A couple weeks ago, I was waiting on line outside the Tachana Hamerkazit (Central Bus Station) in Yerushalayim. The line was huge! People were literally standing down the block to get in. The reason for this time-consuming event is because the Security personnel were checking people thoroughly. The guy next to me was shouting at Security asking, “Why are you checking that guy?! Can't you see he's a religious bachur? You're wasting our time and there are loads of people waiting to get in!” Surprisingly enough, that bachur replied back, “Listen, they are doing their job. So what, it will take a couple more minutes – at least we are safe.”
In this week's parasha, Hashem commanded: “You shall not desecrate My Holy Name; And I shall be sanctified in the midst of Bnei Yisroel.” [22:32]
There are different levels of desecrating Hashem's name and different levels of sanctifying it. In the above story, both commandments mentioned in the posuk took place. The guy who yelled at Security made a chillul Hashem while the bachur sanctified it.
Sanctifying Hashem's name is not hard to do. We don't have to go out of our way to do it. For example: Before getting off a bus, it's a kiddush Hashem to say, 'Thank you and have a wonderful day'. It doesn't take much effort. If I am standing at the back of the bus, I make an effort to get off the front just so that I can thank the bus driver. (Of course, there are times where I can't; for example if the bus is packed.) Sometimes we tell ourselves that it won't really make a difference; however, it does!
Unfortunately, the same goes for making a Chillul Hashem. It's very easy to desecrate Hashem's Name, which is why we must be extra careful not to do anything which might lead to that. For example: Sometimes we don't notice that speaking on the phone after a certain time (at night) can disturb other people's sleep.
I give us a bracha to continuously sanctify Hashem's Name and to always make Him proud of us.
Have a wonderful shabbos,
Nisso
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Parashas Acharei Mos & Kedoshim - Taking Revenge
I know someone who was having problems with his friend. Yehudah* felt it was time to end the friendship; however, David* on the other hand did not feel the same way.
David felt there had been some type of miscommunication and the reason for the friendship to end was not valid. Yehudah begged to differ and ended it anyway. From that day on, David decided that he was going to make Yehudah's life miserable. He started to spread loshon hara about him, cursed him whenever he was around, and even vandalized his property.
Yehudah raged with anger and wanted to take revenge, but he was advised not to by his Rebbe. “This is ridiculously unfair! David is getting away with doing all this stuff while I sit here passively. If only taking revenge wasn't an issur in the Torah!” Yehudah thought.
After a few weeks of David's childish games the 'war' ended. David decided it wasn't worth going through all this trouble because it wasn't bothering Yehudah anymore.
The best part about this story is that Yehudah never even retaliated one time.
Put yourself in that situation. What happened that Yehudah took his Rebbe's advice so seriously?
Perhaps the answer can be found in this week's parasha: It says in Parashas Kedoshim, “Don't take revenge or bear a grudge on another Jew; and love your friend like you love yourself, for I am Hashem.” [1]
“For I am Hashem,” is said many times in the Torah and Rashi explains what it means a couple of times. Rashi doesn't explain it here, however, he does mention it in Parashas Acharei Mos (which also happens to be this week's parasha.)
“You should keep My laws and live by them, For I am Hashem.” Rashi explains: I am trustworthy to pay back merits. [2]
Yehudah reasoned that there's no way he can lose out by doing the will of Hashem. Sure, someone is trying to ruin his life and his property, never-the-less, Hashem commanded us not to take revenge and so he didn't. It wasn't Yehudah's decision to punish his friend, rather it was Hashem's. The same way Hashem is trustworthy to 'pay back merit' (to reward), He is also trustworthy to pay back with punishment.
May we be zocheh to have no enemies and have self-control over our actions.
Have a wonderful shabbos,
Nisso
[1] 19:18
[2] 18:5
* Names changed to protect real identity
David felt there had been some type of miscommunication and the reason for the friendship to end was not valid. Yehudah begged to differ and ended it anyway. From that day on, David decided that he was going to make Yehudah's life miserable. He started to spread loshon hara about him, cursed him whenever he was around, and even vandalized his property.
