Parashas Ha'azinu - Cracked Pot

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Yeshua: Gittel Sora Yirtza Bas Rochel Leah
May you have healthy children and imy'H an easy pregnancy!
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We are currently in the days of Aseres Yemei Teshuva - the period between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. It is the week where Hashem finalizes the outcome of our year based on our actions. The next several days should be taken very seriously, with contemplation of each action. It is a time to do more teshuva, tefilla, and tzedaka than usual.

This Shabbos is Shabbos Shuva, where we will be reading Parashas Ha'azinu. It poetically describes what will happen to Bnei Yisroel until the end of days. In the beginning, Moshe summoned the Heavens and the Earth to witness that he warned Bnei Yisroel to keep the Torah.

Moshe says, "When I pronounce Hashem's Name, give greatness to our G-d. The Almighty's works are flawless, for all His ways are just. A G-d of faithfulness without injustice, He is righteous and upright." Rashi comments: Even though He is strong; when he brings punishment on those who go against His will, He acts justly, for His works are complete (flawless.)

This reminded me of a time when a friend called me from America complaining how 'unfair' Hashem was. How Hashem gave him this extremely hard nisayon which he can not seem to overcome and that Hashem is just 'unfair!'

It sounded like he was saying that Hashem had made a mistake (chas vShalom); that Hashem put him in a situation which He should not have put him in because of his lack of self-control, self-assertiveness, and self-esteem.

He was upset because he was 'placed' into a family that didn't pay much attention to him. His father was never home and he was always getting pushed around by his older brothers. Now, he feels like Hashem isn't helping him out with his struggles and any direction he goes, he feels like he will stumble. "I have every reason to be upset at Him," he said to me.

Hashem does not makes mistakes. Everything happens for a reason. It is very hard to grasp at times (especially when we are dealing with something frustrating,) but we just need to believe that what happens is for our own good and it did not happen by accident. Instead of trying to rationalize the reason you act a certain way, just try to mend your ways. What happened, happened. Now it's time to look to the future and see how you can make things work with your specific situation.

I have a short slide show which is very inspiring. I think everyone should see it. I uploaded it onto my site (which is only used for downloading files; which is why you won't see any web-sites. I am waiting for this domain name to expire so that I can get a new one.)

The site address is: http://www.rabbinisso.com/cracked-pot.pps

Don't get the wrong idea - it's not saying you shouldn't fix your 'cracks', and should just live with them. On the contrary, the first thing someone should do is try to fix their cracks, but sometimes things aren't repairable, in which case we need to concentrate on the positive.

I give us all a beracha: we should realize that the hardships in our lives don't happen by accident and that there is One above running our world to our benefit. We might not recognize these as benefits yet, but after 120 years, it will be crystal clear.

Gmar Chassima Tova,
Nisso

Parashas Nitzavim & Vayelech - Vivid memories...

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Refua Shelema: Leah Ayala Bas Yehudis
May you and your family have health, happiness, peace and success!
(If you would like to sponsor a Dvar Torah, feel free to email me: SharingTorah@gmail.com)
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This week is a double parasha (Nitzavim and Vayelech). Two short parashas, however, combined together makes it long. Actually, (food for thought) a person might feel a little scared/worried to take upon themselves a goal because it might be too big and impossible to complete. That is just our mind playing tricks. For example: Someone can look at a masechta of Gemara and think it's out of his league - too big for him to finish. However, if you break it into smaller parts, something that was once intimidating isn't anymore.

Another example is when someone is stressed out because he/she is so overwhelmed with work, studies, family etc... A lot of people think they have BIG issues, but if they categorize them and list their issues, they will be surprised to see it's not such a big issue after all. It just seems big because it's not organized into different segments. We see the same tactics apply - breaking something into smaller parts. You can look at cleaning the WHOLE house, or cleaning one room after the other.

Now back to this week's parasha - but before I begin, I just want to let you in on a personal story.

