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
(If you would like to sponsor a Dvar Torah, feel free to email me: SharingTorah@gmail.com)
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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

Parashas Va'eschanan & Tisha b'Av - This MAY be read on Tisha b'Av !

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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We are now in the mourning period of the nine days. On Tisha b'Av (morning) and this coming shabbos (Parashas Va'eschanan) we will read about Moshe motivating Bnei Yisroel to do teshuva. He envisioned the Jews serving idols, becoming exiled and dispersed, which is what prompted him to speak to Bnei Yisroel. [1]

We fast on Tisha b'Av because of five tragedies that happened to Bnei Yisroel on that date.

1. As a result of the sin of the spies (see Parashas Shelach) Hashem decreed that our forefathers would have to wander the desert for forty years before entering Eretz Yisroel. [2] All the males of that generation above the age of twenty died and only their children were able to enter the land.
2. The first Beis Hamikdash was destroyed.
3. The second Beis Hamikdash was destroyed.
4. Beitar was captured and fell to the Romans.
5. Turnus Rufus plowed the area of the Beis Hamikdash and it's surroundings.

Moshe prophesied that 852 years after the Exodus from Egypt, Bnei Yisroel would sin so greatly, they would deserve destruction. With Hashem's mercy, He destroyed the Beis Hamikdash instead of Klal Yisroel, who by suffering exile were allowed to survive.

Moshe continued to tell Bnei Yisroel: "When you are suffering during the days of the Final Redemption; if you do teshuva and return to Hashem and do His will, He will not forsake, destroy, or forget you."

The same way Hashem redeemed us when He took us out of Egypt, He will also redeem us from this exile. Both times in the same circumstances:

1. Bnei Yisroel's distress
2. Their teshuva
3. The bris made with our forefathers
4. Hashem's mercy
5. The arrival of the predesignated time of the Redemption (or as soon as we do teshuva) [3]

We don't have much to give Hashem because the Beis Hamikdash is no longer here. We can't bring korbanos, but we do have tefillah. It says in Brachos, "The gates of prayer are locked, but the gates of tears will never be." We should take advantage of that gates of tears, and return to Hashem for Him to bring the Final Redemption. How long can we live in exile? It's not ideal!

We will be reading Megillas Eicha on Tisha b'Av. A posuk we should be familiar with is, "She cries and cries in the night, with a tear always on her cheek."

Whoever mourns the destruction of Yerushalayim and the Beis Hamikdash, will merit to see the joy of it's rebuilding.[4]

May we, who have studied about the destruction of Yerushalayim and the Beis Hamikdash, be worthy to see the joy of it's rebuilding!

Have a meaningful fast and a wonderful shabbos,
Nisso

[1] 4:25-40
[2] Taanis 29a
[3] Devarim Rabba 2:14-16
[4] Taanis 30b & Baba Basra 60b

Parashas Devarim - Rebuke before death

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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Sefer Devarim (the 5th and final volume of the Torah) is a review of what happened in the last volumes but also includes at least 70 new halachas!

Moshe’s life was soon coming to an end, and he asked Hashem if he could review the entire Torah with Bnei Yisroel before his passing. He wanted to clarify any difficulties they might have had, and to thoroughly teach them the halachas. [1]

Moshe thought, “If I don’t instill the fear of God in them, they won’t perform the mitzvos properly. Therefore, I will start with reproof.”[2] Moshe’s reproof wasn’t strong and hurtful, rather soft and hinted.

Rashi says that Moshe specifically rebuked Bnei Yisroel before his death because Yaakov Avinu rebuked his sons shortly before his death too. [3] Yaakov said, “Reuvein, my son, I will tell you why I did not admonish you all these years; because I did not want you to desert me and go join my brother Eisov.” [4]

Rashi continues to say (quoting the Sifri - another commentary) that there are four reasons as to why a person shouldn’t rebuke anyone until before his death:

1. So that he doesn’t continuously rebuke the same person.
2. So that his friend isn’t embarrassed when he sees him.
3. So that the sinner doesn’t bear a grudge against him.
4. So that he doesn’t defend his innocence violently, leading to anger.

It seems that from this Sifri, that the best time for rebuking is only before death; however, there is a mitzvah in the Torah that states, “You shall certainly rebuke your friend.” [5] How does he then explain this mitzvah brought in Vayikra? I want to answer, perhaps, Moshe was worried Bnei Yisroel would not have taken his rebuke, therefore, he waited until his death because getting rebuke from someone who is about to die is taken seriously and the rebuke is more powerful.