Yehudah raged with anger and wanted to take revenge, but he was advised not to by his Rebbe. “This is ridiculously unfair! David is getting away with doing all this stuff while I sit here passively. If only taking revenge wasn't an issur in the Torah!” Yehudah thought.
After a few weeks of David's childish games the 'war' ended. David decided it wasn't worth going through all this trouble because it wasn't bothering Yehudah anymore.
The best part about this story is that Yehudah never even retaliated one time.
Put yourself in that situation. What happened that Yehudah took his Rebbe's advice so seriously?
Perhaps the answer can be found in this week's parasha: It says in Parashas Kedoshim, “Don't take revenge or bear a grudge on another Jew; and love your friend like you love yourself, for I am Hashem.” [1]
“For I am Hashem,” is said many times in the Torah and Rashi explains what it means a couple of times. Rashi doesn't explain it here, however, he does mention it in Parashas Acharei Mos (which also happens to be this week's parasha.)
“You should keep My laws and live by them, For I am Hashem.” Rashi explains: I am trustworthy to pay back merits. [2]
Yehudah reasoned that there's no way he can lose out by doing the will of Hashem. Sure, someone is trying to ruin his life and his property, never-the-less, Hashem commanded us not to take revenge and so he didn't. It wasn't Yehudah's decision to punish his friend, rather it was Hashem's. The same way Hashem is trustworthy to 'pay back merit' (to reward), He is also trustworthy to pay back with punishment.
May we be zocheh to have no enemies and have self-control over our actions.
Have a wonderful shabbos,
Nisso
[1] 19:18
[2] 18:5
* Names changed to protect real identity
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Parashas Tazria - Metzora - Humility
I had a chavrousa who used to always get himself out of a jam. His 'thing' was to talk his way out of a problematic situation. He was once asked to study a topic and when the Rabbi came to orally pop-quiz him, he always knew what to say and when to say it.
I asked him after the surprise quiz how on earth he was able to answer the Rabbi when he had no idea of what he was talking about. He told me he had a gift of getting around the actual answers. He told me he didn't need to study. Honestly, I am still not sure what he is talking about, but hey, it worked for him.
Sometimes when people don't know what to say, they either make it up (like my friend does) or they have the humility to say, “I don't know.”
This week's parasha talks about Tzaraas. Most people who know me would guess I'd be writing about guarding your tongue - one cause for leprosy (sorry guys, maybe next year.) This year, however, I want to talk about something else.
The Torah puts the kohanim in charge of declaring who stays pure and who doesn't based on the coloration they have on their skins. “If it is a snow-white spot in the skin of the flesh and it does not appear deeper than the skin and the hair did not turn white, the Kohen shall confine the plague for seven days.”
Rashi, the most popular commentary on Chumash, admitted that he did not know the interpretation of the posuk when talking about “And it does not appear deeper than the skin.”
I was interested in this Rashi, because he doesn't comment on every single word in the Torah. There are many psukim he skips. In this posuk, however, he didn't have to say “I don't know the interpretation,” he could have just skipped it.
It shows that Rashi didn't care of what other people thought about him. He wasn't afraid to tell people he was unsure of something instead of making up the closest definition he could think of.
When I read this Rashi, in addition to asking myself the above questions, it also reminded me of that story that happened with my friend.
May we come to do the avodas Hashem with honesty and humility.
Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso
I asked him after the surprise quiz how on earth he was able to answer the Rabbi when he had no idea of what he was talking about. He told me he had a gift of getting around the actual answers. He told me he didn't need to study. Honestly, I am still not sure what he is talking about, but hey, it worked for him.
Sometimes when people don't know what to say, they either make it up (like my friend does) or they have the humility to say, “I don't know.”
This week's parasha talks about Tzaraas. Most people who know me would guess I'd be writing about guarding your tongue - one cause for leprosy (sorry guys, maybe next year.) This year, however, I want to talk about something else.
The Torah puts the kohanim in charge of declaring who stays pure and who doesn't based on the coloration they have on their skins. “If it is a snow-white spot in the skin of the flesh and it does not appear deeper than the skin and the hair did not turn white, the Kohen shall confine the plague for seven days.”
Rashi, the most popular commentary on Chumash, admitted that he did not know the interpretation of the posuk when talking about “And it does not appear deeper than the skin.”
