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I am not tooting my own horn by what I said in the subject line, becuase this dvar torah, like all the rest of the divrei Torah I send out come(s) from others. I found the following idea very insightful and I tried to embellish it a little with some personal reflections.
The Jewish People complain to Moshe shortly after Krias Yam Suf, the Crossing of the Red Sea . They were complaining about the lack of food in the desert. [ As an aside, it is hard to understand why they didn't trust God to provide them with food after seeing the miracle at the sea, but for another time, possibly...] Moshe Hashem} reassures them that soon they will see the greatness of Hashem, and that He will provide you with food. He finishes by saying "and who are we (himself and Aharon) -anyway- that you complain against us?" (16:7)
The Talmud in Chulin 89 comments that Moshe and Aharon showed a greater level of humility than Avraham did. Avraham once told G-d, "and I am but dirt and ashes!" Moshe, on the other hand said "and who are we?" One explaination given is that while Moshe thought of him and his brother as literally nothing, Avraham thought of himself as something, albeit something like dirt.
Rav Rosner quotes Rav Shternbach with a different answer, but first a story about Rav Yonason Eibshitz. Rav Yonoson Eibshitz once went to a certain town for Yom Kippur. He saw a man saying Tefilla Zaka with incredible Kavana, concentration. The man was crying out to Hashem "I have committed so many sins! I must be so lowly in your eyes, etc.! Rav Eibshitz was impressed. The next morning the guy acts the same way; crying out to God, expressing remorse for his actions. Then the guy gets called up for Revi'i, the fourth aliya of the Torah Reading. This was obviously a great honor- the fourth aliya on the holiest day of the year. This guy must be a real tzaddik, a saint. But then something startiling happens. Before the guy recites the blessings, he turns to the Gabbai and asks why he did not recieve the third aliya! [The third Aliya - for reasons unbeknonst to me- is considered the 'greatest' aliya, I believe] Was the fellow who got shlishi more important than he was?! Rav Eibshitz at first was astounded. Could see be the same guy who beforehand had been declaring his unworthiness to God? Where did the humility go? He then thought of an explaination. When the guy was praying, he in effect, comparing himself to God and saying You are infinite and I am so, so finite. I am nothing compared to You. However, when it came time for the public Torah reading, he compared himself to others, and ostensibly thought that he was the holiest Jew in the shul! ( Paranthetically, it is interesting why they did not recognize Rav Eibshitz and give him, the great Talmud Chacham, scholar, the third aliya!) This is obviously the worng attitude to have.
Avraham was speaking directly to God when he declared himself nothingness. While this is noteworthy, it is kind of obvious that every human being in the world pales in comparison to God. Moshe however, was speaking to the people and still expressed his humility and declared himself equal to them. Obviously, Moshe and Aharon were the greatest of the nation and did possess the ability to do something about the food situation (pray to God), and still Moshe did not feel that he was more worthy than anyone else. [I was thinking that maybe Moshe's intentions were that instead of the nation complaining to him, they should pray to God to help them. That is why he 'refused' to intervene on his own by declaring his unworthiness to actually do anything.] Or maybe he did feel that he was more worthy than the rest of the nation. But, at any rate, he did not show it. Sometimes, we cannot help but feel internally that we deserve something over someone else, and maybe we are justified in thinking so. However, we should not reveal this to others.
Maybe this is the meaning of the reinforced language of the mishna in Pireki avos : Be very, very humble". Humblein relation to God and humble in relation to others.
I won't bore you with the details, but recently, in a couple instances, I have been humbled. Programs I thought I would get into- I did not. At first, I was a little upset and felt slighted, but I realized that maybe I am being sent a message that I am not as deserving as I think I am and that things do not always work out as we think they should. And that is ok. (To throw in a sports example, whenever a top-ranked team gets upset by a lower level team, the former is left quite humbled.) Ultimately, God controls everything, anyway.
On the flip side, on other occasions, I do get to 'perform' my religiousity in public, whether it be learning and talking to less affliated kids, or looking really impressive singing the latest tunes, with my friends, in harmony, in a small shul in New Rochelle. I should not feel overly cocky or important, becuase I am simply doing God's work. So when I get up to speak this Friday Night, God willing, in a small shul in Ellenville, New York, I will try not to feel to haughty.
