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SHABBAT SCHEDULE Mincha 5:45pm Shir Hashirim: 6:00pm Candle Lighting: 5:40pm Daf Yomi 8:00am Netz Shaharit: 6:15am Shaharit: 8:30am Youth Minyan: Recess Zeman Keriat Shema 9:14am 2nd Zeman Keriat Shema 9:50am Shiur: 4:30pm Minha: 5:15pm Followed by Seudat Shelishit & Arvit Shabbat Ends: 6:40pm Rabbenu Tam 7:12pm Avot Ubanim Recess

We would like to remind our Kahal Kadosh to please Donate wholeheartedly towards our Beautiful Kehila. Anyone interested in donating for any occasion, Avot Ubanim $120, Kiddush $350, Seudat Shelishit $275, Weekly Bulletin

$150, Weekly Daf Yomi $180, Daf Yomi Masechet $2500, Yearly Daf Yomi $5000, Weekly Breakfast $150, Weekly Learning $500, Monthly Rent $3500, & Monthly Learning $2000, Please contact the Rabbi.

Thanking you in advance for your generous support. Tizke Lemitzvot!

This week is the Special Thursday

Yitro for Tunisians.

Next Week is Shabbat Mebarechim

Hachnasat Sefer Torah in our Bet

Hakenesset February 10, 2019. Look

at the flyer for more info.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY

Shaharit Netz: 6:30am Shaharit: 7:30am Minha 5:50pm Followed by Arvit & Teenager Program Recess

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

Shiur 6:10am Shaharit 6:30am Hodu Approx: 6:45am Minha 5:50pm Followed By Arbit & Shiurim in English & Spanish.

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Torah Teasers (AISH)

1. Besides Parshat Yitro, which other weekly parsha are named after an individual who is not descended from Avraham? 2. Who besides Moshe is a son-in-law of Yitro? 3. Name two cousins who appear in this parsha that are "ten apart"? 4. Name two people in the Torah - one male, one female, one Jewish, one not - who have similar names that mean the same. One of the people is in this parsha. 5. Where in this parsha do eagles appear? 6. In what context does this parsha include a command involving clothing? 7. Where in the Ten Commandments is water mentioned? 8. Which two animals are mentioned in the Ten Commandments? 9. Which word in this parsha, synonymous with shofar, refers to a ram's horn? 10. Which verse in this parsha contains the word "lo" - "do not" - four times? 11. Where are "steps" referred to in this parsha?

Answers

1) Parshat Noach and Balak are named after individuals who are not descended from Avraham. 2) In Parshat Va'era, the Torah states that Elazar the son of Aharon married a daughter of Putiel (6:25). Rashi lists Putiel as one of the seven names of Yitro (Rashi - Shemot 18:1). 3) Eliezar the son of Moshe, and Elazar the son of Aharon, are first cousins. Their names differ only by the letter yud - which has the gematria (numerical value) of ten! 4) Tziporah the wife of Moshe, and Tzipor the father of Balak (Numbers 22:2), have similar names that mean a bird. 5) Moshe reminds the Jews that Hashem carried them "on wings of eagles." (Shemot 19:4. See Rashi for an explanation of the parable.) 6) In preparation for the giving of the Torah, the Jews are commanded to wash their clothing (Shemot 19:10). 7) In the second commandment, we are prohibited from making "any graven image or picture of any creature that is in the water" (Shemot 20:4). 8) The tenth commandment forbids coveting anything belonging to our friend, including "his ox and his donkey." (Shemot 20:14) 9) The word "yovel" means "ram's horn" in the phrase: "With the blowing of the ram's horn, [the Jews] may ascend the mountain." (Shemot 19:13) 10) Following the regular cantillation, the commandments, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness," all appear in the same verse. (Shemot 20:13) 11) The very last verse states that it is forbidden to ascend the altar using steps, but rather a ramp must be constructed. (Shemot 20:23)