My wife and I bought a 'One-Year Pass' to the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo (in Bayit Vegan.) We had a lot of fun, sadly though, it just expired a couple weeks ago. Before buying it, we were trying to weigh out the advantages and disadvantages of buying it. The only disadvantage we could think of was that the bus ride was an hour and thirty minute away from our apartment. Going with two kids for an hour and a half each way was no walk in the park. It required a lot of patience and nosh. (Using the tactic above, we looked at it as if we were only taking the kids on one bus at a time. Incidentally, when we approached the second bus stop, we had just missed the bus, and had to wait an hour for the next one. Can you imagine? But we had a great time and the kids were well behaved, baruch Hashem. Always bring animal crackers to the zoo, hehe.)

The biggest advantage we took in account which lead us to buy the pass was: being able to give our kids a fun learning experience. We thought it would be easier for them to learn their animals. As a matter a fact, it worked very nicely. We went a bunch of times throughout the year and with every visit, it was more educational.

In this week's Parasha (if you're still reading, thanks for hanging in there,) there's the mitzvah of Hakhel. It's a national assembly event every seven years, where you hear the king read the Torah. The posuk says, "Assemble the nation - the men, women, children, and the convert of your towns. In order for them to hear and learn to fear Hashem, your G-d, and they will make sure to fulfill all the words of the Torah." Rashi asks, I understand the men would come to learn and the women would come to hear, but why the children? He answers, "To bring merit to those (the parents) who brought them."

Another answer is because a child will gain much more from the experience of traveling up to Yerushalayim, holding his parents' hand, going to hear the king read from the Torah. It's exciting for a child and when you bring them and they see what's going on with their own eyes, as opposed to hearing about it, the child remembers it more. It's more vivid to him/her.

That's the reason why my wife and I bought the yearly passes to the zoo. The experience of being there and seeing as opposed to hearing can have a great impact on our children. My daughter knows her animals very well, bli ayin hara. Now when we show her a book with animals in it, she's able to tell us what type of animal they are.

Make sure to make our kids' learning experiences 'hands on' in order for it to be memorable for them. This also applies to us grown-ups as well. When there's a practical application to something we've learned, it stays with us longer.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso

P.S. Thanks for reading!

Parashas Ki Savo - Strengthening the observance of Torah

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Yeshua: Moshe Efraim ben Bracha
May Hashem grant you Yeshua, Bracha, Hatzlacha, Parnassa, and Briut.
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In Parashas Ki Savo, we read something which we are already familiar with (from past parashiyos) yet, the Torah still felt it necessary to mention again. As a matter of fact, the remaining parashiyos of Sefer Devarim refers to it: strengthening the observance of Torah.

In the third aliya (which only has four pesukim) says, "This day, Hashem commands you to perform these chukim, mitzvos and mishpatim; And you shall observe and perform them wholeheartedly and with your whole being. Hashem has distinguished you today to be for Him - a treasured people - as He said to you, and to guard all His mitzvos..."

Generally, when something is repeated, it's usually something important. You can't tell your kids enough times to "be careful not to get hurt." A famous example is when a parent tells their kid(s), "Please, if you are going to borrow the car, be careful not to get into an accident." I think it's a very funny statement; almost as if the teenager wants to get into an accident? I don't think they need such a reminder. (Then again, I don't have any teenagers yet, nor do I own a car.)

Another example: I was once putting schach on my sukkah, (standing on a ledge on the third floor) when my wife told me, "Be careful not to fall. --I know I don't have to tell you, but I just feel like I need to say it." I thought about her words, and it was pretty funny because everyone has the habit of telling others to be careful. "Do I really want to fall? She seriously didn't have to mention anything about being careful. Falling wasn't on my list of things to do," I thought. But when someone is so special to you, you make sure to 'remind' them even though they totally don't need the reminding.

In this case, Hashem, our Father, loves us very much because we are His treasured children. This constant 'reminder' of 'being careful' is solely for our sake. By performing these mitzvos, we will be zocheh to all the berachos which are stated in the Torah. They are not, however, the ultimate reward for fulfilling the Torah, nor are the curses the ultimate punishment for its violation.

In the seventh aliyah, Moshe re-emphasizes all the miracles Hashem performed for Bnei Yisroel (in Egypt and in the midbar) to motivate them to keep the Torah. He reminded them about the great signs and wonders Hashem did; for forty years their clothing and shoes did not wear out, etc... The Ramban learns this as a warning, "After forty years of teachings, you should be able to understand that your success lies in the keeping the Torah and mitzvos."

