Sparks</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is dedicated l’zechus refuah shleimah mi’heira</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to anyone who has the coronavirus, and to a complete salvation from the pandemic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From where do we know that one who does </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it is considered for them as if they went up to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yerushalayim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, built the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the Altar, and brought all the offerings that are listed in the Torah? From the verse (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 51:19), ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The offerings of G-d are a broken spirit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ [i.e. referring to regret over transgressions, it would seem]. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Vayikra Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 7:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Command (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">צו</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) Aharon and his sons</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Command (צו)” implies a spurring to act with alacrity, immediately and for all generations (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Kohanim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In an interesting take on this, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Yosef Zevin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains a very nice message: He prefaces that the general nature of people is that something that comes suddenly, or is out-of-the-ordinary, we feel more, and it makes a bigger impression on us than things that happen regularly -- even if they are less wondrous. We see the sun rise every morning and set every evening, and yet this doesn’t leave such a mark on us, even though it really is an incredibly awesome phenomena! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For this reason, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have taught us based on the words of the verse ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That I command you today</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ that every single day, the Torah should be new to us. Similarly, we say about the creation of the world that Hashem ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">renews every day continually the work of creation</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, because we need to feel and see the renewal of creation every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When something is “immediately, and for all generations” -- i.e. it is a continual or daily thing, we need extra spurring to be vigilant to not sleep on it, as it were, because we get used to it. We must make sure to still understand and feel its amazingness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah Vi’LaMoadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Alexander Zusia Friedman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says on this, that in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which we do “for generations” -- we do them very frequently, such as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- we need special spurring to make sure that we always do them with passion and newness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah; Vayikra </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 32</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the law of the Olah-offering; it is the Olah-offering that burns upon the Altar the entire night until the morning, and the fire of the Altar shall burn on [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lit. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] it.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ask; why do we specifically speak about these things regarding the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizbeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when discussing the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering, such as that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the fire of the Altar shall burn on it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shalom Noach Berezovsky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{previous </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slonimer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests an explanation based on what the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayikra Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7:3) tells us, that an </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering could be brought to atone for sinful thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He then brings a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mashal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (parable) from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: There was a man who owned a large area of forest, but he now wanted to uproot the trees in order to build a city on the land. So he began to cut down the trees one by one -- that is, until he saw that it would take many years perhaps to accomplish the task of cutting them all down! What did he do? He lit a large fire, and it quickly consumed all the trees. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too it is with a Jew, that sometimes we struggle with bad or improper thoughts, and of course, we want to get rid of them. What is one good piece of advice for this? To ignite a great flame -- an </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aish kodesh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- within ourselves of holy passion and fiery devotion to Hashem. This can help greatly in burning away sinful thoughts.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, explains Rav Shalom Noach, we can understand why the Torah talks about the fire of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizbeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> together with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering: Through the holy fire -- of Torah and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- we can help to purify ourselves of sinful thoughts, which could be the cause for bringing an </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesivos Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be’er Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesivos Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) notes that the wording of the verse really would be translated as ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the fire of the Altar burns </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. In what? In the Torah. As Hashem says in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is not My Word like fire</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’? One way of kindling our inner fire is through the eternal flame of the holy Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ * ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, in a Torah Scroll, the letter ‘מ’ of the word ‘מוֹקדה’ (‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">burns</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’) is written small. This comes to teach us that sometimes at first you might only “burn” a little while </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Davening</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (represented by the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizbeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) -- i.e. you might only have a little passion and feeling. 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 </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Davenings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the law of the Olah-offering (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">זאת תורת העלה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">); it is the Olah-offering that burns upon the Altar the entire night until the morning</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Menachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">110a) teaches that whoever studies the portion and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dealing with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">korbanos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is as if they actually brought them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based on this, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Likutei Ratzba </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">elucidates our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The “Torah of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering” -- studying the topics pertaining to it -- is the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering for the “entire night”, meaning this long and dark Exile, in which we don’t have the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so we cannot bring </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">korbanos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> actually. At this time, what we can do to fulfill the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or the other offerings, is to study about them. Of course, this is until “the morning”, i.e. the Redemption, when we will once again have a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and be able to offer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">korbanos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Cited in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah; Vayikra </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 34-35</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Kohen. . . shall lift up the ashes. . . and he shall bring out the ashes to the outside of the camp</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:3-4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimshon Refoel Hirsch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidates this service of the lifting of the ashes, and the removal of them: Before the fire of the new day was laid and lit, the ritual of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">terumas hadeshen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- the “lifting up” ordered in this verse -- had to be performed. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Terumas hadeshen </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">may be considered the final conclusion of the service of the preceding day. But yet it was also almost like the introduction to today’s service. It thus imparted the message that today is not a completely different mission; it is to carry out the same mission as yesterday, ever afresh. The Jewish “today” is completely connected to, and draws on, the “yesterday.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, if the lifting of the ashes was to introduce the service of the young new day with reference back to what had been accomplished on the previous day, then the removal of the ashes, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hotzaas hadeshen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, would contrastingly express the thought that every day brings the Jewish mission to be accomplished afresh. Fresh -- as if nothing has yet been accomplished. Woe unto him who, with smug self-complacency, thinks he can rest on his laurels, on what he has already achieved, and who does not meet the task of every fresh day with full fresh devotion, as if it is the first day of his life!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The past is to be there and not forgotten, but it is not to invest us with complacency or haughtiness before the fresh task to which each new day calls us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Hirsch Chumash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the fire upon the Altar shall burn on [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lit. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in] it, it shall not be extinguished (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">לא תכבה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), and the Kohen shall kindle wood on it every morning</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Famously, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal HaTanya </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">first </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lubavitcher Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; HaRav Shneur Zalman of Liadi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} says: לא (which means no) -- the negative within us, תכבה -- you should extinguish!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ * ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a different vein, but very similar to what we spoke of above (v. 2), the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains our verse like this: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fire. . . shall burn in it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- there is truly a fire for Hashem lit within every Jew. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Kohen shall kindle</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Navi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or in our days, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or spiritual leader must kindle this spark within every Jewish heart into a roaring flame. How? ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wood on it every morning</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- with regular doses of fuel, i.e. frequent Torah study sessions, teaching them about </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> between a person and Hashem (from the word עולה later in this verse, which connotes ‘above’), and also interpersonal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (from שלמים of our verse, which is related to שלום, peace).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A continual fire shall burn on the Altar, it shall not be extinguished.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:6)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It shall not be extinguished -- even during travels (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yerushalmi Yoma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Ch. 4, Halacha 6</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Aharon Levin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: When someone is sitting at home, where they are comfortable, and everything is set the way they are used to it, etc. usually, they will guard themselves from improper actions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when one travels, and they are away from home or on the road, things are a little different. Hardly anyone recognizes them, or will scrupulously take notes on their actions, as it were. Furthermore, a lot of potentially testing situations can happen while one is on a trip, and for these reasons, unfortunately, it is a lot easier to stumble and sin.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And this is what the verse, and the comment from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yerushalmi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on it, come to teach us: We must try to kindle such a fire of fear and love of Hashem on our hearts, that it does not become extinguished -- even during travels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaDrash Vi’HaIyun </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah; Vayikra</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the offering of Aharon and his sons that they shall bring to Hashem on the day he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Kohen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] is annointed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Kohanim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that whereas a regular </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had to bring this special </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering only once -- the day they are inaugurated to the service -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen Gadol</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had to bring it every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">discuss the significance of this. Why would the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen Gadol</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have to bring this unique </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering every day, unlike the other </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohaniim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who only bring it once?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests that since regular </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohanim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are almost automatically fit for the service, and once they are “inducted” into it, as it were, that is enough forever. . . Thus, they need only bring the inauguration offering once. But a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen Gadol</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> requires appointment to this high position. One doesn’t automatically become or remain a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen Gadol</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And even after they have been appointed to that position, they could theoretically become unfit for it at any time. Therefore, every single day for a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen Gadol</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is like a brand new designation to his high status, and so he should bring the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering of inauguration every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oznayim LaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alternatively, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shternbuch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that when someone is elevated to an exalted status, for a while, they will feel the great responsibility that falls on their shoulders. But after some time, they become used to their special service, and might start not being as serious about it as they were at first. For this reason, the Torah commands that a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen Gadol </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">must offer every day the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering that he brought on the day of his inauguration. He should see himself as if he has been appointed anew every day, and therefore, will strengthen himself completely and fully dedicate himself to the service that is incumbent upon him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taam V’Daas</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And an earthenware vessel in which it was cooked shall be broken</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 6:21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah here teaches us that if a vessel touches and absorbs a little bit from the meat of a sin-offering -- and the law is the same for all other offerings -- it takes on the same stringencies as the offering. Thus, if meat of an offering was cooked in an earthenware vessel, the vessel would have to be broken, because it is impossible to completely cleanse the absorption from it, and very shortly, once the allotted time for eating that specific offering has elapsed, it would enter the category of “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nosar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- left over”, which has to be destroyed. However, if meat of the offering was cooked in a metal vessel of some sort, it merely must be scoured and washed out, and that will eliminate the absorption. (According to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; if this law applies to all offerings, why does the Torah specifically use the example of a sin-offering?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homiletically, he answers that the purging of vessels has some similarity to the purging of a sinner who had to bring the sin-offering. Just like some vessels absorb much, and therefore must be broken to rectify this, so too, someone who, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “absorbed” a lot of sin, and it is difficult for them to separate from the sinful behavior that they are used to, their rectification and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can come about through “breaking their heart”, and humbling themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If for a thanksgiving-offering. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 7:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The thanksgiving-offering, or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban Todah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, was brought if one survived, by the grace of Hashem, a very dangerous, life-threatening situation. And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">54b) outlines the main categories of such situations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was to be brought along with several loaves of bread of different varieties (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here), and wafers, and it also had to be eaten in a quite small time-span -- a day and a night. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netziv </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Todah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is supposed to bring the owner to relate the miracle that Hashem wrought for them. Therefore, the Torah mandates the abundance of food and the short amount of time to eat it in, so that the benefactor of the miracle will invite a lot of people to partake of the festive meal with him, and he would tell over to this multitude of people the incredible miracle that Hashem performed!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaEimek Davar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are 96 </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pessukim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (verses) in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which, it has been noted, is interestingly enough, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gematria </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(numerical value) of the name of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">itself: צו.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">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.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Malachi 3:22-23, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haftarah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Shabbos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaGadol</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The last </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Navi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (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 </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">z”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sanhedrin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">99b. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Navi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">concludes, from what Hashem said; ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that I commanded him in Choreiv for all of Israel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- meaning, that there is not a Jewish person who is able to exempt themselves from keeping the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the Torah. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And further in it is an exalted matter; that we were commanded regarding the Decrees and the Ordinances </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">together</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, for only then the Torah is called complete -- if we uphold it with all its details and fine points. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And if we will do what is incumbent upon us, surely Hashem will uphold His Word to send to us Eliyahu HaNavi to tide us of our Redemption. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The last </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taryag </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(613) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the Torah is also regarding the matter of learning Torah, like it is written, (Devarim 31:19) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now, write for yourselves this Song and teach it to the Bnei Yisroel, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">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 </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And this is all of man [i.e. our whole life]. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 14pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ Maasim Tovim ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If for a thanksgiving-offering</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 7:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The two holy brothers, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Pinchos of Koritz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Shmelke of Nikolsburg </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">went and asked their </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maggid of Mezeritch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a question on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: They had been studying </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Masechta Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and they learned the teaching that ‘just like one must bless Hashem for the good things, so too one must bless for the bad that happens’, and they just couldn’t understand it. How can one do so?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maggid</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> told the brothers to go to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Zusia </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. He could help to answer their question. So they went to seek Reb Zusia, knowing that he suffered from a lot of hardships in his life, so he probably would be able to explain the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> very well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When they arrived there, they asked Reb Zusia their question. But he replied that he also could not understand the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- as nothing bad had ever happened to him, on which he would have this obligation!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now the brothers understood. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ * ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One summer, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yonasan Steif </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Viener Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, was taking a walk through the Catskill Mountains. The day was extremely hot and humid. As he walked, a light breeze began to blow. Rav Steif stopped and exclaimed, “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A dank, Ribbono Shel Olam, far dem vint </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Thank You, Hashem, for the wind.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Stories</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 116-117</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-47655624301209017932020-03-27T14:00:00.000-04:002020-03-27T14:00:05.645-04:00Parshas Vayikra Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ“ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayikra</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This edition of Shabbos Sparks is dedicated as a zechus for a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to anybody infected with the coronavirus, and for Hashem to “halt the plague” very speedily,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and not let anyone else catch it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And He [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] called to Moshe -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ויקר</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">א</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> אל משה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Vayikra 1:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a Torah Scroll, the letter א in the word ויקרא is written small. Many incredible lessons are derived from this. Among them are:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explain that this comes to hint to us that Torah study (alluded to by the letter אלף spelled out -- see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Iyov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">33:33) will not endure except in someone who “makes themselves small” i.e. humble. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah; Vayikra</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yismach Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{the second </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aleksander Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- Rebbe Yerachmiel Yisroel Yitzchok Danziger </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} says that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the small א in the word ויקרא teaches us that every single thing in life -- no matter how “small” it might seem -- is Hashem calling us (like the meaning of the word ויקרא). (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Wellsprings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- The word אלף can mean to teach (see above). The Torah thus teaches us that we must teach ourselves to be small, i.e. humble. . .(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Degel Machaneh Ephraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- Some people mistakenly think that the people who look so great and boast of their riches, greatness, etc. are the great and successful people -- that is what greatness must be! And this is how they can show others that they are great as well!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But this is not the truth: With the small א here, the holy Torah teaches us that, you know what a great person is (symbolized by the א, the first letter in the Aleph-Beis)? Someone who is modest and humble, and not always trying to show off. That is a true א person! (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains the matter of a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as an atonement for sin in this manner: While all the services are being performed on the animal -- the slaughter, sprinkling of the blood, burning, etc. -- the one who brought it should come to think about how terrible it is that they sinned against Hashem, and really they deserve to have all this done to them, but out of Hashem’s kindness, this animal goes in their place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based upon this, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Neiman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests another lesson from the small א: If this person really takes these thoughts to heart, they will surely become humbled and return in complete </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Therefore, we begin the portion of the Torah that deals a lot with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korbanos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(offerings) with a small א, to teach us that the first principle in bringing a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is acquiring the trait of humility. . . (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lechem Yehuda</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In summary: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many, many lessons and things are derived from the small א -- we only brought some! But overall, one of the big lessons we learn from the small א is how much can be derived from every last detail in the Torah: From one letter -- a small one even! -- there are so, so many insights and lessons to be gleaned. Just imagine one word, or sentence! Indeed, the holy Torah is endlessly deep.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a person from you will bring an offering to Hashem, from the animals. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 1:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The verse, although translated this way, has a very interesting sequence in the Hebrew text: “אדם כי יקריב מכם” -- which would literally mean something more like, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A man, when he will bring from you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sforno </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> picks up on this and explains that when one brings a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it mustn’t just be the animal. You must bring </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from yourself</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with it. I.e. the sacrifice must be accompanied by confession, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and humility. Hashem doesn’t desire an offering brought with no repentance or improvement accompanying it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ * ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a slightly different vein, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apter Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidates the verse like this: If we offer from ourselves -- meaning, if we are ready to act with much self-sacrifice for the sake of Hashem, then that is truly an ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">offering to Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, and it is considered as such! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parperaos LaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cited in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninei HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a person from you will bring an offering to Hashem, from the animals. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 1:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tells us </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Shlomo of Radomsk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Just as with a simple animal, when a Jewish person says over it “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” (“Offering”), immediately it is sanctified with a high level of holiness, so much so that its blood is sprinkled in the Sanctuary, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kal vachomer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (all the more so) if a person accepts upon themselves and declares: “From today and onwards I will try to be holy to Hashem!” then certainly, immediately, great holiness is rested upon them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(As quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vi’karasa L’Shabbos Oneg</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Somewhat similarly, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter of Kelm</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Simcha Zissel Ziv </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that we learn from the fact that an animal can become sanctified as a holy </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> through verbal designation, how incredible the power of speech is! Hashem has given us such an incredible gift and power in speech -- and when we speak, our words are not just “mere words”, but rather, potentially powerful and incredible things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ateres HaMikra; Vayikra</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ * ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes another wonderful thing about </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korbanos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: There are four types of creations: #1, A </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">domeim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- something that is completely not alive; #2, a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tzameiach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- something that grows, and is thus alive in some way; #3, a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- which is like an animal; and #4, a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">midaber</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- which refers to a human being. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When someone brings an offering, it would often be an animal or a bird (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), accompanied by a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha-offering</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which included things that originally grew from the ground, such as the olive oil (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tzameiach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), and of course, as we learn in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it had to include salt (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">domeim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). And when the person (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">midaber</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) brought this offering, they brought all four kinds together!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If his Offering is an Olah. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Vayikra 1:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are taught that one of the things that an Olah-offering could be brought for was to atone for a sinful thought.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The Olah-offering is listed before the rest of the offerings in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And by way of the simple interpretation, it is because thought comes before everything, and a sin of thoughts about something bad comes before the actual sin in action.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they shall sprinkle the blood upon the Altar all around</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 1:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, in the laws of the sprinkling of the blood of offerings, the blood of an animal Olah-offering is sprinkled lower down on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizbeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, whereas with an animal Sin-offering, it is sprinkled higher up. And just the opposite is the case with bird offerings: With an </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the blood is sprinkled higher up, but with a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chatas </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(sin-offering), it is sprinkled lower down. What is the significance of this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Shapiro </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidates the matter: A wealthier person, when they bring an Olah-offering voluntarily, they are liable to become quite haughty and prideful when they think about how big and important their </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is. Therefore, to combat these feelings, the Torah commands that the blood of this offering be sprinkled on the lower part of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizbeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But if a wealthier person sins, and therefore has to bring a sin-offering, their heart is already broken, and thus they are certainly not feeling haughty right now, so the blood of their offering can be sprinkled higher up on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizbeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With the sin-offering of a poor person, who could probably only afford a bird, there is nothing unusual with this offering from their others, so the blood gets sprinkled lower down. . . However, with the voluntary Olah-offering of a poor person, when they bring their bird, even though it is not such a huge </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, just the act itself of someone of limited means voluntarily bringing something from their meager possessions as an offering is worthy to be emphasized and praised, so therefore, the blood of the bird is sprinkled on the upper part of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mizbeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nitzotzei Ohr HaMeir</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lekach Tov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If a person will sin. . . from any of the commandments of Hashem that may not be done, and he did one of them</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 4:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The phraseology of this verse is quite interesting. And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kedushas Levi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, explains a great lesson from it:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is known that the more one serves Hashem, and the higher level they reach, the more they realize their own lowliness and the inadequacy of their current service. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But if a person does a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and they think that they did it perfectly, and that they are truly serving Hashem as properly as they should, then this is not good at all. This is implied by our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If a person will sin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- what is their sin? ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From any of the commandments of Hashem that are not done, and they did</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- that they think that they did their </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> perfectly and on the highest level, even though they really didn’t. . . There is always room to improve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kedushas Levi al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 16pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim</span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~</span><span style="font-family: Acme; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘ויקר</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">א</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 1:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">say that one who flees from honor, honor will pursue them, but one who chases after honor, honor will run away from them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a funny analogy on this concept: Honor is very fast -- much quicker than us. If you chase after it, you won’t catch it. And if you truly flee from it, it will catch up to you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A man once came to see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and asked him: “I am always fleeing from honor, and even so, honor does not chase after me! So where is the truth in the words of our Sages?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Rebbe Reb Bunim replied, “From your question it implies that when you flee from honor, you turn to look behind you from time to time, to see if the honor is chasing you. And automatically, when the honor sees that you are turning towards it, it thinks that you are intending to chase after it, and so it immediately turns around and flees from you. . .”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was trying to say, of course, is that someone who pretends to be humble, and flees from honor </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in order that</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> honor will pursue them, is really chasing after it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah shel Torah; Vayikra </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 9-10</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ * ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When a person will bring close. . . to Hashem, from the animals</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Vayikra 1:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was once a young man who had, let’s say, taken an “alternate route” to end up in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: He had left his home in Brooklyn many years earlier to move out West, and explore Native American culture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For many years, he lived amongst Native Americans in Montana, and had essentially become one of them. However, when he met with one of their elders, who was said to possess the deepest of wisdoms, she encouraged him to return home and pursue Judaism! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Feeling very disheartened and confused, he made his way back home, and somehow -- through Divine Providence -- ended up knocking on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Freifeld</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s door. Rav Freifeld listened to the young man's story and was genuinely fascinated! He asked the young man what his greatest interest was, and the man said he is very interested in horses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They conversed about various types of horses for a while, and then Rav Freifeld had to go, but invited his young guest to meet him again at his office the next day. The young man was impressed by Rav Freifeld’s willingness to speak with him about horses, so the next day he returned, and again began to speak about his interest in wildlife and nature for quite some time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Their daily meetings continued on for some time, until one day, Rav Freifeld had to leave his office to tend to an urgent matter. The young man was waiting in the office for a few minutes when he saw out of the corner of his eye some books lying on the floor behind Rav Freifeld’s desk. The young man knew enough to know that Jewish books are holy and shouldn’t be left lying on the floor, so he bent down to pick them up and put them on the desk. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, when he bent down to pick up the books, he saw that these were actually not Jewish books. . . they were books about horses from the library! It turns out that Rav Freifeld went to the library and took out several books on horses to read, in order to familiarize himself with the topic to be able to maintain a conversation with this young man. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Needless to say, this young man was deeply moved and overwhelmed by Rav Freifeld’s effort to connect with him, and it made a lasting impression upon him</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Related in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dvar Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Binyomin Goldstein</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. For the unabridged version, see the book ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reb Shlomo</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-6203446269700265082020-03-20T16:40:00.001-04:002020-03-20T16:40:16.691-04:00Parshas Vayakhel and Pekudei Divrei Torah and Insights<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ“ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayakhel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moshe assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 35:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He gathered them together the day after Yom Kippur (</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explain (see </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olelos Ephraim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Totzaos Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiyucha shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that, as is known, on Yom Kippur, people are usually united and peaceful with each other. But what about afterwards? Moshe Rabbeinu gathered </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> together </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">specifically</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the day after Yom Kippur so that the incredible peace and unity would continue even after the holy day. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moshe assembled the entire assembly of the Children of Israel and he said to them, “These are the things that Hashem has commanded to do them.”</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 35:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sifrei Tzaddikim </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">interpret this phrase in another way: Moshe Rabbeinu gathered together </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and he told them that “</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are the things</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” -- to always come together in unity and peace “</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that Hashem has commanded to do them</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”. This is His Will!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah shel Torah; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> p. 157-158</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moshe assembled the entire congregation of the Children of Israel. . . And Moshe said to the entire congregation of the Children of Israel. . . “Take from with yourselves a Portion for Hashem.”</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 35:1,4,5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Leib Scheinbaum </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: In the first </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayakhel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Moshe Rabbeinu is addressing the entire nation </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b’hakhel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, all-inclusively -- men, women and children -- and instructing them regarding the privilege of constructing the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of erecting the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a communal </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Building a place where the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will dwell, a place from which all of </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will draw inspiration and holiness, must be done through the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzibbur </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(community) -- together as a unit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Baruch Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that for the entire Jewish People to derive spiritual inspiration and influence from the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it is essential that they feel they have a part in it. Therefore, even the poorest Jew was compelled to contribute towards the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so that they would have a share in this edifice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adanim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- which were the silver bases into which the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kerashim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, wooden beams, were fitted -- were derived from a special collection from all of </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This was because the foundation of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had to originate from </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everyone equally</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We find later in </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Pekudei</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that Moshe gave a complete reckoning of the silver, its proceeds and exactly how it was spent. This was done to indicate that there was exactly enough silver, and every bit of it was used for the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">adanim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This was unlike the gold and copper, which had a surplus. Every individual had to feel that he had an </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">equal</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">share in the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s foundation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninim on the Torah;</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sixteenth series</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Six days work will be done, and on the seventh day, it shall be for you holy, a Shabbos of Shabbos’. . .</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 35:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes from </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the Shabbos is put here before speaking about the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to teach that the work for the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and building it did not override the Shabbos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be’er Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Tzvi Salant </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> goes deeper into the connection between the two: He quotes from the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nefesh HaChaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which says that the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was like a microcosm of the entire world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thus, just like when Hashem created the world, He ceased working and making it when it came Shabbos, so too with the building of the mini-world, as it were -- the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- they had to halt the work for Shabbos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yehoshua Kalish </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the entire assembly of the Children of Israel went out from before Moshe.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 35:20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asks the question; why does the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> emphasize that </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> went out ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from before Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’? Didn’t we already know that they had been standing before him, and now that they ‘went out’, obviously they were leaving his presence? (See there for his wonderful answer).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter of Kelm</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Simcha Zissel Ziv </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests that we learn from here a valuable message: Even after the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> left Moshe Rabbeinu’s presence, and from learning under him, it was still recognizable that they had learned by him -- not just at the time of their studies, but wherever they were, you could tell that they had studied Torah from Moshe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a great lesson for all </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talmidim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Even when they leave the sacred walls of the Study Hall and from the tutelage and gaze of their </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- when they go home, or during </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bein hazmanim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc. -- they must remember that wherever they go, it should still be noticeable that they are </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bnei Torah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">35:20</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Notes </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yehoshua Kalish </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; the Torah seems to reiterate a lot when dealing with the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the donations for it, the phrase ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">as Hashem commanded</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ or something similar. Why the repetition?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Kalish; according to the opinion of </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes, the command to build the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, although listed before the sin of the Golden Calf, came chronologically after it, and was like an atonement for it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">takes an interesting approach to the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheit ha’eigel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, saying that the root of it was that the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were trying to make their own way to serve Hashem -- unfortunately, one that wasn’t at all the proper way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Putting these things together, Rav Kalish expounds that this is perhaps one of the messages of the commonly recurring refrain mentioned above: It emphasized that the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc., was done and made </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exactly</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> according to how Hashem had said, which was a complete atonement and correction for the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheit ha’eigel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, when </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tried to serve Hashem in a way they made up, not the way Hashem proscribed.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Kalish</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">---------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hegyonah Shel Torah </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on Shemos 25:5</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And every man whose heart lifted him came, and all whose spirit inspired him, brought the Portion of Hashem for the work of the Tent of Meeting and for all its service, and for the holy garments.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 35:21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chida</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}: It is known that the nature of people is that at times, there awakens in their heart the desire to do a good thing. But after some time, the inspiration “cools down,” and in the end, the person may not even do the good thing they thought to. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was not so with the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The Torah praises the contributors to the building of the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">every man whose heart lifted him came, and all whose spirit inspired him, brought the Portion of Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">actually upheld what they thought to do at first!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vi’karasa L’Shabbos Oneg</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they brought to him [</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe Rabbeinu</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] further contribution every morning.</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 36:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are taught that the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brought their contributions early in the morning while people were still sleeping so as to not be noticed [and to give in the optimal form -- anonymously].</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">|</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maaseh</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">|</span><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is related that once, a </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was caught smoking in secret on Shabbos. This caused a great uproar. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was approached and asked what should be done with the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; should they remove him from the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or let him stay? The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> invited the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to his room, and spoke to him for around ten minutes, and when the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">left, he was crying and regretting what he had done. No one else knew what had gone on in Rav Yisroel Meir’s room, and the matter remained a secret for a long time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After some years, a </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> told over the story before the congregation, and in conclusion of his words he said: “It is too bad, very much so, that we did not ask the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> what the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said to him, so that we would learn thereof how to deal with </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochurim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” At the end of the</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Drosha</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the congregation began to leave, each person going to their own house -- except for one elderly man whose head was bent over, resting on the table. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> approached him to wake him up because he thought that he was asleep, but he discovered, to his surprise, that the Jew had fainted! He immediately poured water on him and treated him, until his “spirit returned.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the man came to, the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asked him why he had fainted; perhaps he wasn’t feeling well? But the man answered that </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">he</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had caused him to faint, when he told over in his </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Drosha</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who was with the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wondered and asked; what connection did the story have to him? Answered the man, that he himself was the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> whom the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had told about. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">begged the man to tell him what the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had really said to him, and how he succeeded in influencing him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The man replied: “When I entered by the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he took my hand and grabbed it with warmth with both his hands; he looked into my eyes with a gaze of compassion and great love, and he began to cry and to say: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oy</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Shabbos </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kodesh</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oy</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Shabbos!’ Such did the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> cry throughout ten minutes. In those moments, I trembled and I felt a stream of holiness that passed inside of my body. I broke into a cry and I regretted from the depths of the heart about what I did, and I accepted upon myself complete </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> until this day. Therefore, when you told the story, I was very moved, because I remembered the stirring occasion with the </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and therefore I fainted.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ne’imos Netzach II</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninei HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "book antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ“ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Pekudei</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are the countings of the Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 38:21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We read about it </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Pekudei</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a tally of the materials donated for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc. and how they were used and appropriated. It appears, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that this reckoning teaches us that we need to do an accounting on everything that HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave to us. Our life; what are we doing with the time on this world that Hashem has granted us? Are we using it for Torah and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas V’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, for nothingness and meaningless matters? And our money; are we giving to charity requisitely? Are we properly keeping the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that deal with monetary matters?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And this applies to everything Hashem has kindly blessed us with -- all our strengths, our talents -- everything. We need to ask ourselves; are we using them in accordance with Hashem’s Will?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stones of remembrance for the Children of Israel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 39:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Simcha HaKohen of Dvinsk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains another significance of these words, aside from their plain meaning: These stones would cause the Jews to remember that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">their</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> names are engraved on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ephod</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is worn before Hashem, and thus they will be ashamed to do an </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aveirah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meshech Chochmah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You shall erect the Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 40:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tell us that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, including the wise of heart, were trying to set up the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but they were unable to. So HaKadosh Baruch Hu said, “You engage in erecting it, and it will arise on its own.” This is like what the verse (v. 17) says, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Mishkan was erected</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- which implies that it was by itself (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayikra Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">52:4</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> expands on this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: We see in this a lesson for all the things a person may do, that a lot of times, it is beyond our capability to really complete a certain task. So what can we do? We must put in our effort, doing everything that we can, as much as we are capable -- and then Hashem will give us help from Above to complete the mission.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of Hashem filled the Mishkan. . . </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And when the Cloud ascended from upon the Mishkan, the Children of Israel would travel in all their journeys. And if the Cloud would not ascend, and they would not travel until the day that it ascended.’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 40:34, 36-37)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this topic we finish off the Book of Shemos. That Hashem would lead the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, letting them know when they should travel and when they should not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We must understand that this is true as well in our own lives: Hashem leads us and helps us on the right path through life with certain signs and messages -- whatever they might be. As we say in our morning blessings, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who prepares the footsteps of man</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This assurance that Hashem leads us and guides our way through decisions, etc. and is always involved in our personal lives is a wonderful way to leave -- and thing to leave with -- from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B’Ezras Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to go forward with in the Holy Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For the Cloud of Hashem was upon the Mishkan by day, and fire would be on it at night, before the eyes of the entire House of Israel in all their journeys.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 40:38)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shalom Schwadron </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests that this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> alludes to the bitter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Exile, that has been “home” to the Jewish People for the last few thousand years. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is telling us that during all of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s journeys, throughout the Exile following the destruction of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “fire” has always been burning to guide us through the darkness of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. What is this fire? It is the Torah, as it says in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yirmiyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (23:29); ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Behold, My Words are like fire -- the Word of Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. This is a reference to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">daled amos shel Halacha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “the four cubits of Torah Law,” -- a place where Torah is studied -- which illuminates the road for us as we travel through the long, harsh night of Exile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adds </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Leib Scheinbaum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This is how it has been throughout our Exile. The Torah has been our sanctuary, our island of serenity, our place of refuge, our tower of hope. In the Torah, we have always felt that we were with Hashem. We never felt alone. The continued study of Torah was a remarkable phenomenon, especially during the Holocaust, when Jews turned bunkers, cellars or underground tunnels into </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Battei Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, houses of Torah study. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Vilna Ghetto, an entire religious school system continued while the Nazi guards were unaware that it was going on. In the Daltmorgan Camp in southern Germany, a group of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">students would convene at night to study </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnayos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This was after a day of hard labor in the clay pits. Bone tired and near starvation, covered with vermin from lack of showers, they would listen as a young student from Novhardok recited chapter after chapter of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnayos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> aloud, from memory, and the rest would repeat after him. Others studied </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talmud</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by memory as they marched for hours in the biting cold. Their bodies were cold, but their hearts were warmed by the fire of Torah. They were not alone. Hashem dwelled -- and dwells -- in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">daled amos shel Halacha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which they maintained.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninim on the Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; sixteenth series</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Somewhat similarly, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avnei Azel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that this verse teaches us that no matter where we are -- throughout all the wanderings, migrations, etc. of our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- we should always remember that Hashem is with us, and will never let go of us nor forsake us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In very good times -- “day” -- Hashem’s pillar of cloud leads the way for us through the wilderness of Exile, and in, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, very dark times of suffering and persecution -- “night” -- the pillar becomes like a fire, that will consume the enemies who rise up to destroy us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem always is with us -- even in the darkest of times.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah shel Torah; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we know, at the end of every </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the Torah, we say the words ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazak Chazak Vi’Nischazeik!</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- ‘Be strong, be strong, and we will be strengthened!’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Aharon of Chernobyl</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> taught that the repetition -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazak Chazak</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- means that we must strengthen ourselves time and again to do the right thing. Even if you tried once and failed, strengthen yourself and try again, a second time, and a third time, etc. And if we do this, then ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vi’Nischazeik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- Hashem will help to strengthen us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Wellsprings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">|</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maaseh</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">|</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Once, government officials came to Rimanov, and said that they were commandeering the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be used as a warehouse for army supplies. The community leaders came to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Rimanov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for suggestions how they might be able to avert this tragedy. One member of the community spoke up and said there might be a saving grace, because the roof of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shul </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">leaked, and if the officials became aware that the supplies may be damaged by water, they would forgo use of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Menachem Mendel said, “What?! You have allowed the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to fall into disrepair? No wonder this has happened! Hashem has punished you for evidencing disrespect for His House. Have the roof repaired immediately and see that all necessary repairs are done, and you will see that they will withdraw their plan.” </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The townspeople did as Rebbe Menachem Mendel had instructed, and, miraculously, when the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shul </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was repaired, they were notified that the government no longer needed it as a warehouse.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four Chassidic Masters</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-79492069383383093732020-03-19T22:22:00.001-04:002020-03-19T22:22:56.719-04:00ONLINE CHAVRUSA?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b>B"H</b><br />
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<b>Shalom u'bracha everyone. I really hope you are well -- and continue to be. With all the shutdowns due to the coronavirus going around, <i>Rachmana Litzlan</i>, shuls, <i>Yeshivos</i> and <i>Battei Midrashim</i> have been closed in many places, and furthermore, a lot of people are stuck inside. Therefore, people who usually would study with their <i>chavrusa</i>, etc. possibly may be left to study on their own. </b></div>