Refuah Shelema List Men Women

• Yosef Zvi Ben Sara Yosefia,

• Aviv Ben Luba Miriam,

• Mordechai Ben Brucha Malka Shmalo,

• Yizhak Abraham Ben Sheli,

• Yosef Yizhak Ben Sara Hana,

• Mordechai Ben Miriam,

• Meir Raymond Ben Mathilde

• Salomon Benarroch Ben Alia

• Mordechai Ben Mercedes

• Isaac Ben Mesoda,

• Haim Ben Marcelle,

• Yizhak Ben Simja

• Reuben Ben Eta,

• Michael Ben Aliza,

• Eliel Moshe Ben Sarah

• Refael Ben Clara

• Netanel Sayegh Ben Rosa

• Simja Bat Esther, • Mesoda Bat Esther,

• Rachel Bat Sarah,

• Nina Bat Rachel,

• Gitel Rina Bat Yael,

• Miriam Bat Sofy,

• Rahma Bat Simha

• Esther Bat Fortuna

• Malka Bat Dina

• Camouna Bat Fortuna

• Sara Ledicia Bat Mesoda,

• Alegria Simha Bat Esther,

• Naomie Bat Rarel Adda,

• Malka Bat Joyce Simja, • Sivan Simha Bat Yehudit,

• Natalie Rachel Bat Nancy,

• Abigael Haya Bat Esther

• Madelaine Bat Esther

• Nurit Jacqueline Bat Rahel

If anyone would like to contact the Rabbi, please feel free to call or text 786-879-4951, or email rabbi@oroziel.com.

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Community Announcements (It is YOUR Community, make the most of it!)

Miscellaneous Announcements:

• This Week’s Congregational Kiddush has been Kindly Sponsored by our Dear Friends Mr. & Mrs. Frank

Taieb in honor of their Dear Son Michael Reading Haftarat Yitro. Hazak Ubaruch!!

• The Kiddush Club Initiative. Anyone interested donating a Kiddush Please kindly contact the Rabbi. Tizke

Lemizvot!

• This Week’s Congregational Seudat Shelishit is still available for Sponsorship!

• This Week’s Breakfast has been Kindly Sponsored by our Dear Friends from Brasil Mr. & Mrs. Yom Tov

(Eddy) Levi in memory of her Dear Father Azriel Strulovic Ben Avraham z”l the 22nd of Shebat. Tihye Nishmato Tzerura Bitzror Hahayim Amen.

Anyone interested in sponsoring Breakfast for this week or on any day please contact the Rabbi.

• This Week’s Daf Yomi is still available for Sponsorship!

• If anyone is interested in creating a weekly class in your house or an individual class with the Rabbi, please do not hesitate to contact the Rabbi.

• We are trying to update our Congregant’s contact information. We would like to start sending texts about different Events and Shiurim. We would also like to start emailing the weekly bulletin. We would like to start a list of Nahalot/Azkarot/Yahrzeits. We would also like to make a Refuah Shelema list. Please send your contact information to the Rabbi at rabbi@oroziel.com

• Please feel free to contact any of the board members either in person, or via email with suggestions or comments. Our email addresses are: board member’s first name @oroziel.com

Important Message!!!

Eruv Update: Surfside: The Eruv in Surfside now includes the walking paths along the beach. Pushing strollers and carrying is permitted on the paths, but not beyond the path or onto the beach. Bal Harbour: The Eruv in Bal Harbour included the inner (western) walking path only. The pier at Haulover Cut is not included.

• Due to the recent reorganization of seats in the Bet Hakenesset, We are happy to announce the NEW possibility of purchasing seats in the Bet Hakenesset. For more information, please contact the Board.

• Before hanging up anything anywhere in the Bet Hakenesset, please seek authorization from the Rabbi. This includes flyers etc.

• Please be advised that prior to bringing any food or drinks for any occasion, you must first seek the authorization from the Rabbi.

Special Announcements

• We are pleased to announce that Ness 26 is part of the Amazon Charity Program, which would allow our community to collect 0.5% of all the orders made by any of you on Amazon.com. In order to register you need to log on smile.amazon.com and select Ness 26, Inc as the Charitable Organization you want to support, and from then shop on smile.amazon.com instead of www.amazon.com. It won’t cost anything more, and is an easy way to contribute to our budget needs.