I was interested in this Rashi, because he doesn't comment on every single word in the Torah. There are many psukim he skips. In this posuk, however, he didn't have to say “I don't know the interpretation,” he could have just skipped it.
It shows that Rashi didn't care of what other people thought about him. He wasn't afraid to tell people he was unsure of something instead of making up the closest definition he could think of.
When I read this Rashi, in addition to asking myself the above questions, it also reminded me of that story that happened with my friend.
May we come to do the avodas Hashem with honesty and humility.
Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso
Friday, April 2, 2010
Parashas Shemini & Sfiras Ha'omer - Working on our middos
Someone quoted me a line from a movie they saw: “If today was your last day on earth and you asked yourself whether you would be happy with what you have accomplished in your life – If the answer is 'no', then you better start doing something.”
I thought the quote was powerful because sometimes a person “plays” around so much in his/her lifetime, it's scary to think about what they will tell Hashem in the Heavenly court.
At first, it says in this week's parasha, “And Aharon lifted up his hands to the nation and blessed them.” However, the very next posuk then says, “Moshe and Aharon went to the Ohel Moed and then they came out and blessed the nation...”[1]
If Aharon had just blessed Bnei Yisroel, then why did the next posuk say that Moshe and Aharon then blessed them again? What was wrong with Aharon's first bracha?
Rashi explains that since Aharon saw the korbonos were brought and serviced but Hashem's Sh'china didn't rest upon Bnei Yisroel, he must have done something wrong to anger Him. Aharon felt troubled and thought to himself, “I am sure that Hashem is upset with me and this is the reason why His Sh'china didn't come down!” He quickly asked Moshe to daven with him for mercy and then the Sh'china came down.
Aharon saw there was something wrong and quickly did chesbon ha'nefesh. He asked himself, “Hashem didn't bring down His Sh'china; what did I do wrong?” He quickly repented.
We have just entered the days of Sfiras Haomer. Have you ever wondered what the words under each number were, ie: chesed sh'bichesed, gvura sh'bichesed, tiferet sh'bichesed, netzach sh'bichesed, etc..?
There's a machlokes whether counting sfiras haomer (while there isn't a Beis Hamikdash) is d'orai'sa or d'rabanan. However, everyone agrees that a person is obligated to work on his characteristics during these days.
The days of Sfiras Ha'omer are preparation for our acceptance of the Torah on Shavuos. Under each number, there's another thing to work on for that day. For example, over shabbos (tonight will be the fourth night) one should be working on netzach sh'b'chesed. I have a book called “u'sifartem lachem,” which goes through each avoda for that day. It's broken up into two sections: working on the relationships between you and Hashem, and between you and friends.
One thing the sefer says in today's portion is: Between you and Hashem: “Have in mind that Hashem is forever and does tremendous amounts of chesed for us all the time. By doing this, we will come to love Hashem with all our hearts.” Between you and friends: “Any chesed you do for someone else, try doing it again some other time in order for you to get used to doing it, and it will lead you to doing it forever. Or, if you seem to be lending a friend money more than once, maybe try finding him a job by you or something similar, because this is a chesed which is long term (hopefully forever.)
May we quickly mend our bad characteristics and have our good characteristics continue throughout our long lives.
Good Shabbos and Chag Kasher vSameach,
Nisso
[1] 9:22-23
I thought the quote was powerful because sometimes a person “plays” around so much in his/her lifetime, it's scary to think about what they will tell Hashem in the Heavenly court.
At first, it says in this week's parasha, “And Aharon lifted up his hands to the nation and blessed them.” However, the very next posuk then says, “Moshe and Aharon went to the Ohel Moed and then they came out and blessed the nation...”[1]
If Aharon had just blessed Bnei Yisroel, then why did the next posuk say that Moshe and Aharon then blessed them again? What was wrong with Aharon's first bracha?
Rashi explains that since Aharon saw the korbonos were brought and serviced but Hashem's Sh'china didn't rest upon Bnei Yisroel, he must have done something wrong to anger Him. Aharon felt troubled and thought to himself, “I am sure that Hashem is upset with me and this is the reason why His Sh'china didn't come down!” He quickly asked Moshe to daven with him for mercy and then the Sh'china came down.