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<b>So at this time, my offer is: To anyone who would like to, I am available as a <i>chavrusa</i> over Google Hangouts, phone, etc. Just contact me here or via email (aishkodesh611@gmail.com) and let me know, and we can discuss how to, <i>b'Ezras Hashem</i>, move forward from there.</b><br />
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<b>May HaKadosh Baruch Hu protect you and your entire family and keep you all safe and healthy, and may He heal completely and speedily anyone who is infected.</b><br />
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<b>Kol tuv!</b></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-51247661381773455792020-03-13T13:37:00.000-04:002020-03-13T13:37:09.186-04:00Parshas Ki Sisa Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you take a reckoning (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">כי תשא את ראש</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) of the Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 30:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> pick up on the language of כי תשא, which literally would mean ‘When you lift up’, used in the context to imply a census. Below are a couple from their explanations on its significance:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that even though humility is so very important, when a person has the wrong kind of humility, i.e. they think that they and their service don’t matter at all to Hashem, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that can lead them to sin. But when such a person saw how he was counted as an equal part and number in the census as the greatest person among us -- as 1 sum -- then they will realize that they also are important, and have the potential to become great. The census will thus “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lift up their heads</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”, and they will strive to elevate themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Yosef Zevin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> takes a different tact: A human being is physically different from the other creatures in the animal kingdom in that he walks upright -- with his head on top, whereas (most) animals have their head facing downwards. But this really has a deeper significance. And that is, that a person has the unique ability for their mind to rule over the desires of their heart. An animal’s head follows its base desires. Therefore, if a person uses their mind mainly to pursue physical things, they are essentially just like an animal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sinned with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheit haEigel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they fashioned gold into a calf, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">R”L</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> bowed down to it. Aside from the simple evil of the act itself, there was a deeper symbolism, as well: They bent their heads downward and subjugated their mind to this golden object -- making themselves almost like animals themselves!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, the Sages tell us that the events in the Torah are not always in chronological order. And according to one opinion in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">actually came to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf. Thus, when </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gave the half-</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shekel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> contribution for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- in stark contrast to how they had used their gold before -- they were raising up their funds for a holy purpose, and so this helped to “straighten them” back up, to the position and form of a human being. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lit.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] raise up the heads of the Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. . .!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah Vi’LaMoadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you take a reckoning of the Bnei Yisroel according to their countings, and [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">each</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] man shall give (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ונתנו</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) a redemption of his Soul to Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 30:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ונתנו (‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and they shall give</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’), notes the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal HaTurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, would spell the same word if you read it backwards. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This tells us, he explains wonderfully, that what a person </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gives</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to charity will return to them [and perhaps more!] -- and they won’t lose anything because of it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you take a reckoning of the Bnei Yisroel according to their countings, and [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">each</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] man shall give a redemption of his Soul to Hashem. . . This they shall give, all who pass through the counting: Half a shekel in the holy shekel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 30:12-13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quotes from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Hashem showed Moshe Rabbeinu a sort of coin of fire, and its weight was half a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shekel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and He said to him: “Like this they shall give.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} draws from this comparison a very great lesson: We need to realize that money is just like fire. If we utilize it well and for good things, then it brings great benefit. But if we don’t use it properly, it will burn us. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Half a shekel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 30:13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why specifically was everybody to give half a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shekel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and not a whole one? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Alkabetz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that it was to teach </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the attitude towards unity: Each of us is almost like we are only half, as it were, by ourselves -- but when we join together with our brethren, the other members of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we become whole.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 30:13</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rich shall not increase and the poor shall not decrease from the half-shekel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 30:14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The rich</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, i.e. a person who is on a high level, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shall not increase</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, they should not become haughty and think of themselves as great. And ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the poor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, i.e. someone who is poor in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shall not decrease</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, they shouldn’t give up on themselves, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as explained by my </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: “See, I have called in the name of Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur of the Tribe of Yehuda. And I have filled him with a spirit of G-d, with wisdom, and with understanding, and with knowledge, and with every work. To think thoughts. . .”’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:1-4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; where do we find that Hashem called in the name of Betzalel?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answers Rav Moshe beautifully; the very fact that Hashem endowed Betzalel with such amazing skills, talents, and gifts was </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">itself</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the calling. This was the Voice of Hashem summoning him to do the holy work of the building of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we are given a gift; a talent, etc. we must know that it is specifically to utilize it for our personal service of Hashem. Each and every person has been given their own unique abilities for their own unique mission in this world, and we must utilize them such.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Higad’ti HaYom </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 31:1-5</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I have filled him with a spirit of G-d, with wisdom, and with understanding, and with knowledge, and with every work. To think thoughts, to make with gold and with silver and with copper.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:3-4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">55a) tells us Hashem endowed Betzalel with amazingly profound wisdom in different ways (see there). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question that is asked is; if Betzalel was so full of deep, amazing wisdom and knowledge, why does the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> praise him for being able to ‘think thoughts’ and to ‘make with gold, etc’? Isn’t this hardly a praise at all?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Various </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explain that really, this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> means to relate another dimension of Betzalel’s incredible understanding and wisdom. A lot of people donated materials for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and its vessels. Betzalel could determine how pure the intentions were of the person giving the contribution, and, based on how sincere and passionate they were, their contribution would be used accordingly. If someone donated with extremely pure motives and with great enthusiasm, their donation would be used for a very exalted thing in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But if someone gave with lesser motives, then their contribution would be put towards a slightly less holy purpose in the building of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Betzalel knew how sincere each person was in their donating, and could therefore use their donation for the appropriate thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ Shabbos ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But My Shabbos’ (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">שבתתי</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) you shall keep</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the simple interpretation, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that the plural “שבתתי” refers to the many Shabbosos of the year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But in a deeper elucidation, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that the plural can hint to the two aspects of Shabbos: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zachor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- remembering and honoring the Shabbos in nice ways, and enjoying it; and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shamor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- guarding against desecrating it in any way. We must keep both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a somewhat similar vein, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Tzvi Mecklenburg </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaKsav V’HaKaballah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 31:13</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explains that the verse alludes to both physical rest, and spiritual rest. We must not only rest on Shabbos from physical labor/</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Melachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and mundane pursuits, but also we must rest our soul and mind from workday thoughts, so that it is free and at ease to think and contemplate holy and exalted things. These two things are very intertwined and must be together -- and they really are one thing. Thus, the verse continues ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a Sign</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- in the singular. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this section about Shabbos, notes the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the command to guard it is repeated three times. This alludes to the trio of thought, speech, and action. We must rest in all of them -- trying to avoid thinking about anything not proper for Shabbos; not speaking about things forbidden on Shabbos, and not doing anything that is forbidden on Shabbos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes; Shemos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5652</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And on the seventh day, a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">שבת שבתון</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:15)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - -- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The term שבת שבתון implies a real rest of repose; not just a temporary, casual rest (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Yosef Zevin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">comments that there are two kinds of rest: One type is rest because somebody is tired. Someone works for a while, so they are tired, and without taking a break, they won’t be able to go on, so they rest for a little while. This rest is just for the sake of the continuation of the work. But there is also a second type of rest, and that is after a person has finished their work. After they completed a building, for example, they sit back and rest, and then they can really be calm and at ease.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells us that when Shabbos comes, we must consider it as if all our work is done, and there is nothing more to do. It’s not like a lunch-break in the middle of work, so that you can keep working better afterwards. It is a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">complete</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rest, like the second type we described. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And this is the meaning of what </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says, explains Rav Zevin: Our rest on Shabbos is supposed to be a rest of repose -- a שבת שבתון; a complete rest, with security and with peace. It is not supposed to merely be a “day off” so that we can keep working better the next day, which is a limited rest. A temporary one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah Vi’LaMoadim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on our verse</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shternbuch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains similarly, that Shabbos is not just a quick rest or break period from work, during which everyone is really still dwelling in their work, as it were. Rather, Shabbos is a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">complete</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rest, which adds holiness to a person, and it affects and influences the entire week ahead with its holiness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taam V’Daas </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 31:16</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Children of Israel shall guard the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:16)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">suggests that the word for “guarding” (שמר), which had already been mentioned twice in this section (see above), perhaps in this verse means to wait in anticipation for something, as in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 37:11 (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> there). In this context, it teaches us that we should wait for and look forward to the Shabbos. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And one “makes the Shabbos”, explains </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by preparing all their Shabbos needs before Shabbos, making sure that they have a nice portion for the holy day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Bnei Yisroel shall keep the Shabbos, to make the Shabbos for their generations as an eternal Covenant. Between Me and between the Bnei Yisroel, it is a Sign forever. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 31:16-17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the Shabbos being a ‘Sign’, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Meir HaKohen Kagan </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} gives a parable: A businessman puts a sign on the outside of his house/shop so that people will know the nature of his work. And all the while that the sign is on his shop, everyone knows that this businessman lives here -- even if sometimes he travels somewhere for a few days, people still see that he hasn’t completely left that shop.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, if he would take away the sign and move it to some other place, then that would show that this businessman has already moved from this shop and isn’t to be found there anymore.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too with the matter of Shabbos, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: It is the sign that testifies that Hashem created the world in six days and rested on the seventh -- Shabbos. It is also the sign upon a Jewish person who ‘carries this splendorous banner upon themselves,’ i.e. one who keeps the Shabbos, that they believe that Hashem created the world, and thus that He is the Master of all, and we are obligated to do His Will with all our Soul and all our might. Even if, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it happens that they do something wrong, this sign -- Shabbos -- testifies that they are still firmly a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">frum </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jew. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And on the seventh day</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out that Shabbos is mainly referred to as a day, as we find in many places. We even see this in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that regarding all the six days of creation, the Torah says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it was evening and it was morning</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, but not about Shabbos. This hints to us that the entire Shabbos is in the category of “day.” What is the significance of this? Shabbos is a great, illuminating light. On the Shabbos, spiritual concepts -- and really everything -- become so much clearer. We understand and fathom the depths and beauty of things in a spiritual way so much better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiferes Shimshon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘שבת וינפש’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beitzah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">16a) derive from these words that Hashem gives all of us an extra Soul (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Neshama yi’seirah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) when we come into Shabbos, and then He takes it back </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Motzaei Shabbos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the people saw that Moshe was late to come down from the Mountain, and the people gathered against Aharon, and they said to him: “Arise, make for us gods. . .”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 32:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> throughout the generations have grappled with what exactly </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> did by the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheit haEigel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, what their intentions were, etc. Such discussions are beyond our scope. Please see their explanations in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mikraos Gedolos Chumash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and in their relative </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We will, however, bring some lessons we can learn from the tragic incident:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Shabbos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> miscalculated their count of the forty days and forty nights that Moshe Rabbeinu was supposed to be up on the mountain, and jumped the gun on when they thought he should have been back. This led to their mistake.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Tzuriel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">says that we learn from here the importance of patience, and not acting too hastily. Acting hastily and impetuously leads to confusion, and confusion can lead one to err. Obviously, we must have alacrity to perform </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but that is only once we ascertain thatit is something we should do. But in general, one should not act or react too hastily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Otzros HaTorah, vol. 1</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 351</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ * ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Still, how could </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have made such a terrible mistake right after </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Yam Suf </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matan Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?! After such revelations, how was such a steep fall possible? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that the mixed multitude who joined the Jewish People when they left Egypt (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eiruv rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) instigated the sin, but still, how could they themselves -- who had also experienced these wonders -- do such a thing?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yitzchok Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that, unfortunately, the nature of a human being is that at the time that we see a big miracle or have an inspiring experience, everything is clear to us, and a big impression is made. But shortly after it passes, the mark fades away. . . Although </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> saw such incredible revelations, the impression faded, and they complained shortly after </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Yam Suf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Although the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eiruv rav </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">also saw amazing wonders, when they were over, they reverted to their old ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rinas Yitzchok; Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 338</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim Shmulevitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that someone can see and experience an amazingly inspiring and exalting thing, but that experience itself will not make the person truly on a higher level. Only if they work and toil to improve and elevate themselves will they truly rise higher and change. So even though the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eiruv rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> merited seeing incredible Divine revelations, they still remained the same people, since they did not work to improve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sichos Mussar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#56</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How true the words of these </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are! Too often, we have this miraculous or incredible and inspiring experience, and we are extremely motivated to make all the important changes and improvements that we need to -- but shortly after the “high” wears off, we find ourselves back where we were before it. Perhaps one solution to this is as my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Daniel Yaakov Travis </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">told me: I once asked Rav Travis about how one stays inspired in their </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodas Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and he responded that when one gets inspired, you have to take it as far as you can. I.e. when we get inspiration, we must utilize it to actually improve and elevate ourselves -- and not merely “enjoy the high.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moshe turned and he descended from the Mountain, and the two Tablets of the Testimony were in his hand. . . And the Tablets, they are the work of G-d, and the writing is the Writing of G-d, engraved upon the Tablets.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 32:15-16)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Dov Weinberger</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Why does the Torah talk about the greatness of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luchos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the writing on them </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when Moshe Rabbeinu was descending the mountain with them, right before he smashed them because the Jews sinned with the golden calf? Why not at the time that they were given? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he suggests: Perhaps we can say that the emphasis on the greatness of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luchos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> only now is to teach a person human nature; that only when they stand to lose what is precious to them, specifically then do they suddenly feel the importance of it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemen HaTov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ * ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adds </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yissachar Frand</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Our inability to appreciate what we have before it is too late is one of the saddest aspects of human nature. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the boys are in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they feel like their </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> days will last forever. No matter how much I lecture my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talmidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on this subject, they usually do not take it to heart. Years later I meet former</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> talmidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and then I hear the regret in their voices as they nostalgically remember their days in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. They fill me in on their lives, and they invariably say, “I enjoy my life, but I miss the days back in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, you were right; I should have appreciated my days in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> while they lasted.” If only they would have seen the forest rather than get tangled up among the trees. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The same applies to raising children. When our children are young and living with us, we have a hard time paying attention to the transience of their existence in our homes. . . We are so caught up in the difficulty of raising our children that we often fail to realize how lucky we are to be spending time with them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Years later, when our nests empty out, we suddenly look back and wish we could hear the laughter of a two-year-old, the sound of little bare feet tapping on the floor, and yes, the sound of toys being poured out in a room that we just cleaned. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does the average American look forward to? Retirement. People spend the most productive years of their lives, from the age of 20 to 65, considering what they will do when they retire. What a shame! By the time people reach 65, they often no longer have the energy or drive to appreciate their newfound freedom from obligation [with making a living, etc.], and they spend the rest of their lives morbidly wishing that they enjoyed their strength while it lasted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps the most painful application of this concept is the relationship most have with their parents. . . As long as a person’s parents are alive, they seem to pose a great difficulty. There are times that they offer unsolicited advice, or mix into our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chinuch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> decisions, and we become frustrated. When parents pass away, children suddenly realize what they have lost. They realize that they should have welcomed the friendly advice; they should have appreciated the warmth, caring, and love that was the basis for their unappreciated suggestions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By reserving the description of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luchos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> until they were about to be destroyed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> concludes Rav Frand </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> beautifully, the Torah warns us to appreciate our gifts in life -- our children, our strength, our parents, and the myriad other gifts that Hashem grants us -- before it is too late. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Frand on the Parashah 2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Tablets, they are the work of G-d, and the writing is the Writing of G-d, engraved (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">חרות</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) upon the Tablets.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 32:16)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Do not read it חרות (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">charus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- engraved), but rather חרות (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cheirus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- freedom). For you cannot have a freer person than someone who is engaged in Torah study. And whoever engages in Torah study, it is elevated. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6:2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I will be compassionate to whom I will be compassionate, and I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 33:19)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Zev of Zebarizh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shows us a different way to understand this statement of Hashem: Oftentimes, how we ourselves behave and treat others, Hashem will respond in kind, and treat us that way.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I will be compassionate, says Hashem, to the person who will say “I will be compassionate towards other people,” and I will be merciful to the person who will say “I will be merciful to other people.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Razin D’Oraysa</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, last piece on Ki Sisa</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1 </span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is actually how the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explained the verse in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(121:5), ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem is your shadow. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’: As we act towards others, so Hashem acts towards us. If we are kind and not so quick to judge them, so will we be treated from Above. (Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you will see My “back”, and My face shall not be seen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 33:23)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homiletically, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Moshe Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that many, many things happen in life. And about a lot of them, we wonder why Hashem caused/is causing this thing to happen. But after some time elapses, we see and understand retroactively that all those occurrences were all leading up to an important purpose -- and they were all for the best! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what Hashem was telling Moshe Rabbeinu: ‘My “back”’ -- i.e. after the purpose is achieved, you will then understand why all those things leading up to it had to happen. But you will not understand the ultimate purpose of something before that.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to our verse</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, we must certainly have faith that whatever happens is for the best, even if we don’t know what good purpose it is for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall stand with Me there on the top of the mountain. And a man shall not go up with you, and also no man shall be seen on the entire mountain</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 34:2-3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Nachman Horodenker </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (grandfather of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Nachman of Breslov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) derives a lesson from this verse for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tefillah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: When we go up to Hashem, as it were, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">daven </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Him -- whether we are </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">davening</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">minyan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (quorum) or by ourselves -- it should be to us as if we are completely alone with Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ginzei Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as quoted to me by my </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My Shabbos’ you shall keep</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 31:13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Gedalya Moshe of Zhvil</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was exiled to Siberia by the Russians for a few years together with another Jew for stubbornly keeping Torah and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. When their time of detention ended, their day of freedom was deliberately set for Shabbos. Before being allowed to go, they were ordered to sign a document of freedom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The day of freedom arrived, but Rav Gedalya Moshe did not turn up at the office. The prison warden was surprised as this had never happened before in history, that someone did not turn up when sent to freedom!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He sent for him, and found Rav Gedalya Moshe in his room. He inquired why he did not show up. “Do you not want to be freed?” he asked the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Of course I do!” he answered. The warden gave him the papers to sign. But the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> refused to sign on Shabbos! When the officer saw this, he warned him that if he did not sign, he would have to stay for an extended unknown period of time. But this did not deter Rav Gedalya Moshe. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fellow Jew who was also meant to be released, was also handed the documents in order to sign. When he saw that Rav Gedalya Moshe refused to sign, he also made a fuss and refused to sign too. When Rav Gedalya Moshe saw this, he told the officer that he was willing to sign for his friend. The officer was rather surprised. “For yourself, you are unwilling to desecrate the Shabbos, but for your friend you are willing to do so?” he inquired.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yes,” answered Rav Gedalya Moshe. “You see, I can continue living here. I will most likely survive. But for my fellow inmate, this is a matter of life and death. He cannot possibly tolerate it here any longer. Therefore I may sign for him!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The officer (even a cold Russian in freezing cold Siberia!) was very moved by the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s selflessness and how he was willing to help his friend, rather than himself. He therefore agreed to free both of them without having to sign any papers!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Gems</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ * ~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he said, “Whoever is for Hashem -- to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered to him</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 32:26)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimon Schwab</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> once spent Shabbos with the saintly </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in Radun. It was Friday morning, and, in the middle of a discussion concerning the function of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohanim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> turned to Rav Schwab and asked, “Are you a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No,” replied Rav Schwab.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Perhaps you have heard that I am a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Yes, I have heard.” Rav Schwab quietly responded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Perhaps you are a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?” the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No, I am not,” was Rav Schwab’s reply.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What a shame!” Said the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshiach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is coming, and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will be rebuilt. If you are not a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], you will not be able to perform the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Service, in the Sanctuary. Do you know why? Because 3,000 years ago, at the incident of the Golden Calf, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dein Zeide</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, your “grandfather”, is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">nisht gelafen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, did not run forward when Moshe Rabbeinu called out , ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mi l’Hashem eilai!</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ ‘Whoever is for Hashem, should come to me!’ Now take heart and listen: When you hear the call, “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mi l’Hashem eilai!</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” come running!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Leib Scheinbaum </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sums up: This was the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s message. When the call from Hashem comes, we must respond immediately, because that window of opportunity will not stay open forever. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leviim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> responded 3,000 years ago, and it transformed their lineage forever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninim on the Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sixteenth Series</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-48893875819668992382020-03-06T14:03:00.002-05:002020-03-06T14:03:46.527-05:00Parshas Tetzaveh Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ“ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe Rabbeinu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] shall command the Bnei Yisroel, and they shall take to you pure olive oil, crushed (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">כתית</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), to illuminate, to raise up a lamp continually.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 27:20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal HaTurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes that כתית is made up of the letters ת”י (the numerical value of 410) and ת”כ (the numerical value of 420). This alludes to us, he explains, that for 410 years -- the time that the first Beis HaMikdash stood for; and 420 years -- the time that the second Beis HaMikdash stood for, the lighting of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Menorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the Beis HaMikdash would be practiced. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">quotes the above teaching from a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and he says: This </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hints at the two </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Batei Mikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so it should have also alluded to the future third Beis HaMikdash (may it be built speedily). But perhaps this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">alludes only to the two </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Batei Mikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> whose time would be cut short. And since the first two were going to get destroyed, therefore, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> alludes to them in the word כתית, which means crushed or beaten. The third Beis HaMikdash, however, is not alluded to in that word because it will never be destroyed -- but rather, it is hinted to in the word ‘למאור’, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘for illumination’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (see Yeshayahu 60:1, and commentary there). And since it will stand forever, therefore it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to raise up a lamp continually</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’; meaning that its kindling will be continuous and won’t cease anymore.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To raise up a lamp continually.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 27:20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our Sages of blessed memory taught that when the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Menorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in the Beis HaMikdash was lit, every courtyard that was in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yerushalayim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would be illuminated by its light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tetzaveh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crushed, to illuminate</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 27:20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Menachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 86a): ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crushed to illuminate</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,’ but not crushed for Meal-offerings (למנחות).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In an interesting take on this all, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yechiel Danziger</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the first </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alexander Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explains: When someone give a person </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or rebukes them, trying to humble the person a little, they need to intend to do it only ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to illuminate</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, i.e. to help to illuminate and show the person the proper path that they should take. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And not for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מנחות</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Meal-offerings)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- מנחות has a very similar root to the word which means to lay down, meaning that we must make sure to not give rebuke with the intention to bring the person down and make them feel lowly and like nothing. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells a beautiful story of a Roman who passed behind a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and heard a Scribe saying the verse in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these are the Garments which they shall make; a Choshen and an Ephod</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. . .’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Roman asked; “These, for who are they?” He was answered that they were for the Kohen Gadol. The Roman said to himself that he would convert in order that the Jews would install him as the Kohen Gadol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So he came before </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shammai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and told him to convert him on condition that he be appointed as Kohen Gadol. Shammai basically just chased him out -- he was talking nonsense! The Roman came before </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hillel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and he converted him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hillel basically told him that before anyone can become king, they must learn the royal arts; “Go and learn the arts of the king,” he said -- i.e. learn the Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Roman went and read and when he came to the verse (Bamidbar 1:51) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the stranger that comes close shall die</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- speaking of the fact that only the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leviim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> could handle the Holy Vessels of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- he asked Hillel who this applied to. And Hillel answered that it applies to even king Dovid himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now the Roman reasoned to himself: If the Jewish People (aside from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leviim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) -- called the Children of Hashem -- are not allowed to touch the Holy vessels, he, who was a convert who had come without merit, all the more so the rule would apply to him! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He came back before Shammai and essentially asked him why he hadn’t explained to him that his notion of becoming Kohen Gadol was nonsense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then he returned to Hillel and said to him: “Hillel, the patient, may blessings rest upon your head, for you brought me under the wings of the Divine Presence.” (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">31).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It would seem from this beautiful story that this non-Jew really wanted to become the Kohen Gadol and wear such special clothing -- but then Hillel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> helped him to realize how great and special it is to “just” be a Jew. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tell us that all Jews are like </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohanim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (in a sense). We all have the special Service of Hashem to do. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All of us are all extremely important and needed, and we are all servants of Hashem and have special missions we must carry out. Not only this, but we all have a special connection to Him!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And, based upon this concept, we can perhaps answer the question of why Moshe Rabbeinu’s name isn’t mentioned in this entire Parsha: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sforno</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, both </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, note that the reference to Moshe Rabbeinu the three times at the start of this Parsha as ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ implies that instead of having to instruct others to do certain things, he had to personally involve himself in these three tasks: The tasks being the designation of the pure olive oil; the designation of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohanim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; and the selection of the wise men to make the Holy Garments and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe Rabbeinu was extremely essential and important here (of course he was in every </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> he is in) -- even though his name isn’t mentioned!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so, perhaps the lack of mention of his name is a lesson to us all that even if your name isn’t talked about all over the place -- i.e. you aren’t like world renowned -- you still are extremely important and still have a special job in this world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these things actually connect beautifully to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Zachor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: For they are both about beating Amalek </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yemach shemo</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Haman was from Amalek and he ended up defeated (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!) -- and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Zachor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is about remembering what Amalek did and blotting them out. But how does all this connect to what we have been saying?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Tzvi Salant</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be’er Yosef al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, beginning of Parshas Yisro</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explains that one of the things that Amalek tried to do was to make it like the Jewish People has nothing special about it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we must defeat that power of Amalek (a.k.a. the Yetzer Hara) -- a big part of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Purim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Zachor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- and realize how special and important it is to just be a Jew; and not only this, but how special to Hashem </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">we all</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall speak to all the wise of heart, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 28:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The title “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">wise of heart</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” means a person who wants wisdom, and makes every effort to attain it. Into the heart of a person like this, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will give wisdom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninei HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps this is the explanation of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (55a), as well: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">says that Hashem only gives wisdom to the wise. But the question that many ask is, if someone must be wise in the first place to be given wisdom, then how do they get that first wisdom, to be given further wisdom?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The answer, it would seem, could lie in the above insight. Hashem gives wisdom to those who </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">truly desire</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Torah wisdom, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">truly seek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it. To such a person, Hashem will give special help from Above to attain wisdom. Indeed, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> actually brings our verse as one of the sources for its statement!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eizel’e Charif</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Yehoshua Isaac Shapiro </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had a daughter of marriageable age, and he needed to find a good </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shidduch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for her. So he went to the great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Volozhin, and posed a very difficult question. Whichever </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bachur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> could answer it he would pick as his son-in-law. But none of them could answer it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Eizel’e left and was just pulling away in his horse and carriage, when suddenly, one of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bachurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> came running out of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Forget the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shidduch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” He said to Rav Eizel’e. “But how can you leave Volozhin without giving an answer?” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This young man may not have known the answer, but he </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">desired</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very much to. He sought it greatly. And it was this young man whom Rav Eizel’e </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> chose as his son-in-law. He also later would become a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim Eisenstein</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A man once came to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noda B’Yehuda </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yechezkel Landau </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} and told him that he was struggling with questions in his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Yechezkel took him into the kitchen-area, where a chicken was being cut up. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> then said something quite surprising: He told the chicken to come back together! And, lo! All the pieces actually came back together again! He then told it to go back to how it was, and the chicken went back into the pieces it had been in just before. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noda B’Yehuda </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">asked the man, “Do you have any more questions in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?” “No.” the man replied. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-28253643805064570562020-02-28T15:20:00.003-05:002020-02-28T15:20:20.754-05:00Parshas Terumah Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Terumah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, the contribution of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (portion) comes right after </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which deals a lot with laws of damages, monetary matters, etc.. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Brisk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} explains that this teaches us that one must first make sure that their money is absolutely clean of any kind of dishonesty, and only once that is ascertained should they give charity and other contributions from it. There is no value to a donation that came from money acquired in a way forbidden by the Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, beginning of Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In another connection to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">says that since </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">proclaimed </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Naaseh V’Nishma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, right afterwards Hashem asked them to give the donations for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Why would this be so? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Schlesinger </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that of course, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> meant what they said wholeheartedly. But still, they only </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in words that they would do and accept Hashem’s Commandments. And sometimes, we might say something grandiose, but when it comes down to action, we don’t carry it out, or at least not to the same degree. So after </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> accepted in speech to listen to Him, Hashem immediately gave them something to put it into action.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eileh HaDevarim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, beginning of Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am not sure if I heard/saw these additions or they are my own little thoughts, but perhaps we may bring Rav Schlesinger’s insight further: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as we are taught, was not a command -- therefore, it was the greatest test to see if </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would put their dedication into action. Because they could easily try to make an excuse that this was not a real Command, and so it was alright if they bowed out, as it were -- and especially given that it involved giving contributions from their possessions, which, by nature, a lot of people find somewhat difficult to part with. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they shall take for Me a portion (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">תרומה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The commentators note that the proper wording in this case would have seemed to be ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and they shall </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">give</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for Me. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”. Why the expression of taking?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Ganzfried </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(among others) elucidates that, as we know, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, its vessels, and all that they provided were extremely beneficial to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in many different ways. Therefore, what </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> contributed for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and everything in it really was not just donating, but also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">taking</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as it brought amazing bounty upon them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apiryon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, first comment on Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a different vein, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were supposed to donate with the knowledge that this silver, gold, etc. of theirs really is Hashem’s, and that He merely entrusted it to them. Thus, it was almost as if they were taking something from Hashem for Him!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 25:2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they shall take for Me a portion (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">תרומה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The word תרומה, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Yosef Zevin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out, seems to come from the root word רום -- to raise up. The significance of this is that we were given a special power -- to be able to raise up and elevate physical, mundane things, into something holy. All the contributions for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and all its vessels were from very physical things. But when they were utilized for a higher, holy purpose, they were sanctified and raised up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah ViLaMoadim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 25:2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From every man whose heart motivates him, you shall take My Portion.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is asked; why was the donating to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a voluntary thing; why was it not made an order or a command? Answers the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avnei Nezer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sochochover Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- HaRav Avraham Borenstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}; the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was something that brought closeness with Hashem; and in order to feel that closeness and love, we must have a burning desire to do so. It cannot be forced. And so, contributing to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a voluntary thing -- people had to have a burning desire to do so. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adds my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Binyomin Goldstein</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, beautifully: In the absence of a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we are told (see below) that we must make our hearts into a Sanctuary for Hashem. But this cannot be done without the desire to serve Hashem -- the passion and feeling. If someone has a burning desire to bring Hashem into their heart; nothing can stand in their way. However, if the desire for closeness is not there, it is essentially impossible to make the Sanctuary for Hashem. We can “go through the motions” of keeping the Commandments -- but if the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">desire</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the heart is not there, then the task of building an inner-Sanctuary for Hashem cannot be accomplished. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From one of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Goldstein</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dvar Torahs</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And this is the portion. . . Gold, and silver, and copper. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maggid of Dubno</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Krantz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> comments that surely, Hashem did not choose that we should contribute fine items like these because He loves such things, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Rather, He chose them because He knows that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">we</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> love those things. They are precious in our eyes. And when a person gives as a contribution something that is very dear to them and they love, they also give with it some of that love. And that love is what Hashem desired -- because one of the choicest and most precious things in His eyes is our love. And on such a foundation of love, a dwelling place for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> could be built.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohel Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, first comment on Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Aharon Levin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that, obviously, these items themselves are not necessarily so important to Hashem.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is important to Him, however, is that we contributed them. Our good will. We took things that are usually very precious to people, and we donated them -- showing that the Word of Hashem is more precious to us than any expensive or precious object. And that show of love is so great and honored in His eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaDrash Vi’HaIyun, vol. 2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> #206</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In another explanation, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Neiman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests that the reason Hashem wanted the contributions to be from these items was to symbolize and show us that the purpose of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was not only to bring holiness and the resting of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> inside it itself, but to spread the holiness to every aspect of our lives -- even the mundane. We must elevate even our daily physical acts to become holy, as well, by performing them all in accordance with the laws of the Torah, and with the proper intentions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">25:2; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">see above from Rav Zevin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on v. 2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they shall make for Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> note that Hashem does not say ‘in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> midst’, but rather ‘in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">their</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> midst.’ This teaches us that Hashem dwells within all of our midsts’. However, they explain further, we must make ourselves a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Sanctuary) for Him in which to dwell. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Moshe Fried </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> uses this concept to explain the significance of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Terumah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">following right after the weeks of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shovavim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have finished. People often take to heart the message of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and improving their ways during the weeks of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shovavim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and try to become holier people. But unfortunately, a lot of times, this stops once these weeks end.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Therefore, comes along </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which discusses very exalted matters, and the topic of building a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mikdash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for Hashem -- which, as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> states, teaches that we must sanctify ourselves to become a worthy “vessel” for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to dwell in (see above) -- and reminds us to stay on track even now, during regular weeks.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yam Simcha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> p. 190</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another lesson: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains our verse to mean “And they shall make for My Name of house of sanctity.” </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Menachem Kalish </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the second </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amshinover Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, interprets this to teach us that we must strive to bring holiness into our own houses, making sure that our family life is with sanctity. That is a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah shel Torah; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> p. 116</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2 </span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The same thing unfortunately happens a lot after </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Elul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aseres Y’mei Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they shall make for Me a Sanctuary, and I will dwell in their midst.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pesikta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we find that when Hashem said this, Moshe Rabbeinu asked how it was possible to make a house for Him -- is it not written that the heavens, and the heavens of the heavens cannot support Him? Hashem answered that He merely was asking them to do what they were able to, and therefore, something the size of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would suffice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We see from here, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that Hashem does not ask of us the impossible. He only tells us to do something that we can do. We must just do what is incumbent on us, i.e. all that we are capable, and then we will get assistance from Above.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">25:8</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Like all that I show you -- the form of the Mishkan and the form of all its vessels -- and so shall they do.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So shall they do” -- this applies to future generations (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out that this implies that we can indeed cause the building of the third </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes; vol. 2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Terumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5640</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they shall make an Aron</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 25:10)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why with all the other things made in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Hashem says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shall make</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’; but with the Aron, He says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> shall make</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’? Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: HaKadosh Baruch Hu said; “Let everyone come and engage in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aron</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in order that they will all merit [a share in] the Torah.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Shemos Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ch. 34)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who gives three explanations for what everyone did: Either they all donated a single golden vessel for it; or they helped Betzalel make it a tiny bit, or they should have the intention to do such.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they shall make an Aron. . . two-and-a-half cubits its length, and a cubit-and-a-half its width, and a cubit-and-a-half its height.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:10)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> note that all the measurements of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aron</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (which housed the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Luchos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) are in halves, and derive several wonderful messages from this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal HaTurim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Even a Torah scholar must be “broken”, as it were, and lowly in their own eyes. I.e. they must be humble, and not haughty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: A person must always think to themselves and feel that they are lacking in complete wisdom, and they need to fill that hole. They still have a ways to go, and they aren’t just “at the top”. (See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pardes Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Only one part of the Torah -- the Written Torah -- was in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aron</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But there is a second part -- the Oral Torah -- that was not in there, and without it, the Written Torah is not complete. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oznayim LaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall coat it with pure gold -- from the inside and from the outside you shall coat it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 25:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">72b) derives from here that any Torah scholar whose inside is not like his outside -- i.e. he is not genuine -- is not a true Torah scholar. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We can’t just act as if we are great around others, but in reality leave ourselves as lowly as we were before. We must strive to be truly good -- both on the outside, and on the inside. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> takes a different tact: Those who support Torah scholars must make sure that they not only have enough inside the house, for example, what to eat, but also that they have enough “on the outside”, i.e. enough to have nice, presentable external things -- such as fine clothing, etc. to be pleasant in the eyes of society, so that they will be given the proper respect and honor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall make a Menorah of pure gold</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 25:31)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah tells us that all the Menorah’s branches, flowers, cups, etc. must all be made out of one single piece of hammered gold. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, as we are taught, the light of the Menorah represents the light of Torah. This thus teaches us, expounds the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">entire</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Torah, both the Written and Oral Torah, everything </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">have taught and transmitted to us based on Oral tradition, and all the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> down to their fine details are all one single unit. They were all told to Moshe Rabbeinu at </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by Hashem Himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 88</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another thing we learn from this, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- that even the Menorah’s base was made from the same piece of gold -- is that in the World to Come, the supporters of Torah will be together with the learners of Torah, who benefited from their support.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall make two Cherubim of gold</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 25:18)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Cherubim were to be on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kapores</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aron</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-cover). And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sukkah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5) teach us that the Cherubim had the face of a little child. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chida </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains from this that we must bear the Yoke of Torah like small children -- simply, and always like we are just beginning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nachal Kedomim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Terumah #8</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall make the planks (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">קרשׁים</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) for the Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 26:15)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The word for plank, קרשׁ, notes the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, has the same letters as the word שקר, falsehood. We learn from this that we must try to completely break our trait of falsehood to its root, and we must strengthen ourselves in the opposite trait -- i.e. truth -- just like the word קרשׁ is just about the opposite of שקר. And through this, we will come to be like a קרשׁ for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, meaning, a chariot for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sanzer Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Chaim Halberstam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, lived to give. He especially loved the fundamental </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of giving, and he had a burning desire to give everything he could to charity</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Chaim had the custom of giving all the money he possessed to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tzedakah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (charity) every day. One day, after he had already given away all of his money, someone came to him with a very pressing need. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s powerful desire to give was urging him to help, but what could he do? He had nothing left.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suddenly, his face lit up. He left the room, and soon he returned holding something precious. Although he had no money, he could still give this needy person one of his few possessions -- his beautiful silver </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddush</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> cup. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Daniel Yaakov Travis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-50376278724564077962020-02-21T15:55:00.000-05:002020-02-21T15:55:00.154-05:00Parshas Mishpatim Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Mishpatim</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these are the Laws [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">המשפטים</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] that you shall place before them. If you will buy a Hebrew slave. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 21:1-2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is often raised; what is the significance of the fact that right after the giving of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aseres HaDibros </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Ten Commandments), the Torah begins discussing. . . laws of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eved Ivri</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Jewish slave), and laws of theft and damages? Wouldn’t we expect it to be more “spiritual” topics, so to speak? And also, why specifically is the law of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eved Ivri</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> first of all the important Laws in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (21:2) explains from</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that this person -- the future </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eved Ivri</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- stole money and didn’t have enough money to pay back the victim of his theft, so the court sold him into slavery. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">By way of analogy: The father of a sick child will always be thinking about that child. He thinks about this child in a sense more than all of his other children. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too here: Hashem is our Father. He is intensely concerned about this child who listened to their </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and stole. It’s almost like Hashem says, “I need to deal with him first. He needs help.” Therefore, immediately after </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matan Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the Torah discusses the thief, and what can be done to help him repent and become a righteous person. (Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Wellsprings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Yosef Zevin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The first word of this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is ‘ואלה -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that wherever it says ‘ואלה -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it adds onto [i.e. is very connected to] what came before. Just as what came before -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aseres HaDibros</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- were from Sinai, so too these Commandments in our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are from Sinai (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Zevin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are the Laws governing behavior between a person and their fellow (‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bein adam la’chaveiro</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’). And the nations of the world also have set laws in this regard. But the difference between our Laws -- the Torah -- and theirs, is in the little letter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the beginning of this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; the letter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that adds on to what came before. Because with us, even the laws </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bein adam la’chaveiro </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">were commanded by Hashem at Sinai; but with them, their rules are “common courtesy”, since people agree that society can’t endure without some rules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The difference is huge: These man-made laws of theirs won’t stand in the face of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When there is any sort of test, etc. people will break all of them and find all kinds of excuses to bypass them or completely nullify them. Rivers of innocent blood have been shed by these once-courteous people, even though they all recognize that it is wrong to kill. By us, however, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bein adam la’chaveiro </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">laws are not just proper conduct -- they are Commandments of Hashem! And this gives them sturdy strength and firmness. Just like the Torah is eternal; so too the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the Torah are eternal. . . (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah V’LaMoadim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on beginning of our parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yerucham Levovitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that the civil statutes of the nations are in general based on their own agreement and decisions regarding what is best for that particular situation and time, but thus, they change quite frequently, depending on when the situation, etc. changes, and also based on if their own minds change.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, with our societal laws, they are not based on human logic or knowledge, but they are straight from Hashem Himself at Sinai. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daas Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 21:1</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Nosson Scherman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The juxtaposition of this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sidrah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (dealing primarily with civil and tort law) with the Ten Commandments and the laws of the Altar provides a startling insight into Judaism. To Hashem, there is no realm of “religion” in the colloquial sense of the word. Most people think of religion as a matter of only ritual and spirituality. The Torah knows no such distinction. To the contrary, all areas of life are intertwined and holiness derives from halachically correct business dealings no less than from piety in matters of ritual. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Stone Edition Chumash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elchonon Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The first law of these </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the Torah gets into is the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eved Ivri</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, warning us to be kind to him, and treat him properly, etc. But the question is; why wouldn’t this law be put at the end of these </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishpatim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- or, at the very least, not at the beginning? For, at this point, any Jewish master would have somewhat recently left from being a slave themselves in Egypt! Certainly he would still be able to taste and understand the life of a slave, and thus would certainly not be unduly harsh or oppressive! So why was this rule put at the very beginning?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Hashem descends to the depths of a human being’s mind and and nature, and reveals to us the sad truth that in a lot of cases, the slave of yesterday can easily become the harsh master of today -- even though he still understands what it is like to feel this treatment. In our days we see a very good example: One-time employees who become a “big boss” often times suddenly forget about all the ideals that they were fighting for before, and can quickly become a harsh and bad boss -- the kind they would have hated previously. Even though they can well feel the situation they are now putting the underlings in, since they themselves were once in such a situation. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, the Torah has to warn us in a stringent manner against falling prey to this, and thus, it puts it among the first laws commanded after the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aseres HaDibros.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oznayim LaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 21:2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Let’s start out with three points: #1, What is a slave? Someone who has to do someone else’s will instead of theirs. They have less </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and they also have to take more time working for their human master -- and have less time to serve the Real Master, as is discussed. #2, The Sages tell us that this person who was a Jewish Slave had to become one because they stole and could not pay back (see above). And #3, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rambam</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hilchos Geirushin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2:20)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tells us that, in truth, we don’t actually want to do things that are wrong. But we sometimes (from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) try to force ourselves to go against our true will and desire, and go and do a bad thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Putting all these together, in the first Commandment of this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Hashem wants to teach us what freedom is: He wants to let us know that we have the choice to be free -- to do what is right. But, on the other hand, to have to listen to a human being (including our own body and materiality) instead of Hashem, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is being a slave. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Very fitting here is the opening comment of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Ovadyah of Bartenura </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pirkei Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Why does this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Masechta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> begin by telling us that Moshe received the Torah at Sinai? Because this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Masechta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is not as much about the laws of Commandments so much as it is about ethics and proper </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Now, the non-Jewish philosophers and wise men also wrote books on morals and ethics -- from their contemplations how a person should behave. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> begins by telling us that Moshe received the Torah at Sinai -- meaning to say that even these ethics and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are not just things the Rabbis of the Mishnah deemed correct; they are rather from Hashem Himself, Who said them over at Sinai.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And his master shall bore his ear with an awl</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 21:6)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This verse refers to what happened to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eved Ivri</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> if he decided that he wished -- after his full six-year term -- to stay with his master, instead of going out free. One of the opinions which </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">22b) is that of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who says that the ear that heard ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You shall not steal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ at </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and then went and stole (and that is why this person had to become a slave in the first place -- see above) should be bored with an awl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Dov Weinberger </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> two questions; #1, even though this ear heard on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that it is forbidden to steal, why was it specifically the thing that “received a punishment”, and not the limbs that actually stole, for example? And #2, why only now, when he decides not to go free, is his ear bored with an awl? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Weinberger, truthfully, there were some things that were made easier as an </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eved Ivri</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. His master had to treat him very nicely. He didn’t have to provide a livelihood for his family. He wasn’t obligated in as many </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when the opportunity arose to go free, to become a free man once again, and this servant decided in favor of the somewhat easier lifestyle rather than freedom, he is effectively saying that he doesn’t want any more responsibility, and he doesn’t feel the need to ascend at all. He doesn’t want to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hear</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> more </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to have to do. He doesn’t want to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hear</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about any more responsibilities. He is happy just staying on his somewhat low level. At that point, he is worthy to have his ear -- and specifically his ear, as we explained -- bored with an awl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemen HaTov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 21:6</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מכה איש ומת מות יומת -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One who strikes a man and he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the victim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] dies, shall surely be put to death</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 21:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Hebrew text, the majority of the words in the entire verse come from the root-word מת (death). This alludes to us just how bad hitting a fellow Jew (without the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">best</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> reasons) is. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘ורפא ירפא’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 21:19)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- -- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These words </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum Onkelos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(as explained by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) renders ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [the assailant] shall pay the doctor’s fee</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. From here permission was given to doctors to try to cure people (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bava Kamma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">85b).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One time, somebody came before the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and told him about a certain ill person, regarding whom the doctor had given up hope of a cure, and was certain that he would not survive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">answered; “Who gave permission to a doctor for this? Wasn’t it said that permission was given to a doctor to heal -- not to say that there is no cure for his sickness. . .”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Eliyahu </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 23</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Laws of Damages:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> deals a lot with the matter of damages. The laws of how one must treat their fellow and their property, and the penalty or punishment imposed if a person causes damage to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Menachem HaBavli </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that the Torah teaches that if we cause a little damage to something which is not our own, then we must make restitution. So how much more so, someone who does many sins, which damage the entire world in certain ways, would be obligated to “make restitution”, unless they fix their mistakes and do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taamei HaMitzvos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#17</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Salanter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> used to say: For this reason, we customarily begin to learn with little children the laws of damages, in order to get them used to these concepts when they are very young. Because, if not, when they grow up, these laws will be strange to them, and they won’t be able to understand why a person must make restitution, if, for example, his cat or rooster caused damage. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tenuas HaMussar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMeoros HaGedolim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 78</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is related, in fact, that the question was once posed to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, if the teachers could begin to teach the young students other subjects first, instead. And Rav Moshe replied that to teach them laws of damages first is an old custom, and therefore, we should not change it, due to the paramount importance of honesty in monetary matters and care when handling the money of others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yam Simcha </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 181</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bava Kamma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> teaches us that there are four primary damagers (at least most of which are spoken about in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): The ox/bull, the pit, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maveh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (either a human being or a tooth), and a fire. These allude to the main categories of bad traits that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tries to make us adopt. In general terms, the ox/bull, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maveh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and fire represent active damaging </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the pit represents a passive damaging </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. A great example is being morose often. One of the great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baalei Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> used to say that a person walking around with a frown is like a pit in a public place. It is liable to make others feel less cheerful, as well. (See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesivos Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, for another explanation on what these damagers represent). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">details, each one of these primary categories of damagers has subcategories. And the thing in common -- as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teaches -- between them all, is that it is incumbent on the owner to guard them, and if they do get out and cause damage, the owner of them is obligated to make restitution. So too, in our own selves, we have general categories of bad traits that we must overcome and guard against, and then the specific ones, as well. But they all have one thing in common: We -- the owner -- are obligated to guard against them and keep them in check. And we must make amends and do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> if, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we do slip and let one of them get out and damage. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Every widow and orphan you shall not oppress.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 22:21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This prohibition against oppressing applies to anybody, just the Torah spoke of what is most common -- since widows and orphans are generally more vulnerable, a lot of people unfortunately take advantage of them and oppress them (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">elaborates on this: The general practice of people is to be extremely careful when it comes to great and respected persons, taking pains to not cause them any distress, and to try to get them whatever it is that they want.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when it comes to “ordinary” people, and especially someone who is lowly in the eyes of society, like poor people, unlearned people, etc. even if someone goes to help them, generally it is not done in the most friendly and respectful manner, e.g. making them wait, or only speaking with them briefly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But how wonderful are the words of our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! They teach us to try to not cause pain to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> human being, no matter what their standing is. And furthermore, that we must be especially careful to not cause pain to those who are considered somewhat lowly or of less eminence!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiferes Shimshon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 22:21-23</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you lend money to My people, to the poor person who is with you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 22:24)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does it mean ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the poor person who is with you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’? The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maaseh Rokeach </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that HaKadosh Baruch Hu apportions funds to people for safekeeping, as it were, on condition that they use them and apportion them to others generously and properly. Therefore, a wealthy person -- as well as everyone else -- must remember that their abundance of money is not necessarily just theirs; it is also meant for the poor. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The poor person[‘s money] is with you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 101</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another wonderful lesson from this verse: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6:9) teaches us that when a person leaves this world, neither silver nor gold goes with them, but only Torah and good deeds. Based on this, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kotzker Rebbe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidates our verse: The word used for lending (תלוה) also has the same root as escorting (מלוה). We thus see that the only money that will escort a person and go with them after they pass on from this world is ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the poor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- i.e. what they gave to the poor and needy. Only that is truly ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, and only that will you take ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> #80</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And holy people you shall be to Me</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 22:30)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Very famously, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kotzker Rebbe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">stresses that the verse puts emphasis on the words ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">holy </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">people</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Hashem wants us to be holy in a human way. As the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains, Hashem has enough angels; He wants us to be holy people, utilizing and elevating the physical things, as well, to His service.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 5632</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is possible to explain this emphasis of holy people in another way, as well: Hashem wants holy people. Not holy robots. True, you could give a robot a list of a lot of Commandments to do, and at times it might even perform them better than a human being. But it cannot do them with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passion</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">closeness to Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Hashem doesn’t want us to do the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">just robotically, but rather, with the heart and feeling in them!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you will encounter the ox of your enemy -- or his donkey -- wandering, you shall surely return it to him. If you will see the donkey of your enemy crouching under its burden, and you will stop [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yourself</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] from helping him?! You shall surely help with him [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the owner</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">]!</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 23:4-5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We find a very similar verse to this one in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Ki Seitzei</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but speaking of an animal that was cast off. And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">over there speaks about how ‘cast off’ can imply that it strayed from the path. (See his words).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: If the Torah is so very concerned for a Jews’ lost property, and we are commanded to set it back on the right path and return it to them -- how much more so the person themselves! If, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a Jew has wandered away from the proper path, we must do our utmost to return them and set them back on the right course! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 23:4</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If we go back to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayechi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">when Yaakov Avinu blessed his sons before he died, we see that he blessed Yissachar that he is like a חמר גרם -- some type of donkey (see the commentators’ explanations). And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">brought from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that this means that he will carry the Yoke of Torah just like a strong donkey carries a burden. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Connecting this idea to our verse, we can see a wonderful lesson: The Torah discusses in this case </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘the donkey of someone you hate crouching under its burden</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. This can allude to the carrying the Yoke of Torah, i.e. they are, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, having trouble with their carrying of it -- like it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crouching under its burden</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. And the Torah teaches us that even if we dislike this person, if they are having trouble with their Torah, such as having trouble with keeping the Commandments or the like, we must help them! Even if we hate them because they do bad things (see the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), then all the more so should we help them to do better things! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A proof for this is that the Torah says that we have to ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">help with him</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Because if this person refuses, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to let you help them, then how will you help them? We are supposed to help </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the person, because if they won’t try to pick themselves back up with us, then we can barely help at all (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Bava Metzia</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 32b, early in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">amud</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). It is up to each individual whether they want to become a better person, but we should try to help them do it. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Different methods are needed for different situations, though: This is hinted to in the double usage ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You shall surely help</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- עזב תעזב’. And we need to know and figure out, with Hashem’s Help, how to help each individual person according to what kind of a person they are. Based on that, we can know what kind of method to use to bring them closer to Hashem and His Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You shall stay far away from a false word -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מדבר שקר תרחק</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 23:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Reb Zusha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains to us that there is another way we can read the above verse: ‘From a false word, you will go far away’ -- i.e. if, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we say a false thing, it pushes us away from Hashem!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes that regarding no other sin does the Torah stress that we must stay far away from it -- only falsehood. We see from here how very much we must distance ourselves from falsehood, and flee from it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Tamim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; end of ch. 6</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe Rabbeinu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] took the Book of the Covenant, and he read it in the ears of the People, and they said, “All that Hashem spoke we will do and we will listen (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">נעשה ונשמע</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 24:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Simai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> taught: At the time that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Naaseh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- We will do’ before ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nishma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- We will listen’, [beautifully saying that they would do Hashem’s Commandments, before they even heard what they would be! (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)], 600,000 Ministering Angels came down and attached to each Jew two crowns; one corresponding to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Naaseh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and one corresponding to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nishma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when the Jews sinned with the Golden Calf, 1,200,000 Angels descended and removed the crowns. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reish Lakish </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said: In the future, HaKadosh Baruch Hu will return these crowns to us, as it says (Yeshayahu 35:10), ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the redeemed of Hashem shall return, and they shall come to Tziyon with song, and joy from old</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> upon their heads</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. The joy from days of old will be upon their heads.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Shabbos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 88a)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Translation of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many beautiful elucidations as to the deeper significance of the words </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Naaseh v’Nishma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Below are a couple:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Menachem Nachum of Tchernobyl </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains: Although we should try to be as close to Hashem as possible as much as possible, in most cases, there are some times when we feel closer to Him and higher up, and then there are times when we feel somewhat lower down, and not as close to Him. But even those times when one feels not-as-close to Hashem, and not on as high of a level, they must strengthen themselves and try to ascend back up to Him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> implied in their beautiful statement: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We will do</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- even if we aren’t on as high of a level, or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we fall from one, we will still continue trying to fulfill the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and ascend higher. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And we will listen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- נשמע has an implication of understanding; meaning that from continuing to try do good and rise up, even when we don’t feel so uplifted, we will come to an even higher level than we were on before! (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Me’or Einayim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on beginning of Yisro</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Brisk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, however, explains like this: When </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We will do</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, they were referring to the fact they would accept everything they were told at that time. When they said ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And we will listen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, they were referring to the future -- that they would listen to and obey the words of the Sages of every generation. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on 19:5</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This week, the 25th of Shevat, was the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yartzeit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Salanter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Actually, it is related that the students of Rav Yisroel calculated that until</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Moshiach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> comes, his (Rav Yisroel’s) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yartzeit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will always be in the week of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And they explained that most of Rav Yisroel’s </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mussar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teachings were about </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishpatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the laws of the Torah regarding monetary matters and things between a person and their fellow, therefore it is fitting that his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yartzeit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> should always be in the week that we read about these rules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following is just one of many examples of how he himself embodied extreme care and concern for others:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of the prominent students of Rav Yisroel once invited him to visit for Shabbos. To the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s reply that he didn’t accept an invitation to be a guest anywhere before he knew how the house and table were conducted, the student assured him that his home was run in accordance with the fine points of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halacha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The meat was purchased from a certain butcher who was renowned for his fear of Heaven; the cook was a righteous, modest woman, the widow of a Torah scholar -- and not only that, but his wife would go in and out with “open eyes”, to make sure everything was good. The Shabbos evening meal itself, the student described glowingly: They would speak words of Torah between courses; they would learn some </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zemiros</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were sung, and with all this, the meal would last until a very late hour of the night!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After hearing all the details, Rav Yisroel accepted the invitation -- but with one condition: The Shabbos evening meal had to be shortened by two hours. Having no choice, the student agreed to this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos arrived, and at the evening meal, things were very rushed. Courses were served one after another and before an hour was even up, they were ready to wash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mayim acharonim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> before saying </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Birkas HaMazon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before they began to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bentch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the student turned to Rav Yisroel, and posed his pressing question: “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, what defect did you find in the conduct of my table?” Rav Yisroel did not reply, but instead, asked to have the cook brought in. When she came, he said to her, “Please forgive me, ma’am, for having tired you this evening -- because of me you had to hurry and bring course after course without any break!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“All the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> should be on the head of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!” replied the cook. “If only his honor would visit our house every Shabbos evening! The head of the household usually draws out the meal until a late hour of the night, and I am exhausted from my day’s work, to the point that my legs literally stagger from the immense fatigue. And thanks to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the evening has been quick, and I am already free to go home and rest!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Yisroel now turned back to his student, and said, “In the answer of this poor widow, you will also find the answer to your own question: Indeed, your conduct is very wonderful. But that is only the case if it does not cause harm to others!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tenuas HaMussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMeoros HaGedolim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 83-84</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another story having to do with Rav Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yartzeit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and also extreme care and concern for others’ feelings -- this one that I was personally part of:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was about to be </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yartzeit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I told this to my great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">u’Mori</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. So he asked me something like if I was going to do something special for it. I replied that I was going to type up a story about Rav Yisroel and send it out to people. From what I remember, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Rav Rosenblatt) laughed his soft, wonderful and friendly laugh -- as if to say, “Wow, that’s amazing!” -- and he politely asked if maybe I wanted to also study some of Rav Yisroel’s teachings for it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although obviously, his idea was a much more fitting idea, he didn’t put it like that or brush my thought aside as worse, but merely suggested something nicely. This care, concern, love and warmth for others was virtually always exuded by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was once </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zoche </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to be driven around a little by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(from his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to his home, and back). And when you watched him drive, you could sense his extreme carefulness. He didn’t drive above the speed limit, or cut people off, or anything like that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And when he had to parallel park, it was an extremely tight space to get into, with cars all around. But he maneuvered the minivan very carefully and skillfully, and parked it in the space without even so much as bumping or scratching any other car. Even in his driving and parking you could sense how much care he took not to cause damage to something that belonged to another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-28309374815697879192020-02-14T14:43:00.001-05:002020-02-14T14:43:06.451-05:00Parshas Yisro Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yisro, priest of Midian, father-in-law of Moshe, heard all that G-d did for Moshe and for Israel. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 18:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zevachim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">116a) that the things that Yisro heard about were </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzias Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and the war with Amalek. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many commentators ask; didn’t just about everyone else also hear what Hashem had done for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? It was wondrous stuff! What was unique about Yisro’s hearing that the Torah emphasizes it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Dovid of Lelov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explained that whereas others merely heard of the occurences, and just went back to their regular everyday life afterwards, Yisro heard about the miracles that Hashem did for the Jews, and he drew conclusions for himself from them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 78</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that most others, when they heard about the great miracles Hashem wrought for us, they did not perceive them as so “close to home”, but rather, as things that did not really have to do with them personally. Whereas Yisro heard about what Hashem did for us, and he heard it on a higher level, meaning that he understood that it also affected him personally. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 18:1</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And likewise, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar HaKadosh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">poses our question, and answers that everyone else heard and were not broken, but Yisro heard and was broken, and therefore, came close to the service of Hashem. And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Aryeh Segal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that what this means is that the difference was that Yisro, unlike most others, actually </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contemplated</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and put his heart to these wonders that he heard, and therefore, he was humbled, and returned to Hashem. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Imrei Daas </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 51</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In another alike elucidation, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Lopian </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that the wicked in general follow the visions of their heart, doing whatever they see fit, regardless of whether it is right or not, and even if they were to hear the absolute truth very clearly, they would often be too intent and wallowed in their desires, that they would not even feel it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, Yisro, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tell us (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Yisro 1</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) had first experimented with all forms of idol worship, and then afterwards he converted to Judaism. This means that he was a truth-seeker. He would think that the true path was with one idol, but then, he would find out its worthlessness, and discard it, and then go to the next. But since he actually </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sought</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the truth, Hashem helped him to find it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, when Yisro heard about the splitting of the sea and the miraculous war with Amalek, he realized that somebody can even see, hear or know about, the biggest miracles out there, such as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas yam suf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but if they don’t take any positive action afterwards from them, they can still remain unchanged and even ignore something so clear as day -- like Amalek did! So after discovering the real truth and hearing about the miracles, Yisro </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">took action</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lev Eliyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, vol. 1, p. 104</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levush Yosef; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 93-94</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now I know that Hashem is greater than all the gods, for in the matter that they plotted against them.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 18:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In accord with the translation of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum Onkelos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the ending statement of Yisro referred to the fact that the Egyptians plotted to destroy us with water, and they ended up being destroyed in water.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based upon this, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brisker Rav </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Yitzchok Zev Soloveitchik </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> expounds the meaning of our verse further, by quoting a story: It is related that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yitzchok of Volozhin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was once asked by a Russian government official, what does the verse in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> mean ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laud Hashem, all peoples; praise Him, all nations, for His kindness has been strong upon us</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- why would the nations praise Hashem for His kindnesses to the Jews?! Rav Yitzchok replied, we Jews don’t know what is plotted against us in the inner ministry circles in Petersburg [then the capital city of Russia], just Hashem thwarts. Only you non-Jews know the extent of Hashem’s great kindnesses upon us, because He prevents you from ever carrying out a lot of the wicked plans that you plotted against us! Therefore, it is incumbent upon you to praise Him, for you see His strong hand even more so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Back to our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tell us (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sanhedrin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">106) that Yisro had once been one of the advisors of Paroah, during the formulations of the plans to harm the Jews.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> It thus emerges that Yisro knew of all the plots that were formulated against </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but ended up not being able to be carried out. Regarding this he said ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now I know that Hashem is greater. . . for in the matter that they plotted against them</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- because he saw that Hashem had punished the Egyptians measure for measure for even the things that they plotted and wanted to do against the Jews, but were unable!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei Rabbeinu HaGriz Soloveitchik al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#58</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1 </span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He fled from this position, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> teach further.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Israel encamped (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ויחן</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) there, opposite the mountain.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 19:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From the singular verb for encampment, ויחן, we derive that when </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> encamped at </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they were all united, like one man with one heart -- כאיש אחד בלב אחד (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obviously, it is of utmost importance to outwardly behave kindly and respectfully to others. But says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim Shmulevitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, implied in the above comment from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we see that that is not even enough. We must also entrench the love and care for others in our heart! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sichos Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 157</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall sanctify them today and tomorrow</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 19:10)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Patzanovski </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> comments: Not just at the time of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matan Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you should sanctify yourselves, but you should continue to strive to do so even ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tomorrow</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, i.e. afterwards.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pardes Yosef; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 19:10</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">COMMANDMENT #4:</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remember the day of Shabbos to sanctify it.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 20:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beitzah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">16a) relates that HaKadosh Baruch Hu told Moshe Rabbeinu, “I have a good gift in My treasure house, and ‘Shabbos’ is its name, and I want to give it to Israel.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Gedaliah Schorr </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> expounds an incredible thing from this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: When Hashem granted us the Shabbos, He did not take it out of His treasure house and bring it down to us. Rather, on Shabbos, He takes us up into His treasure house to be able to experience the Shabbos!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohr Gedalyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This idea is perhaps sharpened by what we find in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Osios D’Rabbi Akiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alef #3</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): At the time of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matan Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Hashem said to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that He has something very good, and He will give it to us if we accept His Torah and keep His </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asked what it was, to which Hashem replied “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olam HaBah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(The World to Come).” </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> then asked Hashem to please show them some likeness of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Olam HaBah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and He acquiesced, answering that that likeness is Shabbos, which is like a small bit of the World to Come!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">COMMANDMENT #10: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You shall not covet the house of your fellow; you shall not covet the wife of your fellow, and his servant, and his maidservant, and his ox, and his donkey, and anything that is your fellow’s.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 20:14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibn Ezra</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings up the practical question; many people wonder about this Commandment; how can it be that a person will not covet a beautiful thing in their heart?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B’Ezras Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, let us bring some nice answers to this question:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> --- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibn Ezra </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: If a villager who has common sense were to see the royal princess, and observe how beautiful she is, he wouldn’t covet to be with her, because he knows that that would just be impossible.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too every intelligent person needs to know that good stuff does not come to a person because of their great knowledge, etc. They only come because Hashem apportioned them to that specific person. And once one knows that Hashem has forbidden to him the wife of his fellow, she will be more exalted [i.e. out of reach] in his eyes than the princess in the heart of the villager!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, he should rejoice in his portion and not think to covet nor desire something that is not his, because he knows that Hashem did not wish to give it to him. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yissaschar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}: We must realize that Hashem is the only one Who truly knows what is best for each and every person -- including us. With this mind, we will certainly not come to covet what He bestowed upon our fellow, because clearly, He knew it wasn’t best for us to have it! (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Igra D’Kallah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 1, p. קעד</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that if we would develop the proper outlook on life, that all possessions are really tools for our service of Hashem, then we would not have anything to covet! Because each person is given the tools that they need for their individual job in life. And the things our fellow has been allotted, clearly are what specifically they need for their task on this earth, but won’t even benefit us to have! (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michtav M’Eliyahu </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1:136</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Galinsky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Why is the language of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so lengthened, with all the specifics -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the house of your fellow</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the wife of your fellow</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, etc. when it ends with ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and anything that is your fellow’s</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, which includes everything? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The answer, though, is that what happens is a person looks at the possessions of their fellow and covets them: Whether it be the ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">house of their fellow</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- their villa, the garden around it. . . or ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the donkey of their fellow</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- in modern day, the new car they have. And we think to ourselves, “It isn’t right that they have this and I don’t!” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But the response to this thought process is that really, it isn’t right for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that you get the person’s house and car, and also keep everything you have in your special portion: Your good health, your happy family, and the other blessings you have. Rather, if you desire something of your fellow’s, get up and exchange </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with him! Take his car -- but with his ulcers and headaches, the trouble in his house, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what the Torah means to tell us when it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and anything that is your fellow’s</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- don’t look at one specific thing or another; look at </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that your fellow has, and you will not covet anything. (Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">L’Hisaneig B’Saanugim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Brisk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}: If a person was walking across a frozen river on the layer of ice formed over it, and then suddenly, their foot slipped, and they thought that they were going to fall and crash into the freezing river below -- certainly at that moment, from their intense fear of falling, any and every thought of desire and covetousness is nullified and forgotten! For so is the nature of a human being; a little bit of fearfulness removes all the strengths of a desire.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, if we would have even a bit of the fear felt in the above scenario for Hashem and of transgressing His Commandments, then we would not covet things. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Akiva Eiger </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At Home With Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 136</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: We say every day in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aleinu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ‘בּשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתּחת’ -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the Heavens above, and upon the earth below</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’: This verse teaches us that what applies to spiritual matters (בּשמים), we should look to those above us (ממעל) and strive to be like them. What has to do with earthly matters (על הארץ), though, we should look at those who have less than us (מתּחת) and be thankful that we have more than that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this in mind, jealousy becomes somewhat easier to combat! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Perhaps this comes to teach us that in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> areas of our life, we truly </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">can</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> master and rule over even our deepest rooted feelings and emotions!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Extremely similar thoughts to this one are said by other </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are 72 verses in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This is the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gematria </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the word חסד (kindness). This alludes to the great kindness HaKadosh Baruch Hu did for us by giving us the Ten Commandments, the rest of the Torah, of course, and choosing us as His Special People.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Amaranth; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">COMMANDMENT #5: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Honor your father and your mother</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 20:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is related that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Yehoshua ben Eilam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was once told in a dream that he should rejoice in his heart because his dwelling and portion in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gan Eden</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were equal with Nanas the Butcher.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When he awoke from his sleep, he said “Woe is me! For since the day I was born, I have always been in fear of my Maker, and I have had no toil except in Torah, and I have not walked four cubits without </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tefillin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzitzis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I have 80 students -- and my deeds and my Torah [study] are being equated with a butcher!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He sent for his students and told them, “You should know that I cannot enter to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> until I see who is this man [that I saw in my dream] and what his deeds are that he is my partner in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gan Eden</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So he and his students went from city to city asking inquiring after Nanas, until they came to the city where he lived, and they began asking, “Where is Nanas the Butcher?” The people replied to Rav Yehoshua; “Why do you seek him? You are a pious and righteous person and you ask about a man like him?” Rav Yehoshua asked them; “What are his deeds?” They said to him, “Our master, you should not ask anything from us until you see him.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They sent for Nanas and said to him, “Rabbi Yehoshua is calling you.” He replied that who were he and his ancestors that Rabbi Yehoshua should call him? They said to him, “Stand up and go with us.” Nanas thought they were lying to him, and he told them that he would not go with them, because they were making fun of him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The people returned to Rav Yehoshua and told him that Nanas did not wish to come with them. He replied that he would not sit down until he saw him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So Rav Yehoshua himself went to Nanas. When the butcher saw him, he stood up and fell on his face and asked him essentially what special day it was that the “crown of Israel” had come before him. Rav Yehoshua replied that he had a word to speak with him. “Speak.” said Nanas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What are your deeds and what is your work?” “My master,” Nanas replied, “I am a butcher and I have a father and a mother who are old and they are not able to stand upon their feet, and every day I dress them and feed them and bathe them with my [own] hands.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Immediately, Rav Yehoshua stood up and kissed him on the head, and said, “My son, fortunate are you and fortunate is your lot, how good and how pleasant and fortunate is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> lot, that I merited to be your partner in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gan Eden</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. . .”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer HaMaasiyos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-32198284688536155642020-02-07T14:32:00.003-05:002020-02-07T14:32:44.510-05:00Parshas Beshalach Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Beshalach</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We find it stressed in the Torah that we went out of Mitzraim in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aviv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, springtime (see, for example, 13:4). What is the significance of this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avigdor Miller </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes an explanation from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter of Slobodka</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: We clearly see that HaKadosh Baruch Hu wants to remind us that it was nice weather when we went out of Mitzraim.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were enslaved for so many years with bricks and mortar, and with backbreaking, harsh labor. For two hundred and ten years they couldn’t leave Egypt; and finally the time comes to go out -- so even if it was during a blizzard, what difference does it make, right? They would still walk out of Mitzraim singing in the blizzard! So are we going to stop and take note of the fact that it was a beautiful spring day as well?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; yes. Even in a mountain of kindness that someone is giving you, you shouldn’t overlook even one grain of kindness. And the fact that the redemption from Egypt took place on a beautiful spring day -- they were walking out and singing, and it was beautiful all around them; nature was blooming; it was Nissan -- that added to the great enjoyment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Avigdor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it was when Paroah sent out the People, and G-d did not lead them the way of the land of the Plishtim for it was close, for G-d said; “Lest the People will reconsider [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">leaving Egypt</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] when they see a war, and they will return to Egypt.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 13:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ben Asher</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Chananel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes that Hashem led them the way of the Wilderness to multiply His Signs and Wonders, because if He had led them the way of the land of the Plishtim -- the close one -- and He had put in the Plishtim’s hearts to give the Jews permission to cross over the way of their land, and not stop them at all, it would have been a lesser Sign. So therefore, Hashem’s Wisdom dictated to turn them to the way of the Wilderness to make the great and many Signs -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the bringing of Water out from the Rock [all of which would help them to achieve faith in Him]. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And know, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains, that all the matters of the Jews and their happenings in the Wilderness were a complete test in order to make their intellectual soul greater in the levels of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bitochon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which is the root of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so that they would be fit to receive the Torah: The Splitting of the Sea, the waters of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- which fell daily as much as was needed for each day, etc. All these things were a complete test, in order to root in their Souls the trait of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bitachon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. . . for the trait of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bitachon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a great main thing (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ikkar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and Foundation of the Torah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Originally, the Jews would have turned back if they had seen a war -- that, in a way, was a lack of faith in Hashem. With the proper trust in Him, however, they wouldn’t have been afraid. Hashem saw this in us, and He understood that He needed to lead us through the Wilderness in order to root </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bitachon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in our hearts.]</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Bnei Yisroel were going out with a high hand.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 14:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In any and every trouble and difficult situation that we may, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, find ourselves in, we are not alone. Hashem is there with us. And not only that, but He stretches down His Hand, so to speak, waiting for us to just reach a bit upwards and “grab onto it,” and let Him help to pull us out. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So it was in Egypt -- a very challenging and harsh time, where the Jews had also sunken to a low level. Hashem never abandoned us. Just the opposite: He “stretched down His Hand” for us to grab onto. And indeed, as the verse tells us, we went out with a ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">high hand</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,’ i.e. we </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">did</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> reach upwards and grab Hashem’s outstretched Hand. And He pulled us out of Egypt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they believed in Hashem, and in Moshe His servant.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 14:31)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Tzadok HaKohen </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains a beautiful message within this verse: Just as a person must believe in Hashem, so too, it is also important to believe in ourselves -- meaning that we must believe that Hashem personally involves Himself with us and desires in us, and what we do really </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> matter to Him a lot! ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they believed in Hashem, and in Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- who, to a certain degree, represents all of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzidkas HaTzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; #154</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another lesson: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tell us that even a simple or lowly Jew gained a high level of perception of the Divine at </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Yam Suf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. When they saw that, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> believed that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everyone</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has the potential to rise to a very high level, just like Moshe Rabbeinu did!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kedushas Levi al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 42a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then Moshe sang </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- אז ישיר משה’ (Shemos 15:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that we see from here a hint to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Techiyas HaMeisim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from the Torah itself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Because, as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sifsei Chachamim HaShaleim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidates, אז ישיר משה is actually in the future tense, meaning ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">then Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">will</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sing</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemos Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">23:3) comments that Moshe Rabbeinu recalled that he had erred using the word אז, when he voiced his displeasure to Hashem at how things were going after he had begun his mission, (5:23) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And since (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מאז</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) I have come to Paroah, he has done bad to this people</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, so now, he would rectify this and sing a song of praise to Hashem with that very word. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> delves deeper: Moshe Rabbeinu and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were not just singing </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shirah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the miracle that Hashem did for them by saving them from Egypt; they were also singing it for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">enslavement</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> itself, for now they realized and understood that without it, they would never have come to this incredible miracle of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Yam Suf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and all the amazing things that came with it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And perhaps, he explains, this is what the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">means to say: Moshe Rabbeinu said ‘I sinned with the word אז’ -- i.e. because he had “complained” about how harsh and heavy the servitude had become, ‘and now I say </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shirah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with אז’ -- meaning, now he was saying a song of praise also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> אז (then), i.e. the past servitude itself, just like the current redemption; because now he understood how they were both truly for the best.