• Anyone wishing to receive the Daily Halacha by the Rabbi please send a whatsapp message to Simon Chocron 786-351-1573

Community Calendar:

• The program for Teenaged Boys ages 13-18 Started again with Great Succes with Shiur by the Rabbi & Supper on Sunday Evenings after Arvit at around at 6:00 pm With Supper. New Participants Welcome! Anyone wishing to sponsor this Shiur Please contact the Rabbi. Tizke Lemitzvot! In Recess

• We have started the Mishmar Program Every other Thursday evening at 8:00 pm with Chulent, Beer, &

Snacks. Everyone is welcome! In Recess

Avot Ubanim: This Mosae Shabbat at 7:40pm In Recess

Youth Minyan

• We are proud to announce the inauguration of our YOUTH/TEEN MINYAN geared to train and teach our future generations on the different tefillot and parashiot.

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We would like to Whole Heartedly Thank our Dear Friends,

Lindsay Hooge for generously Donating the TORAH LEARNING of

Shebat 5779 In Honor of his Dear Children

Hannah, Isaac, & Aaron Hooge

We truly appreciate it. In this merit, may Hashem Bless you & your wonderful family with all the Berachot of the Torah Amen.

Birthdays

Happy Birthday To

• Adina Benmergui – Sun. Jan. 27th,

• Yosef Eliyahu Benmergui – Sun. Jan. 27th,

• Mrs. Daisy Chocron – Wed. Jan. 31st.

• Mr. Ben Romano – Tue Feb 5th,

• Mrs. Arielle Albergel – Thurs. Feb. 7th,

• Mrs. Julia Cohen – Thurs. Feb. 7th,

• Moshe Benmergui – Fri. Feb. 8th,

• Miss Arielle Miriam Gad – Fri. Feb. 8th,

• Mrs. Esther Benhayoun – Shab. Feb. 9th,

• Andrea Refaela Zonana – Shab. Feb. 9th,

• Mrs. Anais Becker – Tue. Feb. 12th,

• Mrs. Zari Werta – Thur. Feb. 14th,

• Mrs. Sultana Aquinin – Thurs. Feb. 14th,

• Daniel Yosef Perez – Thurs. Feb. 14th,

• Clara Aquinin – Shab. Feb. 16th, • Perla Aquinin – Thur. Feb. 21st, • Mr. Arnaud sitbon – Thur. Feb. 21st,

Happy Anniversary To

• David & Rahma Bitton Jan 29th

Nahalot • Isaac Edderai Ben Nedjma z”l the 20th of Shebat

(Shabbat) (Grandfather of Dr. Jean Jacques Edderai)

• Abraham Benbeniste z”l the 22nd of Shebat (Father of Mrs. Lina Genoun)

• Azriel Strulovic Ben Avraham z”l the 22nd of Shebat (Father of Mrs. Yom Tov Levi)

• Moshe Belecen Bar Yamin z”l the 25th of Shebat (Grandfather of Mr. Albert Belecen)

Next Shabbat:

• Reina Bat Rivka z”l & Mazal Tov Bat Sultana z”l the 27th of Shebat (Aunts of Mrs. Ruby Mouyal)

• Alegria Bat Simha z”l the 29th of Shebat (Mother of Mr. Amram Mouyal)

• Simha Murciano z”l the 1st of Adar Alef (Mother of Mrs. Rahma Bitton)

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Community Shiurim Weekday mornings:

• 6:10AM to 6:45AM: Laws of Nidah. New participants welcome!

• 7:30AM Shiur on Hok Leyisrael with Breakfast! Everyone Is Welcome to

Join.

• 7:45AM to 8:30AM: Daf Yomi Masechet Hulin. NEW DAF YOMI

MASECHET! New participants are welcome! It is a great time to start

learning the Daf and join thousands of Jews across the world in this

incredible project.

• 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM: Mishna Berura Dirshu Cycle! New participants

welcome!

Weekday afternoons:

• Before Minha o Monday through Thursday: Shiurim in Spanish on assorted topics.

• After Arvit: o Mondays & Wednesdays: Hoshen Mishpat – Business Halacha

o Every Thursday evening after Arvit Hilchot Nida in Depth for Men. o Tuesday Assorted Topics

In Recess for the Summer

o Monday & Tuesday at 7:00pm Masechet Berachot in French

o Every other Monday evening at 8:30pm Shalom Bayit Class to Women.

o Every other Tuesday evening at 8:30pm Shalom Bayit Classes to Men.