What Moshe Rabbeinu did (when re-emphasizing the goodness Hashem performed for us in order to motivate us to keep His Torah) can be used for other things as well, such as Teshuva. I just heard a shuir by Rav Akiva Tatz saying, "Before a person thinks he's going to sin, he should picture a scenario which will frighten him and which will get him to think that maybe it's not such a good idea to do this aveira. Example: Picture a dog in front of you and if you sin, it will bite you." It's basically a mechanism which will 'remind' you not to sin and what could happen if you do.

By keeping Torah and refraining from sin, we should be zocheh to do complete teshuva, so that Hashem will inscribe and seal us in the good books and grant us all the berachos mentioned in the Torah.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso

Parashas Ki Teitzei - A second chance available if need be.

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Aliya Neshama: Mindel Adina bas Rav Nosson Zvi
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In the very end of this week's parasha, there's a section we read twice a year. The first time is this week - Parashas Ki Teitzei, and the second time is the shabbos before Purim, Shabbos Zachor.

The Hebrew word for zachor means remembrance. The Torah says to remember what Amalek did to us on our way out of Egypt (immediately after the miracle of the splitting of the sea.) Nations everywhere were impressed by the Ten Plagues and the splitting of the sea. They were all scared to attack Bnei Yisroel, because "Hashem was on their (the Jews) side."

The Torah instructs us to keep the mitvah of remembering Amalek. Why Amalek as opposed to other nations? The answer is: it was davka the time after Hashem showed the whole world His strength and His love for the Jews - Amalek decided to attack.

Anyone who witnessed this miracle of Yam Suf would never have thought to fight with Bnei Yisroel because of the protection they had. Amalek, however, due to their atheist beliefs, did not see it as Hashem helping the Jews rather - they got lucky.

Rashi says, "They (Amalek) cooled you (Bnei Yisroel) off from your boiling heat (from being on fire.) For all the nations were afraid of waging war against you, until they commenced, preparing the way for others." All of the nations were afraid of the Jews - afraid of Hashem - until Amalek showed the world there was nothing to be afraid of (chas v'Shalom) and initiated the attacks. Therefore, we have a special mitzvah to remember what Amalek did.

This week, I heard unfortunate news that my friends (two brothers) were sitting shiva for the loss of their sister. [This dvar Torah is being written in zchus for her neshama (Mindel Adina bas Rav Nosson Zvi) to have an aliya.] It reminded me of a shuir I once heard. The rabbi explained why a person mourning for his parents sits for only one year and then the mourning period ends. The Gemara [1] says a person doesn't have a strong connection to the deceased in his heart after twelve months; "Ein Hameis Mishtakeach Min HaLev Ela Shnaim Aser Chodesh." (Obviously, the family member doesn't forget about the deceased, it's just the intense emotions wane.) There's another Gemara [2] that says, "Don't cry for a meis too much because Hashem asks, 'Who are you to mourn more than Me?'"

As I was listening to the shuir, I asked myself, "What's one to do by the parasha of remembering Amalek during a leap year? If it takes twelve months for something to be 'forgotten' (according to the lashon in the gemara) then how is it we can go thirteen months without 'remembering Amalek'?"

Then I remembered reading in halacha: On shabbos zachor, while hearing the parasha of Amalek, a person must have in mind the mitzvas assei to remember what Amalek did to us; however, if it happens to be that we weren't able to hear it then, we can make it up on Parashas Ki Teitzei. So the answer to my question was simple; we aren't going thirteen months without remembering Amalek, because we read it at least once more during the year. [As a side point - we also mention Amalek in Sefer Shemos, when they attacked us after the splitting of Yam Suf.] I later found out that the Chasam Sofer [3] said the same vort (Baruch sh'kavanti.)

We have a second chance to gain the mitzvas assei to 'Remember what Amalek did to us,' so don't lose out on this special opportunity.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso

[1] Berachos 58b7b
[2] Moed Katan 27b
[3] Piskei Teshuvos Siman 785:8 beshem Chasam Sofer

Parashas Shoftim - Now's the time to acquire Torah!