Aharon saw there was something wrong and quickly did chesbon ha'nefesh. He asked himself, “Hashem didn't bring down His Sh'china; what did I do wrong?” He quickly repented.
We have just entered the days of Sfiras Haomer. Have you ever wondered what the words under each number were, ie: chesed sh'bichesed, gvura sh'bichesed, tiferet sh'bichesed, netzach sh'bichesed, etc..?
There's a machlokes whether counting sfiras haomer (while there isn't a Beis Hamikdash) is d'orai'sa or d'rabanan. However, everyone agrees that a person is obligated to work on his characteristics during these days.
The days of Sfiras Ha'omer are preparation for our acceptance of the Torah on Shavuos. Under each number, there's another thing to work on for that day. For example, over shabbos (tonight will be the fourth night) one should be working on netzach sh'b'chesed. I have a book called “u'sifartem lachem,” which goes through each avoda for that day. It's broken up into two sections: working on the relationships between you and Hashem, and between you and friends.
One thing the sefer says in today's portion is: Between you and Hashem: “Have in mind that Hashem is forever and does tremendous amounts of chesed for us all the time. By doing this, we will come to love Hashem with all our hearts.” Between you and friends: “Any chesed you do for someone else, try doing it again some other time in order for you to get used to doing it, and it will lead you to doing it forever. Or, if you seem to be lending a friend money more than once, maybe try finding him a job by you or something similar, because this is a chesed which is long term (hopefully forever.)
May we quickly mend our bad characteristics and have our good characteristics continue throughout our long lives.
Good Shabbos and Chag Kasher vSameach,
Nisso
[1] 9:22-23
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Pesach and Parashas Tzav - Praise the Lord !
Planes are wonderful things. They help you get where you want to go when it seems almost impossible. I'm not talking about getting from one part of the country to another, like traveling from New York to California. I am talking bigger than that; flying over seas!
In the past, people weren't able to go from America to Israel in their horses or bicycles, they needed to travel by boat. There was always that body of sea water stopping them from making that trip. With the convenience of a plane in our day and age, it doesn't get easier than that.
In Parashas Tzav the posuk says, “If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering...” [1] The Gemara says there are four situations which require one to bring a korban todah. I will mention two out of four: (a) a person who safely crossed a sea or an ocean and (b) a person who safely crossed a desert. [2]
A korbon todah has a special din where it must be eaten within one day and one night, where other korbonos have more time than that to be consumed. Sounds simple, but it isn't; a korbon todah is made up of a whole animal plus 36 loaves of matzohs and challas (after 4 have been given to the kohen who does the korbon service). I don't remember the last time I had to eat that much in twenty-four hours.
By necessity, the person bringing the korbon will be forced to make a large seudah to which he will invite his family and friends. At the meal, he will have an opportunity to explain the reason for this seudah, publicizing the greatness of Hashem and all He had done for him.
Walking through a body of ocean water is a much bigger miracle than crossing over it via an airplane. You want to talk about Hashem's greatness, here it is! Hashem performed the miracle of splitting the sea for the Jews to walk through while being pursued by the Egyptians. Once every Jew crossed the Yam Suf safely onto the sea shore, Hashem caused the oceans to cave in and swallow the Egyptians alive.
During the seder, a huge chunk of the Haggada is Maggid. It is the section where we tell over the greatness of Hashem and the wonderful miracles He performed for us while leaving Egypt. The word Maggid means to 'say over' as in to tell over the stories of yetzias mitzrayim. Included in the seder is Hallel- a praise to Hashem for saving us from Egyptian hands.
Now's our time to take the opportunity to explain the reason for this seudah, Pesach night.
May we all be zocheh to witness the miracle of the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash, bimheira b'yameinu.
Chag Kasher v'Sameach,
Nisso
[1] 7:11
[2] Brachos 54b
In the past, people weren't able to go from America to Israel in their horses or bicycles, they needed to travel by boat. There was always that body of sea water stopping them from making that trip. With the convenience of a plane in our day and age, it doesn't get easier than that.