• SHIUR for Ladies! The Rabbi’s Shiur on Halachot of Kashrut NEW SERIES ON

Hilchot Basar Vechalav, (Laws pertaining to Meat & Milk) to Ladies, in the Bet

Hakenesset, every Tuesday afternoon at 2:05 pm. New Participants are always

Welcome! In Recess

Shabbat:

• Shabbat night before Arvit: Short lecture on the Parasha of the week.

• Shabbat Morning: Lecture on the Parashah of the week.

• Shabbat Morning – Daf Yomi at 8:00am.

• Shabbat Afternoon – Shiur at 4:30pm

• Spanish Shiur – with Simon Chocron One hour before Minha

• Seudat Shelishit: Short lecture on the Parasha of the week.

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Yitro and the Two Kinds of Miracles

(Rabbi Eli Mansour Daily Halacha)

Parashat Yitro begins with the story of Moshe’s father-in-law, Yitro, who heard of the miracles that G-d performed for Beneh Yisrael and then decided to join the nation. Rashi, commenting on the opening verse of the Parasha, writes that there were two events in particular that inspired Yitro to join Beneh Yisrael: the miracle of the splitting of the sea, and Beneh Yisrael’s battle against Amalek.

We might wonder where these two events are mentioned in the Torah’s account of Yitro’s arrival. The verse states simply, “Yitro…heard all that G-d did for Moshe and for his nation, Yisrael; that Hashem took Yisrael from Egypt,” without specifying the splitting of the sea or the war against Amalek. How do we reconcile the text of this verse with Rashi’s explanation?

The answer is found in the different Names of G-d used in this verse. The Torah here says that Yitro heard of all that “Elokim” did for Beneh Yisrael, and that “Hashem” – the Name of “Havaya” (Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh) – took Beneh Yisrael from Egypt. The Name of Elokim is associated with G-d’s governing the laws of nature, His power and authority which is concealed behind the veil of the natural order. This Name is a composite of the words “Mi” (“who”) and “Eleh” (“this”). “Mi” signifies uncertainty, doubt and mystery, the feeling that events unfold haphazardly and randomly, without a Supreme Being running the world, whereas “Eleh” signifies certainty and clarity, being able to point to G-d as the One controlling and orchestrating all events. The Name “Elokim,” then, refers to those situations where we are at first inclined to say, “Mi,” to think that the world runs randomly, by chance, but we are expected to believe “Eleh,” that the world is run by Hashem. The Name of “Havaya,” by contrast, refers to the clear manifestation of G-d’s

power, those rare occasions in history when Hashem’s existence and power were visible and unquestionably manifest.

The Torah tells that Yitro heard two things: what “Elokim” did for Beneh Yisrael, and what “Havaya” did for Beneh Yisrael. The first refers to the miracle that did not seem miraculous, that appeared natural – Beneh Yisrael’s war against Amalek. There was no supernatural involvement on G-d’s part in this war; He simply helped Beneh Yisrael defeat Amalek through natural means. The second part of the verse, which tells of what “Havaya” did, refers to the supernatural event of Keri’at Yam Suf. This was a clear manifestation of G-d’s unlimited control over the world, an event so remarkable and extraordinary that it could not be interpreted as anything but the work of the Creator who controls the universe. Yitro reached the level where he was able to recognize both “Havaya” and “Elokim.” He understood that Hashem is behind not only the supernatural events that occur, but also the natural events which outwardly appear to unfold randomly.

One might ask, however, why the verse reverses the sequence. If, indeed, the first half – “all that Elokim did” – refers to the battle against Amalek, and the second – “that ‘Havaya’ took Beneh Yisrael from Egypt” – refers to the splitting of the sea, then the order of these events is reversed. The sea split before Amalek launched its attack against Beneh Yisrael. Why, then, does the Torah speak first of Yitro hearing about the war with Amalek, and then of him hearing about the miracle of the sea?