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Aliya Neshama: Shafika Bat Chasiba
(If you would like to sponsor a Dvar Torah, feel free to email me: SharingTorah@gmail.com)
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There are special mitzvos for:

• Kohanim; working in the Beis Hamikdash, blessing Am Yisroel, who they are permitted and forbidden to marry...
• Avelilim; tearing one's garment and reciting a beracha upon hearing the news of a close relative's death, preparing for the dead body's burial, reciting kaddish, etc...
• Shochtim; not to slaughter an animal and it's offspring on the same day, cover the blood with earth, etc...
• Nazirim; they can not cut their hair, drink wine, eat fresh grapes, or come into contact with a dead corpse, etc...

There are also special mitzvos for Sanhedrin (beis din), Levi'im, Women, Men, a person stricken with leprosy, and the list goes on and on.

In Parashas Shoftim, the Torah gives us several halachos/mitzvos for a King; he must have a separate Sefer Torah for himself, he must not have too many wives, too many horses, or too much gold and silver.

The reasoning behind these halachas are:

• Kings shouldn't have too much gold or silver, because Hashem doesn't want kings to gratify their lust for money.[1]
• Kings shouldn't have too many horses because: a) it guards them against arrogance, which leads to turning away from Hashem [2]; b) most horses were bred in Egypt and Hashem didn't want anyone going to Egypt for horses in case they decided to settle there.[3]
• Kings shouldn't have too many wives, "lest his heart be turned away." Hashem didn't want a king to indulge in physical pleasures. Rashi mentions that a King shouldn't have more than eighteen wives. (I can't imagine having more than one!)
• Lastly, a King must have a separate Sefer Torah; he was obligated to have a second Sefer Torah written as well, which the Torah commands him to have with him at all times. One Sefer Torah was always traveling with him [in order that he learn wherever he was,] and the other was placed in his treasury.

It is also a mitzvah for every Jew to write a Sefer Torah for himself. Unfortunately, some of us don't have the means of purchasing one. There are ways to get across that though; for example, this year, I was zocheh of write my own Sefer Torah -- a friend donated one to Yeshiva and gave a lot of the guys a chance to write a letter in it. Partaking in writing even a single letter in a Sefer Torah automatically generates for the person a mitzvah as if he wrote a Sefer Torah. Sounds crazy right? Since each letter is essential to make a Sefer Torah kosher, had there been one letter missing, the whole Torah is deemed posul. By you writing that one letter, it's as if you completed the whole Torah.

We just began the month of Elul. It's a month where people are especially careful to repent and learn as much Torah as possible. Hashem gave us His wonderful Torah for us to learn, and it would be a shame to let it sit and 'collect dust.' If a person wasn't able to acquire himself a Sefer Torah by writing one, the least he can do is acquire it by learning it and knowing it well. Let's say a person lent you a Ferrari and said you can use it whenever you wanted, would you take it out for a drive or let it sit in your garage? Obviously you would jump at the opportunity and give it a hundred 'test drives.' You might even go to a Ferrari dealership and buy yourself one of those 'cool' Ferrari jackets.

The Torah is worth much more than a Ferrari - it's priceless. This Elul, let's make it the best Elul we've ever had and take advantage of the precious gift Hashem has given us. Let's try to acquire every word and every letter Hashem has written in the Torah. Now is our chance to own the whole Sefer Torah and fulfill the mitzvah Hashem has commanded us.

May we all be written in the book of life, health, parnassa, and happiness.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and a month of full repentance,
Nisso

[1] Chinuch תקטו
[2] Chinuch תרגו"י
[3] Rashi and Ramban

Parashas Re'ay - We are responsible for our actions

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Aliya Neshama: Shafika Bas Chasiba
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For the last two motzei shabbosim, I have been up from 1-5 am Saturday nights - for two different reasons. The first time was because I napped too long over shabbos (I personally don't think one hour is long, I guess my body does) and the second time was because I ate too much for seuda shlishit - I was nauseous half the night because of it.