We should all merit to feel a little more humility, especially in relation to our fellow man. Force a smile and a 'congragulations' when someone beats us out for an award, or an aliya.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Achdus
Meshech Chochmoh- Parshas Beshalach, perek14 pasuk 22
“Achdus”
There are many hints in the torah that show us how ones derech of life should be run and what a Jew must do to live everyday. Already last week we began to list the bulk of the mitzvos included in the torah. There are two categories of mitzvos, mitzvoth that are titled shamuyos, like avodah zarah and shvichus damim, and the other category is the one regarding nimsiyos (middos), or character traits that pertain to a functional society. These include the issurim of lashon harah and the insistence to not have a machlokes with ones neighbor. When one sins b’yachid in matters of shamuyos he is liable to the proper punishment (cv’s). But loshon harah is not chayiv any punishment, either b/c it’s a lav shelo nitein l’tashlumin or b/c it’s a lav sh’ein bo ma’aseh. But when these sins are performed b’tzibur, the opposite is true. The gemarah learns from the passuk “v’nichrisah hanefesh” that only a single person can be chayiv for an aveairah but a tzibbur is pattur, but by lashon harah we find the opposite to be true. In the time of Dovid Hamelech when most of the nation was made up of tzaddikim, we are told that Jewish soldiers were killed in the wars, b/c there were informers amongst the Jews in those days. But in the days of Ach’av, when the nation was full of reshaim, nevertheless we are told that no soldier was killed in war b/c there were no informers amongst the Jews.
There are many examples that show how midos that keep the society together are the cause of Hashems desire to relent in administering punishments to the nation though we may be deserving of punishments (cv’s). In tehillim, Dovid Hamelech asks Hashem to “dwell” among us in our tum’ah though we may be sinning in general in regard to lo-sa’asehs. But when the nation is not careful about lashon hara, Hashem is said to be “dwelling up high,” removed from His people. We see a similar idea by the Batei hamikdash, about which the gemara tells us that the first bayis was destroyed b/c of the big 3 aveiros that the Jews were chayiv for, and in the second beis hamikdash, though they learned much torah, they had sin’as chinam, beckoning Hashem’s anger to flair up and destroy both batei mikdash. We can gather from the fact that after 70 years the Jews went back after the first beis hamikdash and that we are still in our galus untill today that the sin of sinas chinam is that much worse than the, so called, bigger sins. Similarly, in the time of the mabbul, the torah tells us that the reason that Hashem finally decided to destroy mankind was because of chamas, which Rashi tells us means gezel, theft. It was only after this complete breakdown of society that Hashem decided to destroy mankind. And we can see from the cheit haegel that Hashem forgave the nation after it worshiped the egel, but when the miraglim came back from Eretz Yisroel and spread loshon hara amongst the Jews and caused them to deny the good that Hashem had in store for them, only then did Hashem swear that B’nei Yisroel would stay in the midbar for forty years. We see from these proofs that when the tzibbur sticks together and gets along with one another, Hashem will overlook the sins that the people on an individual level would be chayiv for.
Using this premise we can explain a midrash in this weeks parsha. The midrash says that when B’nei Yisroel was crossing the yam suf, the malach Sama-el complained to Hashem that You should not save this people, they served avodah zarah and stopped performing bris milah when they were in Mitzraim. “Why are they any better than the Egyptians who You are about to wipe out?” Hashem answers the malach that they did not fight with one another in Egypt, as we can see from the fact that Dasan and Aviram were always the ones singled out for sinning, meaning that they were the exception amongst the Jews. But what prompted the malach to complain now when he could have complained about the makkos? The midrash says that at the time leading up to kriyas yam suf, the shevatim split up into four groups, each wanting to go somewhere else, thereby taking away their tzibbur status. It is because of this that the torah says “v’hamayim lahem chomah,” literally the water was a wall for them. But in the Torah it is written missing a vuv, reading cheimah=anger. Hashem got angry and the sea was about to drown the Jews. The Jews had lost their protective tzibbur status and were at the judgment of Hashems mercy.