The answer might be that the supernatural miracles are intended to show us the miraculous quality of so-called natural events. As the Ramban famously writes in his commentary to the end of Parashat Bo, G-d performed rare, supernatural miracles in order to reveal that He is behind everything that happens in the world. By showing us His unlimited control over nature through these miracles, He demonstrates that nature is not random as it seems, that everything that happens in the world is directly caused and brought about by the Creator.

WEEKLY INSPIRATION

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This, then, is the meaning of the opening verse of this Parasha. It tells us that Yitro understood the “miraculous” nature of Beneh Yisrael’s victory over Amalek because of the miracle of the sea. He arrived at the realization that even seemingly natural events are the handiwork of G-d, and he understood this as a result of the great miracle of the splitting of the sea. Yitro was wise enough to realize that Hashem can be found in every occurrence, in natural events which seem ordinary and random, that we need to believe that Hashem directly controls everything that happens in this world, even when His presence cannot easily be seen.

The Power of “Ayin” (Rabbi Eli Mansour)

Parashat Yitro tells of Matan Torah – G-d’s giving Beneh Yisrael the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Midrash teaches that after we received the Torah, the other nations felt jealous and complained to G-d, arguing that Beneh Yisrael did not deserve this special distinction of receiving the Torah. They felt that Beneh Yisrael were no different than any other nation, and thus they were no more worthy of the Torah than any other nation. G-d responded by saying, “Bring your genealogical records.” Meaning, the other nations do not have the same “Yihus” – pedigree – as Beneh Yisrael, and thus they could not receive the Torah.

How do we explain this Midrash? Why is special pedigree a necessary prerequisite for receiving the Torah?

King Shlomo teaches in Kohelet (3:19), “Motar Ha’adam Min Ha’behema Ayin” – there is no difference between human beings and animals. At first glance, this seems very difficult to understand. Is there really no difference between the human being and the animal?

One explanation given for this verse is that “Motar Ha’adam Min Ha’behema” – the advantage and power that the human being has over the animal is “Ayin” – the ability to

say to oneself, “No,” to deny oneself something he instinctively wants. When an animal feels hungry and sees food, it will go ahead and take it. By contrast, a Jew who is given a piece of scrumptious food during Ne’ila at the end of Yom Kippur, after twenty-four hours of fasting, will not place it anywhere near his mouth until after the fast. We have the same physical drives as animals, but we have the power of “Ayin,” the ability to restrain these drives and deny ourselves the enjoyment that our bodies instinctively want.

This power, however, requires training. In order to deny ourselves what our physical drives make us want, we need to hone our skills of self-restraint and self-discipline. And this is why “Yihus” is so vital for receiving the Torah and committing to live by its rules. The Torah imposes on us many rules and restrictions that require, at times, restraining the animalistic drives within us. We are able to commit ourselves to these rules and restrictions because of our “Yihus,” because we are the descendants of Abraham, Yishak and Yaakov, who taught us by example and instilled within all of us the power of discipline and self-restraint. They implanted within their descendants the special quality of “Ayin,” and this quality is what we need to commit ourselves to the Torah.

May we all be worthy descendants of our sacred patriarchs, and succeed throughout our lives in developing and properly utilizing this unique skill of “Ayin” so we can live up to the demands and expectations of G-d’s treasured nation.

What Impressed Yitro the Most, and Why? (Rabbi Frand from Torah.org)

The first pasuk of this week’s parsha reads, “And Yitro, minister of Midian, father-in-law of Moshe, heard all that G-d did to Moshe and to Israel, His people – that Hashem took Israel out of Egypt.” [Shemot 18:1] Rashi writes that Yitro heard about the splitting of the Reed Sea and the war with Amalek and

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came. Rashi further quotes a Mechilta that infers from this pasuk that Yitro was impressed by two things: 1) all that Hashem did to Moshe and to Yisroel, His people and, 2) that Hashem took Yisroel out of Mitzraim. The Mechilta spells out what impressed Yitro regarding “all that G-d did to Moshe and to Israel”: The descent of the mann; the well; and the battle with Amalek. However — the Mechilta adds – Yitro was most impressed “that Hashem took Israel out of Egypt.”