Both weeks weren't the first time it's happened to me. I've experienced the situation before. I always tell myself the same thing, "I am not going to nap so long" or "I am not going to eat too much." The problem is, b'sha'as maaisa, the rationalization I make to myself seems very valid. As a matter of fact, at the time they sound like excellent claims. :-)

In this week's Parasha (Re'ay), Moshe explains to Bnei Yisroel that they have the ability to bring good or harm to themselves. Blessings or curses - life or death. It's all dependent on whether they choose to do a mitzvah or a sin.

Hashem gives us free will - freedom to choose our actions, on our own account - but the choices can be beneficial or detrimental. Sometimes, it's not easy to choose, but it's a decision we've got to make in life. Sometimes, it can seem detrimental now, but later on in life, it can turn out to be to our advantage. (It's always advisable to speak to a well-learned person for the harder choices.)

I saw a connection between my story and this section in Parashas Re'ay. Hashem gives us the choices we can choose from, and it's up to us to choose the correct path - whether it is a choice between a mitzvah and a sin, or just a decision in life.

There are times a person needs to have self-control. Sometimes we feel desensitized as to how much we've eaten. We need to eat (or sleep) enough, but not to the point where we are indulging. Actually, someone recently told me that their Rabbi (from AISH) always told them that eating chocolate can be a sin. Sounds extreme, right? He explains, "Chocolate has no contribution of nutrition to your body. It's something a person doesn't really need. Therefore when a person eats chocolate, he is just feeding his taivas. That falls under the category of Naval b'Reshus HaTorah (over-indulging in things that are permitted for you.)

May we learn from this Parasha that the choices we make aren't specifically for mitzvahs or aveiras. The actions for our choices can also be by everyday life decisions. A way of a Jew is to always calculate his actions. Hashem should give us all a beracha that the calculations we make are the right ones.

Have a good Shabbos,
Nisso

Parashas Eikev - *FULL* Credit for half the job!

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Refua Shelema: Leah Ayala Bas Yehudis
May you have health, happiness, and success!
(If you would like to sponsor a Dvar Torah, feel free to email me: SharingTorah@gmail.com)
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Have you ever started to do a mitzvah, but quit (purposely) in the middle before completion? For example: Telling someone you will learn for their deceased family member, learning the first two perakim and then putting it aside, uncompleted? Or only paying your employees half the money you owe them (on time) and paying the rest later?

Some people think to themselves, "Well, at least I got some merit for doing it (half the job, half the merit, right?)" However, it doesn't seem like that in this week's parasha. We see a lesson which is important for us to incorporate into our daily lives.

The posuk says, "The entire mitzvah that I am commanding you today, you are to guard so as to fulfill; in order that you live and multiply and arrive to inherit the land that Hashem swore to your forefathers." Rashi says that if you begin to fulfill a mitzvah, make sure to complete it, because a mitzvah is only credited to the one who completes it.

An example Rashi brought in was that Moshe said he would take the bones of Yosef to bury in Eretz Yisroel. Moshe, however, died before entering Eretz Yisroel, where Bnei Yisroel completed the burial of Yosef's bones. The mitzvah was credited to Bnei Yisroel, not Moshe (even though, he too was involved).

The Gur Aryeh says, "Starting to do a mitzvah when someone else finishes it for you isn't considered your mitzvah. It's no different than building a house and stopping in the middle." It's not yet called a house until it's complete! If you didn't finish building the roof of that house, you didn't build the house. You can't say you did.

Don't take this the wrong way. I am sure there is schar (merit) one gets for helping out in doing a mitzvah. We just don't know how big or small of a schar Hashem chooses to give us. It seems that Rashi is just pointing out that the credit goes to the completer.

Have no fear because sometimes a person starts to do a mitzvah, but against his will isn't able to complete it. If that is that the case, then one still gets tremendous schar for it. I apologize but I don't remember the source (I think it's either Masechta Brachos, or Pirkei Avos) but I did confirm with the Rav of my neighborhood. He said a person gets a lot of schar at the very least, if not all of it - as if he actually did that mitzvah.

May we all complete the mitzvos we start; whether starting a new masechta or agreeing to pay a debt on time.

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nissim