If we look at the words of the torah, the passuk of “v’hamayim lahem chomah” is written twice, only the second time is it chaseir vuv. This coincided with the drowning of the Egyptians. It was at this moment that the malach posed the complaint about why Hashem was saving the Jews and killing the Egyptians if the Egyptians repented by admitting that it was Hashem who was behind the makkos and kriyas yam suf. Hashem answered the malach “fool!” the only reason the Egyptians are repenting is because they are about to die. The Jews did teshuva long ago, about six months ago when the makkos started. The reason they worshipped avodah zara was because they were under hard work, and one cannot think clearly when one is under so much stress. But once they were set free they performed bris millah again. Hashem so to speak says that the Jews were anusim, and were not responsible for their sins. Although they fought at the yam suf and lost their tzibbur status, nevertheless they were pattur from their sins altogether.
This message applies even today. We all have our individual challenges and we fight our yetzer hara everyday, and sometimes we may lose the battle. And as a society we may be lax in many mitzvos that, on an individual level, we would all be responsible (cv’s) for. But we live in a time that is full of pressure. Whether its school or work (or work from school), we are always on the run and we may not think clearly. This is what the midrash is telling us. Hashem, so to speak, views us as anusim in these sins but only if we are careful in our middos. If we can be careful in our midos, we can ensure that we stay together as a tzibbur. I’yh, we should have the yolk of this gallus removed from us and we will be able to realize that all of our sins are because a lack of clarity of mind and thereby be able to stop sinning altogether and have our past aveiros turned into zichusim. And that we should be able to stay together as a tzibbur and be able to overcome anything that comes our way.
“Achdus”
There are many hints in the torah that show us how ones derech of life should be run and what a Jew must do to live everyday. Already last week we began to list the bulk of the mitzvos included in the torah. There are two categories of mitzvos, mitzvoth that are titled shamuyos, like avodah zarah and shvichus damim, and the other category is the one regarding nimsiyos (middos), or character traits that pertain to a functional society. These include the issurim of lashon harah and the insistence to not have a machlokes with ones neighbor. When one sins b’yachid in matters of shamuyos he is liable to the proper punishment (cv’s). But loshon harah is not chayiv any punishment, either b/c it’s a lav shelo nitein l’tashlumin or b/c it’s a lav sh’ein bo ma’aseh. But when these sins are performed b’tzibur, the opposite is true. The gemarah learns from the passuk “v’nichrisah hanefesh” that only a single person can be chayiv for an aveairah but a tzibbur is pattur, but by lashon harah we find the opposite to be true. In the time of Dovid Hamelech when most of the nation was made up of tzaddikim, we are told that Jewish soldiers were killed in the wars, b/c there were informers amongst the Jews in those days. But in the days of Ach’av, when the nation was full of reshaim, nevertheless we are told that no soldier was killed in war b/c there were no informers amongst the Jews.
There are many examples that show how midos that keep the society together are the cause of Hashems desire to relent in administering punishments to the nation though we may be deserving of punishments (cv’s). In tehillim, Dovid Hamelech asks Hashem to “dwell” among us in our tum’ah though we may be sinning in general in regard to lo-sa’asehs. But when the nation is not careful about lashon hara, Hashem is said to be “dwelling up high,” removed from His people. We see a similar idea by the Batei hamikdash, about which the gemara tells us that the first bayis was destroyed b/c of the big 3 aveiros that the Jews were chayiv for, and in the second beis hamikdash, though they learned much torah, they had sin’as chinam, beckoning Hashem’s anger to flair up and destroy both batei mikdash. We can gather from the fact that after 70 years the Jews went back after the first beis hamikdash and that we are still in our galus untill today that the sin of sinas chinam is that much worse than the, so called, bigger sins. Similarly, in the time of the mabbul, the torah tells us that the reason that Hashem finally decided to destroy mankind was because of chamas, which Rashi tells us means gezel, theft. It was only after this complete breakdown of society that Hashem decided to destroy mankind. And we can see from the cheit haegel that Hashem forgave the nation after it worshiped the egel, but when the miraglim came back from Eretz Yisroel and spread loshon hara amongst the Jews and caused them to deny the good that Hashem had in store for them, only then did Hashem swear that B’nei Yisroel would stay in the midbar for forty years. We see from these proofs that when the tzibbur sticks together and gets along with one another, Hashem will overlook the sins that the people on an individual level would be chayiv for.