Rashi repeats this idea in pasuk 9 — “Yitro rejoiced over all the goodness that G-d had done for Israel, that he rescued them from the hand of Egypt.” Rashi says, “the goodness that G-d had done” refers to the mann and the well, but above all, he rejoiced “that He rescued (Israel) from the hand of Egypt.” Rashi explains, in the name of the Mechilta: Up until this point, no slave was ever able to escape from Egypt, because the borders of the land were sealed, but now a nation of 600,000 adult males left! This impressed Yitro more than anything else.

Consider the following: What would impress us more, the miraculous splitting of the sea, receiving mann from Heaven, and the other miraculous acts Hashem performed for His people — or the fact that a nation of slaves escaped from their masters, despite the fact that such an event was unprecedented in the history of Egyptian slavery? Most people would respond that that which required suspension of the laws of nature was more impressive than that which “merely” represented an unprecedented socio-historic occurrence. Why, then, was Yitro so impressed with the fact that “He took Israel out of Egypt?”

I saw an interesting answer to this question in the sefer Avir Yosef. In the Hagadah, toward the beginning of Maggid, the author writes: “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and if the Holy One, Blessed be He, had not taken us out from Egypt, we and our children and grandchildren would be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt.” The obvious question is that, historically, this does not seem to be an accurate statement.

In the normal course of human society in the history of the world where a nation was enslaved, eventually the slaves get their freedom. There were slaves in America, but 150 years ago, President Lincoln freed them. Perhaps he did not grant them total equality, but ultimately, other events took place which brought further changes in society, and the people whose grandparents were slaves ultimately gained full civil rights. This is a phenomenon that has happened time and again in countries throughout the world over thousands of years of history. Ultimately, that is what happens! So, what does the Hagadah mean when it says that “had G-d not taken us out, then we and our children and grandchildren would still today be slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt”?

The Avir Yosef suggests the following answer: The reason Mitzraim was so successful in keeping their slaves trapped in the country was not because they had the highest fences, not because they had the most ferocious dogs at the border, and not because they had the most vicious policemen who kept the slaves under control. The reason no slave ever escaped from Mitzraim was because Mitzraim had this power of breaking the spirit of human beings such that they never even dared think about escaping. Their success was not in walls, dogs, towers or fences, or anything like that. Rather, they turned people into sub-humans who thought they had no rights, and who could not even dream of freedom. That is why no slave ever escaped from Mitzraim!

The Ribono shel Olam took a people who were downtrodden and depressed and gave them life again. That is how we got out of Mitzraim, and that is what impressed Yitro more than anything else. Even greater than the miracle of changing the physical world — of having the sea split and having mann come down from heaven - is the miracle of changing the human spirit. This is what the author of the Hagadah is saying: Had the Almighty not given us the spirit of life (chiyut), and given us hope again, and made us human again, we and our children and our children’s children would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt.

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Understanding The Fundamental Nature Of The

3rd & 10th Commandment (Rabbi Frand)

The commentaries point out that the Asserret HaDibrot [Ten Commandments] are the foundation of all other Mitzvot. They go to great pains to indicate how the balance of the commandments are somehow included and subsumed within the Ten Commandments themselves. It is as if the Ten Commandments are the 'Avot' [major principles] and the rest of the commandments are the 'Toldot' [derivative principles].

For eight out of the ten, it is very easy to make a case that these are in fact major principles of our religion. "I am the L-rd your G-d..." is clearly fundamental.”You shall have no other gods before Me..." is clearly fundamental. The fact that G-d created the world in seven days and commanded us to observe the Shabbat is also fundamental. Honoring one's parents is fundamental because Judaism is a tradition-based religion and in order to have tradition, one must have bearers of tradition (baale messorah). One cannot have society when there is murder. One cannot have holiness in the family when there is adultery. One cannot have a society in which there is theft or falseness.

However, among the Asserret HaDibrot, there are two that do not immediately strike us as being worthy of being "up there" with the other major principles of our religion.

The prohibition of taking the Name of G-d in vain does not seem to be in the "same league" with the other commandments engraved on those two tablets of stone. Keep in mind that "Thou shall not take the Name of the L-rd thy G-d in vain" does not just mean one should not swear falsely (which perhaps could be considered a fundamental basis of society). "Thou shall not take the Name of G-d in vain" means that one is not allowed to even swear something which is obviously true. (I swear that this table is a table, etc.) Such an oath does not affect society. It

appears to be a totally "victimless crime." Why is it so fundamental?