The mitzvah of rebuking is so important, the Gemara teaches that tzaddikim are held responsible for the sins of a wicked person (if the tzaddik doesn’t rebuke the sinner when it is needed.) [6] On the other hand, Chazal teach us, “Just like there’s a mitzvah to say words that will be heard, similarly, there’s a mitzvah not to say things that won't be heard." If a person has reason to suspect that his words will fall upon deaf ears, then he should remain silent and not offer any criticism.

Moshe himself wasn’t sure whether Bnei Yisroel were ready to hear his reproof or not. Therefore he only hinted it to them calmly, mentioning every place they had transgressed without giving exact details.

The Chafetz Chaim suggests that when rebuking someone, it should be done with patience and sincerity.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and Bein Hazamanim,
Nisso

[1] Rokeach
[2] Devarim Rabba 1:6
[3] Rashi 1:3
[4] Bereishis 49:3
[5] Vayikra 19:17
[6] Shabbos 55

Parashas Matos/Masei - Taking Credit

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
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This week is a double parasha (Matos/Masei) and also the completion of sefer Bamidbar...

In Parasha Matos, Bnei Yisroel gathered their army to destroy the Midyanites and kill all five of their kings, leaving women and children alive. The army was also ordered to take all the stolen goods from the Midyanim. When Moshe, Elazar the kohen gadol and the Nessi'im came out to greet the victorious army they saw that the army (in addition to bringing back the goods) also brought back the Midyanite women as captives. Moshe got angry at them because he thought the army should not have let the women live; they were the cause of the Jews' sins and deaths! [Bilam advised that the Midyanite women should 'sell articles of clothing and attract the Jews.' They placed the old women on the outside of the booths, but the young, good looking ones inside, hoping to seduce the men.]

Moshe's anger made him forget the halacha of Kashering impure vessels. We've seen in numerous places where someone forgets information as a result of getting angry (This is one of the many places.) The posuk says that Elazar the kohen explained the procedure which he had originally learned from Moshe; "Elazar the kohen said to the soldiers... 'This is the statute of the Torah which Hashem commanded Moshe'." Rashi says the reason why Elazar mentioned the halacha in Moshe's name was because he credited the teaching to his Rabbi. The Gur Aryeh says that Elazar wanted to dispel the impression that he was taking Moshe's place. He was reminding the soldiers (who came to war) that he was just instructing the halacha, but in reality the Torah was originally taught to Moshe.

On Sunday, a friend asked me how my 'Erev Shabbos Preparations' went. I mentioned that while my family was napping, I managed to clean up the living room and kitchen, swept up the apartment, then did sponja, etc...

Every week I read over the parasha and try to compile a list of lessons I've learned. On Monday, as I was reading, I noticed something worth speaking about: Creditability.

A few hours after I found the 'lesson' I wanted to write about in this week's parasha, my friend came over to me and said, 'By the way, thank you!" I asked him, "For what?" He said, "You inspired me and I decided to clean up the house and do sponja while my wife went to a shuir." I told him, "That's so nice, I am glad I inspired you." A few seconds later, he smiled at me and said, "Yup, and I took all the credit for myself."

I mention this story, not because I think he should have told his wife that I was the reason for his inspiration. I brought this story up because I thought it was Min Hashamayim how the conversation took place a few hours after I chose the topic I wanted to write about.

There are people who take credit for ideas which don't belong to them. People get job promotions for taking someone else's idea, when the original person who thought of the idea truly deserved it. Taking credit comes in many forms and in different scenarios.

I remember when I was young, my family would always have get-togethers by my aunt's house for the Pesach seder. When it was time to find the afikoman, the prize for which ever little child finds it was a large sum of money (I think it was $80). We were all searching the house, from top to bottom... I remember opening a closet door, looking all around, when I found it!! I was so happy, I screamed, "I found it, I found it!" All of a sudden, my cousin throws me aside and grabs it, and runs back with it in their hands. Guess who got the $80 -- the one who took the credit for it. I was really sad afterwards, but didn't want to cause a fight, so I kept my mouth closed.

I thought that was one of the cruelest things a person can do. Baruch Hashem, it happened to me with $80! Some people lose their jobs or positions because they've gotten their ideas stolen and the credit went to the wrong person.

[Perhaps we can also say another reason for Elazar not wanting to take credit for Moshe's teaching is because in Pirkei Avos it says that giving credit to the source of an idea will bring the ultimate redemption.]

May we all bring the redemption and enjoy it in our days!

Have a wonderful Shabbos,
Nisso