Using this premise we can explain a midrash in this weeks parsha. The midrash says that when B’nei Yisroel was crossing the yam suf, the malach Sama-el complained to Hashem that You should not save this people, they served avodah zarah and stopped performing bris milah when they were in Mitzraim. “Why are they any better than the Egyptians who You are about to wipe out?” Hashem answers the malach that they did not fight with one another in Egypt, as we can see from the fact that Dasan and Aviram were always the ones singled out for sinning, meaning that they were the exception amongst the Jews. But what prompted the malach to complain now when he could have complained about the makkos? The midrash says that at the time leading up to kriyas yam suf, the shevatim split up into four groups, each wanting to go somewhere else, thereby taking away their tzibbur status. It is because of this that the torah says “v’hamayim lahem chomah,” literally the water was a wall for them. But in the Torah it is written missing a vuv, reading cheimah=anger. Hashem got angry and the sea was about to drown the Jews. The Jews had lost their protective tzibbur status and were at the judgment of Hashems mercy.
If we look at the words of the torah, the passuk of “v’hamayim lahem chomah” is written twice, only the second time is it chaseir vuv. This coincided with the drowning of the Egyptians. It was at this moment that the malach posed the complaint about why Hashem was saving the Jews and killing the Egyptians if the Egyptians repented by admitting that it was Hashem who was behind the makkos and kriyas yam suf. Hashem answered the malach “fool!” the only reason the Egyptians are repenting is because they are about to die. The Jews did teshuva long ago, about six months ago when the makkos started. The reason they worshipped avodah zara was because they were under hard work, and one cannot think clearly when one is under so much stress. But once they were set free they performed bris millah again. Hashem so to speak says that the Jews were anusim, and were not responsible for their sins. Although they fought at the yam suf and lost their tzibbur status, nevertheless they were pattur from their sins altogether.
This message applies even today. We all have our individual challenges and we fight our yetzer hara everyday, and sometimes we may lose the battle. And as a society we may be lax in many mitzvos that, on an individual level, we would all be responsible (cv’s) for. But we live in a time that is full of pressure. Whether its school or work (or work from school), we are always on the run and we may not think clearly. This is what the midrash is telling us. Hashem, so to speak, views us as anusim in these sins but only if we are careful in our middos. If we can be careful in our midos, we can ensure that we stay together as a tzibbur. I’yh, we should have the yolk of this gallus removed from us and we will be able to realize that all of our sins are because a lack of clarity of mind and thereby be able to stop sinning altogether and have our past aveiros turned into zichusim. And that we should be able to stay together as a tzibbur and be able to overcome anything that comes our way.
Every little bit counts...
The meforshim have trouble understanding exactly what the word in pasuk 13 perk 18, vachamushim alu etc., means. Rashi quotes 2 pshatim, either it means weapons or that only one fifth of the people made it out of Egypt.
I would like to take a different approach. We know that Bnai Yisrael in Egypt were on the 49th level of tuma'a, spiritual impurity. One more and they would never leave Egypt. Ever.
Says the pasuk that vachamushim alu, which can be read "they went up 50" alluding to the fact that they had risen 50 levels upon leaving Egypt and what happens next? They get the Torah in next weeks sedra. The little bit that they had Hashem took very seriously, in fact the effort that they put in to allow them to hit level one of purity rendered them acceptable to merit receiving the Torah.
The message is patently obvious. Like the Mishna in Avos says, The work is not on you to finish however you are not absolved of anything either. Do as much as you can at whatever level you are at and you will be zocheh, as long as you keep on pushing, to rise to the greatest heights possible. Just remember that every little bit counts...
I would like to take a different approach. We know that Bnai Yisrael in Egypt were on the 49th level of tuma'a, spiritual impurity. One more and they would never leave Egypt. Ever.
Says the pasuk that vachamushim alu, which can be read "they went up 50" alluding to the fact that they had risen 50 levels upon leaving Egypt and what happens next? They get the Torah in next weeks sedra. The little bit that they had Hashem took very seriously, in fact the effort that they put in to allow them to hit level one of purity rendered them acceptable to merit receiving the Torah.
The message is patently obvious. Like the Mishna in Avos says, The work is not on you to finish however you are not absolved of anything either. Do as much as you can at whatever level you are at and you will be zocheh, as long as you keep on pushing, to rise to the greatest heights possible. Just remember that every little bit counts...
Beshalach!