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Bnei Yisroel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 15:19)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}: People are inspired only when they see clear Miracles. They don’t understand, though, that “nature” is itself one big miracle in which we can regularly see the greatness of the Creator and be inspired from it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, when we see a clear miracle, we begin to believe that also just in “natural and simple life” there is a Supervision and Intervention from Above and wondrous miracles occur, but we are just used to them and so we don’t notice them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the Rebbe Reb Meilech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; this is what the Torah is saying in the verse above: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- since the Jews saw a clear and revealed miracle, that they were walking on dry land in the middle of the sea, they came to an overall recognition that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they went on dry land in the midst of the sea</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- that even when they are going on solid dry land like regular, this is a wondrous miracle, as if they are going in the middle of the sea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 69</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Jews</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] came to Marah, and they were not able to drink the water from Marah, because it was bitter (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lit. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they were bitter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- כי מרים הם</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 15:23)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we know, Moshe cried out to Hashem, and Hashem showed him a tree, which he then threw into the water, and they became sweet. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out that the tree was bitter, and so were the waters -- yet when the tree was thrown in, the waters became sweet! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This teaches us, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that no matter what logic or “nature” might dictate, everything is in the hands of Hashem. He can change the regular course of nature at will. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes L’Yaakov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Devarim 9:7</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another message we can glean from this story: Torah is compared to water, and a person is compared to a tree, as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tell us. If we just immerse ourselves in Torah, but ignore others, and do not show them respect or treat them properly -- that is bitter. However, when we throw in a tree, i.e. we </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">do</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> behave properly towards our fellow Jews and treat them kindly, then it all becomes sweet -- and yes, even if that person whom we are being kind to is a little bitter themselves. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a different take on the verse, there is a very famous </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chassidishe Vort</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on this (usually quoted in the name of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but I have seen it in the name of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kotkzer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does it mean that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they were bitter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’? That the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jews</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">were bitter -- and that is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">why</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the waters tasted bitter. Because when a person is bitter, everything seems bitter to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it will be if you will surely listen to the voice of Hashem your G-d, and what is upright in His eyes you will do, and you will give ear to His Commandments, and you will guard all His Decrees, all the sickness that I placed in Egypt, I will not place upon you, for I am Hashem your Healer.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 15:26)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malbim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov of Lissa </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (among others) explain like this: The sicknesses and plagues that Hashem sent upon the Egyptians indeed served many purposes and were meant as messages and wake up calls -- but they were certainly intended also to cause them suffering as a punishment for the wickedness they were perpetrating. Those kinds of ailments Hashem will never bring upon us, because if He ever </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">does</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, have to send any illness in us or punish us, it is only intended to heal and cleanse us (from some spiritual “sickness”, perhaps) -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for I am Hashem your Healer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’! It is just like a doctor who will sometimes have to perform a somewhat painful procedure on a patient, but only with the intent to heal them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaTorah Vi’haMitzvah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nachalas Yaakov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it will be on the sixth day, and they will prepare what they bring</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 16:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though it is a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to remember the Shabbos in some way throughout the entire week, it is especially a great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for certain to prepare for Shabbos on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Erev Shabbos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, like it is written in the above verse. And even if a person has many servants or attendants who do most of the housework, it is a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for them to try to make at least some preparations themself. Imagine that a royal dignitary was coming to lodge at our house, how very much we would prepare and tidy up everything! And certainly, we would not consider this a lowering of our esteem or beneath our dignity -- just the opposite; we would be thrilled to have this incredible opportunity! How much more so when the Shabbos Queen is “coming to visit”! As the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rambam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes, preparing things for Shabbos is an honor to us itself! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shem Olam</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, end of ch. 4</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, aside from getting all the food, and the house prepared, it is also proper on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Erev Shabbos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to prepare oneself personally for Shabbos, with washing our bodies in warm water (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch; Orach Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">260:1) -- taking care, of course, to not do this too dangerously close to the onset of Shabbos, and thus risk desecrating Shabbos thereby (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah Berurah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">); by cutting our nails (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">); and by, if possible, donning nicer clothing to wear on Shabbos (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">262:2). And also in a spiritual sense, as my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> related to me in the name of one of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chassidishe Rebbes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it is good for one to try to engage in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> before Shabbos, so that they come into the holy day clean. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it will be (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">והיה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) on the sixth day, and they will prepare what they bring</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 16:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> expounds: As </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tell us, the word והיה can be an implication of joy. This is what the verse means to teach us: The joy, desire and longing for Shabbos is one of the very important preparations for it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Beshalach 5633</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Amalek came and it waged war with Yisroel in Rephidim.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 17:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Sanhedrin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 56b that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were given in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">three Rules to learn and keep. But when they were in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rephidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they loosened their grip from the Torah which they received in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Marah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and as a punishment for this, Amalek (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">YM”S</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) came and waged war on them. Because for the sin of wasting time instead of learning Torah (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bitul Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), troubles come to the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Bechoros</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; quoted by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah tells us about how </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> waged war upon us. And the Torah relates that when Moshe Rabbeinu would raise his hand up, the Jews would be stronger and overcome them -- but when he would lay his hand down, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would be stronger. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Hashanah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 3:8); was it then Moshe Rabbeinu’s hands that made the Jews win or lose? Rather, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains, it is to teach you that when the Jews looked to On High and subjected their hearts to our Father in Heaven, they prevailed. And when not, they fell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Numerous </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tell us that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> represents the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzer Hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We all have a personal war with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in our own lives. And in a more specific description of what kind of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it represents, many </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chassidishe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> note that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gematria</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (numerical value) of the word עמלק is the same as that of ספק, doubt. This teaches us, they explain, that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tries to bring </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sfeikus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, doubts, into our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. (There are other proofs for this brought, as well). Furthermore, many </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbonim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explain that another power of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- and thus, this particular </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kerirus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, coldness. They tried to bring coldness to the Jews (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and many later Commentators). And really, these two snares of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">/</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, are intertwined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what is the antidote and the way to triumph over our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> if it, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, attacks us and tries to drag us down into these things?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The advice comes from what we quoted above: The way to beat our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (A.K.A. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amalek</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and coldness and doubt is just to turn Upwards to our Father in Heaven. Connecting to Him -- and even just lifting our hands to Him, I might add -- helps us to overcome all wars we might encounter in our lives. Our Father is always there, ready to help us. Just turn to Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Courgette; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ Maasim Tovim ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For I am Hashem your Healer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 15:26)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A very ill </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chossid </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">once came to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Mordechai of Neschiz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. He had already consulted many doctors, but they hadn’t been able to help him -- and now he came to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for a blessing and advice. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">told him to go to a special doctor in the town of Anipoli. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would be able to cure him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was a long and harsh trip, but the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chossid</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> undertook it, and, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, made it there safely. And now he began to ask the villagers about the special doctor who lived there. But they told him that they didn’t even have a regular doctor there! The ill </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chossid</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, very sad, journeyed back to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and told him what had transpired. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then what do these people do, Rebbe Mordechai asked, if, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, someone would fall sick? The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chossid </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">replied that, what could they do? They just would have to have faith in Hashem and ask Him to heal them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was exactly the thing which the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">had wanted him to understand, and he told the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chossid </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that He (Hashem) is the Doctor Whom he had been referring to. And He Who helps the people of Anipoli would heal him as well. And so it was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Related in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sippurei Chassidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Behold, I am going to rain down for you bread from Heaven</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 16:4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One night, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter of Novhardok </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Yosef Yozel Hurwitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">} </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was sitting in his house of solitude in the forest, when his candle burned out. This wouldn’t have been a problem -- except that he didn’t have any other candles there at the time. He was very distressed about the fact that now he didn’t have the light to be able to learn Torah! But he had very strong </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bitochon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(trust in Hashem) that he would be helped speedily. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">opened the door of the little house, and went outside. And at that very moment, someone -- most likely an Angel or Eliyahu HaNavi -- approached him, presented him a candle, and disappeared! Hashem had truly justified the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s trust in Him, and now, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was able to go back to his learning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMeoros HaGedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-16411502902853656282020-01-31T14:42:00.002-05:002020-01-31T14:42:47.901-05:00Parshas Bo Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Bo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Fredoka One"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: Cinzel; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Makkos -- Plagues (continued)</span><span style="font-family: "Fredoka One"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Bo</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we read about the last three plagues that Hashem brought upon the Egyptians. Again, let us try to bring at least one commentary to each one:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#8: Arbeh/Locusts</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: In the instructions to Moshe Rabbeinu before this plague, Hashem says “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In order that you will tell in the ears of your son, and your sons’ son. . . My signs that I put in them, and you will know that I am Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” (10:2). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yehoshua of Ostrova </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toldos Adam</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) notes that after speaking about how you will tell your children about Hashem’s wonders, it says that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will know that I am Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. We thus see from here, Rav Yehoshua says beautifully, that when you try to plant faith in Hashem in your children’s hearts, and you tell them about His greatness and amazing acts, it also will draw </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> upwards more and more in your faith in and knowledge of Him!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah shel Torah; Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> p. 48</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#9: Choshech/Darkness</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And a man could not see his brother, and a man could not get up from his place</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (10:23). The worst kind of darkness is when one person cannot see the other -- i.e. they don’t feel another’s pain and empathize with them or help. And this lack-of-care towards others will actually cause that person who displays such behavior to not be able to rise up higher in levels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Quoted both in the name of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Chanoch Henoch of Aleksander </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that there were certain wicked Jews who did not want to leave Egypt, who therefore died during the plague of darkness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; we find from various sources that a lot of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">were really on a low level, and perhaps not-so-righteous at that time.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> So why were specifically these people singled out to die in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choshech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answers Rav Kamenetzky; the ones who had to die during </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choshech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">were Jews who wanted to hold back everyone else from leaving. However, most everyone else, even though at the time they weren’t so great people, their true inner selves were very lofty, and they had great spiritual potential. Hashem knew that these people who wanted to leave Egypt, in only a matter of time, they would be ready to stand at </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Har Sinai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes L’Yaakov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10:22</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps we may explain in a slightly different manner: As we know, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were not on a high level in Egypt. The Egyptian culture and spiritual impurity was infecting them. But even so, only those that did not </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">want</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to leave that place and level of depravity -- only they were fitting to die. But everyone else, who, even though at the time were also lowly to an extent, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">wanted</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to leave Egypt; who wanted to become higher and better -- they certainly were worthy of redemption.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1 </span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nevertheless, we still held onto and kept certain very important things; see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">12:6.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#10: Makkas Bechoros/The Plague of the Firstborn</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Hashem Himself passed through Egypt on this night, at midnight, to smite every firstborn Egyptian. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The previous </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slonimer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shalom Noach Berezovsky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, explains to us the following: Often times, first there is darkness, and then there is light afterwards. And as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(vol. 2, 184a) discusses, the light can even come out from the darkness itself. Sometimes we actually need to go through some darkness to get to a greater light. And Hashem gives us the strength to endure the hardships in order to get to that light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is what happened with the redemption from Egypt. In the darkness of Egyptian exile, in the middle of the night, the beginning of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzias Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> began. From the midst of the darkness, came the light. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesivos Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too, in our lives, there are “light” times, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Liztlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, there are darker feeling moments. We must know and take to heart, however, that it will </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">always</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> become light again. And not just that, but perhaps the darkness itself will bring us to light -- for surely even the difficult things are in order to benefit us, as well!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall not go out, a man from the entrance of his house, until morning</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.’ (12:22). On this, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explains that this is because of the destroying angel(s) that would be roaming about, as the nighttime is when they are allowed to. And in the next verse, we have explicit mention of the “destroyer”. But the question is asked; does Hashem not say that He Himself will pass through Egypt on that night and kill the firstborns, and we know how much this is stressed by the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? So what is the meaning here, where destructive angels are spoken about?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nachalas Yaakov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Binyomin Solnik </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains in a very simple way that when </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">speaks about the destructive angels, he is talking about the regular ones that come out at night. Just on this night, since it was the night of a plague, there might have been more out than usual, or they might have been allowed to do more than usual. But not that they were the ones to carry out the Plague, as that was Hashem Himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains to us what it means when the verse itself (12:23) refers to the destroyer -- that Hashem will not let him come into our houses: It is talking about the Angel of Death, who is sent to take back someone’s Soul when it is their time to pass on. On this night, Hashem did not let even one of the Jews die -- even if their time had come. So that the Egyptians could not possibly say that we, too, were being afflicted by this plague.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chameish Yados </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Eliyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 18</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paroah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] said to them [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe and Aharon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], “Go serve Hashem your G-d; who and who are going?” And Moshe said: “With our youths and with our elders we will go; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flock and with our cattle we will go, because it is a Festival of Hashem for us.” And he said to them. . . “Let the men go now and serve Hashem, because that is what you are seeking”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 10:8-11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The commentators elucidate many deep and beautiful semblances and messages from this give and take. Among them are the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- In the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">L’Hisaneig Bi’Saanugim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the author tells that he heard to explain on this, that the “debate” between Moshe Rabbeinu and Paroah was the attitude towards the Service of Hashem: Paroah’s attitude towards Service of Hashem was just like towards mundane work -- that it was a burden. And if they were talking about a burdensome work, then it was only appropriate for the men, and not for the women and children. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Said Moshe Rabbeinu to him; ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With our youths and with our elders we will go; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flock and with our cattle we will go, because it is a Festival of Hashem for us</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- what you see as work, as a yoke and a heavy burden, we view as a festival; it is a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simcha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for us! And when you celebrate a festival, the women, children and elders -- everybody are partners in the celebration.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- Somewhat similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Nosson Scherman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Moshe was emphasizing one of the things that sets apart Judaism from other religions: Everybody -- elders, boys and girls alike -- have to participate when there is a festival of Hashem; it is not just for some people. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Stone Edition Chumash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> p. 343</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sifrei Drush</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Paroah was about ready to let the men go serve Hashem. Just so long as the younger generation -- the youths -- would stay behind. Because then, there would be no continuation and future of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! Moshe Rabbeinu, of course, did not agree to this. He said it was essential to take the young ones with as well, and furthermore, he even put them first! Only in this way can our service to Hashem be complete -- with everybody. (Quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah shel Torah; Shemos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 49-50</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shternbuch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Paroah, like many other non-Jewish rulers, etc. thought that since Hashem is so exalted, He doesn’t pay attention to the prayer of just anyone -- only to the prayers of the highest people. Therefore, he asked ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who and who are going?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. To which Moshe replied, that all of us are fitting to go. Hashem, in His kindness, accepts and even awaits the prayers of normal, and even lowlier people. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taam V’Daas </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 10:8</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With our youths and with our elders</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- whether we are young or older, we will act properly. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With our sons and with our daughters</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- our children we will guide to holiness. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With our flock and with our cattle we will go</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- Even in physical things, like our eating, drinking, business, etc. we will perform them with holiness, and channel them all to the service of Hashem. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to our verse</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Schwartzman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Of course, we must focus very much on our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodas Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But we must not only work on ourselves; we must try to spread Torah to others, and help others to improve also! With everyone we go! (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meir Einei Yesharim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 50-51</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Hashem to Moshe: “One further Plague I will bring upon Paroah and upon Egypt; after so, he will send you out from this -- when he sends [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you out</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], he will completely drive you out from this. Speak please in the ears of the People, and they should borrow, a man from his fellow and a woman from her fellow, vessels of silver and vessels of gold.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 11:1-2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are told that the Jews really didn’t end up returning these articles to the Egyptians, so truthfully, how is it possible that the word ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">borrow</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ was used in this context, when they were not merely borrowing these things? What was going on?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Kramer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemos Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5:18) tells us that originally in the enslavement, Paroah set the example by joining the labors himself and further encouraged the Jews to high production quotas by offering big incentives. Then he demanded that these quotas be met on a regular basis. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With this in mind, we now have the answer to our question: The persecution of the Jews was conducted with trickery, such as the plan for the midwives to kill the infants and claim that they were stillborn (which, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, was foiled). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, Hashem -- Who punishes measure for measure -- decreed that the downfall of the Egyptians would be through trickery as well, for how they had drawn the Jews into servitude through trickery.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talelei Oros</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A very simple possible answer to the question is that the language that is used is ‘שאל’, can also mean to ask or request. Thus no problem is presented. See the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashbam</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This month shall be for you the first of months</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (12:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avigdor Miller </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> enumerates three very important things pertaining to Rosh Chodesh:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In his own words: “There are three elements that can be easily seen in every Rosh Chodesh. And if you ignore them or just think about them in a superficial manner, then you are wasting a valuable opportunity. And many people do waste this opportunity. Yes, many people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“First of all, we must look back and thank Hashem for letting us live through the past month. Do you think that it’s a small thing to live a whole month?! Many people haven’t made it to this Rosh Chodesh. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Baruch Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we’re still around. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! And that’s why we say </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hallel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hallel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is to thank Hashem for the past month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Now, Rosh Chodesh is also a זמן כפרה לכל תולדותם (as we say in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mussaf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Rosh Chodesh). It’s an opportunity for a כפרה, atonement, for the sins we did in the past month. Look back and remind yourself of the things you did wrong during the past month. Not only the things you did wrong but even more important -- the good things that you didn’t do. What a loss. What a loss! Look back and do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It’s a זמן כפרה, a special opportunity for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and atonement.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“And the third element is that it’s a יום תפילה for the upcoming month. A special day for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">davening</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. At minimum you must say יעלה ויבוא. The words of יעלה ויבוא are an important </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tefillah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the coming month.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“So these are the three elements. Again: One is to thank Hashem for the past month. And the second is to be מפשפש במעשיו -- to examine your deeds of the past month and do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. That’s זמן כפרה. And the third is to ask Hashem for help for the coming month. These are very important ideas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You think that a month is a small thing in our lives?! If you look back and you see that you didn’t accomplish anything in the past month then you should be worried. Yes, you should worry. And make up your mind that in the next month you’re going to start doing all the good things that you hear here. At least that. Get busy doing all these good things next month. Make up your mind that a month shouldn’t be wasted.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Avigdor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall guard the Matzos -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ושמרתם את המצות’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 12:17)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brings </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Yoshiya</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says: Do not read it ‘המצות -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">haMatzos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, ‘the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, rather ‘המצות -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">haMitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, ‘the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Just like we cannot let the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">leaven, so too, we cannot let a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“leaven”; rather, if it comes to your hand, do it immediately [with alacrity]. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ksav Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sharpens this idea for us: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> compares the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the leavening in the dough. Just like when baking </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we can’t take our attention off of it, or it might become </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chometz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, so too we must keep constant guard and battle on our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but if we take our eyes off it, as it were, it might strike at any moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The verse continues ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for on this very day I took out your legions from the land of Egypt</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. As we know, Hashem hastened our redemption, and as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells us, if we had remained in Egypt any longer, we would have been too sunken in the spiritual impurity to rise up adequately to be redeemed. So too we should keep the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, doing them when the opportunity comes, and not pushing them off to “when we have the time.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ksav Sofer al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 98a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> derives another lesson from the comparison of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, similar to what the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ksav Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said: Just like we must vigilantly guard the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and always check them and watch over them, so too, we must look into ourselves. We must never rest on our past achievements. No matter who we are, we must always watch and look into ourselves, to make sure that we do not sin, and check, of course, to see if we have sinned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 12:17, second explanation</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another lesson to be learned can be gleaned from what we are taught, that a particular aspect of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the leavening represents is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">gaavah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (haughtiness), because it makes the dough swell up. Therefore, we may add that when we do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we must guard that they don’t become </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chometz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- i.e. that we don’t become haughty from their performance, thinking we are so great. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course, though, as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baal Shem Tov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">says (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaavas HaRivash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), we must not hold ourselves back from doing a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> because we are afraid of becoming haughty. We must go and do it, as we have talked about, and just try to push away the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when it comes to us and attempts to make us feel very superior and haughty. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Draw forth and buy for yourselves from the flock for your families, and you shall slaughter the Pesach-offering.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 12:21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is asked; how could we have used sheep as offerings to Hashem, if the Egyptians worshiped them, which would render them unfit for an offering?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malbim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Meir Leibush Weisser </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hafla’ah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Pinchos of Koritz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">elucidate this question by quoting the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodah Zarah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">22b) that says that we are allowed to buy from a non-Jew an animal to use as an offering, and we are not concerned that they worship that specific animal, because otherwise, they wouldn’t be selling it. The fact that they are selling it nullifies any concern of it being an idol. However, that only applies when the non-Jew is selling it to a Jew -- and further, one who does not worship idols. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But in Egypt, we are taught that some Jews had sunken so low that they, too, worshiped idols! Therefore, we see in the verse (10:25) the language of ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And we will make it to Hashem our G-d</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- meaning, for His service. And we also find in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(12:21) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Draw forth and take</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- i.e. draw away from idolatry, and cling to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Since we were separating ourselves from idol worship, and thus not in the category of an idol worshiper, and further, specifically buying this animal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then there was no </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halachic </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Chemdah; Shemos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 10:25-26</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Panim Yafos; Shemos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">44b</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Slaughter the Pesach-offering</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 12:21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Tzvi Salant </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> discusses that unfortunately (as we have mentioned), </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were somewhat absorbed and clung into Egypt and Egyptian culture, to the point that some of us even worshiped idols, like them! Furthermore, a lot of us were also uncircumcised at that time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem had to take us out -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a nation from the midst of a nation</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Devarim 4:34). But before we were to physically leave, He had to separate us from the Egyptians and their spiritual depravity. One of the very first steps in this was to separate us from idol worship. To this end, we were commanded to offer the Pesach-offering, which was a lamb -- what the Egyptians, and unfortunately, some of us -- worshiped. This would uproot the idea from our hearts and minds of serving these “idols”. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> also had to get circumcised -- do the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bris Milah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which would differentiate bodily between them and their Egyptian neighbors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Furthermore, when we ate the Pesach-offering, we were told that no gentile was to eat of it, which the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rambam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains to be a commandment on us to not give any to them. What’s more, we had to place the blood of the sheep of the offering on our doorposts and lintel. When the Egyptians would see the blood of their idols smeared on our houses, they would surely not want to have anything to do with us! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All this was to completely separate us from the Egyptians. In our minds and hearts; in our bodies; and even in our houses. And after this, after we were no longer stuck strongly to the Egyptians and sunken into their lowly culture, we could be truly redeemed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be’er Yosef </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 12:2-22</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; why in the Torah is Pesach called Chag HaMatzos, but yet we call it Pesach? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he explains beautifully: Just like we praise Hashem, so too, He praises us. Hashem calls it Chag HaMatzos, as a praise to us for our faith and trust in Him when we left Egypt with just </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- no other provisions (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on 12:39). And we call it Pesach, praising Hashem for His kindness, in passing over (פסח) our houses, and not smiting us, as well. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kedushas Levi al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s.v. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ואמרתם)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzos shall be eaten for the seven days [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of Pesach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], and it shall not be seen belonging to you chametz, and it shall not be seen belonging to you leaven in all your borders. And you shall tell to your son on that day, saying: It is because of this (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בעבור זה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) Hashem did for me when I went out from Egypt.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 13:7-8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps, suggests the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim ben Attar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}, the word זה -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">this</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, having the numerical value of 12, alludes to the twelve </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which are distinguishing and special marks of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chag</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Pesach:</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(1) The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pesach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering, (2)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Matzah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, (3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Marror</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, (4) the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, (5-11) the seven days of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chag</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and (12) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddush</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the two days of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yontiff</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And this is what it says; ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">it is because of this (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">זה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- i.e. all these 12 things</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ‘Hashem did for me. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And it shall be for you as a sign on your hand (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">arm</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and for a remembrance between your eyes (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on your head</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 13:9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A person, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Aharon Levin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, has two main things that influence their actions. Our feelings, and our intellect/sense. And it is upon us to try to perfect these two things within ourselves so that they -- and thus we -- work together towards the service of Hashem</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tefillin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the arm corresponds to our feelings, as we know that it is supposed to be facing the heart, which is the seat of feelings and emotions. And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tefillin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the head, of course, correspond to our intellect. By wearing the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tefillin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on both of these places, we imply that we will try to subjugate our feelings and our mind to Hashem’s Torah. To keep our heart/feelings and mind/intellect in check, and strive to use them both properly, and for His service. For example, to not let our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feelings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of desire for things overpower us, but nevertheless, to cultivate the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">feelings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of mercy, kindness, love, compassion, and the other good traits. And regarding the mind, to think pure and good thoughts, not bad and improper ones that could, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, lead us astray. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaDrash Vi’HaIyun</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, vol. 2 #100</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Sacramento; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ Maasim Tovim ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall guard the Matzos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Shemos 12:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a famous story told about the legendary founder of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Movement that connects to this verse: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before Pesach, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Salanter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was once unable to be present at the baking of his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shmurah Matzah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in which he was very careful. The task was to be performed by his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talmidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (students), and they asked him for directions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Yisroel instructed them to be especially careful how they treated the widow who kneaded the dough. For if they were to upset her, it would be a transgression of the Commandment to not oppress a widow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In his wonderful way, Rav Yisroel added that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kashrus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Matzos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was not complete with only keeping the laws of Pesach in a nice way; but with meticulous observance of the laws governing behavior between people, as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(See above for the comment which </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings to 12:17, and this story connects beautifully with it: For, while ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">guarding the Matzos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, we must still be careful to ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">guard the [rest of the] Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-33911617201233723252020-01-24T14:24:00.000-05:002020-01-24T14:24:16.865-05:00Parshas Va'eira Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Va’eira</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘“</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore say to the Children of Israel; ‘I am Hashem, and I will take you out (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">והוֹצאתי</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) from under the burdens of Egypt, and I will save (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">והצּלתּי</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) you from their work, and I will redeem (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">וגאלתּי</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) you with an outstretched arm and with great judgements. And I will take (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ולקחתּי</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) you to Me for a People. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 6:6-7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Huna </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said in the name of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Binayah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the four cups which we have at the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">correspond to the four expressions of Redemption used in the above verses: והוֹצאתי (‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and I will take you out</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’), והצּלתּי (‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and I will save you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’), וגאלתּי (‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and I will redeem you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’), and ולקחתּי (‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and I will take you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">88:6)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is Aharon and Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 6:26)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sometimes Moshe is mentioned before Aharon, and sometimes Aharon is mentioned before Moshe -- like in our verse. This teaches us that they are both equal. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The famous question is; how can we say that Moshe and Aharon were equal? We know that ‘No prophet ever arose among Israel like Moshe’! Some answers:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Since Aharon as well had a share and a job in the mission of Hashem, then he and Moshe were as equal. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6:26).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another explanation: Both Aharon and Moshe lived their lives in accordance with Hashem’s Will, and they both utilized their unique talents, abilities and gifts for the service of Hashem. In this way, they were surely equal. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yes, Moshe Rabbeinu was on a higher level of prophecy than Aharon HaKohen; but Aharon was higher in the fact that he loved peace, pursued peace, made peace between quarrelling couples, and brought people closer to the Torah (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ch. 1). Each one was better in their own way. Therefore, they were as if they were equal. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toras Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, vol. 2, p. 11a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chozeh of Lublin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yaakov Yitzchok Horowitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Moshe and Aharon said (Shemos 16:7), “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What are we?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” -- the implication being that they were stating that they were nothing (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Chullin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">89). They both were so humble that they considered themselves to be nothing! And nothing is equal to nothing! (Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ViKarasa L’Shabbos Oneg </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6:26).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I will harden the heart of Paroah, and I will increase My Signs and My Wonders in the land of Egypt.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 7:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a well-known debate amongst the commentators; how could Hashem have hardened Paroah’s heart -- apparently taking away his free will? True Paroah was wicked, but shouldn’t he still be left with the free choice to repent? This is indeed a good question, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B’Ezras Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, let us bring a few different explanations and answers to it:</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) --- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sforno</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Without a doubt, if not for the hardening of Paroah’s heart, he would have let the Jews out of Egypt. But not from repentance or submission to Hashem. Only out of the fact that he couldn’t take any more pain of the Plagues. And this would not have been true </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! Now, if he had wanted to actually submit to Hashem and to return to Him truly, obviously, Hashem would not have held him back from that. But, such was not the case.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So Hashem strengthened Paroah’s heart in order that he would </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">be able</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to endure the Plagues, and not just send the Jews out of Egypt because of fear of the Plagues, as it says, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in order to put these signs of Mine in his midst</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Meaning that from the signs Paroah and the Egyptians would come to recognize Hashem’s Greatness and return in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">true</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, [and, in effect, send the Jews out of Egypt]. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) --- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): There are many people who ask how the doors of repentance could be closed in the face of Paroah. Isn’t it a general rule that the Gates of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are never closed to even a very big sinner?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rather, the matter is that there are some wrongdoers that from Heaven, they get helped to repent, as we pray, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">return us in complete Teshuva before You</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. However, there are also other ones who heap up their measure of transgressions so much so, that help from Heaven to return is withheld, and it is up to the person to arouse themselves to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paroah was one of these cases: HaKadosh Baruch Hu told Moshe Rabbeinu to let him know that he had gone very far in his wickedness. And as a punishment for that, from Heaven he wouldn’t get help to return in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As it says, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for I will harden his [Paroah’s] heart</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- meaning that from Heaven he would not be aided in the process of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. However, the free choice was not taken away from him to return on his own. [As later, he did, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Hashem].</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) --- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(and see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sifsei Chachamim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ק</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here): We are taught that after all the Plagues and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Yam Suf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Paroah did </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. After all the Wonders, he repented. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So perhaps the answer to the above question is staring us right in the face in the very verse quoted: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I will harden the heart of Paraoh, and I will increase My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we know, Paroah was very stubborn. But even with a person like that, his stubbornness and wickedness can still be broken. It just might take a bit more.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Putting this all together, we may suggest that Hashem was actually being </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">merciful</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to Paroah by doing all this: He knew that if He only performed a “minimal” amount of Wonders in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Paroah's stubbornness might have been broken for a little while -- but this change perhaps would not have lasted. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, if He would bring </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Makkos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Plagues) and Paroah would also see the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Yam Suf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- then it would be just “too much”, and Paroah would change for good, as he did. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moshe was eighty years old, and Aharon was eighty-three years old when they spoke to Paroah.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 7:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> derives a tremendous lesson from this verse: A lot of people like to “settle down” in their later years, after retirement, for example, and live out their seniority in ease and comfort. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But so much they are letting go to waste! Moshe and Aharon, the Torah tells us, were already 80 and 83 years old respectively, when they went on their mission to Paroah. And yet look how much they did for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc. while in their old age! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oznayim LaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Hashem said to Moshe and to Aharon, saying: “When Paroah will speak to you, saying; ‘Give for yourselves a wonder. . .’”’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 7:8-9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is asked; why would Paroah say ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">give for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yourselves</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a wonder</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’? Wouldn’t it have been more proper that he would say that they should ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">give </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to me</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a wonder</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Noam Elimelech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Elimelech of Lizhensk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}; even a person who sees a lot of miracles and wonders, it’s still a great and amazing thing with each and every one that they see. Afterall, whenever Hashem performs a Miracle, it is amazing and novel. However, with people who perform “magic” (sleight of hand), their tricks don’t really impress themselves and are nothing new because they know exactly how they did it, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This, explains the Rebbe Reb Meilech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, is what Paroah meant: ‘Provide a wonder that is even miraculous and new to yourselves -- not just some “magic” trick.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Fredoka One"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{</span><span style="font-family: Cinzel; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The Makkos -- Plagues </span><span style="font-family: "Fredoka One"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Va’eira</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the Torah tells us about seven of the ten </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">makkos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that Hashem brought upon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Obviously, there was infinite Divine Wisdom and calculation behind each and every one of them, just like there is behind everything that happens. And surely, they were meant as both punishments and messages to Paroah. The commentators state different views on what the sequence of the Plagues was regarding this, if we humans can know any. We will cite the view of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Abarbanel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Ten Plagues were divided into three sets of three, and then the last one. The first two of each set were meant as a lesson to Paroah, while the last one was a punishment for not taking the messages of the first two. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The first three plagues, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Blood) and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzifardeia</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Frogs), were to prove to Paroah that Hashem is G-d (see 7:5, 18, 8:6). Being that these plagues centered around the Nile, which the Egyptians worshiped and venerated as a deity, it was to show them that Hashem is the G-d, not anything else. And then when Paroah did not take these to heart, Hashem sent the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kinim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Lice) as a punishment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then came </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the Mixture of Wild Animals) and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dever</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Pestilence), which were to show that Hashem’s direct Guidance and Providence is upon the earth. He Himself is involved with the going-ons down here (see 8:18 and 9:4). And when Paroah ignored this message, too, Hashem brought </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sh’chin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Boils) on him as a punishment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The third message that was sent to Paroah was with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barad </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Hail) and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arbeh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Locusts). They were to show him that Hashem is the Omnipotent One (see 9:16). Again, Paroah did not take the lesson to heart, and therefore, he was punished with the Plague of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Choshech </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Darkness). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And then the tenth Plague, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Makkas Bichoros </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Plague of the Firstborn) had all three facets within it: Proof of Hashem’s existence, proof of His Providence, and proof of His Omnipotence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Told to me by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yehoshua Kalish </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dom/Blood</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Va’eira </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13:2) teaches that during this plague, if an Egyptian and a Jew would both go to the same barrel of water to draw water, the Egyptian would draw blood and the Jew would draw water. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though this was a specific miracle, the very fact of it teaches us a big lesson: Two people can view, do, see, etc. the same thing -- but it can be completely different for both of them. For example; a person with the proper mindset can look at a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and think “What an incredible opportunity!” But someone else with the wrong mindset can look at it and think, “What a bother!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Water is pure. While blood can at times represent certain evils. When someone with the proper mindset looks at something, they will most likely see the good stuff in it; while a cynic will often see the bad stuff. May we all have the merit to see only the good in things, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amein</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And of course, we learn from this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> another thing: The power of perspective: While you might see one thing, another person might see something totally different.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzifardeia/Frogs</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that there was only </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">frog -- הצפרדע (see 8:2), and the Egyptians were hitting it, and it broke into swarms and swarms. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steipler Gaon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Yisroel Kanievsky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}; when the Egyptians who were hitting it saw that that only added to the frogs and made them multiply more, wouldn’t logic dictate that they should just stop hitting the frog so that the creatures didn’t continue to increase?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, answers the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Steipler</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> beautifully; what does the trait of anger dictate? It says that since the frogs are multiplying, all the more so that they should hit it and get revenge. And as the frogs continued to increase, so did the anger of the Egyptians’, and then they continued to hit it and hit it until eventually, it ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">covered the land of Egypt</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too, if someone says something hurtful to us, if we just hold our tongue and don’t respond in kind, then it will defuse things slowly. But if, in our anger, we retort, it will just exacerbate things and cause more strife. Because then, as the other person pushes back, as it were, we will end up continuing to answer angrily and rashly, and it can easily end up like the frogs, in a way! Therefore, it is clearly better to just not retort, and maybe just be silent for a moment until our anger passes. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bircas Peretz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kinim/Lice</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemos Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that the reason Aharon was to strike the dirt and bring forth the lice (see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 7:19 regarding </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzifardeia</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) instead of Moshe, was because it was not proper for Moshe to strike the dirt, which had shielded him, as it were, when he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, we clearly see, as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> discusses (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michtav M’Eliyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), that we must show gratitude and recognition to even an inanimate object if we benefit from it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And if this is the case, that we must show gratitude to something that does not even control what it does, and did something good for us but once -- how much more so should we be extremely grateful to Hashem, He is Blessed, Who is the One in control of these things, and for the incredible good that He does to us every single second!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obviously, the plague of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kinim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> came before that of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Yet, when Dovid HaMelech praises Hashem for His great wonders, he says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the mixture of wild animals came, [and] lice in all their boundaries</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Tehillim 105:31) -- putting </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> first! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yitzchok Ritbord </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes this, and based on a story, explains the matter: Yes, lice were a plague in and of themselves, but we find in different places (for one, see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to 8:17) that the plague of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> included many, if not every, species of creature. This would thus include lice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And therefore, Dovid HaMelech meant to praise Hashem for sending the lice a second time -- within the mixture of beasts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Koheles Yitzchok </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8:12, 17, 20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arov/Mixture of Wild Animals</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu to relay to Paroah that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">if you do not send out My People, behold, I will send against you and against your servants and against your people and in your houses the mixture of wild animals, and the houses of Egypt will become filled with the mixture of wild animals, and also the land that they are upon it.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (8:17). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does the seemingly extra phrase ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and also the land that they are upon it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ mean? The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kilayim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8:5) tells us that there was a certain creature called an </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Adnei HaSadeh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which the commentators (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Ovadya M’Bartenura </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">there) interpret to refer to a certain species which is connected to the ground in some way, and if it would become disconnected from the ground, it would die. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, being that we are told that every kind of animal was included in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, this one must have been also. And therefore, when He did bring this creature as well, Hashem brought the ‘ground that it was upon’ with it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Shaul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Torah and Megillos, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 52a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chanukas HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Tzvi Salant </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">posits that Hashem even sent the different climates and habitats in which the various animals lived with them -- so you would find all kinds of different temperatures, precipitations, terrain, etc. all together! ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The land that they are upon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ literally!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be’er Yosef </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And in a simpler interpretation, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Shaul Natanson </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that since the verse said that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would be in the Egyptians’ houses, what about the people who were not in their houses -- maybe in other cities? Or further, perhaps they would just flee their houses! To this, the verse adds ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the land that they</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- i.e. the Egyptians -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are upon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Wherever the Egyptians would go, the wild animals would come there too, just only for the Egyptians.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Shaul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Torah and Megillos p. 52a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dever/Pestilence</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The verse (9:7) tells us that right after learning that not even one of the Jews’ livestock had died in this plague, Paroah decided to stubbornly refuse to give in! Why specifically now, after he saw this tremendous Divine Providence, did Paroah harden his heart? And furthermore, the verse seems to imply that it was </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">because</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> he saw that none of the Jews’ livestock had died! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Leib Chasman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that human nature -- if we don’t work to correct it -- is that most always, we see ourselves as correct, and refuse to admit our guilt or that we are wrong, and of course, we make excuses for ourselves about our actions, etc. And then at a time where everybody thinks that we are wrong, specifically then we become even more stubborn and refuse to admit that we are wrong. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, when it was clear to all that Hashem was specifically putting plagues on the Egyptians, and they would not hurt the Jews at all -- specifically then, Paroah, who of course, had not worked to uproot his bad </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, hardened his heart and dug in stubbornly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Taam V’Daas</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sh’chin/Boils</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Hashem said to Moshe and to Aharon: “Take for yourselves handfuls of furnace soot, and Moshe shall throw it towards the Heavens before the eyes of Paroah. And it will be dust upon the entire land of Egypt, and it will be upon man and upon animal blossoming boils. . .”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (9:8-9).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes here the words of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that there were many miracles performed here (see his words). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yerucham Levovitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; what purpose was there to these extra miracles if they could not even be seen or recognized by people?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Levovitz; the signs and wonders that Hashem performed in His redeeming us from Egypt were to teach </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Therefore, the miracles done that could not even be seen were to teach us to believe and to recognize that there is more than meets the eye. The real existence of everything is not just what we see with our physical eyes and feel with our physical senses. The physical existence of something is only an out garb that we can see, whereas everything’s true existence and essence is the spirituality </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">within</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daas Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barad/Hail</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Behold I am going to rain, at this time tomorrow, a very heavy hail</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (9:18). At this time tomorrow -- this teaches us that he [presumably Moshe] made a mark in the wall, saying that at the time when the sun would reach that point the next day, the hail would come down (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Tzvi Salant </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">points out that this was actually an increasing of the greatness of the miracle of the hail. Because, as we know, most always, if there is going to be a storm, especially an incredibly strong one, the skies would become very cloudy with dark clouds, and you would not be able to see the sun’s rays at all. But here, the sun was clearly to be out when the hail was going to fall! Hashem rained it down straight from the heavens! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be’er Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9:18)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Sacramento; font-size: 16pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ Maasim Tovim ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I have also heard the cries of the Bnei Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 6:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the Communists came into power and went on a campaign to eradicate religion, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">felt the pain of the three million Jews who found themselves incarcerated behind the Iron Curtain and were cut off from the Torah and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yiddishkeit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shuls</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mikvahs</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were closed down, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshivos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and schools were dispersed, Shabbos observance and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bris Milah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> became illegal. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbonim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">who risked their lives to help their fellow Jews were incarcerated themselves -- among those who suffered imprisonment was </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yechezkel Abramsky</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Slutzk, who was sentenced to the labor camp in Siberia.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At this time the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> went to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ascended to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bimah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and addressed the congregation with intense emotion. He spoke of the wicked government and its edicts, how they oppressed religion and those who observed it, how they burned </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sifrei Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and now had sent the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Slutzk to suffer in the barren tundra. Though normally he was soft-spoken and never raised his voice, now he shouted the words he spoke from the depths of his heart, and when he finished, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Hillel Ginzburg</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who was standing at his side, said, “And now let us say a few </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">perakim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. . .” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> trembled with emotion and cried, “What? Are we a ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> group’?” (It was customary in those days to arrange for people to take turns sitting by someone who was deceased and quietly say </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> until it was time for the funeral procession). “Now is not the time to ‘say’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It’s the time to shout and scream </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the Jews cried out to Hashem, and in that merit, they were saved!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The men stood up to “shout” </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and their cries split the heavens. Not long after that, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elchonon Wasserman</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, was sitting and learning with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s house. Suddenly the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> cried out in joy, “The Bolsheviks found nothing!” He happily repeated this three times and then added, “They were forced to release the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Slutzk!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Elchonon glanced at the clock to mark the time. Sometime later he found out that at that exact moment Rav Yechezkel Abramsky had been released from his Siberian prison. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meir Einei Yisroel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 1, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohr Elchonon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 1; quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Chofetz Chaim Haggadah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Tanchuma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">related the following story: There was once a ship full of idol worshipping passengers, except for one Jewish child who was aboard. It was sailing across a great and vast sea, when suddenly, a terrible storm came up. The waters became violent.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Being very afraid, all the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">goyim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> aboard the ship stood up and began to pray to their idols -- but it did not help, of course. When they saw this, they said to the young Jewish lad, “Get up! Call out to your G-d, for we heard that He answers you when you cry out to Him, and He is mighty!” Immediately, the young boy stood up, and cried out to Hashem with all his heart. HaKadosh Baruch Hu accepted his prayer, and the storm subsided. The waters became calm. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the ship had reached its destination, and everyone disembarked, each person went off to go buy provisions for themselves. But this lad didn’t. The other passengers asked him why he didn’t buy anything for himself. He replied that he was just a poor visitor here. They responded back to him, “You are a pitiful visitor? We are pitiful visitors! We are here, and our idols are in Bavel, or some of us are here and their idols are in Rome, and some of us even have our idols with us -- but they didn’t help us at all! But you, wherever you go, your G-d is with you!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yerushalmi Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Ch. 9, Halacha 1, 63b</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peirush Tziyonim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-27420210021328640592020-01-17T05:52:00.000-05:002020-01-17T05:52:11.998-05:00Parshas Shemos Divrei Torah, Lessons and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Shemos</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May this edition of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Sparks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and the learning that comes from it be a zechus </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these are the names of the Children of Israel. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 1:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though Hashem counted them in their lifetime by their names (see Bereishis 46:8-27), He went back and counted them again after their death, to show us how much He loves them, for they were likened to stars, which He brings out and in by number and by their names (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemos Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is indeed a beautiful statement! But on the last part of it -- our comparison to stars -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Yehuda Leib Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains a wonderful significance of this similarity: Just like the stars were created to illuminate when it is nighttime, so too, we, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, illuminate the darkness of Exile when we spread knowledge of and belief in Hashem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Parshas Shemos 5633</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these are the names of the Children of Israel who were coming. . . -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ואלּה שׁמוֹת בּני ישׂראל הבּאים. . .’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 1:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sofei teivos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (last letters) of the above words, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Chanoch Tzvi HaKohen of Bendin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, spell תהילים (if rearranged a bit). This is to hint to us, he expounds, that in every difficult and painful time, and/or situation -- symbolized by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- we should say </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and through this we will be saved. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yichahein Pe’er </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 57</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these are the names -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ואלּה שׁמוֹת’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 1:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pri Megadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kaf HaChaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levush HaOrah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(all to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orach Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 285:1) we find noted that the words ואלּה שׁמוֹת are an acronym for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rashei teivos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (first letters) of the words </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ו</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">חייב </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">א</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">דם </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ל</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">קרות </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ה</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">פּרשה </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ש</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">נים </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מ</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">קרא </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ו</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">אחד </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">תּ</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">רגוּם -- ‘And every person is obligated to read the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> twice in the Hebrew and once in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum Onkelos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This obligation is taught in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 8a, and codified in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">285:1. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">there states that in reward for doing this, we will be blessed with a longer life! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The basic duty is to read each verse of the weekly </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> twice in the Hebrew, and once in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum Onkelos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Where there is not a translation in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on a certain word, you should read it a third time in the Hebrew, or read the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum Yerushalmi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on it (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tosafos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 8b). The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) writes that one can fulfill their obligation of saying the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by reading </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s commentary on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Chamudos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">S’mag</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">says that learning </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s commentary is even better than reading the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. However, many disagree, and therefore, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> rules that it is best (if possible) to do both. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We will not go into too many details of the obligation, and how and when to fulfill it, here. For such discussion, and the rulings and customs thereto, please see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">siman</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 285</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with the relevant commentaries, and also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemiras Shabbos K’Hilchasah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s section on this matter. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is noteworthy that in a responsa (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Igros Moshe, Orach Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 5, siman 17</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes that even someone who studies Torah full-time, must take time in their studies to do the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shnayim Mikra v’Echad Targum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And finally, I would like to add that this obligation is alluded to at the beginning of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer Shemos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and not </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which perhaps can teach us that even if we weren’t doing </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shnayim Mikra v’Echad Targum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from the beginning of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshiyos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-cycle (for example, if we didn’t know to, or of its significance), don’t get disheartened. There is no time like the present to start. And of course, if we have already been doing it, it spurs and encourages us to keep going.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 9pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ל</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">השלים -- to complete.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the king of Egypt said to his people, “Behold, the nation of the Children of Israel is more numerous and stronger than us (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ממנוּ</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 1:9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After this, Paroah outlined the danger we posed, and a slavery plan to “keep us at bay.” The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik of Brisk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes that surely, it would have been really embarrassing for Paroah to just go ahead and harm a nation for no apparent reason. Therefore, when he thought about doing so, he devised a plan to get everyone on his side -- and against the Jews. He tried to spread a libel that we were really wicked and didn’t care about the country of Egypt. Furthermore, he stressed that the Jews became numerous and mighty ממנוּ -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> us, the Egyptians. Meaning; the reason why the Jews are prospering such is because they are getting all of that stuff dishonestly </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from us</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And Paroah added that they must enslave the Jews, lest if there be a war on Egypt, the Jews might add on to the Egyptians’ enemies -- implying that they were clearly against Egypt, and were not faithful to it. Obviously, such an argument would win his nation over to want to harm the Jews.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, Rav Soloveitchik says that he saw in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> an explanation of the words in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Haggadah shel Pesach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ‘וירעו אותנו המצרים’, that it can also mean that the Egyptians made us bad, i.e. spread slander against us, making us appear as the bad guys.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, that the name of the one was Shifra, and the name of the second was Puah.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 1:15)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sotah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 11b, (brought here in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) teaches us that Shifra was really Yocheved, and Puah was really Miriam. Yocheved was called Shifra (שפרה) because she beautified (משפרת) the newborn infants. And Miriam was called Puah (פועה) because she would make certain sounds and talk to the newborn babies to calm them. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) says that she would also play with them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; why were these two great and honored women not mentioned by their real names here? And furthermore, why were they called by these names, which seem to just simply refer to their work as midwives, and what they did as such? Do they really show the great spiritual might of Yocheved and Miriam, in their risking themselves to save the babies?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says Rav Pincus; yes. In fact, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">specifically</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> these names highlight their greatness the most! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even though they designated themselves to help </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and they indeed did so much in that direction, this still didn’t show that they were like mothers of the Jewish children, and thus worthy of having the families of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohanim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leviim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and kings descend from them (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to v. 21). However, when, even at that frightful time of danger, when the (male) Jewish infants were under decree to be killed, they still were Shifra and Puah -- maintaining their peace of mind and composure enough to be able to play and talk lovingly with the infants, keeping them calm in a gentle manner, and caring for their needs, even the small things, that was a sign that they were true mothers of the Jewish People, and therefore, worthy of having such prestigious and special families come from them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiferes Shimshon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to our verse</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a somewhat different, but equally wonderful, take, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yerucham Levovitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that we see from here that even the seemingly “little” things -- such as calming down babies and treating them with love -- if done properly, really are huge and exalted! Great people like Yocheved and Miriam understood this. A lot of regular people, however, look at most things as small, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, end up ignoring even clearly lofty things!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daas Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And G-d did good to the midwives, and the people increased, and they became very strong. And. . . He made for them houses.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 1:20-21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Neiman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains according to the sequence of the verses: What was the main good that Hashem did for the midwives? ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The people increased and became very strong</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- because Hashem benefiting the entire people is what mattered most to them. And only after that, the midwives were able to feel joy about their own personal reward of ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And He made for them houses</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to v. 20</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yocheved</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] was no longer able to hide him [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">baby Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], and she took for him a reed basket, and she plastered it with mortar and tar, and she put the child in it, and she put it in the reeds on the bank of the Nile. . . And the daughter of Paroah went down to bathe by the river. . . and she saw the basket. . . and she took it. And she opened it, and she saw him, the child, and behold! A youth crying! And she had compassion on him, and she said “This is from the children of the Hebrews.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 2:3, 5-6)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why does the Torah say that a ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">youth was crying</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, when it kept referring to Moshe before that as a child? Because his voice was like that of a youth (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sotah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">12b).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Shapiro </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Imrei Daas</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) gives a beautiful explanation on this: As we know, a youth implies someone older than a child or infant. Now, that being so, a youth, having more understanding, etc. can already potentially feel the pain of another person, and thus cry for them. Whereas a baby only really feels their own pain, and therefore, can only really cry for themselves, as it were. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Applying this to our verses, when Bisya (the princess of Egypt ) saw that Moshe -- only an infant at the time -- was crying, it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">youth</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> crying</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, as he had the voice of a youth, as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">say. What does it mean ‘the voice of a youth’? That he could feel the pain of and cry for others! She saw that Moshe was already crying over the suffering of his enslaved brothers and sisters, even at his tender age.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And once she saw that, she understood that he was a Jew. Because Jews have the special characteristic that we feel the pain of one another, and cry for each other’s misfortune. Clearly, therefore, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is from the children of the Hebrews</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she sent her maidservant (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">אמתהּ</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and she took it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 2:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings an interpretation from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sotah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">12b) that the word אמתהּ can also mean her hand or arm. And it teaches us that she reached out her hand, and it was miraculously lengthened several cubits (אמות), so that she could reach the basket and grab it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kotzker Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Menachem Mendel Morgenstern </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">derives a tremendous lesson from here: Why would Bisya have even stretched out her arm for the basket? She clearly wasn’t standing close enough to reach it! But says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kotzker</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, if a person yearns for a certain goal, they shouldn’t concentrate on any obstacles that might be in their way. Rather if we just ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">send forth our hand</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- meaning strive and put in effort to reach that level, goal, etc., then we will get help from Above. Even in a clearly miraculous way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes Ve’Emunah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#613</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shmuel Greineman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that we learn from this that one should never refrain from helping someone who is in need, even if according to the “natural” way of things, it doesn’t seem like they will be able to do so. Rather, we must do everything we can to help, and in one miraculous way or another, Hashem will make the rescuing mission successful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasei LaMelech</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> p. 60-61</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And his [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe’s</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] sister said to the daughter of Paroah, “Shall I go and call for you a wet nurse from the Hebrew women, and she will nurse the child for you?”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 2:7)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings here the words of the Sages (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sotah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">12b) that we see from here that Bisya took baby Moshe around to a lot of Egyptian women to nurse him, but he had refused to nurse from these non-Jewish women, because he was destined to speak with Hashem’s Divine Presence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rama </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Moshe Isserles </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> codifies these words as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halacha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deiah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 81:7). He writes that while the milk of an Egyptian (or any non-Jew) is technically permitted for a Jewish baby to drink, nevertheless, if a Jewish woman is available for the baby to nurse from, then that is better, because it really is not good to nurse from a non-Jew. And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beiur HaGra </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">brings there the words of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashba </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who says that the source for this ruling is from Moshe Rabbeinu, who refused to nurse from the Egyptian women, because he was destined to speak with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Divine Presence). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; how can we base a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halacha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for ourselves off of this? With Moshe Rabbeinu, we see the reason explicitly that he could not nurse from a non-Jew, because he was destined to speak with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; but where do we see that that should be the rule for all of us, as well? Are we all going to speak with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in our lifetimes?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we learn from here, says Rav Yaakov beautifully, a huge thing in the raising and education of children (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chinuch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). Each and every child has the chance that they will speak with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> one day. And therefore, one must approach all areas of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chinuch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in this manner -- that it be as holy, pure, and ideal as possible, on the level of “Maybe they are destined to speak with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes L’Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And behold! Two Hebrew men were quarreling, and he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] said to the wicked one, “Why would you strike your fellow?” And he said, “Who put you for a man, an officer and a judge upon us?”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 2:13-14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Alexander Zusia Friedman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l H”yd</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This has been the way of wicked people since then, as well: If anyone comes along and tries to get in the way of their bad deeds and rebuke them concerning them, they immediately begin to deny the person’s worthiness to do this, and find ways why this person cannot possibly be “on the level” to rebuke them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 15</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And G-d heard their cry (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">נאקתם</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 2:24)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes that at its core, נאקה -- sighing or crying out, is really an expression of pain, and it comes when someone, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, has a very difficult situation, or faces a big problem, etc. and they emit a deep groan or sigh from their suffering. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But yet </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the beginning of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Va’eschanan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) teach that נאקה is an expression of prayer! And with this they reveal to us that really, our groans, sighs, and cries can be directed to Hashem, and thus be turned into a prayer!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, says Rav Pincus, if you are</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> facing tough times, or you hear bad news, etc., and thus you sigh or groan -- direct those groans to Hashem, and elevate them into a prayer for His salvation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiferes Shimshon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to our verse</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And G-d called to him [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe Rabbeinu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] from the midst of the thorn-bush</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 3:4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A non-Jew once asked </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korcha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; why did HaKadosh Baruch Hu speak with Moshe from the midst of the bush?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Yehoshua ben Korcha answered that it is to teach you that there is not a place that is empty -- without the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Even a bush.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Shemos Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 2:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And He said [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], “. . . Remove, please, your shoes from upon your feet, because the place that you are standing on is holy ground.” </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 3:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Remove your shoes from upon your feet</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- if we would just remove the partition covering up the truth, then we would realize that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the place that you are standing on is holy ground</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- at all times, and wherever we find ourselves, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> time, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> place is holy. Meaning that whatever the situation or time period, we can come close to Hashem and observe His </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 61-62</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another message of the removal of the shoes is that we must try to make sure that there is nothing between and separating us from Hashem -- namely, our sins, as we find in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tanach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 61</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ha’Eimek Davar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malbim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moshe said to G-d, “Who am I that I should go to Paroah. . .?” And He said, “For I will be with you, and this is the sign for you that I sent you. . .”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 3:11-12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Alexander Zusia Friedman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hy”d </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">takes a homiletical approach to these words: Moshe Rabbeinu was, as the Torah itself testifies, the humblest of all people, and he didn’t find himself worthy to be the redeemer of the Jews. “Who am I?” he asked, in his humility. And Hashem answered him, “‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- the fact the you are so humble -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is the sign for you that I sent you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- that I chose you as My messenger.” Because Hashem only chooses those who are humble.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 18</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Moshe went, and he returned to Yeser [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yisro</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] his father-in-law, and he said to him; “I will go, please, and I will return to my brothers who are in Egypt. . .” And Yisro said to Moshe, “Go in peace.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 4:18)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter of Slabodka</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}; how is it that Moshe Rabbeinu is coming to ask about something that Hashem had commanded him explicitly to do -- to go to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Obviously, he wasn’t getting a second opinion or relying on Yisro’s authority more than Hashem’s, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the simple level, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemos Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4:1) tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu had sworn to Yisro that he wouldn’t leave Midyan without his knowledge.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But, in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> interpretation, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that the truth is that if Moshe had </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">not</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gone to “ask”, and to show gratitude to Yisro his father-in-law, he actually could not have been a proper leader. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMeoros HaGedolim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 270</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You shall make heavier the work upon the men, and they will do it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Shemos 5:9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teaches us the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramchal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Moshe Chaim Luzzato </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}, on the trait of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zehirus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The matter of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zehirus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is that a person should be careful in their actions and affairs, meaning that they should contemplate and examine their deeds and ways, to see if they are good or not. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And a person who just lives without contemplating if their way is good or bad is like a blind person who is walking on the bank of a river: The danger is very great, and something bad happening to them is more likely than them being saved. Because the lack of protection that results from natural blindness or from willful blindness -- meaning choosing to close our eyes to our actions -- are the same.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yirmiyahu HaNavi was very distressed about the evil of the people of his generation, because they were afflicted with exactly this trait -- willful blindness. For they would hide their eyes from their actions without thinking about what their deeds were -- whether they should continue to do them or abandon them. And he said regarding them (Yirmiyahu 8:6), ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No man regrets upon his evil, saying, ‘what have I done?’ -- they all return to their course</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ Meaning that they were going in the course of their habits and ways, without leaving time for themselves to look closely at their deeds and ways, and because of this, they fell into evil without even seeing it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramchal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; this is, in truth, one of the tricks of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: To consistently make his “work” heavier on the hearts of people, until they are left with no respite to contemplate and to look at which way they are going. Because it knows that were they to only think about their ways a little, for certain they would immediately begin to regret their bad deeds, and the regret would strengthen in them until they would abandon the sins completely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And this is similar to what Paroah the wicked, said (Shemos 5:9), “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You shall make the work heavier upon the men, and they will do it, and they should not turn to false matters.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” He was intending to not let them have respite at all, so that they wouldn’t think about stuff or plan things against him, and in fact he was trying to disturb their hearts from any contemplation, with the power of the continuous work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mesilas Yesharim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Chapter 2 -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explanation of the Trait of Zehirus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] said, “My Lord! Why did You do bad to this people? Why did You send me? And since I have come to speak to Paroah in Your Name, he has done bad to this people. . .” And Hashem said to Moshe, “Now you will see what I will do to Paroah. . .”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Shemos 5:22-23-6:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based upon many things, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Moshe Fried </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains this discussion: Moshe Rabbeinu saw that after he had gone to Paroah on his mission, things had gotten worse for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But Hashem replied “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you will see what I will do to Paroah. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” -- meaning, you need to see the good within even something that looks bad. Now, as we know, one of the famous explanations of why we were in Egypt only 210 years, when really, we had been supposed to be there 400 years, is that because of the harshness of the enslavement, that counted like extra years, and thus the time was shortened. Therefore, Hashem told Moshe that you have to realize that this too -- that Paroah has made things harsher -- is really in truth beneficial, because now the Exile will be shorter, and the Redemption will come much sooner!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yam Simcha </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 154</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says very similarly, but he even takes it a step further: Hashem was also saying to Moshe Rabbeinu that it was done for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> benefit -- because if the Exile had lasted all 400 years, Moshe would not have lived to see the Redemption! “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will see what I will do to Paroah, for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will drive them out from his land</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 63</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is famously related that at the time World War II was raging, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Aharon Kotler </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was still in Europe. In an effort to save him, offers were given to bring him over to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or America. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Looking for guidance from Hashem in this momentous decision, he utilized the method of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goral HaGra</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, wherein a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chumash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is opened (including certain procedures with deep significances), and the verse that you end up on/open to hints to the proper course of action. This method has been used and/or discussed by many of our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the generations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Aharon did the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">goral</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that he “landed on”, as it were, was from this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (4:27) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Hashem said to Aharon, “Go to greet Moshe, to the wilderness”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Through this verse, Hashem clearly indicated to Rav Aharon that he should emigrate to America -- which was still a spiritual wilderness at that time -- and go to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who was already living there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The decision made, Rav Aharon was indeed brought over to America, and he opened a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in Lakewood, New Jersey. As </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbetzin Rosenblatt </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shetichyeh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> told me, he chose Lakewood because it was close to New York City, where a lot of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bachurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would live or come from, and it was also somewhat set back from the hustle and bustle, so there would be less distractions to the learning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Aharon became one of the main Torah pioneers in America, succeeding (with great help from Hashem) in building up Torah here in many different ways. And he continues to influence us -- through his legacy, his students (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talmidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), his students’ students, and all the Torah communities, families, and institutions he helped to build -- whether directly or indirectly. In my own personal life, for example, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mori v’Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was one of his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talmidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and in fact, had the privilege of being almost like his personal attendant. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And today, Rav Aharon’s own </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Beis Midrash Govoha, is the biggest </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in all of America, with full-time students numbering in the thousands. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Shemos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">begins the period of time known as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shovavim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- שובבים, an acronym for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ש</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מות </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ו</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ארא </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ב</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ו </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ב</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">שלח </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">י</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">תרו </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">מ</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">שפטים, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshios </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which are read during these weeks. Our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tell us that these weeks are a special time for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Kelm, headed by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Simcha Zissel Ziv </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, during the time of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shovavim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they would toil in Torah and the service of Hashem the entire night, from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maariv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> until the morning light, and then they would fast the entire day!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMeoros HaGedolim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 123</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">While this high, and difficult, level of conduct is not necessarily being advocated for us here, it should at least help us to realize the importance of these weeks, and inspire us to maybe make some improvements. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-78630603681017541232020-01-10T08:20:00.001-05:002020-01-10T08:20:10.666-05:00Parshas Vayechi Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayechi</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This edition of Shabbos Sparks is dedicated l’zechus refuah shleimah mi’heira</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel. May Hashem send him a </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">complete recovery very speedily.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the days of Yisroel came close to die</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 47:29)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">asks; why does it say ‘days’ in the plural? Doesn’t a person die on one day, and furthermore, at one moment? So seemingly shouldn’t it have said ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">day</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Yisroel came close to die</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answers the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; when Hashem takes a person from this world, all the days of the person’s life come up before Him, and there is an accounting. Fortunate [alt. praiseworthy] is the portion of a person, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, whose days come close before HaKadosh Baruch Hu without any disgrace or shame. . . And therefore it is written with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that their days ‘came close’, because their days come close before Hashem without any shame [i.e. because the righteous used them well]. And that is why, explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">days</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’; because it is not talking about the day of death, but rather about when a person’s days come before Hashem for an accounting [of how they were used]. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based upon what the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says, we may delve into an important matter: Each of us are given a certain amount of days -- and minutes -- of life. And we have an obligation to try to use them well, i.e. for the Service of Hashem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But, time passes. And we end up looking back at all the days in our past that are seemingly now gone. . . What can we do, though? The past is the past and once a day -- or a moment, for that matter -- is over, then it’s gone, right?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The answer is no. At least not necessarily. The time that we use to serve Hashem and for good things is never gone and never lost. It all stays with us, and is actually not in the past. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, if, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we are indolent, and thus don’t use our time properly, then we will end up losing so much precious time. And one day, we will gaze at the past, and feel extreme sadness at all that is lost. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But alas! What about the time we misused in the past? Can we ever get it back? Or is it lost for eternity? The answer can be found in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 86b): ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reish Lakish said: “Great is repentance for</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[through it]</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">intentional sins become unintentional sins. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” [Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Didn’t Reish Lakish say that ‘great</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is repentance for</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[through it]</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">intentional sins become merits’. . .? There is no difficulty; here [i.e. in the first place, he was speaking of repentance] from love [of Hashem] and here [the second place] from fear [of Hashem]</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.’</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From this encouraging </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> we see that even </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">time</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which we, unfortunately, did not use properly in the past, we can retroactively almost transform into time well-used</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with true </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from love of Hashem! </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah V’LaMoadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on Vayikra 23:15).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ach Sameach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although this is true, we certainly cannot, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, use time on bad things and/or do bad and just think to ourselves that we will do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> later, whether from love or fear. Someone who does that faces severe consequences -- see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah Yoma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 8:9.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based in part on different things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] blessed them [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ephraim and Menashe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] on that day saying, “In you will Israel bless, saying: ‘May G-d put you like Ephraim and like Menashe’”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 48:20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The famous question asked by many is; why did Yaakov Avinu establish that we should bless our children to be specifically like Ephraim and Menashe? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Bloch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: We find that Yaakov Avinu said to Yosef (48:5), “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your two sons who were born to you in the land of Egypt. . . they are to me; Ephraim and Menashe, like Reuven and Shimon they shall be to me.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” When Yaakov Avinu said this, it established that even though it is the way of the world -- after Adam and Chava ate from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eitz HaDaas </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad) -- that there is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeridas HaDoros</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; that each generation is naturally on a lower spiritual level than the previous one,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with Ephraim and Menashe, they were on the same level as the sons of Yaakov themselves. They would literally be equal in level to Reuven and Shimon, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeridas HaDoros </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">would not apply to them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says Rav Bloch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, therefore, there is no more beautiful a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">beracha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> than this; to bless someone that Hashem make them like Ephraim and Menashe. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">M’Shulchan Govoha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yam Simcha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yaakov Avinu looked and saw how much damage that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, cause to a Jew. Not only physically, but perhaps primarily, spiritually. And then he looked at Ephraim and Menashe; they were born to Yosef, and grew up, while he was serving as viceroy of Egypt, and thus, they surely had just about every opportunity to integrate into Egyptian culture, and become swept up into all kinds of the physical desires it offered. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But despite this, they lived their lives as faithful Jews -- just like their father -- and maintained their proper identity. They even came very often to learn Torah with their grandfather (Yaakov) in Goshen. Yaakov Avinu thus set very fittingly that people should bless their children to be like Ephraim and Menashe -- remaining in the precious heritage of Torah, and not assimilating into foreign cultures. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oznayim LaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Tzvi Elimelech Spira of Dinov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: When Yaakov Avinu placed Ephraim -- even though he was the younger one, before Menashe, he observed that Ephraim did not become haughty and prideful from this. Just the opposite; he was humbled from it! And as for Menashe, Yaakov Avinu saw that even though his younger brother had been given precedence in the blessing, he still did not become envious. Therefore, one blesses their children to be like Ephraim and Menashe -- that they not become haughty, even in a situation that could possibly induce such a feeling, and that they not become jealous, in a similar scenario. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Igra D’Kallah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see also in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chochmas HaMatzpon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although this is true, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alter of Slabodka</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- quoted in</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sparks of Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- tells us that, nevertheless, we are still created in the Image of Hashem, and we have the ability to regain the former heights. This actually fits in very nicely with Rav Bloch’s comment, truthfully.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov called to his sons and he said, “Gather and I will tell to you what will happen to you in the End of Days.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 49:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbonim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> teach that Yaakov Avinu was also trying to give his sons advice here: If they would gather together in unity and have </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Achdus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then that will bring the End of Days, i.e. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mashiach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. May Hashem help us to do so, and send him very swiftly in our days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘And Yaakov called to his sons and he said, “Gather and I will tell to you what will happen to you in the End of Days.”’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 49:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov Avinu called his sons together right before he passed away, and blessed each one of them. Each with an individual blessing. And yet, he also alluded to them (see the previous comment) that they should come together in unity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is a lesson for us all: We are all individuals, with unique abilities, gifts, etc. But on the other hand, it is our responsibility to be one with our fellow Jews. We can both be individual and also together. And what a beautiful thing this can be -- us all being so unique, and yet together as one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yet, unfortunately, and may Hashem help us, we do see dissension at times -- yes, amongst </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But perhaps it, in large part, comes back to an interesting and important point: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was once speaking to one of my good friends about two certain things in Judaism that are very different. And I was talking about how they aren’t really that different in my mind and they can be together. My friend, however, said something very profound: He said to me that just because things are </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">different</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> doesn’t mean they are </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">contradictory</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And perhaps this is the message: Many people, when they see others doing things differently than them -- holding by different customs, etc.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">they look at it as contradictory.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, we must realize that it is not: As my friend said, we are all going towards one goal. And that is to serve Hashem. We are all unique, but yet together as children of Hashem. And when we take this to heart, and, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">B’Ezras</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Hashem, put it into practice, then we will see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moshiach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> very speedily. May it be so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And there is another lesson on this which my mother, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbetzin shetichyeh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explained: The sum is greater than the parts: We all have individual powers and strengths, but when we come together as a People, the strength and greatness is much bigger than if we just measured all individuals alone. It’s just like a town: You need a baker, a shoemaker, etc. etc. Everyone plays a part to make the town a proper running, town.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We read about in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> how Yaakov Avinu gave a blessing to all of his children before he passed away. But really, if you look at what Yaakov said to Shimon and Levi, notes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Wolbe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, does that seem like a blessing to you? It seems closer to a curse, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Wolbe beautifully: We all have certain </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (character traits) -- some rooted in us from birth, and some acquired later. But they are there. And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are a very deep thing! If only we would understand our own </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! A person, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, could go through their entire life without even knowing their inherent qualities and points which need working on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But it is so important to try to take an accounting and determine our personal traits. Someone, for example, who has deeply rooted within themselves a love for honor -- if they don’t dig into themselves and discover this, this very trait could ruin their entire lives! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Therefore, we see that Yaakov Avinu indeed gave his sons the biggest blessing of all: He revealed to them their deep-rooted </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! Because when we know our traits, then we can rescue ourselves from the bad ones, and utilize the good ones. To some of his sons, he revealed the main character flaw that they needed to work on, while to others, he revealed their inner qualities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shiurei Chumash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> takes this concept even further, perhaps: Yaakov Avinu says that he will scatter Shimon and Levi amongst the Jews. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), which explains this to mean that Yaakov caused them to be scattered in a respectable way; children’s teachers and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sofrim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(scribes) would often come from Shimon, and people from the Tribe of Levi would go around to collect </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Terumos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasros</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only Shimon and Levi exhibited extreme zealousness and fire when they risked their lives for Dinah. And those very traits would be the exact one’s needed for the jobs/things </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> enumerates above -- zealousness, and self-sacrifice for Hashem and His Torah. They need people whom, if they see a breach, zealousness for Hashem burns in them, and they will find a way to repair it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes L’Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zevulun will dwell on the coast of seas, and he will be at the harbor of ships. . . Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 49:13-14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Famously, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrashim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that Zevulun would frequent the harbors, because the Tribe of Zevulun would engage in commerce in order to support the members of the Tribe of Yissachar, who would engage in Torah study. This is probably just about the best example of a symbiotic relationship -- where everyone wins. And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we find cases of such a relationship all throughout </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, today, as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, obviously, even a financial supporter of Torah must still try to find time to learn Torah whenever they can, as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">indeed rules. But it is quite apparent that they will not have nearly as much time to learn as the “Yissachars” out there. Nevertheless, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoreh Deiah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 246) tells us that a person who supports others’ Torah learning -- it will be counted as if they themselves learned! Surely the supporters get rewarded for every bit of Torah study that they funded, as it were, as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">speaks about. What a wonderful partnership!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But there is even more: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim of Volozhin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the famous </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Volozhin, and he was also responsible for the the institution’s financial stability. It is a huge responsibility for a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, not only to be responsible for the spiritual well-being of the students but also to have the daily worry about maintaining the place. Once, when times were difficult, Rav Chaim traveled to one of the wealthy men who supported the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, to thank him for his pledges. While there, Rav Chaim learned that the man had no family. He had one request of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- that when his time would come to leave this world, Rav Chaim would undertake to say </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kaddish</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and learn </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnayos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in his memory. They both agreed, and additional money was sent regularly every month. The man became one of the main supporters of the Volozhiner </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After many years went by, the man passed away from this world. It was a hot summer day, but remembering his promise, Rav Chaim traveled to the city where the funeral was taking place, and recited </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kaddish</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> there. After the funeral, he returned home, wet to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and sat down to learn some </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnayos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the man. During his studies, he encountered a very difficult matter which he could not decipher. Due to his exhaustion from the trip, coupled with the strain of struggling to fathom the passage, and the extreme heat of the day, Rav Chaim fell into a slumber.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The man who had just recently been buried appeared to him in a dream and told him, “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I must thank you heartily for saying </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kaddish</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for me. It was a major source of merit for my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Neshama</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as is your learning of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnayos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">for me. Regarding this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which you find difficult, I will explain it to you. . .”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upon awakening, Rav Chaim was astonished. He commented, “I recognize that if a person provides support for Torah, then in the Next World, he will acquire knowledge of Torah. I know that in Heaven he deserves to be granted Torah knowledge, which he enabled others to achieve during his lifetime on this earth. What I did not comprehend is that happens so quickly! It is only shortly after his funeral, and already he can explain a complicated matter in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder Taharos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that I do not understand!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Journey Into Holiness</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another beautiful story about supporting Torah study is worthy of mention here: A fellow met an old Jewish peddler selling his wares in some remote town in Russia. Out of pity for him, he bought something and started a conversation. The peddler, seeing that he was dealing with a kind-hearted Jew, poured out his life story -- his ups and downs, his better times and his younger years:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One time, while still a young man, he had overheard a conversation coming from his neighbor’s home. The young lad was crying out to his father that he should send him to a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to learn Torah, but the poverty that the family endured did not allow for the father to pay even the cheapest form of travel. When he heard that his father refused only because of lack of funds, the son didn’t want to accept this reason, and continued to wail and plead.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Hearing the boy’s cries,” the peddler continued, “My heart turned for him. But I had nothing to give either. Life was very hard in those pre-war years. You worked for hours and only made pennies. But I made a firm resolution that at the first opportunity that I would have money, I would give it to him.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“I worked for many hours, and eventually scratched together enough money. It wasn’t easy, but the picture and sounds of a sincere </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who could not go to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> only out of lack of funds pushed me to work above my limits. Once I had made the necessary amount, I happily presented it to the father. He was very touched and thanked me greatly.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Turning to his listener, the peddler asked, “Many years have since passed, and I would be happy to know whatever became about this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” When asked as to what the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bochur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s name was, the peddler replied “Aharon Kotler”! The Jewish customer, no doubt, explained what became of this Aharon Kotler, who was already famous on the other side of the Atlantic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Leitner </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sums up: This fellow’s merits have not yet finished growing! All of America is indebted to him and many more around the globe! He was the one who brought serious and intensive Torah learning to American shores, which paved the way to establish authentic Judaism there, besides for all those who have emigrated ever since to other corners of the world! From these small investments, one never knows what the outcome will be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At Home With Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey, crouching between the boundaries. And he saw rest (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">alt. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tranquility), that it was good; and the earth, that it was pleasant; and he inclined his shoulder to bear</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 49:14-15)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teaches us (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) about these symbolisms is quite well-known: Yissachar “inclined his shoulder” to bear the Yoke of Torah. And we find that from Yissachar came many outstanding Torah scholars.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many lessons are derived from this simile, and the wording of it. Among them are the following:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">say (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodah Zarah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 5b) that a person should always apply themselves to words of Torah like an ox to a yoke, and like a donkey to a burden.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains: The strength of the ox is that it can plow the earth in order that afterwards, it will be able to produce fruit. And the donkey’s way is to carry on itself the fruit that already was harvested.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too should we be with our Torah study; we must toil over words of Torah to understand them, and afterwards, we must “load” them -- the “fruits of our labors” -- onto our hearts, and we must go back over them and review them frequently, so that we will not forget them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does it mean that he ‘crouched between the boundaries’? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yechezkel Paneth </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">said: The little Torah knowledge that I merited was from just a quarter of an hour. How so? People often say something like, “It’s a quarter of an hour to lunch break; it’s okay to stop learning now.” Or “In a quarter of an hour, we are going to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">daven Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maariv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- the learning session can end now.” I saved all these “quarter-of-an-hour’s” (which add up to a whole lot more time!); through this, I merited the knowledge of Torah that I have. And this is what the verse means ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">crouching between the boundaries</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, that Yissachar made sure to utilize even the time </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in between</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> sessions (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bein haSedorim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yagdil Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Akiva Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> distinguished between </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ‘good’ and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">na’im</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ‘pleasant’, of the above verse. Something which is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">suggests an enduring form of goodness, while </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">na’im</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is of a more temporal nature. One who understands the depth of the Torah’s goodness realizes that the joys of This World are ephemeral and do not last. Such a person will “incline his shoulder to bear” the Yoke of Torah, regardless of the hardship that might be entailed in this endeavor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the underlying message of the above </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Such an individual sees </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">menucha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, tranquility, which the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">interprets as a metaphor for Torah, as being good. He understands the true goodness of Torah and its enduring nature. He also sees that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the land</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- the pleasures of This World, are merely </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">na’emah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, pleasant. Comprehending the fleeting character of worldly pleasure, he decides that it is only in the reflection of the absolute goodness of Torah that he will enjoy true serenity and joy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninim on the Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; sixteenth series</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yitzchok of Vorka </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes a certain villager who explained the above </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the following manner: If somebody wants to see tranquility in their life, then they should “incline their shoulder to bear” -- i.e. accept patiently and serenely everything that happens. Thus, nothing will make them become angry, and they will have tranquility from everything.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohel Yitzchok </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yosef’s brothers saw that their father had died. . . and they commanded [messengers to go</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">4</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] to Yosef, saying: “Your father commanded before his death, saying: ‘Please, forgive now the willful sin of your brothers. . .’”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 50:15-17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yevamos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 65b) that Yaakov Avinu never really commanded thus, but the brothers changed the truth for the sake of peace.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Likutei Megadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests that really, the brothers hardly changed the truth much, if any: Yaakov Avinu indeed did hint to this message before his death. He told them ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gather [together]</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (49:1) -- and it is impossible to truly come together in unity unless they would all forgive each other’s personal offenses.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">4 </span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And you shall carry me from Egypt, and you shall bury me in their [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">my fathers’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] grave</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 47:30)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a particular old age home in some far off place in England, Mrs. Finklestein enjoyed living her senior years. Her children would come constantly to visit together with their families. These visits would be quite eventful and enjoyable. They would </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">schmooze</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and she took interest in all that happened with them during that particular week. She always remembered each grandchild’s birthday and never missed out on buying each one of them birthday presents.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One day there was a shocking and unexpected call from the old age home that their mother/grandmother had sadly passed away. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">levaya</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (funeral) took place and the children sat </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the home of the eldest son. During the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the phone did not cease to ring as family and friends from all over called to give their condolences. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Until that one particular phone call. Benny, one of the sons of the deceased answered it. It was from the old age home. “Hello,” went the voice on the other end. “Why has no one come to visit me this week?” Benny dropped the receiver and nearly fainted. Everyone present stared at him. “Who was it?” they inquired. Benny was too shocked to answer. He just pointed at the dropped phone as his wife picked it up and talked to the voice on the other end. To make a long story short, it was none other than. . . their own mother on the phone!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Where are you. . .?” the son asked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What do you think? In my own room,” she answered. “. . . What makes you ask?” she queried.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Oh it’s nothing. . .” he answered. “. . . I'll be by you shortly,” Benny answered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The shocked son took off his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">aveilus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (mourning) clothing, washed and shaved and drove out to visit his mother. By the time he arrived at his mother’s side he’d somehow managed to calm down and he chatted with her as if nothing had happened. During the conversation she asked a few times why he had not been to visit like usual. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Each time he brushed away the question, saying that he was sorry, but it was unusually hectic (it was even true! Sitting </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is normally very hectic.) Anyways, he got up to leave and headed straight for the office. Once there, he broke down and all his emotions came flying out. He demanded an explanation to this weirdest possible story. How on earth was it possible that a week before, his mother had died and been buried and suddenly now she’s back in her room?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The staff was not sure whether to laugh or cry. On checking their records, it was written that she had perished! But after a short investigation it all became clear. In fact, her neighbor, in the room next door had died and the secretary had mistakenly called the Finklesteins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Okay, so Mrs Finkelstein never died; that was a happy ending to that side of the story. The mystery was easily solved. The bigger problem was that the staff had to find a way how they were going to inform the family of the real deceased one that their mother had died and even had already been buried behind their very backs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One office worker picked up the courage and called the family. The son answered and very gently and softly was told the sad news. He did not sound too interested. He coldly answered, “Fine, okay.” The clerk continued “By the way, she has already been buried in the local Jewish cemetery. . .” Before she even finished her sentence, the fellow on the other end suddenly sprung to life. “What? How can this possibly happen? She obviously won the fight. . . I have no words to say. . .” And with that, the phone line went dead. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The secretary stood there in total shock. One of the old ladies who lived in the old age home had overheard the conversation. She watched how the staff was all stunned with the phone call that had just taken place. She offered to explain: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two weeks before, the son of the deceased had come to visit his mother and an argument had broken out between them. The mother had begged her son to promise that once she left this world, he would bury her in a Jewish cemetery. But her son argued and claimed that since they were anyways non-religious, therefore it did not mean much to him. He would much prefer that her body be burnt and the ashes would sit inside a jar on his desk as a remembrance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Hashem had thought otherwise and knew that this woman deserved to be buried like a Jew and one day would perhaps merit some sort of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Techiyas HaMeisim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Revival of the dead)!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Gems</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yissachar is a strong-boned donkey. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 49:14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rogatchover Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Yosef Rosen </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> knew all of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talmud Bavli </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yerushalmi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, by heart. At his fingertips, he could recall the entire </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rambam</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and countless other </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Still, he would constantly review </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shas</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, making a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> siyum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in honor of completing the entire Talmud regularly, every five months. One time, he requested that his family prepare a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">seudas siyum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (festive meal) just a few weeks after a previous one had been held, on schedule! They questioned the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “Did you actually finish </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shas</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> again in such a brief period?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Not exactly,” he clarified. “This </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">siyum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is for a special session that I maintain during unscheduled waiting periods. You know, people tell me to be ready for a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bris</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by 8:00 AM, but they don’t pick me up until 8:15. Or they invite me to attend a wedding at 6:30 PM, and it does not start until seven. I have a special session during those waiting periods, and I’ve just completed </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shas</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in accordance with that session.” The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">indeed loved learning Hashem’s holy Torah, and had actually completed </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shas</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 101 times during his lifetime!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A Journey Into Holiness</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazak Chazak V’Nischazaeik!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-28817891482152776962020-01-03T07:33:00.002-05:002020-01-03T07:33:16.321-05:00Parshas Vayigash Divrei Torah and Insights 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayigash</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May this edition of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Sparks</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the learning that comes from it be as a zechus for</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who is in need of Tefillos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yehuda approached him [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the viceroy of Egypt -- Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">]</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 44:18)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that from the fact that Yehuda pleads with the “viceroy” not to be angry with him, it clearly implies that he spoke harshly to him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimon Schwab </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes that he heard from his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Leib Bloch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that we see from here how great is the power of accepting responsibility. Since Yehuda accepted upon himself the responsibility of bringing back Binyomin safely to Yaakov, new strengths and might of spirit entered him, and therefore, he had the courage to speak to a powerful ruler harshly. And from this we learn, says Rav Bloch, that if we accept upon ourselves the yoke of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then we will be given new strengths in order to uphold that resolution.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayan Beis HaShoeivah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My master asked his servants, “Is there to you a father or a brother?”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 44:19)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are times when you might feel very lonely and not loved. But the Torah reminds you ‘היש לכם אב או אח’, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Do you have a father or a brother?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- you have a Father in Heaven Who will always care about you, will always love you and will never desert you. And you have brothers, and sisters (fellow Jews) out there who also care about you. You are never alone. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How can I go up to my father, and the youth is not with me?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 44:34)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Homiletically, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> glean two wonderful lessons from this statement: #1, How can we go up, after death, to our Father in Heaven, without the days of our youth with us? We can’t just act however we want when we are young, and then only when we get older begin to dedicate ourselves to serving Hashem. And #2, how can we go up after death and appear before our Father in Heaven without ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the youth(s)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ with us? It is incumbent upon anyone and everyone with children to try their utmost to raise and educate their children properly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- אני יוֹסף”’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 45:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the time since the brothers first came to Egypt to buy grain, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and Yosef had recognized them, spoke harshly with them, and “suspected” them of being spies, they asked each other many questions -- “What is this?”, and “Why is this?”, and they sought advice, and perhaps blamed one another. Similarly, with the second time they came, they wondered and asked, “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is this that G-d has done to us?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But this was all until they heard these two words from their brother: “אני יוֹסף” -- “I am Yosef” -- and immediately all questions, wonderment and doubts were removed, and the matter was clearly illuminated to them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So will it be, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in his beautiful way, when the world will hear the two words “אני השם” -- “I am Hashem”. It will answer all the questions and the wondering about how the world is run, and it will make clear all matters, and all flesh will see together that the Hand of Hashem did everything for our benefit. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yosef said to his brothers, “I am Yosef, is my father still alive?” And his brothers were not able to answer him, for they were in shock before him.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 45:3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> states: ‘Abba Kohen Bardela says: “Woe to us from the Day of Judgement, woe to us from the Day of Rebuke [i.e. when we go up to Heaven and get our final Judgement]. . . Yosef was the youngest of the Tribes, and they were not able to stand in his rebuke. It is as it is written, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And his brothers were not able to answer him, for they were in shock before him</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. When HaKadosh Baruch Hu will come and rebuke each one according to what he is. . . how much more so!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimon Yosef Meller</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; what rebuke was Yosef giving that left his brothers speechless with alarm? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he answers: When he said to his brothers, “I am Yosef,” they suddenly realized that they had been living with a false belief for decades. All of their calculations, their decisions to kill him, to sell him, etc. -- it had all been in error! Even in the present, they had believed until this moment that they were speaking with an Egyptian ruler. All their strategies were based on this “fact” -- and suddenly they learned that this “Egyptian” before them was none other than Yosef, their brother. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the greatest rebuke a man can receive, says Rav Meller beautifully; when he is shown that he has been living under a mistaken assumption. . . and all his plans and actions have been based on falsehood. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah of Brisk and Other Gedolim: Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hurry and go up to my father, and you shall say to him: “So said your son Yosef, ‘G-d has placed me as master for all of Egypt </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(שׂמני אלקים לאדוֹן לכל מצרים</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).’”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 45:9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Aside from the simple good news, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yisroel of Ruzhin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains another significance of Yosef’s message to Yaakov Avinu: The word שׂמני can be translated as ‘I have placed’; thus Yosef said “שׂמני אלקים -- I have placed Hashem, לאדוֹן לכל מצרים -- as the Master of the entire Egypt. I have influenced the people of Egypt and publicized the name of Hashem, that He is the Master.” This was perhaps even better news to Yaakov Avinu!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Neiman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> takes a slightly different tact: Usually, when one is appointed to a position, they say “I got a position from so-and-so.” And all the more so when one is appointed to a high governmental rank or the like, that they would say “The king appointed me as such.” But Yosef HaTzaddik didn’t say that Paroah appointed him as viceroy; nor did he intimate that he, by his own strength, wisdom, etc. got the position. His message was clear: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">G-d</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has placed me as master for all of Egypt</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. This was the happiest and best news that Yaakov could hear -- despite all the hardships he had endured throughout the years, Yosef still had remained intact in his righteousness, and still had perfect faith that it was Hashem Who had appointed him to this high position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To all of them, he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] gave -- to each man -- changes of clothing, and to Binyomin he gave three-hundred [pieces of] silver, and five changes of clothing.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 45:22)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is it possible that in the very same thing -- the jealousy of his brothers -- that ended up causing Yosef HaTzaddik so much pain of being sold, and the things after that, he himself would stumble in, by seemingly causing jealousy between them with clothing? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Binyomin bar Yefes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said: Yosef was hinting to Binyomin with the five changes of clothing, that a son was destined to go forth from his offspring who would go out from before the king with five royal garments, like it says about Mordechai (Esther 8:15). (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Megillah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">16b with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; no matter what Yosef was trying to allude to, couldn’t this still bring jealousy among the brothers? And he explains that perhaps each of the garments that he gave to Binyomin were of lesser value than the ones he gave to the other brothers, and therefore the five changes of clothing were equal in value to the amount of clothing he gave the brothers, so there was nothing for anyone to be jealous about. However, the reason he did it this way was to hint to Mordechai, like the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Likutim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the very end of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shenos Eliyahu </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seder Zeraim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps we may suggest very simply that since Mordechai was a large part of the salvation of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> the Jews in the days of the miracle of Purim, then certainly this allusion would arouse no jealousy. Since it was beneficial to all the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shevatim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Tribes).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What about the money Yosef gave Binyomin, though? The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rokeach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chizkuni</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explain that we learn in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gittin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 44a) that a Jew who sells their slave to a non-Jew is penalized up to 10 times the slave’s value. Now, a slave’s value is set by the Torah to be 30 silver pieces. And therefore, since the other brothers took part in the sale or the process leading up to it at least to a certain extent (definitely to varying degrees), the 300 silver pieces that Yosef gave to Binyomin were like a fine to all of them, as they did not receive it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] sent his brothers, and they went, and he said to them, “Do not become agitated on the way.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 45:24)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Elazar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said that what Yosef was telling his brothers was to not become involved in a matter of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halacha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> while on the road, because perhaps it would cause them to get lost (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). Is that so? Didn’t Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Berechiah say that it is very important for there to be words of Torah between people when they are going on the road? There is no contradiction; what it is good to do while on the road is discussion of Torah, but what it is not good is in-depth learning. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Taanis </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10b).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So, in effect, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Dov Rubman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Yosef was telling his brothers to not study in-depth while on the road. But the question is; the brother’s had just had the absolutely astonishing experience of Yosef revealing himself, and they surely had a lot to think about -- likely a lot of the occurrences that had transpired over the period of time since the sale of Yosef until now, and about the situation at hand! Were their minds even ready to learn -- much less in-depth?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Yosef HaTzaddik knew his brothers. He knew that Torah was literally their life, and even in this situation, they likely would not cease their learning -- and yes, in-depth too! Therefore, he had to actually caution them not to engage in such while on the road. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We learn from this, says Rav Rubman, how deeply engulfed we must be in our learning, and we mustn’t let distractions get in the way. For Torah is literally our life! At most all times and situations, we want to continue living, and we don’t want our heart to stop beating, for example, for that is our life-source, as it were. So too, with Torah, which is our very life.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zichron Meir</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Of course we must also involve ourselves in doing other </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MItzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chesed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, etc. which are all </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">part</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of a Torah life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the brothers</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] went up from Egypt, and they came to the land of Canaan, to Yaakov their father. And they told to him saying; “Yosef is still alive!” and that he is ruler in the entire land of Egypt; and his [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov’s</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] heart changed,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> because he did not believe them. And they spoke to him all the words of Yosef that he had spoken to them, and he saw the wagons that Yosef sent to carry him, and the spirit of Yaakov their father was revived.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 45:25-27)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bostoner Rebbe of Yerushalayim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Mayer Alter Horowitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}; there was something in Yosef’s words in conjunction with the עגלות -- ‘wagons’, which triggered something in Yaakov Avinu and enabled him to overcome his disbelief. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">references the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> which explains that Yosef relayed that the last Torah ideas which they discussed were about עגלה ערופה (see Devarim 21:1-9) which was alluded to by the עגלות, wagons, [because of the similarity with the word עגלה]. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashbam</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and others explain that Yaakov could discern that the wagons belonged to the royal government of Egypt, which proved the brothers’ story.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Over Chanukah, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bostoner</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I thought of another explanation: The Torah reading throughout Chanukah comes from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Nasso</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, consisting of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korbanos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (offerings) of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesiim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (princes) of each tribe during the inauguration of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Each day of Chanukah, we read about a different </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nasi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (prince) and his offering, except for the eighth day when the reading continues until the mention of the Menorah in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Behaaloscha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the first day of Chanukah we also read about the twelve oxen and six wagons that were brought for use by the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leviim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to transport the various materials of the Mishkan. Each </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nasi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brought one ox, and together two </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesiim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would brought one wagon. As opposed to the individual </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Korbanos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesiim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, these oxen and wagons were all brought together during the opening day ceremony of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishkan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It would seem, thus, he explains, that עגלות, wagons, of transportation are a symbol of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Achdus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (oneness) and unity between the tribes of Yisroel. Perhaps, seeing the wagons gave Yaakov a subconscious sense of unity between his sons and revived his spirit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bostoner Torah Insights</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. However, see many other commentators, who have different translations, as well.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As cited briefly above, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that Yosef had given his brothers a sign to tell Yaakov, as a proof of their words that he had really sent them: The last topic that Yaakov and he had been studying together. And that subject was the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eglah Arufah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- עגלה ערופה (see Devarim 21:1-9). This is hinted to in the word for wagons, עגלות, which is very similar in root to the word עגלה. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many great significances to this. We just saw one, and another one of them is brought in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pardes Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The author, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Patzanovski </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that he saw the following explanation: Yaakov Avinu and Yosef were going to reunite. The question was who should go to whom. Should Yaakov Avinu go down to Yosef, or the other way around?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yosef chose that Yaakov would go down to him. Surely, though, Yaakov -- and others -- would ask him about why he made this choice. This was the significance of the sign of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eglah Arufah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Because we find regarding it in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sotah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">45b) that if the head of the corpse is found in one place, and the body in another, then you bring the head to the location of the body (even though there is a dissenting opinion on this). Therefore, since Yaakov Avinu was like the head, and Yosef like the body, he needed to go down to where Yosef was.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And He said, “I am the G-d, G-d of your father; do not be afraid of going down to Egypt. . . I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will bring you up”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 46:3-4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Megillah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">29a) teaches us a wonderful thing: Whenever and wherever we are exiled, Hashem’s </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechinah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> goes with us. And in the (very near) future, when He will redeem us, He will literally return </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">with</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is not only on a national level, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but on an individual level, as well. If even one Jew is in pain or distress, Hashem is with them in it, like it says (Tehillim 91:15) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am with him in distress</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even if a Jew is not on a very high level, and even if they are “at the end of the earth”, as it were; no matter where they are -- Hashem is with them. And He stands ready to help us at any time, if we would but call out to Him in truth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yosef harnessed his chariot, and he went up to meet Yisroel his father, to Goshen, and he made an appearance to him, and he fell upon his [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov’s</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] neck, and he cried upon his neck further.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 46:29)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov Avinu, however, did not fall on Yosef’s neck and cry, because he was reciting </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Derech Eretz Zuta </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[Hager Edition]</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question asked by many </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is, if it was indeed time to say </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, why was Yosef not saying it also? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obviously, we could say that Yosef had read it beforehand or would do so afterwards, as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maharal of Prague </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out -- but he rejects this notion, stating that surely, Yaakov and Yosef would have both had alacrity to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and done it around the earliest possible moment -- and thus, at the same time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He therefore gives two different explanations: #1, Yosef indeed also said </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> then; however, he was holding like </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Yehuda</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">13b) that one is permitted to interrupt in the middle of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to greet out of fear/reverence. Therefore, out of reverence for his father, Yosef interrupted to greet him. #2, Perhaps it was that when Yaakov Avinu saw Yosef -- after all those years of the pain of being separated from him -- as a king, in an honored state, he became enveloped in love for Hashem, because he saw with his own eyes how Hashem is fair and just, and indeed rewards those who serve Him. Therefore, he recited </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, which includes both the accepting of the Yoke of Heaven, and also love of Hashem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gur Aryeh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Menachem Mendel of Kotzk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that at this moment, when Yaakov Avinu saw Yosef, whom he hadn’t seen in so long, and had presumed to be dead, understandably, an incredible love for his precious son was stirred within him. Therefore, he said </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and directed that powerful love towards accepting the Yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven upon himself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pardes Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yehudi HaKadosh of Peshischa </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{Rebbe Yaakov Yitzchok Rabinowitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> posits that when Yaakov was reunited with Yosef, he felt that some of his bursting love for him might be a physical, and not spiritual love, being that he had not seen him all those years. And therefore, he put that love into saying </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kriyas Shema</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Yosef, however, did not need to do that, because he was putting this love into the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of honoring his father.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yisroel dwelt in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 47:27)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; why does the Torah have to repeat that Goshen was in Egypt? Don’t we already know this from previous verses? And he answers in his wonderful way: It comes to teach us that even though they needed to be in exile in Egypt, nevertheless, they still had to try to not mix too much with the non-Jews around them, and to not hang around them much, so that they wouldn’t learn from their ways. The verse thus says, even though we had to dwell in Egypt, we dwelled in the land of Goshen -- a specific, somewhat isolated, place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After the tragic Holocaust, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Reichenberg</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, one of the survivors, came over to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. He took a ship to Haifa, and ended up on a religious </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kibbutz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. However, he had a strong desire to study in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Reichenberg relates: I turned to the secretaries of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kibbutz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and requested to learn in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And in response, they gave me the names of two </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshivos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Ponovezh, and Kol Torah. I traveled to Bnei Brak, the location of the Ponovezh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and entered the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> building. There, someone asked me, “Who are you searching for?” “Rav Kahaneman [the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">],” I replied. “I am he,” the man replied. “What do you want?” I told him that I wanted to learn in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. He asked me where I came from, and I told him. He was full of admiration and excitement at my reply, for I wished to learn in a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, even after going through the ravages of the war. “You were in a [concentration] camp? This is the first time I have seen something like this.” He asked where I had learned before the war, and I told him where. “Do you remember anything from what you learned?” he asked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I was not sure. But I understood that he wanted to test me, and so I said, “The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can ask me, and we will see.” “In which </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Masechta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?” he asked, and I replied “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maseches Chullin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> then asked me if I remembered any difference of opinion between </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tosafos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Masechta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and I related one such case. When I finished, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> hugged me, and gave me a kiss on the forehead. After that, he took me by the arm and told me to come with him. He led me through the streets of Bnei Brak, until we reached a small house. It was that of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazon Ish </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Kahaneman opened the door and called out with great feeling, “HaRav! I met this boy from a concentration camp, and I asked him if he knew a dispute between </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tosafos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and he knew well.” The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">continued, and kept mumbling “The greatness of the Torah. . . The greatness of the Torah.” And he added that if a concentration camp could not succeed in making a Jew forget their Torah learning, then certainly the Torah will never be forgotten.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Afterwards, when the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ponovezher Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> calmed down, he instructed me to stay and talk with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazon Ish</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I did so. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazon Ish</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was very interested in what I told him, about how life had been in the camps, and as I related it to him, he groaned deeply. I stayed by him for around two hours, and at the conclusion he said to me: “This is your house, and it is open before you. . .”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasei Ish</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, vol. 3</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-23468267740772305912019-12-27T11:40:00.000-05:002019-12-27T11:40:03.268-05:00Parshas Mikeitz and Chanukah Divrei Torah, Insights and Messages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Mikeitz</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May this edition of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Sparks</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the learning that comes from it be as a zechus for</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who is in need of Tefillos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We see the extremely unlikely happen. Seemingly because of dreams, Yosef is not only released from prison, but ends up being elevated to an extremely high position. Would anyone expect their salvation to come about in such a seeming strange way, and further, for their situation to be about-faced in such a drastic way?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we see from here that no matter how bleak the situation looks, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">R”L</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Hashem will never abandon us, and He will certainly help us. Even through the most unlikely means, He can bring about our salvation. As </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> actually says (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), the dreams were not the reason why Yosef was released from prison; Yosef being released from prison was the reason for the dreams. Hashem brought them about so that he would be released from prison and rise to high rank. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem will help us in any and every situation. Trust me. Actually, trust Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he slept, and he dreamt a second time, and behold! Seven ears of grain were going up on one stalk -- healthy and good.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 41:5)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes that regarding the bad ears of grain (see v. 6), the Torah does not say that they all grew on one stalk. And he expounds that this is because whereas the seven years of plenty and satiation, which the good ears represented, all came one after the other and were joined together, the seven years of famine -- represented by the bad ears of grain -- were split up. For, as we are told, after only two years of the famine, when Yaakov Avinu came down to Egypt, it ceased, and only continued again after his passing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Paroah sent and he summoned Yosef, and they ran him from the pit, and he shaved and he changed his clothes and he came to Paroah.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 41:14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah tells us that before Yosef appeared before Paroah he changed his clothes and had his hair cut. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> comments (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that he did so out of respect for royalty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is asked; the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Hashanah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">10b) states that Yosef HaTzaddik was released from the prison on Rosh Hashanah. So how could he have shaved on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yontiff</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, when that would be forbidden?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (see, for example, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah of Brisk; Sefer Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explain that this is what </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is explaining with his comment: Yosef HaTzaddik shaved out of respect to Paroah (i.e. perhaps so that he would not be killed for showing a lack of respect to him). Otherwise, he definitely would not have been allowed to shave.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Paroah sent, and he summoned Yosef, and they ran him from the pit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">[</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">i.e. jail</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">].</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 41:14) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When it reaches the designated time for something to happen, explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, HaKadosh Baruch Hu does not delay even one moment. Once the time that Yosef needed to be in jail was finished, he was rushed in a flash from the prison -- as it says, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and they ran him from the pit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, when the time comes for our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Geulah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Redemption), for the coming of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mashiach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he will not be delayed even one instant past the time. Rather, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">suddenly he will come</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, and we will be rushed from our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Exile) to our Holy Land, very speedily in our days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sforno </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Paroah called the name of Yosef ‘Tzafnas Paneiach (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">צפנת פענח</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 41:45)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One who explains hidden things -- מפרש צפונות (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> based on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum Onkelos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Targum Yonasan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the third </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gerrer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; if this is the meaning of the name, should it not have been the other way around -- ‘פענח צפנת’? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> beautifully: Yosef HaTzaddik merited this high level of being able to explain hidden matters because he was so humble, and he hid his righteousness. And this is the sense of the name: ’צפנת’ -- because he hid (צפון) his full righteousness and acted modestly, ‘פענח’, he merited this level of being able to elucidate hidden matters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they said, a man to his brother: “In truth, we are guilty about our brother that we saw the distress of his Soul, when he supplicated to us, and we did not listen; therefore this trouble came to us.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 42:21)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mori v’Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, adapted from a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shmuess </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Leib Chasman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: How could the brothers possibly know exactly why they were suffering at the hands of this harsh viceroy of Egypt? Why must it have necessarily been on account of their lack of compassion towards Yosef and not due to their lack of compassion towards someone else?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps we can answer both of these questions by dramatizing the scenario. The brothers were being tormented by this harsh ruler of Egypt. “But,” they thought, “If we are suffering, surely it cannot be by mere chance. Rather, this is a manifestation of Divine Providence, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashgacha Pratis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a punishment sent from Heaven for a sin that we must have committed. But, how are we to know what we have done wrong, to be able to correct it through </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? It must be because, as we know, that when Hashem punishes a person for a sin, He does so </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Middah Ki’negged Middah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, measure for measure. The form of punishment corresponds to the nature of the original transgression. In His infinite kindness, Hashem dispenses punishment in this manner so that the sinner can study the punishment and detect from it where and how he did wrong, in order to help him repent.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thus both questions are now beautifully resolved. The brothers, with their fervent belief in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashgacha Pratis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, realized that their abuse by this very harsh viceroy of Egypt was no mere coincidence, but was actually a punishment meted out by Heaven. Thus they were aware that they had committed some sin and were now being punished. In studying the nature of the punishment they were being subjected to, they were able to trace via their perception of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middah ki’negged middah,</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> exactly what their sin was. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They focused on this cruel ruler of Egypt who displayed no compassion toward them. That signaled to them that they themselves must have committed an action that lacked compassion, since the form of punishment corresponds to the nature of the original transgression, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">middah ki’negged middah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This prompted them to examine all of their deeds. Where did they act with less than the ideal amount of sympathy and compassion? The only action that they could find after exhausting all possibilities was their lack of compassion toward Yosef. (This itself is living testimony of the righteousness and holiness of the brothers. After examining all their deeds of the past 22 years, the only person they showed a lack of compassion to was Yosef, and no one else).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May we realize that the world is not </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">hefker </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(ownerless). Things do not happen by chance. Rather, HaKadosh Baruch Hu oversees the world with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashgacha Pratis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> by concerning Himself with each and every individual. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amein</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After Yosef, pretending to be viceroy of Egypt, had had Shimon remain with him in Egypt, he also told the other brothers that though they could bring up the food they had bought to their home in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he wanted them to return with their youngest brother. Yaakov Avinu, having been separated from Yosef for a long time, and now seeing that Shimon was gone, was very reluctant -- understandably so! -- to allow Binyomin to go down to Egypt with them. So Reuven offered that if he did not bring back Binyomin safe and sound, Yaakov Avinu could kill his two sons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Doesn’t this seem like a somewhat obsolete suggestion? What would it help? (See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And some time later, when the need arose to go back down and buy more food, etc. Yehuda approached Yaakov about bringing Binyomin down, as they couldn’t go see the viceroy without him. And he guaranteed the offer. To this, Yaakov actually agreed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based on what </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">say in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Masechta Bava Basra </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(118), that getting a share in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is living, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Moshe Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that losing one’s inheritance in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can be considered in some way like death.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Reuven, explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, knew that he was the firstborn, and figured that his two sons would be given a share in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> like the other Tribes -- as we find happened afterwards with Ephraim and Menashe. So he told Yaakov Avinu that if he failed to bring Binyomin back to him, then he could take the share of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from his two sons. Yaakov, however, for certain reasons, had already transferred the firstborn status onto Yosef, and therefore, his sons, Ephraim and Menashe would already be the ones who would be added to the Tribes in inheriting the Land. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chasam Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orach Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Still, though, it is asked; why did Yaakov Avinu acquiesce to Yehuda’s offer, but not to Reuven’s? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> answers that Yehuda showed that he knew how far-reaching one’s responsibility and liability is in taking care of someone else. To the point where he would give up even his eternal portion of life (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) if he failed to live up to his duty. Someone like this, who was clearly very serious about being responsible, could surely be relied on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sichos Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Zlotowitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> suggests a different explanation: When Yaakov Avinu said “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upon me has it all fallen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” (42:36), he implied, as mentioned by the commentators, that only a father could realize the magnitude of the loss of his two children. Of all the brothers, only Yehuda who had lost two children (38:7-10) could appreciate his father’s grief. Therefore, when he accepted responsibility for Binyomin’s welfare, Yaakov acquiesced.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Artscroll Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yosef said to them. . . Didn’t you know that a man like me does divination?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 44:15)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is; how could Yosef have said this? Even though he was under the guise of an Egyptian ruler, he still couldn’t lie! And certainly he did not practice divination!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orach LaChaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, with ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a man like me</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ Yosef meant Paroah, as we find in the beginning of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayigash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(44:18), that Yehuda says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For you are like Paroah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Meaning: Paroah, who is a man like me, practices divination. But Yosef said it the way he did so that it would sound like he did divination, when really he was talking about Paroah.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Cited in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 15pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chanukah:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explain that we are given Chanukah specifically at this time of year, because during the long nights of wintertime, we have the lights of Chanukah to illuminate the darkness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a well-known dispute in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">21b) between </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Hillel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Shammai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Hillel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> holds that on the first night we light one candle (aside from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shammos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- the candle that is used to light the others), and then we continue to do one more each night. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Shammai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> however, holds that on the first night, we light eight (aside from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shammos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), then we keep doing one less each night throughout the Festival. Of course, as is evident, we hold like </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Hillel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a big lesson we learn from the order in which we light: Sometimes, starting small is a huge step. A small change for the better in how we treat others; a little more Torah each day; etc. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And if we can implement that, then it goes up from there. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Mitzvah goreres Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- one </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> leads to another </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we are taught in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pirkei Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Meaning that if we can just make a small step forward in our Service of Hashem, it can lead to many more good changes and things. We light one candle on the first night -- and then it goes up from there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This concept is brought out further in the story of Chanukah itself: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Ganzfried</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kitzur Shulchan Aruch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Siman</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 139, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Se’if</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 1) that in the time of the Second Beis HaMikdash, when the kingdom of Yavan ruled, they decreed bad decrees upon the Jewish People, and they didn’t let them engage in Torah and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And as we know, after the Yevanim came into the Beis HaMikdash and defiled the holy things, the Jews couldn’t find oil with which to light the Menorah in the Beis HaMikdash to keep it lit as it was supposed to be. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they were able to find one container of it that still had the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kohen Gadol</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s special seal on it, which proved that it was still </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tahor </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(pure), and untouched by the Yevanim -- but that was only enough to last usually for one day. And HaKadosh Baruch Hu made a miracle and caused the oil to last for eight full days, the amount of time it would take until they could get more!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They did what they could, and found a little bit of oil, and Hashem made it last. In our own lives, expanding on the concept we discussed above, if we can just make a small step forward in improvement, and really try to get better, Hashem will give us special Help to go even higher.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a somewhat similar vein, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explain that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Hillel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s opinion -- that we go up one candle each night -- represents that we should try to ascend in our spiritual level each day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We may expand on this concept: By letting us wake up in the morning, Hashem is giving us an incredible gift and opportunity. The gift of another day of wonderful life, and the opportunity to use that life for an exalted and fulfilling purpose. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is so very important to take the message of the Chanukah candles, and really try to make sure that we grow and ascend at least a little spiritually each and every day. We mustn’t just let days -- which quickly turn into weeks and months -- go by, remaining essentially the same person. Even a little self-improvement is an extremely good thing (see above comment). In this way, we will, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">b’Ezras Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, take fuller advantage of this wonderful opportunity called life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Naftali Halberstam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the previous </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bobover Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, once wrote in a letter to someone that Chanukah teaches us faith and trust in Hashem. Because, as we know, the Chashmonaim were very few in number, and they battled against the mighty and numerous Yevanim -- and Hashem made them prevail! Even though the situation would have seemed hopeless! So too, we must trust in Hashem, because even in the bleakest situation, He will help us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Told over to me by my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells us that the original, exalted light (the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ohr haganuz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that Hashem created, He hid away. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Pinchos of Koritz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said that when we light the Chanukah lights, part of that exalted hidden light is there with us. He brings a proof for this: Adam HaRishon, we are taught, got to see the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ohr haganuz</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for 36 hours -- and that is the exact amount of Chanukah candles (not including the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shammos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) we light over the entire period of the holiday!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Told over to me by my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Yevanim, as we know, attempted to uproot our Torah observance and service of Hashem. Our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> give different aspects, though, that the Yevanim were specifically trying to strike at. (Although, obviously, it was the entire service of Hashem, in general.) I heard the first three of the following explanations from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yehoshua Kalish </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">himself:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Schorr </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> gave a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">drosha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> about how when </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> do any </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it literally is connected to and affects the very Heavens. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2:5) tell us that the Yevanim tried to make the Jews write down on the horn of an bull/ox that we have no portion with the G-d of Yisroel. We thus see that they were mainly trying to break our direct connection to Hashem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Tzvi Salant </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that the Yevanim were upset that the Torah Sages (the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chachamim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) even knew more things in the realm of science than them. Therefore, they specifically targeted the oil of the Menorah, because they thought that that was what makes us so wise -- as we are taught that oil represents wisdom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Kalish </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> adds his own insight: The Yevanim were an “elite” nation, and they were mad that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are so special -- more so than them. That is why they tried to make us stop keeping Shabbos, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bris Milah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddush haChodesh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(the sanctification of the new months), as is taught in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Megillas Antiochus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Because they are three quintessential </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of our special and exalted status. Shabbos -- this is specifically for us Jews; the non-Jews</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">are actually not supposed to keep the Shabbos. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bris Milah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- it distinguishes and elevates us physically from all other nations. And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddush haChodesh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- Hashem made it that the Sages of the Jewish People have power over the calendar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yismach Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Alexander Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains as follows: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Hashanah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> delineates the various animal horns that may be used to perform the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of blowing the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shofar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. However, our Sages explain that while all </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shofars</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> are horns, not all horns are fit to be </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shofars</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It singles out the horn of the bull/ox as being the primary example of a horn that is just a horn, but does not qualify as a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shofar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Yevanim were therefore trying to allude to the Jewish People with this decree (see the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brought in explanation number </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that they were merely a mundane people, just as the bull horn is mundane. The bull horn cannot be elevated to become a vehicle for performing the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shofar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and thus has no link to the spiritual or to holiness. So too, the Yevanim wanted the Jews to abandon their belief that they themselves were vehicles for spiritual connection and attachment to the Divine. The Yevanim thus decreed that they inscribe their message of severance from Hashem specifically on a bull horn, to signify their detachment from spirituality, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. (From a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dvar Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Binyomin Goldstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the first </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gerrer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says: We say in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ma’oz Tzur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they breached the walls of my towers</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘. What this means is that the Yevanim sought to break the wall of the fear of Heaven. Because the laws of the Torah should be to us like a wall -- that we know that we just </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cannot</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> transgress the Word of Hashem from the incredible fear and awe we have of Him. And the Yevanim wanted to breach that wall, and make people not have </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yiras Shamayim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Schorr </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">adds that these days of Chanukah are days when it is easier for us to overcome this alien idea of the Yevanim, and implant within our hearts the pure fear of Heaven. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaLekach Vi’HaLibuv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the third </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gerrer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, explains that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the Chanukah lights is a little bit of a consolation during our bitter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Galus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Because when we light the Menorah, it is a remembrance of the service of lighting the Menorah back in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chanukah 5633 -- 1st night</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we know, even though the Yevanim defiled a lot of the things in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, one flask of oil fit for lighting the Menorah remained pure. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that this alludes to us that no matter what happens, there will always remain within us that holy spark that no impure force can touch or affect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Chanukah 5633 -- 3rd night</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I might add that, like we said above, we see further that if we try to ignite that inner spark into a “holy fire”, and make an effort to spread the holiness from it throughout our lives, then Hashem will surely help us to reach and grow to beyond what we even thought we could.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings another beautiful message from the way in which we light the Menorah: The flame can represent illumination; incinerating the bad things from within ourselves, and also the fiery and passionate desire to come closer to Hashem. We hold like </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Hillel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that every night we go up one light, meaning that if we continue and increase our holy fire and passion in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodas Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that will illuminate us, and thus help to purify ourselves, and “burn up” the bad things within us.