In Parashas Tzav the posuk says, “If he shall offer it for a thanksgiving offering...” [1] The Gemara says there are four situations which require one to bring a korban todah. I will mention two out of four: (a) a person who safely crossed a sea or an ocean and (b) a person who safely crossed a desert. [2]
A korbon todah has a special din where it must be eaten within one day and one night, where other korbonos have more time than that to be consumed. Sounds simple, but it isn't; a korbon todah is made up of a whole animal plus 36 loaves of matzohs and challas (after 4 have been given to the kohen who does the korbon service). I don't remember the last time I had to eat that much in twenty-four hours.
By necessity, the person bringing the korbon will be forced to make a large seudah to which he will invite his family and friends. At the meal, he will have an opportunity to explain the reason for this seudah, publicizing the greatness of Hashem and all He had done for him.
Walking through a body of ocean water is a much bigger miracle than crossing over it via an airplane. You want to talk about Hashem's greatness, here it is! Hashem performed the miracle of splitting the sea for the Jews to walk through while being pursued by the Egyptians. Once every Jew crossed the Yam Suf safely onto the sea shore, Hashem caused the oceans to cave in and swallow the Egyptians alive.
During the seder, a huge chunk of the Haggada is Maggid. It is the section where we tell over the greatness of Hashem and the wonderful miracles He performed for us while leaving Egypt. The word Maggid means to 'say over' as in to tell over the stories of yetzias mitzrayim. Included in the seder is Hallel- a praise to Hashem for saving us from Egyptian hands.
Now's our time to take the opportunity to explain the reason for this seudah, Pesach night.
May we all be zocheh to witness the miracle of the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash, bimheira b'yameinu.
Chag Kasher v'Sameach,
Nisso
[1] 7:11
[2] Brachos 54b
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Parashas Vayikra - Don't emulate Robin Hood
L'Iluy Nishmas: R' Alter Yisrael ben Meir Lieber Keller a"h
[This week's dvar Torah is a short one (possibly next week as well) due to a lack of time with the preparations of Pesach cleaning and all...]
Everyone knew 'Robin Hood' as a very loyal person. The reason is because Robin Hood would bounce from one rich man to another to steal his money. What he did with the money is what made him the legend he was. He took from the rich and gave to the poor.
What Robin Hood did was nice and dandy, however, halachically, what he did was wrong. It is assur for us to emulate this idea.
How do I know that? I am not a posek! Besides being common sense, I know it because of the second posuk in this week's parasha. It says, “If man (adam) wants to donate a korban to Hashem... you shall bring them.”
Rashi asks, “Why did the posuk say 'adam'?” Sifsei Chochomim adds, “It could of used the word 'ish' which also means man.” Rashi answers, “Just like Adam HaRishon offered korbonos which weren't stolen (because everything belonged to him,) so too Bnei Yisroel should not donate stolen goods.
I don't think this specifically goes for donating to Hashem. I think this rule can also be applied to donating things to poor people as well (tzedaka).
To take this another step: In this week's parasha it tells us what one must do if he donates a dove; Throw away the stomach, because birds go from place to place eating things which belong to other people. Rashi quotes Vayikra Rabba [3:4] who says, “They feed off stolen food.”
So we see that if the stomach of a bird gets rejected from korbanos due to the act of eating stolen foods, even the more so - our korbonos would get rejected if they were entirely stolen.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and an easy time cleaning for Pesach – leaving no Chometz behind.
Nisso
[This week's dvar Torah is a short one (possibly next week as well) due to a lack of time with the preparations of Pesach cleaning and all...]
Everyone knew 'Robin Hood' as a very loyal person. The reason is because Robin Hood would bounce from one rich man to another to steal his money. What he did with the money is what made him the legend he was. He took from the rich and gave to the poor.
What Robin Hood did was nice and dandy, however, halachically, what he did was wrong. It is assur for us to emulate this idea.
How do I know that? I am not a posek! Besides being common sense, I know it because of the second posuk in this week's parasha. It says, “If man (adam) wants to donate a korban to Hashem... you shall bring them.”
Rashi asks, “Why did the posuk say 'adam'?” Sifsei Chochomim adds, “It could of used the word 'ish' which also means man.” Rashi answers, “Just like Adam HaRishon offered korbonos which weren't stolen (because everything belonged to him,) so too Bnei Yisroel should not donate stolen goods.