AZ Yashir Moshe”,
The mepharshim explain that the pasuk is talking in past tense. The midrash says that Moshe once used this word to sin when he said “Az ba’asi El Phaaroh” (when moshe complains to Hashem that he has to go back to the house of Pharoh) and now moshe wanted to use this same word of Az to sing songs of praise to Hashem. The Beis Halevi says that not only were the Bnei Yisroel happy that the Mitzrim died in the water and for the miracles that Hashem created, but also for the “mess” that Hashem put them through in the first place, this way now klal yisroel can sing shira to Hashem with this same “Az”. The pasuk in tehilim states “Odecha Hasehm, KI Anisani- thank you Hashem for the pain, because the salvation is amazing”, so too klal yisroel here was saying Thank you to Hashem for the pain, because the salvation is so great! The medrash as well says that this was the first time that Bnei yisroel sang Shira to Hashem ever.
However, R’ Gedalya Shor says that this isn’t exactly true, if you check up the midrashim, shira was sang at the time of Adam Harishon as well. However, this was the first time that Bnei Yisroel sang shira on both the good and bad news, and this is what Hashem was waiting for! The yesod is so simple yet so overlooked in our daily lives. How many times does something seems as if it makes absolutely no sense and all we do is complain and think how could Hashem do this terrible thing to me?!? Yet if we were to only wait a little longer and let Hashem’s master plans play out do we see that Hashem only wants the best for all his children. May hakadosh Baruch Hu gives us all the bracha to live with this idea every day and always remember, Gam Zu L’tova.
Gut Shabbos Tzachi Popowitz B’shem R Keonigsberg Shlita
The mepharshim explain that the pasuk is talking in past tense. The midrash says that Moshe once used this word to sin when he said “Az ba’asi El Phaaroh” (when moshe complains to Hashem that he has to go back to the house of Pharoh) and now moshe wanted to use this same word of Az to sing songs of praise to Hashem. The Beis Halevi says that not only were the Bnei Yisroel happy that the Mitzrim died in the water and for the miracles that Hashem created, but also for the “mess” that Hashem put them through in the first place, this way now klal yisroel can sing shira to Hashem with this same “Az”. The pasuk in tehilim states “Odecha Hasehm, KI Anisani- thank you Hashem for the pain, because the salvation is amazing”, so too klal yisroel here was saying Thank you to Hashem for the pain, because the salvation is so great! The medrash as well says that this was the first time that Bnei yisroel sang Shira to Hashem ever.
However, R’ Gedalya Shor says that this isn’t exactly true, if you check up the midrashim, shira was sang at the time of Adam Harishon as well. However, this was the first time that Bnei Yisroel sang shira on both the good and bad news, and this is what Hashem was waiting for! The yesod is so simple yet so overlooked in our daily lives. How many times does something seems as if it makes absolutely no sense and all we do is complain and think how could Hashem do this terrible thing to me?!? Yet if we were to only wait a little longer and let Hashem’s master plans play out do we see that Hashem only wants the best for all his children. May hakadosh Baruch Hu gives us all the bracha to live with this idea every day and always remember, Gam Zu L’tova.
Gut Shabbos Tzachi Popowitz B’shem R Keonigsberg Shlita
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Haiti in light of Rabbeinu Yonah on Pirkei Avos
MACHSHAVA THOUGHT for THE WEEK (BO)
What should our reaction be towards what happened in Haiti?
Rabbeinu Yona on Avos 3:2 which paraphrased says one should daven for stability of the government so that anarchy will not prevail sheds light on the proper attitude we should adopt. Rabbeinu Yonah explains that a person should daven for the entire world and feel pain and suffering for the pain and suffering of others. A person should NOT take a selfish view of the world and only consider their welfare but should rather daven for the shalom of the entire world.
The Netziv elaborates on the inyan of Yashrus explaining that yashrus is being tolerant of others that are different from us so the oilam can function well. That is why Breishis is called sefer HaYashar and the lives of the Avos specifically. Even if they disagreed theologically they have a right to exist. On Parshas Haazinu he explains that the people of the Bayis sheini, leshaim shamayim killed those who did not agree to them. They did not live with Yashrus and thats what contributed to their being destroyed.