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Chanukah 5654 -- Parshas Mikeitz and Chanukah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> See there for his explanation of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Shammai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s opinion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a famous question on Chanukah that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Yosef Karo </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> asks: Why is it eight days? If the oil would have normally burned for one day but it burned for eight, then only the seven days that it was a miracle that it burned should have been made into the Festival, and not the first day when it’s burning was just normal!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perhaps we can answer, though, that it is to teach us that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is really a miracle. Even the “natural” things are really miraculous and straight from Hashem. And that is one of the things that Chanukah is about. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim ~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was Chanukah in the Bergen Belsen concentration camp, and somehow, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yisroel Spira </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bluzhever Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, had managed to keep track of the calendar, even in those extremely difficult times. It was time to kindle the lights. But a jug of oil was not to be found, no candle was in sight, and a Menorah was a thing of the past for the time being. In an incredible effort to fulfill the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a wooden clog, the shoe of one of the inmates, became a makeshift Menorah; strings pulled from a concentration camp uniform, a wick; and the black camp shoe polish was used as pure oil. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not far from the heaps of bodies, the living skeletons assembled to participate in the kindling of Chanukah lights.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bluzhever Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> lit the first makeshift light, and chanted the first two blessings in his pleasant voice, and the festive melody was filled with sorrow and pain. When he was about to recite the third blessing -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shehecheyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- he stopped, turned his head, and looked around as if searching for something. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But immediately, he turned his face back to the quivering small lights, and in a strong, reassuring, comforting voice, chanted the third blessing: “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch Atah Hashem. . . shehecheyanu, vi’kiyimanu, vi’higianu lazman hazeh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- Blessed are You, Hashem. . . Who has kept us alive, and sustained us, and let us reach this time.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Among the people present at the kindling of the lights was a Mr. Zamietchkowski, one of the leaders of the Warsaw Bund. He was a clever, sincere person, who had a passion for discussing matters of religion, faith, and truth. Even here in camp Bergen Belsen, his passion for discussion did not abate. He never missed an opportunity to engage in such discussion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As soon as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bluzhever</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> had finished the ceremony of kindling the lights, Zamietchkowski elbowed his way to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and said, “Spira, you are a clever and honest person. I can understand your need to light Chanukah candles in these wretched times. I can even understand the historical note of the second blessing, ‘Who has done miracles for our fathers, in those days, at this time.’ But the fact that you recited the third blessing is beyond me. How could you thank G-d and say, ‘Blessed are You, Hashem. . . Who has kept us alive, and sustained us, and let us reach this time’? How could you say it when thousands of dead Jewish bodies are literally lying within the shadows of the Chanukah lights, when thousands of living Jewish skeletons are walking around in camp, and millions more are being massacred?. . . This you call ‘keeping us alive’?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Zamietchkowski, you are a hundred percent right,” answered the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. “When I reached the third blessing, I also hesitated and asked myself, what should I do with this blessing? I turned my head in order to ask the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Zaner and other distinguished </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who were standing near me, if indeed I may recite the blessing. But just as I was turning my head, I noticed that behind me a throng was standing, a large crowd of living Jews, their faces expressing faith, devotion, and concentration, as they were listening to the rite of the kindling of the Chanukah lights. I said to myself, if Hashem, blessed be He, has such a nation that at times like these, when during the lighting of the Chanukah lights, they see in front of them the heaps of bodies of their beloved fathers, brothers, and sons, and death is looking from every corner; if despite all that, they stand in throngs and with devotion listen to the Chanukah blessing ‘Who has done miracles for our fathers, in those days, at this time’; if, indeed, I was blessed to see such a people with so much faith and fervor, then I am under a special obligation to recite the third blessing.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some years after liberation, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bluzhever Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then residing in Brooklyn, New York, received warm regards from Mr. Zamietchkowski. Zamietchkowski asked the son of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Skabiner Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to tell Rav Spira, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Bluzhov, that the answer he gave him that dark Chanukah night in Bergen Belsen had stayed with him ever since, and was a constant source of inspiration during hard and troubled times.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos and Freilichen Chanukah to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-75751647553328924702019-12-20T08:02:00.000-05:002019-12-20T08:02:13.316-05:00Parshas Vayeishev and Chanukah Divrei Torah, Insights and Stories<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayeishev</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May this edition of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Sparks</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the learning that comes from it be as a zechus for</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who is in need of Tefillos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov dwelt in the land of the sojournings of his father, in the land of Canaan.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 37:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(on verse 2) that when Yaakov sought to dwell in calm, the troubles of Yosef being sold, etc. sprang upon him. The righteous seek to dwell in calm. Says HaKadosh Baruch Hu; “It is not enough for the righteous what is prepared for them for the World to Come, but they seek [also] to dwell in serenity in This World!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is very difficult to understand on many different levels. For one, does Hashem, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, not wish for the serenity of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, even in this world?! And there are other points that require explanation. Below are a few elucidations that give us insight into this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Of course Hashem wants righteous people to have serenity. Rather, the intent of this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is regarding education of children. Yaakov Avinu thought that he didn’t need to worry anymore about educating his sons, for they were all great and righteous people themselves! Therefore, the troubles with Yosef came upon him, to show that the duty to teach and guide children how to behave continues on -- even if the children are the greatest </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Gedaliah Schorr </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: First explanation: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> teach us (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5a) that suffering can help to cleanse us. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maharal of Prague </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that suffering can cleanse the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of anything that may be holding them back from reaching an even higher level of closeness to Hashem. But this is only if the suffering is accepted with contrition and love. If it is, then it can bring a person closer to Hashem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov Avinu really was worthy of dwelling in serenity and peace, but truth be told, he needed a little more suffering to help him continue to reach even higher levels and come even closer to Hashem. This would be accomplished, as mentioned above, by his accepting them with love, and indeed, this was his job. And as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says, Yaakov Avinu passed this test with flying colors, and despite all the difficulties and travails he endured during the 22 year separation from Yosef, he not only did not fall from his lofty level, but he even climbed higher.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Second explanation: As we are taught, there is a principle that the things that occured with the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is a sign/hint to what would later happen with their children, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Yaakov Avinu himself truly was fitting to settle down in calmness and devote himself to personal growth; however, to pave the way for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in certain things, he still had more that he needed to do. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohr Gedalyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Yaakov Shapira </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: It isn’t that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> should not have peace and serenity, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But when the world needs rectification in certain things, namely, that there are people who need to be brought back to the proper path, and this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can help to bring that about, then there is no place for them to “settle down” to only their own personal growth. Yaakov Avinu had wished to settle and concentrate on his own </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and not go to faraway places to continue to spread faith in Hashem there, as perhaps it was enough to live amongst the people who had been brought close here. This is why the troubles of Yosef’s sale came upon him -- it led to the descent down to Egypt, which would help to continue to spread faith to others. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesivos Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see a very similar explanation in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayan Beis HaShoeivah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">4) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Nissan Alpert </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yaakov Avinu, throughout a lot of his life, had the worry of Esav trying to attack him. But now, after leaving off with him somewhat peaceably, he thought that perhaps his work was finished, and now he could settle down peacefully and concentrate on personal matters. Therefore, the troubles of Yosef sprang upon him, to teach him that all the time that there is still not complete unity amongst </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> there is still much work to do -- and in fact, that is the main work. The second </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaMikdash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was truthfully destroyed not really because the Romans came and attacked, but, as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">9) tell us, because of baseless hatred in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">our own</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> midst. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Limudei Nissan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But whatever the explanation, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Mordechai Eliyahu </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> provides a very good summing-up comment: We learn from here that no matter whether it is in Torah study or in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">performance, we must never be satisfied that we have done enough. We must always continue to try to strive forward and higher. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Mordechai</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Very worthy of mention here is the following wonderful story: The stress of everyday life was starting to drain the joy out of Avraham. He never felt rested. He never felt calm. He never had enough money or enough time. As a result, every little setback seemed to be too much. He had to admit the truth; he was not a happy man. He knew he should be grateful for all the precious gifts he had -- a wife and children, a loving family, his health, a job -- but he couldn’t rouse the feelings out of his exhausted, sunken heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> He thought back nostalgically about his idealistic days in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and he wished he could reach back and grasp some of that old inspiration to carry him through his challenges. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of Mir Yerushalayim, had always been an exemplar of how to serve Hashem with faith and joy. “Maybe the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> could help me now,” Avraham thought. He decided to call.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Avraham picked up the phone and dialed the number, After a few rings, a faint voice answered. It was the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> himself. Avraham introduced himself. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“How is the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> doing?” he asked politely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“How am I doing? I am doing </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">morahdik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (awesome)! Absolutely great!”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> said those words with such happiness and pure faith that Avraham was taken aback. He knew that Rav Nosson Tzvi faced major challenges every day, including his own battle with an aggressive Parkinson’s disease.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> “How can the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> say he is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">morahdik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?” Avraham asked. “The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is not a well man. The Mir </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is millions in debt. There are hundreds of young men who turn to you with the pressing problems they are facing, and it’s all on your head. I don’t think too many people would say ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">morahdik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ in that situation.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Rav Nosson Tzvi had no trouble explaining. “Hashem loves me more than I love myself,” he said. “He knows what is best for me and gives me whatever I need. If it could be better, it would be. If I had a choice to pick a different portion in life again, I would pick the same one. It couldn’t possibly be any better than it already is. So indeed, life is amazing. It’s the best.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Now, how can I help you, Avraham?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> has already helped me,” Avraham replied. “Thank you. Have a good day.” Avraham no longer needed to ask his questions nor present his problems to Rav Nosson Tzvi. They were already answered. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stories That Unite Our Hearts</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As we know, in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> there is the mystifying account of Yosef HaTzaddik and his brothers, and the animosity, etc. they felt towards him because of many things. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Yaakov HaKohen Pam</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> elucidates the matter: The dispute between Yosef and his brothers requires explanation. It is an error to understand it as a situation akin to petty sibling rivalries for a parent’s affection or money. Nothing could be further from the truth, because Yosef and his brothers were </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> who formed the very foundation of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The following historical episode, he says, can put this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">into proper perspective: In the middle of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cheshvan </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5618 (1857) a great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">din Torah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(court case in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Din </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-- Jewish Court) began in Volozhin. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva Etz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, founded a half century earlier by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim of Volozhin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the chief disciple of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, had been going through a period of turmoil. Contention arose due to the differences in the styles of learning of the two </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Roshei Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Netziv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis HaLevi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Four great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbonim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> were summoned as a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Din</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to judge the dispute and formulate a workable compromise: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before the deliberations began, Rav Velvele -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maggid of Vilna</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who was one of the four Rabbis on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Din</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- asked to speak: He said, “As a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">maggid</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I always speak on the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But I must tell you that as I stand here in the presence of great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbonim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, I see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayeishev</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. You may ask me how I see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayeishev</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> just a few weeks after Sukkos and I will explain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“For each </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> until </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayeishev</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” he illuminated, “It is easy for me to prepare a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">drosha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (lecture) because the Torah clearly contrasts the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rasha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (wicked person). In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the Torah contrasts Adam with the serpent. In Noach, it is Noach versus the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dor</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMabul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Generation of the Flood). In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lech Lecha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Avraham opposes the four kings. In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayera</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the righteous Avraham is contrasted with the wicked people of Sodom, and in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chayei Sarah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Eliezer Damaseik is contrasted with Lavan. In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Toldos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the opponents are Yaakov and Esav, and, in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayeitzei</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, they are Yaakov and Lavan. In </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayishlach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, again Yaakov and Esav are contrasted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“But when it comes to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vayeishev</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">,” continued Rav Velvele </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “I have great difficulties. All of Yaakov’s children are righteous. Who are the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rashaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? This is why I say that in the dispute between Rav Naftali Tzvi and Rav Yosef Dov, I see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayeishev</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Both people are great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, leaders of this generation, and their intentions are for the sake of Heaven. It will not be an easy matter to decide who is right and who is wrong. . .” (See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rishon L’Shalsheles Brisk </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">p. 128 for an account of the entire incident and its conclusion.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now explains Rav Pam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; in discussing the disagreement between Yosef and his brothers this has to be our outlook as well. The source of the dispute wasn’t simple petty jealousy. It was a question of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Halacha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The brothers felt that Yosef was a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">rodef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a pursuer who was out to kill them. They felt they had the legal right to defend themselves and even kill him (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Sanhedrin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 72a). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(From </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Pleasant Way</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indeed, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> proves from various things in our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the entire episode of the sale of Yosef and what led up to it </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">must</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be understood according to the different explanations of why certainly Yosef and his brothers were not acting on a mere petty level. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes L’Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see there for his beautiful words!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] said, “Go please, and see the welfare (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">שלום</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) of your brothers”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 37:14)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yaakov Avinu was telling Yosef that he should try to see the perfection (שלימות -- related to the word שלום of our verse) of his brothers, i.e. their good points and not their bad points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kol Simcha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the pit was empty; no water was in it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 37:24)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There was no water in it -- but there were snakes and scorpions in it (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">22a).</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> We therefore see, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> points out, that the verse tells us a quality and a defect about the pit: The quality, in this case, was that there was no water in it. And the defect was that it had snakes and scorpions. But note that the quality is said explicitly, while the defect of the pit is only hinted to. Says Rav Sorotzkin, if this is so with a pit -- how much more so when we speak of a fellow human being! We should speak complimentarily of them clearly, and if we must, for a very compelling reason (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shemiras HaLashon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">halachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in this area), speak of a defect in them, we should still try to do so in a more subtle way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oznayim LaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ~ ~ </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a different vein, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains another beautiful lesson we learn from this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">passuk</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: If we are empty of Torah -- which is compared to water -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then ‘snakes and scorpions are in it,’ we are liable to become filled with all kinds of dangerous and bad traits. The Torah is one of the main components to a person being a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; without it, we will likely sink to low levels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shaarei HaKodesh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Eliyahu</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Based upon this, we can glean yet another insight from our verse: A person might think that even if they don’t put Torah as an integral part of their lives, they can still be filled with lots of nice ideologies and live a “full” life. The truth, however, is that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the pit was empty</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; t</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here was no water in it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- if we don’t have Torah in us, then we are, in effect, empty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, neither Reuven nor any of the other brothers knew that (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Temimah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). But see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sifsei Kohen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levush Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted their eyes and they saw and behold; a caravan of Yishmaelim was coming from Gilad, and their camels were carrying spices, balm and lotus, going to take it down to Egypt. And Yehuda said to his brothers; “What will we gain if we kill our brother and we cover up his blood? Let us go, and we will sell him to the Yishmaelim, and our hand should not be against him, because he is our brother, our flesh” -- And his brothers listened.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 37:25-27)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mechilta</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; why did the Torah publicize what the Yishmaelim’s camels were carrying? And he brings: To let you know the reward for the righteous, because usually the Arabs carried with them foul-smelling things. But for Yosef HaTzaddik, Hashem arranged it that they should be carrying spices, so that he should not have to smell a bad odor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What, though, was the big deal of how things smelled? With the entire difficult situation, Yosef might hardly have cared about the minute detail of how things smelled! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Mordechai Pogremansky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yosef was going through a very tough time, being suddenly uprooted from his home and his illustrious father and being sent away to a foreign land. He was sure to give up hope of ever seeing his dear ones again. How could he find the strength to stay strong and not give up all he had acquired over the previous years?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For this reason, explains Rav Pogremansky, Hashem arranged for these sweet-smelling items to show him that even between all the hardships of this great trial, there was still hope and the good side can be found if one looks for it. As he was a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Yosef would surely look out to find the good between all the seeming evil that he was enduring. He would notice the difference of the Yishmaelim’s luggage, and see Hashem’s guiding Hand, even when the future looked dark and dull. This is what</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">means when he writes, “to show us the reward for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.” For a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, there is no better reward than to see the Hand of Hashem waving clearly at him, showing him that the One Above does not forsake him!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At Home With Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shalom Noach Berezovsky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nesivos Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explains a different thing: We see from here the depth of Divine Judgement and mercy. If it had been decreed for Yosef to be there, in that difficult situation (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sifsei Kohen</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), then that would happen, and it did; nevertheless, Hashem will not bring any unpleasantness on a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for no reason, even a tiny thing like a foul smell!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mi’Maayanos HaNetzach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levush Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Reuven returned to the pit</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 37:29)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when Yosef was sold, Reuven hadn’t been there. Where was he? He was busy wearing sackcloth and fasting for having moved Yaakov Avinu’s bed [see above 35:22 and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">there]. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pesikta D’Rav Kahana</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that Reuven “opened up” </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, i.e. he was the first to do it. But the question is; don’t we find that Adam HaRishon and Kayin did </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> earlier in the Torah? So what was the uniqueness of Reuven’s </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ksav Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Even though Reuven had just beforehand saved Yosef, as the verse testifies, and convinced the other brothers to merely throw him into the pit instead of killing him, he still went and fasted, etc. in repentance for his sin! Because Reuven realized that even doing a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can’t just erase a previous sin; he actually still had to do real </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ksav Sofer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Likutim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yitzchok Meir Ben-Menachem </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Adam HaRishon and Kayin were first contronted, as it were, by Hashem, about the sin they had committed, and also punished, and only afterwards they did </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. We thus see that their repentance was out of fear, which, while good, is not as good as from love of Hashem. However, we don’t find Reuven being punished nor confronted about what he did, and yet he himself recognized his mistake and did </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for it, which was clearly </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from love of Hashem. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3) ----- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Neiman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: It is a lot easier to do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for something when you know that it was a sin. In the cases of Adam HaRishon and Kayin, their infractions were clearly sins, and so it might not have been quite as hard for them to do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But if someone did a sin thinking it was a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, it must be very hard for them to do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for that! The sin of Reuven was, as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tell us, that after Rachel died, Yaakov Avinu moved his bed into the tent of Bilhah, her maidservant, instead of into Leah’s tent. Reuven was upset at this seeming insult to his mother, and so he moved Yaakov’s bed. If so, he was under the impression that this was actually a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- honoring his mother! But yet, afterwards, he realized that it had been a sin, he did </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! This was the uniqueness of Reuven’s repentance. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah relates that Yehuda had three sons: Er, Onan, and Sheilah. Er married a woman named Tamar, but he was very wicked, and so Hashem put him to death. But since he and Tamar had not had any children, Yehuda told Onan to perform </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yibum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (levirate marriage; see Devarim 25:5-10) and marry Tamar, to establish offspring for his brother through her. Onan was selfish, and decided that he did not want to have kids with Tamar, and he acted very wickedly as well, so Hashem put him to death, like Er. Although logically, Tamar would have married Sheilah next, Yehuda wanted Tamar to wait until Sheilah had gotten a little older. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After some time, Yehuda’s wife died. And Tamar still had not been given to Sheilah. So she devised a plan: She covered her face and pretended to be a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zonah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (harlot), and when Yehuda passed by and saw her, he wanted to be intimate with her. Continuing the guise, she asked him what he would give her as a payment, and he told her that he would send her a baby goat, but she still asked for a pledge in the meantime. So he gave her some things of his as a pledge, was intimate with her, and she became pregnant by him, and bore twins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This account is very mystifying, to say the least. But, even though I will not cover all the ramifications and explanations now, with the following three insights, we can perhaps understand the situation in a different light:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#1: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (to 38:8) explains that in those days, before the Torah forbade this, the custom was for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yibum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to be performed by any of the close relatives -- even the father of the husband who had died. Therefore, Yehuda was in a position, according to this, to perform a legitimate </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yibum</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with Tamar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#2: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daas Zikeinim M’Baalei Tosafos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings that Yehuda would not have turned to her when she was pretending to be a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zonah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, but Tamar prayed to Hashem, saying, “Will I not have the merit to bring forth a wise person from this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Yehuda)?” and so He sent an angel to turn Yehuda back towards her. Similarly, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">85:8) says that basically an angel was sent to try to cause Yehuda’s desires to be aroused, and convince him to come to Tamar.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#3: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daas Zikeinim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">brings further that some </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> actually say thay Yehuda performed </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with Tamar before he was intimate with her. And, according to this, that is why Tamar asked for a “fee” -- she was asking, ‘With what will you perform </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?’, for, as we know, one of the ways to do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is through money (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2a). When he replied that he would send her something, she asked for something now -- a pledge. And one of the items that Yehuda gave as a pledge was his signet ring. We thus see that he did </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with her by a ring! And even though we find (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">8) that a pledge doesn’t work to affect </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kiddushin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, maybe in this case, Yehuda actually gave her the ring outright, and only afterwards stipulated that she would give it back to him if he would send her a young goat.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she grabbed him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” and he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] left his garment in her hand, and he fled and he went outside.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 39:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah relates how Potiphar’s wife saw Yosef HaTzaddik, and she kept nagging him to lie with her, but he kept refusing. Until one day, she even grabbed his garment demanding that he lay with her, but he still remained steadfast in the face of this test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The fact, though, that she grabbed him by his garment, has great significance. Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Yechezkel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yechezkel Halberstam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yosef HaTzaddik, as </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Tanchuma</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, began to play with his hair more in Egypt. What was the reason for this? Yosef saw that the Egyptians were wicked, and he wanted to help them improve and become better people. For this reason, he began to play with his hair, trying to make himself look really nice, and wear the kind of clothing that the Egyptians would, so that they would want to associate with him and he could thus improve them. But even for this good reason, it still wasn’t right for him to abandon his Jewish dress code and dress like the non-Jews. Therefore, Potiphar’s wife grabbed him by his garment. Hashem was hinting to him through this the source of the problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Divrei Yechezkel Shraga</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the chamberlain of the cupbearers did not remember Yosef, and he forgot him.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 40:23)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yosef HaTzaddik had been in jail for some time after being thrown in for a false accusation, when the chamberlain of the cupbearers and the chamberlain of the bakers were also put there for offenses against Paroah. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They both had a peculiar dream on the same night, and Yosef interpreted the dreams for them. The chamberlain of the bakers’ dream meant that he would be killed for his offense (which was a worse one, the commentators explain) and the chamberlain of the cupbearers’ dream meant that he would soon be returned to his post. And when Yosef explained to him (the chamberlain of the cupbearers) this, he asked him that when he was restored to position, he should remember him and do him a kindness and mention him to Paroah so that he could be taken out of jail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But, as the Torah relates, the chamberlain of the cupbearers forgot about Yosef HaTzaddik.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the verse says that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chamberlain of the cupbearers</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">forgot Yosef -- Hashem said “The chamberlain of the cupbearers forgot you, but I did not forget you.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are many times we feel alone or forgotten; someone forgot to invite us somewhere or return a call; nobody remembered to put in a good word about us to the boss or recommend us for something. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we need to realize that we are not alone and have not been forgotten. Hashem is always with us and will always remember us, making sure to take care of us and help us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Late one night, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Salanter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> chanced upon a shoemaker’s home, and he saw the shoemaker sitting and doing his work by the light of a flickering candle that was soon to go out.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Why are you still sitting by your work?” Rav Yisroel asked him, “Isn’t the hour so late? And also, your candle is about to go out, and you won’t have the means to do anything.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“That’s no problem” answered the shoemaker “All the while that the candle is burning, it is still possible to work and to fix.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Yisroel was very moved by these words, and he reasoned to himself: If for the needs of the body, one needs to work all the time that the candle is burning and it is possible to work and to repair by its light -- for their spiritual needs, how much more so must a person work and fix whatever is possible, all the time that the Soul, which is compared to Hashem’s candle, illuminates them, i.e. they are still alive.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaMeoros HaGedolim</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the last year of his life, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Tzvi Hirsch Meisels </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was in a hospital in New York for Chanukah. But because of the concern of a fire, Rav Meisels couldn’t get permission from the medical staff to let him light his Menorah in his room! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This was very distressing, and Rav Meisels called the head doctor who cared for him. When he came, Rav Meisels cried and pleaded with him, saying that even in the concentration camps, in the valley of death, he had been able to light the Menorah, and how was it possible that here in America -- “a free country” -- he wouldn’t be allowed to light the Menorah?! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the doctor saw how this matter literally touched the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s Soul, and he was liable to actually come into danger because of his great distress over it, he carried out different ploys until he received permission for the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to light the Menorah. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mekadshei HaShem </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 1</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos and a very Freilichen Chanukah to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-90349441993313422922019-12-13T06:28:00.001-05:002019-12-13T06:28:23.689-05:00Parshas Vayishlach Divrei Torah and Messages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayishlach</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May this edition of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Sparks</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the learning that comes from it be as a zechus for</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who is in need of Tefillos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">With Lavan I sojourned (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">גרתּי</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 32:4)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> famously quotes that Yaakov Avinu was intimating: Even though I sojourned with the wicked Lavan, I still kept the 613 (תּרי״ג -- the numerical value/an anagram of גרתּי) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and didn’t learn from his evil ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that aside from the simple meaning, Yaakov Avinu was also, in effect, chastising himself, saying that he, unfortunately, didn’t reach the level to do good deeds with the same energy and enthusiasm with which Lavan did bad ones. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kovetz Maamarim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov was very afraid, and it distressed him</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 32:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> give one interpretation that Yaakov Avinu was afraid of two things: That Esav upheld the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of honoring one’s parents, and also of living in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Presumably, Yaakov was afraid that since Esav fulfilled these things, and he was not doing so at the time (although he was one his way back, we are told, to his parent’s house, in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), then Esav would have certain merits and he would be lacking certain merits, which could bring Esav to victory over him, if there was a battle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s amazing, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Neiman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Esav was, as we know, a really terrible person, and Yaakov was ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a wholesome man dwelling in tents [of Torah]</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Furthermore, surely at least Esav’s dwelling in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> he did not do for the sake of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And nevertheless, Yaakov Avinu was afraid of his merits!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Neiman; we learn from here an incredible lesson: If a great person sees that someone else possesses certain qualities that they don’t -- even if they have many, many more than that person -- then he will show that person honor, and might even be afraid of their merits. Because a great person is always examining their own deeds, suspecting themselves, and afraid that maybe they didn’t do as good, or as much good, as they could have. Whereas towards others, they look for the qualities in them, to judge them favorably, and also, to learn from the qualities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov was very afraid, and it distressed him</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 32:8)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov was very afraid</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- the very fact that Yaakov Avinu was scared ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">distressed him</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- because he shouldn’t fear anything except Hashem, with Whose help nothing and nobody can harm him!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Likutei Kedushas Levi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have become small from all the kindnesses and from all the truths that You have done with Your servant.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 32:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chozeh of Lublin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{Rebbe Yaakov Yitzchok Horowitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Even Yaakov Avinu’s ability to be humble -- being “small” in his own eyes -- he accounted as one of Hashem’s kindnesses to him! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5631)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Furthermore, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chozeh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Yaakov Avinu implied: Even though You have done many </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chasadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (kindnesses) for me, I will remain lowly in my own eyes, and not become haughty. In fact, just the opposite: Through all the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chasadim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that You do for me, I become lower in my own eyes, because I am not worthy of these gifts, and they are only from Your kindness and generosity. ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have become “small”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- that is, humble; ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from all the kindnesses</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zos Zikaron</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have become small from all the kindnesses and from all the truths that You have done with Your servant. . . And You said, ‘I will surely do good to you. . .’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 32:11,13)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that Yaakov Avinu was afraid that since the time that Hashem had made His promise to him, he had sinned and therefore, would be delivered into Esav’s hands. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rambam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we know from the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">55) that Hashem never retracts a positive promise, and especially not for something negative in its place; so what was Yaakov Avinu scared about?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Zalman Sorotzkin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes that he heard a very nice explanation from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliezer Gordon </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who heard it from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Salanter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Let’s say that someone hired a worker to do a job, and for certain reasons, the worker didn’t do it. Obviously, the guy who hired him would be exempt from having to pay him anything. And if the worker is poor, and the employer is a very generous person, maybe he will pay him nonetheless -- and this would be considered </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzedakah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. So too, sometimes Hashem gives us reward and “keeps His promise”, even if we don’t deserve it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But now let’s say that someone hired another person to guard a certain precious object, and he promised him as payment a golden </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dinar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (like the worth of the object). And the man didn’t even guard it, and the object was broken because of his negligence -- or worse, he himself took a stick and smashed it. Now he would actually be obligated to pay the owner of the object its worth of a golden </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">dinar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Needless to say that the owner would be exempt from paying him! However, if the owner is extremely generous and kind-hearted, and still wishes to give the sum he promised for the job of guarding -- even though the guy didn’t guard the thing -- it would be quite enough to just forgive the debt that the “employee” owes him for breaking the precious object, and that will be his payment. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too, here, explains Rav Yisroel: If, after Hashem promises a blessing for something, the person to whom it was promised goes and transgresses a negative Commandment (which is just like smashing the precious object in the scenario above), it would certainly be enough if Hashem merely did not punish them for this -- in fact, it would be a fulfillment of His promise. And this is what Yaakov Avinu was afraid of: Perhaps he had transgressed a negative Commandment, and, as such, was liable for a penalty for the “damage”. And even if Hashem would be kind and not punish him, that would already be like the fulfilling of the promise, and therefore, he would now be vulnerable. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oznayim LaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] commanded the first [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">group</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], saying: “When Esav my brother meets you, and he asks you, ‘Whose are you? And where are you going? And to whom are these before you?’ And you shall say: ‘To your servant, Yaakov; it is a present sent to my master, Esav; and behold! He [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] also is behind us.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 32:18-19)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3:1) teaches us that we should contemplate three things, and this will help us not come to sin. #1, From where we came -- our body came into being from something tiny and putrid. #2, Where we are going to -- one day we will likely be buried in the dirt, a place of worms and other bugs. #3, Before whom we are destined to give an accounting for all of our actions -- before the King of all kings, HaKadosh Baruch Hu!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These questions, notes the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, seem quite similar to the ones that Esav would ask. And he explains beautifully: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who, as we know, Esav can represent, will sometimes try to come to us and ask the questions delineated in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But not for the purpose of preventing us from sinning -- on the contrary, in a twisted and distorted way, to try to bring us to depression and despondence. It will ask ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whose are you?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- corresponding to the first question in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, where did you come from? You are extremely lowly! ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where are you going?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- corresponding to the second one. You can’t accomplish so much! ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To whom are these before you?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- corresponding to the third. What will these little things you do matter before the King of kings, Hashem? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But Yaakov Avinu provides us with answers: To question #1 of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we answer ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- we are all part of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Klal Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the Chosen People, which is very dear to Hashem. To #2, we answer ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is a present (Mincha)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- even though we might not do as much as we should, the little that we do with self-sacrifice is extremely precious to Hashem. Like </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Menachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">104b) expound on the verse (Vayikra 2:1) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If a person (lit. Soul) will bring a Mincha-offering</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’: Who would most likely bring a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-offering? A poor person [because it is less expensive]. Hashem says about such, that He counts it for that poor person who brought this modest offering as if they have sacrificed their very Soul. And to question #3, we answer ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to my master, Esav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- meaning; any hard work that we put in fighting against the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">extremely important</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to Hashem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yehuda Leib Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, adds to his grandfather’s words: The last part of the verse, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Also he is behind us</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, can be interpreted to mean in this context that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is behind us. He will help us. Even the little that we start to do, Hashem will aid us to complete.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">5635)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] took them [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his family</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] and he brought them across the river, and he brought across what was his. And Yaakov was left alone. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 32:24-25)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why was Yaakov alone? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chullin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">91a) that he had forgotten some </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">pachim ketanim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- small containers, and went back for them. And our Sages (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ibid.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) make comment -- in praise -- about how precious the property of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is to them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Al derech Chassidus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Likutei Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Siach Sarfei Kodesh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 3</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) explain that every possession that comes into our hands, obviously doesn’t come from some coincidence. We have it for a purpose. And that purpose is to raise up the sparks of holiness within it by utilizing it for the service of Hashem. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> understand that, and therefore, even a small thing that came into their possession, they realize how important it is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Heard from my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yerucham Levovitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes that aside from the issue of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bal tashchis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (destroying/wasting something for no reason), we have here the matter of guarding our possessions. Since everything we have, including our money, is truly a gift from Hashem, we must guard it -- using it only for the right purposes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daas Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov remained alone, and a man wrestled with him until the rise of dawn. And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the “man”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] saw that he was not able to [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">overcome</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] him [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">], and he touched in the “spoon” of his thigh, and the “spoon” of Yaakov’s thigh was dislocated in wrestling with him. And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the “man”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] said to him [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">]; “Send me away, for dawn has risen. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 32:25-27) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Who was this man? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes that our Rabbis say it was the Angel of Esav, (whom is said to be the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Satan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We learn a huge lesson from this account for our own lives: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(who is like the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Satan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">is almost always trying to attack -- or wrestle -- us. If not in one way then likely in another. But of course, we fight back. And we are stronger than the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and with the help of Hashem, we overcome it. So what does the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sometimes then do when he sees ‘that he cannot overcome us’?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He ‘strikes the “spoon” of our thigh-bone’.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> The pelvic bones and thighs, says the wonderful </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orchos Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, represent the foundation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">do? It tries to strike at our foundation -- our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(faith in Hashem and His Truths), the very foundation of all of our good deeds, etc. It tries to give us questions in our faith. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What can we do to beat it? How can we “heal” the strikes of doubt that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">throws at our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emunah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? Doubt-full questions shot at our faith obviously can be answered, but nevertheless they are hard to overcome and put us in a very difficult situation! However, the holy Torah hints to us the answer: When did the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Satan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have to go? When dawn broke -- i.e. it became light. And there is no greater light than from Hashem and His Torah. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Learning Torah and trying to connect to Hashem are two extremely important steps to beating the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And not only that, but the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 33b) quotes the verse (33:18) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov came whole. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ and says: “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Rav says: Whole in his body. . .</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” On that, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explains that Yaakov Avinu had healed. Meaning that through our Torah learning, any blow that was, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> inflicted upon us by the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> can also even be healed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Light of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodas Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the Service of Hashem) and Torah is always there, ready for us to illuminate our lives with it, ridding away the darkness of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzer Hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">on this verse, to the words ויגע בכף ירכו.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov asked, and he said: “Tell, please, your name.” And he [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the Angel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] said; “Why is this that you ask for my name?” And he blessed him [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] there.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 32:30)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kedushas Tzion</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">second </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bobover Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- HaRav Ben-Tzion Halberstam </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">]; the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- who is, again, like the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Satan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- didn’t want to say his name, because his strength is when he is concealed and people do not know that he is there. Afterall, nobody desires to listen to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who is trying to harm us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tries to deceive people and tell them that a transgression is a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [or just an okay thing to do]. And people aren’t aware that he is the one giving the counsel, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! His strength comes from his ambiguity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Wellsprings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In a similar vein, the great </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">baal Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Leib Chasman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> brings from an early </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kabbalah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that when Yaakov Avinu asked the Angel “Tell, please, your name”, and he answered “Why is this that you ask for my name?” -- we see that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was his name. Now, as we know (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here), the name of an Angel alludes to its essence and purpose. If so, why was this name chosen for the Angel of Esav -- the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Satan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Leib </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">illuminates the situation with a parable: A man from a small village one time came to the big city. He was thrilled and excited at the sight of the many things there. He kept walking around the city, until he came to a building which he could see through the window was very dark inside, and he could see slides of film being shown on the wall! Lots of people were sitting there, watching the pictures shown on the wall, and he went in and sat down among them. Now, little did this simple villager know, since he had never seen one before, that this was a movie theater. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Poor people,” thought the man. “Why are they sitting in the dark?” He wanted to help them, so he got up, went to a corner of the room, and turned on the light.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To his shock and consternation, once the light went on, the picture disappeared from on the wall! “What’s with you?!” the people sitting there yelled. “Turn off the light right away! In the light we can’t see anything! Only when the room is dark can we make out the picture.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So too, explains Rav Leib, when Yaakov Avinu triumphed over the Angel of Esav, he said ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tell, please, your name</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- what is the secret of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that it can draw so many people after it to stumble? To this the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Satan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> replied, and revealed the secret: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why is this that you ask for my name?</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- my great strength is due to the very fact that people are “sitting in the dark” and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">don’t</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> ask my name. If they would only “turn on the light”, they would understand that whatever I tell them is just false imaginations and illusions. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vi’Karasa L’Shabbos Oneg </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 3</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimshn Dovid Pincus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains in a somewhat different manner: The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Satan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was telling Yaakov Avinu, “I don’t have a name.” Meaning, what I am called always changes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> comes to us in one way, and tries to push us towards a certain area of sin, and then it will come under a different guise. So what it is called continues to change. But its essence always remains the same: To try to lead us off the upright path, that of Torah and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And we must be ever-aware and on guard against it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiferes Shimshon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Esav said; “There is to me much -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">יש לי רב</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 33:9)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov said. . . “There is to me everything -- </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">יש לי כל</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 33:10-11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tells us to look at </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s commentary to this discrepancy in language, but he also suggests his own insight: With these two words, he says, -- רב, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">much</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, and כל, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, Yaakov Avinu and Esav expressed their different </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashkafos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (views) about This World:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Esav said “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is to me much</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”, meaning that yes, he had much, but ‘when one has one-hundred, they want two-hundred,’ as our Sages say, [and he was the embodiment of this]. But Yaakov Avinu said; “</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is to me everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">”, meaning, continues the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, “I lack nothing.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Esav set his eyes upon the money and desires of the world, he concludes, while Yaakov Avinu was satisfied with what he had.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kli Yakar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Shlomo Ephraim Lunshitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> similarly says here, with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tzaddikim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [and what we should aspire to be like!], even if they only have a little, it seems to them like they have everything, and they are satisfied with their lot. Whereas with the wicked, it’s the opposite: Even if they have basically everything in material wealth, they always feel like they are lacking, and lust for more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov said [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to Esav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] “. . . I have seen your face, [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">which is</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] like seeing the face of an Angel, and you accepted me.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 33:10)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Usually, we say that flattering the wicked is very wrong. However, there is an opinion in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">41b) that sometimes flattering the wicked is okay -- talking about where there might be danger otherwise, I assume (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tosafos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the bottom of 41b). And Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says that we learn this from what Yaakov Avinu said here.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimon Schwab </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wonders; even if we say that it is permitted to flatter the wicked because we are afraid that otherwise they would harm us, isn’t there a limit to how far is permitted? And if so, how could Yaakov Avinu say that seeing Esav’s face was like seeing the face of אלקים (even though it is explained to be speaking about Angels); wasn’t this almost like a desecration of Hashem’s Name, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Schwab: For this reason, Yaakov added ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and you accepted me</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, which </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains to mean ‘You became appeased towards me.’ Because, you see, it was an absolute clear miracle that Esav became appeased towards Yaakov, as he had originally been coming towards him with the intention to kill him (see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to 33:4)! And through such a miracle, there is a revelation of Hashem’s Glory in the world. And this is what Yaakov Avinu meant to say: It is almost like I saw Hashem, through this miracle, that ‘you became appeased towards me’. Now, taken in this light, the praise that Yaakov gave Esav here was not flattery, but just the truth -- that he had become appeased.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayan Beis HaShoeivah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, according to another opinion, as explained by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Yaakov Avinu’s statement about seeing the face of an Angel was meant to frighten Esav, implying that he was used to seeing Angels! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov traveled to Sukkos, and he built for himself a house, and for his livestock he built booths (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">סכּת</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), therefore he called the name of the place Sukkos.