I saw in a sefer that the importance of this commandment of "Lo Tisa..." is that it teaches us how important speech is. This is why it is in the Asserret HaDibrot. Speech separates us from animals. The Targum translates the phrase "a living being" (nefesh chaya) in the pasuk "And He blew into his nostrils the soul of life and man became a living being" [Bereshit 2:7] as "a speaking being", indicating that speech is the essence of the difference between man and animal. Speech is one of the greatest gifts that the Almighty gave human beings. Therefore, the Torah says, "be careful with your speech". To swear that a table is a table or that a cow is a cow is wasting and abusing the gift of speech. This gift is so vital and fundamental to Yiddishkeit that its abuse is prohibited in the Asserret HaDibrot.

The other remaining "problematic" commandment is Lo Tachmod [Thou shall not covet]. We are prohibited from coveting our neighbor's house or our neighbor's wife. Jealousy is bad and not being jealous is a nice quality, but can it rank up there with "I am the L-rd your G-d" and with Shabbat and with "Thou shall not commit murder"?

Even more wondrous, Rav Chaim Vital writes about the tenth commandment (Lo Tachmod) that it is the climax of the Asserret HaDibrot and is "equal in weight to all the others put together". What is so fundamental about this commandment not to be jealous of our neighbor's possessions?

The Rekanti writes that one who covets does not believe in G-d. If we really believe in G-d then we believe that the wife that I have, the car that I have, the position that I have, and everything that I have is because the Master of the World wants me to have it. It is Personal Divine Providence (Hashgacha Pratit) that I have what I have and that I do not have what I do not have. Becoming emotionally worked up because I do not have what my neighbor has indicates a deficiency in my Emunah [Faith in G-d]. It is a deficiency in our fundamental belief as Jews – namely in Hashgocha Pratis: The Almighty knows what

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we have and deems it that this is what we have, and controls every aspect of our lives. This is a fundamental Jewish belief.

The Gemara states at the end of Tractate Makkot [24a] that subsequent prophets came and reduced the essence of Jewish belief to ever-simpler formulations. The final line is that "Chabakuk came and reduced it to a single principle, as it is written: 'and the righteous will live by their belief' [Chabakuk 2:4]". At the end of the day, it is all about Emunah and that is what Lo Tachmod comes to reinforce.

Therefore, "Lo Tisa Et Shem Hashem Elokecha L'Shav," which speaks to the importance of the gift of speech and "Lo Tachmod bet re'echa," which underlies one's belief in the control the Almighty exerts on this world and on a person's life – are fundamentals of Jewish belief that indeed belong in the Asserret HaDibrot.

The Art of Listening

(Rabbi Zev Leff)

Moshe' father-in-law Yitro, sheik of Midian, heard about all that G-d had done for Moshe and His people Israel when He brought Israel out of Egypt (Shemot 18:1)

What did Yitro hear about that made him come? The splitting of the Sea and the war with Amalek (Rashi).

Considering that Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah) is the foundation of the entire world - both spiritual and physical - would it not have been proper for Chazal to designate a full sedrah to this occurrence alone? Why was the episode with Yitro not included in Beshalach? After all, the splitting of the Sea and the war with Amalek that Yitro heard about are both contained in that sedrah.

Even more difficult to understand is Rashi's opinion that Yitro in fact did not join Bnei Yisrael until after the giving of the Torah. Why, then, did the Torah preface the giving of the Torah with Yitro's arrival?

"And Yitro heard" (Shemot 18:1). The Zohar asks: "Did only Yiro hear and the whole world not hear? Is it not written, 'the nations heard and shuddered?' The answer is that the whole world heard and were not humbled, and Yitro heard and was humbled and was drawn close to fear Hashem."