By only 4 makkos does Paroah ask Moshe to daven to Hashem to remove the makkos. What is the nature of Moshe’s tefilla? Moshe knows that Hashem is just and the Mitzrim deserved it and also that Paroah would change his mind and not free the Jews after the punishment was rescinded, nevertheless there was the need to daven, out of compassion and empathy for the suffering of others. Moshe understood what was going on and nevertheless still davened for them because it is not improper to have strong convictions and still not wish harm to those that disagree with our convictions and values. As the RY said it is important not to underestimate the value of shalom in the world.
As heard in shiur
What should our reaction be towards what happened in Haiti?
Rabbeinu Yona on Avos 3:2 which paraphrased says one should daven for stability of the government so that anarchy will not prevail sheds light on the proper attitude we should adopt. Rabbeinu Yonah explains that a person should daven for the entire world and feel pain and suffering for the pain and suffering of others. A person should NOT take a selfish view of the world and only consider their welfare but should rather daven for the shalom of the entire world.
The Netziv elaborates on the inyan of Yashrus explaining that yashrus is being tolerant of others that are different from us so the oilam can function well. That is why Breishis is called sefer HaYashar and the lives of the Avos specifically. Even if they disagreed theologically they have a right to exist. On Parshas Haazinu he explains that the people of the Bayis sheini, leshaim shamayim killed those who did not agree to them. They did not live with Yashrus and thats what contributed to their being destroyed.
By only 4 makkos does Paroah ask Moshe to daven to Hashem to remove the makkos. What is the nature of Moshe’s tefilla? Moshe knows that Hashem is just and the Mitzrim deserved it and also that Paroah would change his mind and not free the Jews after the punishment was rescinded, nevertheless there was the need to daven, out of compassion and empathy for the suffering of others. Moshe understood what was going on and nevertheless still davened for them because it is not improper to have strong convictions and still not wish harm to those that disagree with our convictions and values. As the RY said it is important not to underestimate the value of shalom in the world.
As heard in shiur
Bo
In this weeks Parsha, the Torah tells us of the last 3 plagues Hashem sent upon the Egyptians. The Pasuk says regarding Makas Bechoros, “Ya’yakam Pharaoh Layla” (Pharaoh got up in the middle of the night). Rashi on this Pasuk adds one word: “M’mitaso” (from his bed).
What is Rashi adding? Of course he got up from his bed! Where else?
Rav Yaakov Galinsky, a Mashgiach from Bnei Brak, says that maybe Rashi was telling us something about Pharaoh's attitude. The simple meaning of the Pasuk could have meant that he got up from his throne and he went to look for Moshe and Aharon to beg for mercy. Rashi therefore tells us that he got up from his bed. He went to sleep that night.
At first glance this seems very difficult. How could he have gone to sleep? The Egyptians have suffered through 9 plagues, there country has basically been destroyed, and Pharaoh finds out that the last plague was going to occur that night. Pharaoh wasn’t nervous? He himself was a Bechor! Imagine someone tells you that an earthquake is going to hit tonight. Would be able to sleep that night? Would you be comfortable? How could Pharaoh deny the reality that was staring him in the face?
We find a similar idea in the end of last weeks Parsha by Makas Barad. The Torah tells us that the ones that feared Hashem brought their cattle and slaves in from the fields, but the ones that didn’t fear the words of Hashem left their property outside. How could the Egyptians have been so blind? How could they have totally disregarded the warning they have received?
The Steipler ,in his sefer on Chumash, answers that sometimes a person can know the truth but he doesn’t internalize the truth. A person’ heart sometimes doesn’t allow him to act on his knowledge. If a person doesn’t want to believe, it doesn’t matter how many proofs he has, his heart will win out over his mind.
Psychologists call this cognitive dissonance. When there is a disconnect between the heart and the mind. A person can know the truth but his heart will win out his mind and will prevent him from acting on that knowledge. It’s not enough for a person to hear the truth. He has to be listening to the truth. Sometimes a parent gets angry at a child and they scold the child, criticize the child, and the child is just sitting there with no reaction. The parent will turn to the child and say, “Do you hear me?!” The parent is not asking the child if they literally hear. What the parent is asking is whether the child is listening. Is it registering on you or just going in one ear and out the other? A person has to be able to open his mind and his heart and be ready to internalize what is going on around him.