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 33:17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The verse tells us that Yaakov Avinu built himself a house here, and for his animals, he built booths. But the question then is, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shlomo Yosef Zevin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, why did he name the place Sukkos, after what he made for his animals? They certainly aren’t more important than himself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answers Rav Zevin beautifully, the difference between a house and a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sukkah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or booth, is, as we know, that a house is a more permanent dwelling place, while a booth is a very temporary one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov Avinu built for himself -- his true self, his essence, that is, for his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> -- a permanent place. Meaning that he knew full well and really felt that this was his permanence -- his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodas Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. But for his physical possessions he merely made booths, which are very temporary. And in order to entrench for all generations that this physical place (which, seemingly was not even in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) is temporary, and nothing but a “corridor” to spirituality and the Next World, he called the place ‘Sukkos’.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">LaTorah V’LaMoadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Reb Michoel would say </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bircas HaMazon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with great concentration and intent, and from inside a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bentcher</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. One of his grandchildren once inquired of him about his special devotion in this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Reb Michoel answered with the following episode:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When he was a child, in Poland before WWII, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meir Shapiro</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> paid a visit to his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">cheder</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in order to test the boys. They knew the answers very well, and, after finishing, he gave them a “prize”: He told over to them the words of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Be’er Heiteiv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who brings the words of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer HaChinuch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that anyone who says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bircas HaMazon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> slowly, word after word and from inside a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Siddur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [or </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bentcher</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, likely], will not lack any food during his whole lifetime!</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“When I heard these words, they made a strong impact on my heart, and I felt that Rabbi Shapiro was talking directly to me.” he added. From that moment on, young Michoel felt an urge to take special care when </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bentching</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, having </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kavanah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(concentration) for each and every word he said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Soon after, WWII broke out. One day, young Michoel found himself standing before the Nazis in a “selektzia,” “selection”. All women, children, and elderly went to the left, sadly, to their deaths, while the strong and able ones went the other way to intense and backbreaking labor. Being taller than others his age, young Michoel tiptoed to make himself look even taller, and to his delight, he was sent to the right for labor. Soon thereafter, each one was asked what they were used to working at. Being a young lad, poor Michoel had never worked and was in a dilemma not having what to answer.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Suddenly, a voice behind him whispered in his ear, “Tell them you are a good cook and I am your helper!” When his turn came to answer, he said as he was told to and miraculously they were both given a job in the kitchen! With this alone he saw how the words of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer HaChinuch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> came true: In the kitchen, although they were in the concentration camps, food was unlimited. He had a continuous supply of basic foods. Because of this, he looked better and healthier than other inmates. Even so, Michoel never stopped his saying </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bircas HaMazon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> with extra care and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kavanah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> If he ever calculated that he would be unable to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bentch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> slowly, he preferred to forgo a meal, rather than to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bentch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> hastily!</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One day a German General visited the kitchen and noticed that this Jewish lad looked better and fatter than the other inmates. This got him annoyed. “Where do you think you are?” he yelled at young Michoel. “Do you think this is some hotel? Is this a place to fatten young lads?!” He demanded that Michoel follow him outside. Once outside, he handed him a small hammer and commanded him to dig a bunker one meter deep and one meter long. “If you finish it within the next couple of hours, you’ll be allowed back in to the kitchen!” he bellowed at young Michoel.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Poor Michoel! His world turned black for him. If until now he thought he was living in a much better situation in the camps, from now on his dreams were slashed. How could he ever get anywhere with this small hammer? He knew his fate was near. But he still did not despair. He turned Heavenward and asked Hashem to have mercy on him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shortly thereafter, a truck stopped a few meters away from where Michoel stood. A bunch of SS soldiers got out and when they saw Michoel -- a young Jewish lad with a hammer in hand -- they got very angry and began pelting him with vegetables from the truck. In a short time he was covered with potatoes, carrots, and cucumbers! Not to forget all the curses and bruises that he endured. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michoel felt the hand of Hashem, though, as he received hundreds of veggies at his feet. Even so, with all that bounty, as it were, he was still far from a salvation. The bunker needed to be dug! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michoel still clung to his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bitochon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (trust in Hashem) and hoped that rescue would come shortly. Not an hour passed, and another truckload of soldiers got out. This time it was Polish soldiers. When they saw all that stuff, they were certain that Michoel was in charge and begged of him permission to take some vegetables. Michoel struck on a brainwave: He told them that if they would dig a pit of two meters in a short time, they would get most of the veggies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They returned to their truck and came out with tools. Within a very short time the pit was dug and they received their reward! Michoel had clearly seen now how the promise of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer HaChinuch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> really came true! With tears in his eyes, he made his way to the kitchen and called the officer. The fellow came out to look at Michoel’s work and was speechless! He rubbed his eyes to see whether he was dreaming!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He added that he always heard that the Jews had a special protection from Above. Now his seeing was believing. Saying so, he let Michoel return to the kitchen and he stayed at this post until the end of the war. From that day on, Michoel vowed to keep his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">minhag tov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (good custom) and take extra care when saying </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bircas HaMazon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Story related in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Gems</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bentcher</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, obviously, would have been extremely difficult to procure in the camps.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-17930946131394419882019-12-06T06:36:00.002-05:002019-12-06T06:36:24.414-05:00Parshas Vayeitzei Divrei Torah and Messages 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 20pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Vayeitzei</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">May this edition of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos Sparks</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and the learning that comes from it be as a zechus for</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">a Refuah Shleimah mi’heira to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Meshulam Dovid HaLevi ben Alta Hendel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who is in need of Tefillos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) encountered the place</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 28:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our Sages teach us that Yaakov Avinu instituted the</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Maariv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> prayer, and this has a deeper implication too, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Elimelech Biderman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Yaakov established this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tefillah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at a very difficult moment in his life. He was running away from Esav and going to exile, to outside the Land of Israel. He was about to meet with Lavan, and, knowing his crooked ways, was concerned about what would happen to him (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> on 28:15). By establishing a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tefillah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at this time, it teaches us that it is possible to connect with Hashem at all times, even during the most difficult moments of one's life. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tefillas Maariv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is said at nighttime, furthermore, which represents hardships and difficulties. For even then, we can pray, and Hashem will hear our prayers. Hashem isn't only present when we are living in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and life is shining and good. Yaakov Avinu showed us that at all times, and under all circumstances, it is possible to speak with Hashem and to connect with Him.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Wellsprings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">---------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Siach Sarfei Kodesh </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 3</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, p. 48.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he lay down in that place.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 28:11)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The phrase ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> place</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, is a language that means to tell us that he lay down ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in that place</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’, but for the 14 years that he served in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of [likely Shem] and Ever, he didn’t lie down at night because he was engaged in Torah study. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Although this is not necessarily a recommended thing to try in our own lives, as one of my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbeim shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> once said to me, it shows us a great thing: We all have such incredible potential, so much so that we do not even know the extent of it! A person would probably not even think that they are capable of not sleeping for a few years, let alone fourteen. But here we see that Yaakov Avinu did so! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This amazing potential, capability, and willpower is within us all, and we can hardly imagine the heights we can reach and the things we can do and achieve. Indeed think about how the people possibly survived the terrible tortures of the Holocaust. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaKadosh Baruch Hu has endowed us all with such power, and if we put in our own effort, and with His Help of course, we can do amazing, amazing things and reach the highest heights. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he dreamt, and behold! A ladder! And its head reached to Heaven</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 28:12)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If a person is humble, and thus they are lowly in their own eyes -- ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">standing on the earth</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’; then really ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">its head reached to Heaven</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- they are on a very high level! And they can even merit through this humility that Hashem will rest His Presence on them, like it says (v. 13) ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And behold, Hashem stood over it</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Orach L’Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another thing: The ladder alludes to the fact that a person must climb up and up, just like one does on a ladder. And even though we ‘stand on the earth’, our ‘head reaches the Heaven’ -- meaning that our actions have such great impact, that they even affect the Heavens themselves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nefesh HaChaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shaar Bas Rabim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov awoke from his sleep, and he said; “Indeed, Hashem is in this place. . . !</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 28:16)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rama </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">writes at the beginning of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shulchan Aruch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that when a person arises in the morning, they should strengthen themselves like a lion to the Service of Hashem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Meir’l of Premishlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">notes that Yaakov Avinu did just this: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov awoke from his sleep, and he said; “Indeed, Hashem is in this place!’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> --</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">immediately when Yaakov Avinu woke up, he jumped to the Service of Hashem. (See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vi’Karasa L’Shabbos Oneg </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here, and also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes Ve’Emunah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#368).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov took a vow, saying (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">לאמר</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">): “If G-d will be with me. . .”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 28:20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our Sages teach us (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that the word לאמר implies something that is being said for future generations, as well. We learn from this case of the word לאמר, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that people should take vows in times of distress.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Schorr </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; doesn’t the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tell us (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nedarim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">52a) that, in general, it is better not to take vows? If so, how can we reconcile this with the above </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Schorr quotes the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avnei Nezer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who explains that the root and principle of a vow is one attempting to pick themselves up above the “natural” way of the world. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And based upon this, Rav Schorr elucidates the matter beautifully: We, too, find ourselves in times of distress. There are, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachmana Litzlan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, terror attacks happening (may Hashem bring them to a halt speedily!); Jews are having certain troubles. In times like these, we must not necessarily take vows, but rather, we must strive to perform the root of a vow: To pick ourselves up, above nature -- to live in an exalted way -- and then we are able attain a salvation. May Hashem provide one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaLekach Vi’HaLibuv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he saw, and behold! A well in the field. . . and the great stone was upon the mouth of the well.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 29:2)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (as far back as the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">70:8) tell us that the “great stone” that was upon the mouth of the well alludes to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Seforim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> furthermore say that the well itself alludes to the Torah (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim u’Gur Aryeh</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), or many other holy things that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (ibid.) adduces. And I would like to add, based in part on something brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mi’lo HaOmer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(p. 41)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that perhaps the well also alludes to our heart. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Putting all this together, we see that we all have a heart full of spiritual yearning and potential Torah. But the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tries to come and cover it up. . . </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Neiman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> writes: “In the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">piyut</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for rain, we say ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His heart became united and he rolled the stone</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Yaakov Avinu united his heart to do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chesed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; the good trait of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chesed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> burned in Yaakov, and he had a strong want and great desire to do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chesed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and this gave him the strength and might. Because, in something that a person really wants, and has a great desire for it, then the power strengthens in him.” (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darkei Mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). If we would only have a strong desire to overcome our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and unlock our heart from its grip, and then we translated that want into action, and really tried to overcome it, then Hashem will help us to roll the great stone, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yetzer hara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, from upon our hearts, no matter how heavy it may seem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">--------------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And perhaps also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> comm. to 26:19-22.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yaakov worked for Rachel seven years, and they were in his eyes like a number of days, in his love for her.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 29:20)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is asked; don’t we see from personal experience that when a person wants something, each moment that they wait for it seems </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">longer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">? So what was different here, that the years seemed </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shorter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to Yaakov Avinu?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Apter Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Avraham Yehoshua Heschel </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains: When one’s love for something is a physical love and desire for personal pleasure, then when waiting to attain it, time seems to go slower. But Yaakov Avinu’s love was a spiritual one, and without any personal lusts. For a love like this, a long time can seem like a short one.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And so, the famous story continues to play out. Yaakov Avinu works for seven years for Lavan in order to marry his daughter Rachel, and on the night of the wedding, Lavan switches Leah for her, and Yaakov ends up marrying Leah! After finding out about the deception the next morning, Yaakov confronts Lavan, who offers some rationalization for his scheme. They strike a “deal” that after a week’s time, Yaakov will get to marry Rachel -- the one he wished to marry in the first place -- but he will have to work another seven years for Lavan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But the question is asked; if </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tell us that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kept the entire Torah, how can it be that Yaakov Avinu married two, or -- according to the opinions that Bilhah and Zilpah were also sisters -- four, sisters? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Baruch Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we have three answers:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Some </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explain that, as we know, Yaakov Avinu had the status of a Jew, but Lavan and his family did not. Therefore, his daughters, Rachel and Leah (and also Bilhah and Zilpah) had to convert to marry Yaakov. And the law is that when someone converts, their family is not considered halachically like their family anymore. Thus, when Lavan’s daughters converted before marrying Yaakov, none of them were halachically considered like sisters anymore! (Heard from one of my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbeim shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2) </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, however, holds that, since the Torah was not yet given, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> only kept the Torah while in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Therefore, while Yaakov was with Lavan, outside the Land, he was permitted to marry two sisters. And for (at least partly) this reason, Rachel passed away on Yaakov’s way back to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, because he couldn’t be married to two sisters while in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eretz Yisroel</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3)</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Yet other </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Meforshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explain that before the Torah was given, even for those who kept the Torah (like the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), it was somewhat optional in certain things, depending on the individual case. (Heard from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Azriel Cukier </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-----------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">3</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Apparently, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> does not hold that Bilhah and Zilpah were sisters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) loved also Rachel more than Leah. . . And Hashem saw that Leah was hated, and He opened her womb. . . </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 29:30-31)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How is it possible to say that Yaakov Avinu, in a sense, hated Leah?! Surely he would not do such a thing, but yet the Torah tells us that she was “hated.” So what does this mean?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Radak</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> posits that Yaakov indeed </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">loved</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Leah as well. But he just loved Rachel more, and therefore, Leah is called “hated” -- meaning, in comparison with his love for Rachel, it was like she was “hated”. (See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Nachalas Yaakov </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayan Beis HaShoeivah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We see from here an amazing lesson: How sensitive and careful we must be of others’ feelings! Even if we don’t actually dislike a person, or aren’t trying to show any coldness to them -- even if we love them -- if we show others around them </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> love and warmth than we do towards them, then it could </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, make them feel almost hated! We must strive to radiate warmth and caring to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of our Jewish brethren. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~ </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 15pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, the Torah says (31:2) that Yaakov saw that Lavan’s face had changed towards him, from which </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Zelig Pliskin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> derives two wonderful messages: </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#1</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, From this we see the importance of being able to notice the emotional state of another person from the expressions on their face. Lavan did not say any unkind words here to Yaakov. Nothing verbal was communicated that would imply that Lavan felt resentment or animosity towards Yaakov. Nevertheless, Yaakov was sensitive to the look on Lavan’s face.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Especially with people you see on a regular basis, take note of how they look when they are pleased with someone. Then take note of how they look when they are displeased with another person. By gaining the sensitivity to detect these differences, you will be able to tell if something you said or did offended them and/or hurt their feelings. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, From here we can also see how careful we must be with our </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">own</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> facial expressions. This is especially so when the person you are talking to is very sensitive or easily insulted. You might be thinking of something completely unrelated to the person you are speaking with. But the person might feel that you are upset with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">them</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and could cause them emotional pain. </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim Mordechai Katz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> used to stress how careful we should be not to cause suffering to another person, even by a grimace. When you master the ability to read facial expressions, you will be able to do more </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chesed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and will be able to better avoid causing others pain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I once heard, says Rav Pliskin, from the son of a famous </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that his father was always extremely careful to smile and look happy when he greeted someone. He began making an effort to do this after an incident took place where he was preoccupied when he greeted a certain person. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Don’t you like me anymore? Have I done something wrong?” the man asked him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Of course you haven’t done anything wrong,” said the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. “What gave you the impression that I have anything against you?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“You had a frown on your face when I greeted you,” the man said.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After reassuring the man that the frown had nothing to do with him, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> resolved from that moment on to always be careful to have a pleased look on his face when talking to others.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Growth Through Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) conceived again, and she begot a son, and she said “This time, I will thank Hashem!” therefore, she called his name Yehuda</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 29:35)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chazal </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">teach us (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 7) that Leah Imeinu was the first person to thank Hashem. But what does this mean? Asks my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Daniel Yaakov Travis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, didn’t the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos HaKedoshim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> thank Hashem also?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains Rav Travis beautifully, though, that Leah was the first person who thanked Hashem even for the things that look bad. She was the less loved wife, which definitely would be unpleasant, but it ended up being part and parcel of her having the children first and more of them! Everything that happens is for the best! (See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiv Gittin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Similarly, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ksav Sofer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">{HaRav Avraham Shmuel Binyomin Sofer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says that the novelty in how Leah thanked Hashem was that she thanked Him for even the things that seem to be according to the “natural” order -- like giving birth to a child. (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ksav Sofer al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ohr Yekaros </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Berachos </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">7).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Leah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) conceived again, and she begot a son, and she said “This time, I will thank Hashem!” therefore, she called his name Yehuda</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 29:35)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Yitzchok Meir Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the first </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gerrer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, notes that all Jews are called ‘Yehudim’. Why are we specifically called by the name of this son of Yaakov? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that Yehuda was given his name as an expression of thanks and gratitude to Hashem, like the verse says. As </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, in fact, comments (from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) on the name, ‘I took more than my portion’. Therefore, it is very fitting that all Jews should be called by this name, because it is essential for all of us to feel very indebted to Hashem for everything He gives us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michtevei HaChassidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as quoted in </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim al HaTorah U’Moadim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lavan</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) said, “What shall I give you?” And Yaakov said, “You shall not give me anything; if you will do for me this thing, I will return, I will shepherd your flock, I will guard [it]. I will pass through all your flock today; remove from there every speckled and spotted kid, and every brown-ish</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">4</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> lamb in the sheep, and the spotted and speckled in the goats -- and that will be my wage.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Bereishis 30:31-32)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that Yaakov Avinu meant that his wage would be the spotted, speckled, and brownish ones that would be born from now on. These ones that were being separated out, would be entrusted to Lavan’s sons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Torah then tells us how Yaakov took wet poles of certain types of trees, and peeled back some of their outside layer, to make them look almost spotted. He set these up right near where the flocks would come to drink, and it would end up helping them get pregnant, and since they would look at these rods when they would conceive, they would bear offspring that were also spotted, speckled, etc. (Entire paragraph using </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s explanations).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that Yaakov only did this because he was acting in accordance with what the Angel of Hashem told him when he came to him in a dream (see 31:12). </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbeinu Bachya</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> then goes on to also explain some reasons behind the matter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A question, though, arises from what </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (to 31:10) brings from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; that even though Lavan had separated all the spotted, speckled and brown he-goats, so that the flocks in Yaakov’s charge could not bear children who looked like them, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malachim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> went and brought some of them from the flocks given over into the hands of Lavan’s sons, to the flock in Yaakov’s charge. Why was this done?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Someone who cheats their fellow is not only wicked -- as we know how terrible a sin theft is -- but they are also foolish! How so? Because Hashem decrees what amount of money we will get every year, and we will receive no more than that. So if, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, a person does something dishonest to get “more money”, that will just end up subtracting from some other money they would have gotten, or perhaps something will be taken from them -- because, as mentioned, we will not get anything more than Hashem has decreed for us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All this, says Rav Yisroel Meir in his beautiful way, is hinted to us in our holy Torah: For, the question is; how could the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Malachim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> have taken from the pens of flock belonging to Lavan, and given them to Yaakov, in effect, taking some of the bounty that was seemingly meant for Lavan, and giving it to Yaakov? To this the verse concludes, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For I have seen all that Lavan has done to you</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- meaning: That he has changed your wage one-hundred times (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to v. 7), and took bounty that was for you. Therefore, I -- Hashem, the One Who sends the Angels -- am returning it to you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">-------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">4 </span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> See </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For I am not able to rise before you because the way of women is to me.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Crimson Text"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Bereishis 31:35)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - --</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rachel Imeinu had stolen Lavan’s idols, and hid them in her saddlebag (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to 31:19, however, who brings that it was to keep Lavan from serving them). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But when Lavan came, she obviously couldn’t get up, because then he would find the idols right under her! So she told him that she was a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Niddah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at the time. But, as far as we know, she wasn’t, and therefore, seemingly she was lying!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Kramer </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}; no. Rachel Imeinu was not lying, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Rather, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mishnah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shabbos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 82a) teaches that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avodah zarah </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">makes impure like</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Niddah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Thus, he explains beautifully, when Rachel Imeinu sat upon the idols, she came into a state of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tumah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (impurity) almost like she was </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Niddah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maayanah Shel Torah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, used to tell the following story on many occasions: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the time that Rav Rosenblatt was studying in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beis Midrash Govoha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he was once walking through the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and he passed by </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Aharon Kotler </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’s office, which had glass on the outside that you could see through. What he saw with his own eyes a person would hardly believe; Rav Aharon, who was sitting and learning, stood up and began -- for some unknown reason -- to dance! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Aharon soon noticed young Rav Rosenblatt and motioned him inside. He told him to call </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav Chaim Epstein</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (now </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">), who was one of the best </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">talmidim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (students) in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Rav Rosenblatt complied, and brought Rav Epstein. He came in, and now, Rav Aharon and him sat down and began to learn for a little while! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When they were finished and Rav Epstein left, Rav Rosenblatt, extremely curious, ran up to him to ask what was going on. Rav Epstein told him something amazing: There was a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beiur</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaGra</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (commentary of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vilna Gaon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) that Rav Aharon had been struggling over, and couldn’t completely understand, for 25 years. And at that moment -- the moment when Rav Rosenblatt walked by and saw him -- he had finally understood it! So he got up and began to dance. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-66435299131143588662019-12-01T17:44:00.000-05:002019-12-11T18:06:42.405-05:00GEDOLIM PORTRAITS<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Shalom aleichem everyone. Beginning <b><u>NOW</u></b>, you can order any of the portraits you see here and/or send me a request for a custom Gedolim portrait. Either way will be VERY affordable. (You see, I am an aspiring amateur artist. Although the work might not always be top-notch, it should be b'Ezras Hashem at </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">least be somewhat comparable. You can look at a couples samples of my work -- keep in mind I'll continue to get better, בע"ה --- in this post).</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">So if anyone wants or needs a Gedolim picture, please simply put in the request and the specifics in comments, or send me an email at aishkodesh611@gmail.com.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Thank you everyone and I look forward to seeing your requests!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Have a great winter, full of spiritual warmth and growth.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>HaRav Shmuel Berenbaum <i>zt"l</i></b></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iTSoAeFB0omeSjvszk1ZMN9kJd7EpataF9Y6NcJz4EUC8HBfTWS6i9D7vowmLaWvoOqkoSCd1wtznzWXlAV6c6YUxabbF_J1TGCVD4djH6EknE65g5TMwnakDYDJkaVSsOplGzOXIq5B/s1600/IMG_20190626_121858_691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1227" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8iTSoAeFB0omeSjvszk1ZMN9kJd7EpataF9Y6NcJz4EUC8HBfTWS6i9D7vowmLaWvoOqkoSCd1wtznzWXlAV6c6YUxabbF_J1TGCVD4djH6EknE65g5TMwnakDYDJkaVSsOplGzOXIq5B/s400/IMG_20190626_121858_691.jpg" width="306" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b>HaRav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky <i>zt"l</i></b></td></tr>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-3201515758971682792019-11-29T14:26:00.001-05:002019-11-29T14:26:07.569-05:00Parshas Toldos Divrei Torah and Messages 5780<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4451657706506150258.post-47175351869625360042019-11-22T05:09:00.001-05:002019-11-22T05:09:13.637-05:00Parshas Chayei Sarah Divrei Torah and Messages<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">בּ"ה</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 18pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parshas Chayei Sarah</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they were the life of Sarah -- one-hundred years, and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 23:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> relates that </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rabbi Akiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was once expounding before his students, and they started to doze. He wanted to awaken them, so he said: How did Esther merit being queen over 127 provinces? Let the “granddaughter” of Sarah, who lived for 127 years, come, and she should reign over 127 provinces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ask the first </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gerrer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yitzchok Meir Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; how would these words Rabbi Akiva said help to awaken his students? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We see clearly from this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, says the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, that Esther was queen over 127 provinces because Sarah lived 127 years. Therefore, if you make the calculation, each province came because of one year, and thus, a week of Sarah’s life could have meant a city; and every hour meant a village. If that is the case, in the time that a person puts down their head and dozes, how much could they theoretically lose. . . This therefore, was just the right message to arouse his students.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sefer HaZechus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they were the life of Sarah -- one-hundred years, and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 23:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Why is the phrase ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the years of the life of Sarah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ repeated? </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> says, all of them were equal in goodness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Asks </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Zusha of Anipoli </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; how is it possible to say this? Didn’t Sarah Imeinu endure many, many troubles in life? She was kidnapped by Paroah and Avimelech; she didn’t have children until quite an old age, and even underwent problems from Yishmael! So what is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> saying?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the Rebbe Reb Zusha; we learn from here, that on everything that happened to Sarah, even if it was hard or painful, she said “Also this is for good!” Since she knew that everything emanated from Hashem, she didn’t feel the pain as much, but realized that it was all for the best. Therefore, all her days truly were good!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vi’Karasa L’Shabbos Oneg</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> furthermore says that all her life, no matter how difficult things might have been, Sarah Imeinu always involved herself in doing kindness and goodness. Therefore, in another way, as well, all her days were good! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 2</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And they were the life of Sarah -- one-hundred years, and twenty years and seven years, the years of the life of Sarah.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 23:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On verse 2, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> quotes </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the juxtaposition of Sarah Imeinu’s death to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Akeidas Yitzchok</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> teaches us that when she heard the news that Yitzchok had been prepared for being slaughtered, and almost was, her Soul departed, and she died.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yaakov Kamenetzky </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (and see also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah L’Daas </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here): One might think on the basis of this, that the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Akeidah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> caused her death. Therefore, the Torah testifies that the 127 years that she lived were ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">the years of the life of Sarah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- meaning that that amount of years had been allotted to her when she was born, and the Satan merely used the news of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Akeidah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> as the means through which she would die. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Emes L’Yaakov</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Surely it was very difficult for Avraham Avinu when Sarah Imeinu died, and now, in this saddened state, he had to end up paying a very high price for a proper grave for her. And nevertheless, he overcame this pain, and still behaved with extreme respect towards the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bnei Cheis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">! And this was not flattery for some purpose -- no! It was because Avraham knew the great obligation we have to treat others with respect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We learn from this narrative that even if, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chas v’Shalom</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we are in pain, or enduring hardship, other people don’t have to feel that pain. We must learn from Avraham Avinu to not vent our sorrows onto others; rather, even when it is difficult, we must treat everyone with respect and proper conduct.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Michtav Me’Eliyahu </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">vol. 4</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Avraham was old, coming in days</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 24:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Further on in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, when the Torah relates the death of Avraham Avinu, the verse (25:7) says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And these are the days of the years of the life of Avraham that he lived; one-hundred years, and seventy years, and five years</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.’ </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Shimshon Dovid Pincus </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> relates that he heard the following insight in the name of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yerucham Levovitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: What does it mean to live? When a person eats pizza or falafel, is that called living? The answer is no. Living means the moments of achievement; growth, closeness with Hashem -- and overall, service of Him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Generally speaking, when a person lives, let’s say, 80 years, it would be nice if they could gather together numerous moments of true life. And a person who is able to gather years of true life, that’s already great!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avraham Avinu lived 175 years of pure life. There was not a moment of his life that he was not truly alive. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tiferes Shimshon</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Zohar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> states (see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sfas Emes</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chayei Sara</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, 5631), Avraham Avinu did what he needed to every single day, and therefore, when he died, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> his days came with him.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">1</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As to the fact that Avraham Avinu, we are told, did not recognize Hashem until a certain age (there are differences of opinion regarding exactly what age -- many seem to say 3), </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Feinstein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> explains that the implication of 25:7 is that because of Avraham’s incredible deeds, even the days before he recognized Hashem were retroactively changed to be as if he did (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Darash Moshe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). And this is consistent with what the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yoma </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">86b) tells us, that through </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from love of Hashem, past sins can perhaps even be turned into merits -- and surely Avraham Avinu did complete </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teshuva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for any shortcomings he might have ever had!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Avraham was old, coming in days, and Hashem had blessed Avraham with everything.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Bereishis 24:1)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There is a very big lesson that we can learn from the word ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ in the above verse: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many things happen to us in life. Some are very good and we thank Hashem for such blessings. Others don’t seem such. . .</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But what we must understand, though, is that even those things are also good and for the best. The happenings that don’t seem so great -- and even very bad, at times -- are for our benefit as well. Hashem only does good things. But it is just sometimes hard to realize.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">You see, the verse says that Avraham was blessed with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. It doesn’t go and list everything we think is good. No! It says that ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem had blessed Avraham with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’. Meaning also the things that we would think of as bad, because they too are blessings and messages from Hashem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem knows what is best for us, and He makes thus occur. If everything we hoped would happen came about, things would not end up as joyous and ideal as we would think. . . Hashem knows what needs to happen. It is just up to us to accept and understand this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Wellsprings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) gives an analogy: Let’s say a person walked into </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shul</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> when somebody was saying the verse in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ashrei</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem guards all His loved ones, and all the wicked He will destroy</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- ‘שׁומר ה' את כּל אהביו ואת כּל הרשׁעים ישׁמיד’, but he happens to not hear the first word in the verse. It would then sound like ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem, all His loved ones and all the wicked He will destroy</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- ‘ה' את כּל אהביו ואת כּל הרשׁעים ישׁמיד’! Or perhaps he didn’t hear the last; it would then sound like: ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hashem guards all His loved ones and all the wicked</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- ‘שׁומר ה' את כּל אהביו ואת כּל הרשׁעים’; both of which would be terrible, untrue verses!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explains the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Since we don’t see the whole picture, some things look very bad to us. But that is because we “only hear part of the verse”, i.e. we only see part of the picture. If we knew and saw the Supreme Plan behind everything, we would understand and not question that all is truly for the best.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Indeed, Avraham Avinu was blessed with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">everything</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tal U’Matar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">------------------------------------</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">2</span></span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei Rabbeinu Yosef Nechemia </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Avraham said to his servant, the elder of his household, who ruled over everything that was his. . . “I will adjure you by Hashem, the G-d of the Heavens, and the G-d of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaani”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 24:2-3)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yalkut HaDrush</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the question is asked: Why does the Torah go into such detail here about Eliezer Damaseik? Couldn’t it just have said ‘And Avraham said to his servant. . .’?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I saw, the author writes, to explain on this a beautiful </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">mussar</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: In our times, when it comes to spiritual matters, we seem to more readily accept someone’s word for something without checking into their qualifications or the veracity so deeply. For example, if someone opened up a supposedly Kosher restaurant, they might still get plenty of customers, and many people might not be so careful as to check into how high the level of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">kashrus</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the other hand, if this same person would come to us for a loan, then suddenly we would be asking questions and looking into them; maybe they aren’t honest and won’t pay us back? And until we find without a doubt that they are honest and trustworthy, we won’t lend them the money. Any doubt about the person is enough to keep us from giving them the sum. . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But with Avraham Avinu it was the exact opposite: Spiritual matters were the main thing, and material things of This World were of much lesser importance. Eliezer Damaseik was ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his servant, the elder of his house</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- he knew him well, and for many years! He was the one ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">who ruled in everything that was his</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ -- all Avraham’s silver and gold were under Eliezer. And yet, when it came to a spiritual thing like finding a suitable match for Yitzchok, Avraham didn’t trust him completely without adjuring him. From this we must learn, and try to lead our lives in the way of Avraham Avinu, with spiritual matters taking precedence over material matters.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yalkut HaDrush</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this vein, it is related famously that once, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yisroel Salanter</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> came to a village, and he went to the local inn. The innkeeper, noticing that Rav Yisroel was very distinguished-looking, asked him if he was a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shochet</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. He had an animal that needed to be slaughtered and it was a burden to bring it to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shochet</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in town. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“No.” Rav Yisroel replied, though. “I am not a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shochet</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">After some time, Rav Yisroel came to the innkeeper with a question of his own: Could he perhaps lend him a ruble? The innkeeper replied that he didn’t even recognize him, and he should trust him to lend him a ruble?!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Said Rav Yisroel Salanter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to the innkeeper, “If only you would listen to what your own mouth says! With money, I am not trustworthy for it, even for one ruble! But yet with </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shechitah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, regarding which there are many laws in the Torah, you trusted me after a mere greeting!” (See also </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah of Brisk; Sefer Bereishis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Talelei Oros</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninei HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> here).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In this </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">parsha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we read about the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shidduch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (marriage match) between Rivkah Imeinu and Yitzchok. Avraham Avinu sent Eliezer Damaseik, his loyal servant, to find the match, and the entire affair was guided and aided by Hashem, and there were many open miracles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teaches the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chiddushei HaRim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> {</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">first </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gerrer Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Rebbe Yitzchok Meir Alter </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">}: The Torah lists the many miracles that took place with Yitzchok Avinu’s </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shidduch</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> so we should know that every </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shidduch </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">has miracles; they don’t happen according to the rules of nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(Brought in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Torah Wellsprings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rivkah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] went down to the fountain, and she filled her jug, and she went up. And the servant [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eliezer Damaseik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] ran to greet her</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 24:16-17)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He ran to greet her because he saw that the waters had risen towards her (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ramban </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> notes that this can be derived from the fact that here, it merely says that she went down and filled her jug, whereas when she was getting water for the camels Eliezer brought, the Torah says ‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she drew</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (v. 20). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The question is, says </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, why was the miracle of the water rising on its own for her not done when she went to get water for the camels?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he answers beautifully: The first time, when Rivkah went down to draw water, she intended to get the water for her own needs, therefore, Hashem wanted to save her the trouble, so He made the waters rise up to make it easy for her. But when she went to get water for the camels with Eliezer, she was intending to do a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and thus, since it is better that a </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mitzvah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is actually carried out in action, she had to draw the water herself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kedushas Levi al HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And she [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rivkah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] went down to the fountain, and she filled her jug, and she went up. And the servant [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eliezer Damaseik</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] ran to greet her, and he said, “Please feed me a little water from your jug.” And she said, “Drink, my master.”. . . and she gave him to drink. And when she was finished giving him to drink, and she said, “Also for your camels I will draw, until they will have finished drinking.”</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (Bereishis 24:16-19)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 8pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">sefer</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lachazos B’Noam Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the author explains a beautiful message we learn from this: Rivkah Imeinu could have merely acceded to Eliezer’s request, and given him water, but she went beyond that, and gave water to the camels with him as well, even though it was a big burden to provide water for several camels! We need to keep our eyes open when someone asks if we can do a certain thing for them, because perhaps there is something else that they need hidden in that request that they are too embarrassed to ask, for example. We have to think awarely.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A man once approached either </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, or his son, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, on </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Erev Pesach</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and asked him if he could fulfill his obligation of the Four Cups with milk. When the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> heard the question, he took a somewhat sizable sum of money out, and handed it to the man, so that he would be able to buy what he needed.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbetzin</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> saw this and asked her husband, “He asked if it is possible to fulfill his obligation with four cups of wine; why did you give him a sum of money much greater than what would amount to four cups of wine?”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rav </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">replied to her, “From the midst of his question, I understood that also meat he doesn’t have for himself for the holiday, because how is it possible that he will make four cups of milk, if he has meat? With this he would stumble in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">basar b’chalav</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (the prohibition of eating milk and meat together); rather, certainly he does not have meat for the holiday. Therefore, I gave him a proper sum that he can buy the festival needs.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It is easy to think that in order to do </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">chesed</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, we must be wealthy. But in reality, if we would think about it, throughout our day, there are likely close to a hundred opportunities to perform kindness for others, even without money.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lachazos B’Noam Hashem</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yitzchok went out to converse [</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">לשוח</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">] in the field shortly before evening</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Bereishis 24:63)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 6pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> comments from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Midrash Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that the word לשוח (‘to converse’) is a language of </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Davening</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our Sages teach us that Yitzchok Avinu was establishing </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> at that time. And in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gemara Berachos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Daf</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> 26), it is taught that the three </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Davenings</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the day were set up by the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Avos</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Avraham Avinu established </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shacharis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; Yitzchok Avinu established </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; and Yaakov Avinu established </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maariv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Interestingly, the second letter in all of their names allude to the prayer that they set up: א</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ב</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">רהם; the ב alludes to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Davening</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ב</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">קר (morning), which is </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shacharis</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. י</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">צ</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">חק; the צ alludes to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">צ</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">הרים (afternoon), which is the time for </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Mincha</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. And י</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ע</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">קב; the ע alludes to </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maariv</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">davening </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ע</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">רבית, (evening time). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vi’Karasa L’Shabbos Oneg</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maasim Tovim </span><span style="font-family: Cabin; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 14pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And Yitzchok went out to converse in the field.</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’ (Bereishis 24:63)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘To converse’ is a language of prayer (</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashi </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> from </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bereishis Rabbah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In one of his </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shiurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Daniel Yaakov Travis </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> related that a man once came to Radin, and of course, he wanted to see the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, who resided there.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">During the morning prayers, he saw one elder man who just looked like he was having a conversation. It turned out that that “elder man” was none other than the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and when he </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">davened</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he would literally be talking to Hashem!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I once asked my </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Moshe Shulman </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">shlit”a</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> if he could relate to me something he had seen from one of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gedolim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that was really inspiring. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He paused for a little, and then told me that when he used to teach in the Vizhnitz </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, he used to see </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rebbe Mordechai Hager </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the recent </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Vizhnitzer Rebbe </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">of Monsey, NY, before </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">davening</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, walking back and forth saying </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tehillim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in a very sweet voice. And this was really inspiring. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: Bevan; font-size: 12pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">*</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">~ ~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another story of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is told, wherein </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">HaRav Naftali Trop </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">zt”l</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rosh Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of the Radin </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, was deathly ill, so the students of the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> decided to make a “life-raiser”, and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bachurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> would “donate” some time -- maybe a month or two -- out of their own lives to Rav Naftali’s, in hope that this would help him to continue to live. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bachurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> also came to the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and asked him to contribute a little time to Rav Naftali. Rav Yisroel Meir thought, and thought, and the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bachurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> could see that he was really undergoing a struggle inside himself, until in the end, he said that he was prepared to donate one minute from his life. This left the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">bachurim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in wonder.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Explained the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chofetz Chaim</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to them: “If you knew how much importance there is to every single moment, you would understand why I donated one minute, for the time is very precious, and there is no loss like the loss of time.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When the students heard this, they strengthened themselves greatly in their use of time for study of the holy Torah, and it was said that for a long time, there was not a state of strengthening like this in the </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yeshiva</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Levush Yosef</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; quoted in </span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Peninei HaTorah</span><span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><><><><><><><><><><></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Book Antiqua"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: 700; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!</span></div>
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Refoel Berel Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03541044990051180468noreply@blogger.com0