I don't think this specifically goes for donating to Hashem. I think this rule can also be applied to donating things to poor people as well (tzedaka).
To take this another step: In this week's parasha it tells us what one must do if he donates a dove; Throw away the stomach, because birds go from place to place eating things which belong to other people. Rashi quotes Vayikra Rabba [3:4] who says, “They feed off stolen food.”
So we see that if the stomach of a bird gets rejected from korbanos due to the act of eating stolen foods, even the more so - our korbonos would get rejected if they were entirely stolen.
Have a wonderful Shabbos and an easy time cleaning for Pesach – leaving no Chometz behind.
Nisso
Friday, March 12, 2010
Parashas VaYakhel/Pekudei - Let's not be a slow poke
I was on a packed bus (this happened more than once) and a younger guy offered his seat to an elderly man. “That guy's a Tzaddik, he really has respect for elders...,” one might think. Actually, everyone did - except the elderly man. The old man started yelling at the young guy, throwing out words as if it was a baseball, “Don't do me any favors! I am probably stronger than you are! Dumb young guy thinks I am too old to stand on a bus...” He was going at it for about five minutes.
Sometimes, I hesitate giving up my seat to old men just in case the situation might happen to me. I still offer the seat if I'm not too late though.
What do I mean by, “If I'm not too late?”
Have you ever been on a packed bus and wanted to offer your seat to an older man, however, by the time you offer it, someone else already did? It's happened to me on numerous occasions.
In this week's parasha (btw, it's a double parasha), we speak about the building of the Mishkan. The second aliyah repeatedly mentioned, “Everyone, men and women, donated to the building of the miskan.” However, when the Torah mentioned the donation of the stones (to the ephod and the choshen,) it mentioned only the Nesi'im.
Why did the Torah specify them and no one else? Rashi says, the Nesi'im were the last ones to donate to the Mishkan, but the first ones to sacrifice at the Chanukat Ha'mizbeh'ach.
It wasn't because they held one thing was more choshiv than the other. The Nesi'im wanted to supply whatever material was lacking in the building of the Mishkan. They thought that if they donated the material which was lacking to complete the Mishkan, then it was as if they built the whole thing. The problem is, they under-estimated Bnei Yisroel's generosity in donating everything they owned. Additionally, Bnei Yisroel were so zealous in wanting to contribute for the Mishkan, all the material was collected within two days!
Even though they had good intentions, the Nesi'im still postponed the fulfillment of a mitzvah. They later learned their lesson, did teshuva, and were the first ones to bring the sacrifices by the inauguration.
The next time we are faced with a mitzvah, let's not let it slip away.
Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso
Sometimes, I hesitate giving up my seat to old men just in case the situation might happen to me. I still offer the seat if I'm not too late though.
What do I mean by, “If I'm not too late?”
Have you ever been on a packed bus and wanted to offer your seat to an older man, however, by the time you offer it, someone else already did? It's happened to me on numerous occasions.
In this week's parasha (btw, it's a double parasha), we speak about the building of the Mishkan. The second aliyah repeatedly mentioned, “Everyone, men and women, donated to the building of the miskan.” However, when the Torah mentioned the donation of the stones (to the ephod and the choshen,) it mentioned only the Nesi'im.
Why did the Torah specify them and no one else? Rashi says, the Nesi'im were the last ones to donate to the Mishkan, but the first ones to sacrifice at the Chanukat Ha'mizbeh'ach.
It wasn't because they held one thing was more choshiv than the other. The Nesi'im wanted to supply whatever material was lacking in the building of the Mishkan. They thought that if they donated the material which was lacking to complete the Mishkan, then it was as if they built the whole thing. The problem is, they under-estimated Bnei Yisroel's generosity in donating everything they owned. Additionally, Bnei Yisroel were so zealous in wanting to contribute for the Mishkan, all the material was collected within two days!
Even though they had good intentions, the Nesi'im still postponed the fulfillment of a mitzvah. They later learned their lesson, did teshuva, and were the first ones to bring the sacrifices by the inauguration.
The next time we are faced with a mitzvah, let's not let it slip away.
Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso
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