Growth in Torah is no different. If a person has an open heart, an open mind, if he is willing to listen, if he is looking for new opportunities to grow, than he'll grow no matter where life takes him. Whether it be the work place or school, if we are willing to grow the opportunities will always be there.
(completely from his Rebbe, Rav Koenigsberg)- As transcribed by my roommate YP
What is Rashi adding? Of course he got up from his bed! Where else?
Rav Yaakov Galinsky, a Mashgiach from Bnei Brak, says that maybe Rashi was telling us something about Pharaoh's attitude. The simple meaning of the Pasuk could have meant that he got up from his throne and he went to look for Moshe and Aharon to beg for mercy. Rashi therefore tells us that he got up from his bed. He went to sleep that night.
At first glance this seems very difficult. How could he have gone to sleep? The Egyptians have suffered through 9 plagues, there country has basically been destroyed, and Pharaoh finds out that the last plague was going to occur that night. Pharaoh wasn’t nervous? He himself was a Bechor! Imagine someone tells you that an earthquake is going to hit tonight. Would be able to sleep that night? Would you be comfortable? How could Pharaoh deny the reality that was staring him in the face?
We find a similar idea in the end of last weeks Parsha by Makas Barad. The Torah tells us that the ones that feared Hashem brought their cattle and slaves in from the fields, but the ones that didn’t fear the words of Hashem left their property outside. How could the Egyptians have been so blind? How could they have totally disregarded the warning they have received?
The Steipler ,in his sefer on Chumash, answers that sometimes a person can know the truth but he doesn’t internalize the truth. A person’ heart sometimes doesn’t allow him to act on his knowledge. If a person doesn’t want to believe, it doesn’t matter how many proofs he has, his heart will win out over his mind.
Psychologists call this cognitive dissonance. When there is a disconnect between the heart and the mind. A person can know the truth but his heart will win out his mind and will prevent him from acting on that knowledge. It’s not enough for a person to hear the truth. He has to be listening to the truth. Sometimes a parent gets angry at a child and they scold the child, criticize the child, and the child is just sitting there with no reaction. The parent will turn to the child and say, “Do you hear me?!” The parent is not asking the child if they literally hear. What the parent is asking is whether the child is listening. Is it registering on you or just going in one ear and out the other? A person has to be able to open his mind and his heart and be ready to internalize what is going on around him.
Growth in Torah is no different. If a person has an open heart, an open mind, if he is willing to listen, if he is looking for new opportunities to grow, than he'll grow no matter where life takes him. Whether it be the work place or school, if we are willing to grow the opportunities will always be there.
(completely from his Rebbe, Rav Koenigsberg)- As transcribed by my roommate YP
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Shabbos V'eira- 2
We know that every single word of the Torah has inherent holiness and each and every letter is accounted for and has special significance. It is a wonder then why there is a pasuk in this weeks Parsha that is seemingly chock full of superfluous words!
And Hashem said to Moshe, "stretch out your hand towards the heavens, and let there be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon the people and upon the animals and upon all of the vegetation of the field in the land of Egypt."(9:22)
The obvious question is that if hail was falling "in all the land of Egypt" why does the pasuk need to delineate the exact places where it fell? If it fell in all the land then obviously it fell in all these places?!
Answers the Brisker Rav that the pasuk is teaching us that the hail did NOT fall indiscriminately but rather only where there were people or livestock. True that it fell throughout the land but the pasuk wants to emphasize that this was no generic hailstorm but rather a storm that was being directly guided by the Divine Hand as well.
Nothing happens by chance, even the raindrops of a storm are directed by Hakadosh Baruch Hu!
And Hashem said to Moshe, "stretch out your hand towards the heavens, and let there be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon the people and upon the animals and upon all of the vegetation of the field in the land of Egypt."(9:22)
The obvious question is that if hail was falling "in all the land of Egypt" why does the pasuk need to delineate the exact places where it fell? If it fell in all the land then obviously it fell in all these places?!
Answers the Brisker Rav that the pasuk is teaching us that the hail did NOT fall indiscriminately but rather only where there were people or livestock. True that it fell throughout the land but the pasuk wants to emphasize that this was no generic hailstorm but rather a storm that was being directly guided by the Divine Hand as well.
Nothing happens by chance, even the raindrops of a storm are directed by Hakadosh Baruch Hu!
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