Many hear, but few really take to heart what they hear. As the Midrash Tanchuma (Yitro 2) puts it, "There are those that hear and lose, and those that hear and profit." Hearing and listening properly are the key to one's success in this world. The Midrash (Shemot Rabba 27:9) offers the following mashal on the verse, "Incline your ear and come to Me: hear and your soul shall live" (Yeshayahu 55:3)

So precious are the Jewish people to Hashem that He entices them. He said to them, "If one falls from a roof and his whole body is injured, and the doctor visits him and puts a bandage on his head, arms and legs, and all his body, he becomes totally enveloped in bandages. I am not like that. Man has two hundred and forty eight organs and one of them is the ear. If the whole body is sullied with sin, but the ear hears and listens, then the whole body receives life.

Before the Torah tells us, "And Hashem spoke," we must first learn what it means to listen. Unless there is an ear to hear, even the most powerful message from the mouth of Hashem Himself is lost. For that reason, "Yitro heard," precedes the giving of the Torah. Let us now investigate what proper hearing entails.

The Mechilta relates that prior to Matan Torah the kings of the nations heard the thunderous sounds and gathered together to seek advice from Bilaam. They were concerned that Hashem was bringing another cataclysm - if not of water, then perhaps of fire - to detroy the world. Bilaam quieted their fears by telling them that Hashem was giving His people the Torah. The kings replied, "Hashem should bless his people with peace."

Yitro heard the same thunderous noises and came to join the Jewish people and accept the Torah personally. In fact, the Mechilta relates, Yitro was the first person to exclaim 'Baruch Hashem.'

The word baruch (blessed) connotes increase and strengthening. Moshe and Bnei Yisrael were so deeply inspired by the Exodus and the

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splitting of the Sea that they could not imagine the effect wearing off or dissipating. Although they profusely praised and thanked Hashem, they did not see the need to use the word "baruch;" they felt no need to ask Hashem to strengthen the effect of these miracles.

Yitro, however, realized that the effect of miracles can soon be dissipated if those effects are not somehow incorporated into one's actions. He realized Amalek also heard of the splitting of the Sea, yet the impression quickly wore off and Amalek attacked Bne Yisrael. Therefore, Yitro appreciated the necessity to address Hashem with a beracha, an entreaty to intensify and increase the effect of the miracles already performed.

In contrast to Yitro, the kings of the nations were concerned personally only when they thought that the awesome sounds were harbingers of their doom. Once they were told that the sounds were the sounds of Torah, they immediately distanced themselves. They directed Hashem's blessings to His people, but did not act as if they were personally implicated. There was nothing they felt that they could gain from these sounds. Only Yitro took these sounds as a personal message and directed his blessings to Hashem so that he might personally benefit from Matan Torah.

The entire nation saw the sounds" (Shemot 20:15). Hearing alone is indiscriminate; sound is received by the ear from all directions without the need to focus or turn. Vision, on the other hand, is dependent on opening one's eyes and focusing on that which one wants to see. G-d's words had to be heard with the same intense focus employed in sight. Bnei Yisrael physically saw the sounds in order to aid their ability to listen properly.

Many sounds and sights reach our ears and eyes, but only one with the capacity to really focus can absorb their message. The Gemara relates that the turning point in the life of Rabbi Akiva was when he witnessed the erosion of a stone by water. Many observed the same thing, but only he derived the message: if water can erode stone, then Torah can change the heart. The whole world summons one with an attuned and attentive ear to the service of Hashem: "The heavens declare the glory of Hashem" (Tehillim 19:2). Look at the sky, listen to the ocean and acquire Yirat shamayim: "My heart

says to me in your name, 'Seek out my face'" (Tehillim 27:8)

If someone begins the Shema by repeating the word Shema twice, we silence him out of a concern that he seems to be addressing two deities (Berachot 33b). This is difficult to understand, for Shema refers to the one who is listening and not to Hashem. How then does it imply two deities? The answer is that the entire creation cries out the unity of Hashem. There is no multiplicity, only the one, unified voice of Hashem that calls out to man from all quarters. Any double hearing smacks of idolatry and duality.

Everyday a bas kol emanates from Mount Chorev and declares, "Woe to them, to the people, because of their insult to the Torah" (Pirke Avot 6:2). The commentaries explain that the giving of the Torah did not stop, as it says, "A great sound that did not cease" (Devarim 5:19). One with an attuned ear hears the voice of Hasem giving the Torah continually, as the basis of all of creation. When the voice is not heard, then the bas kol (echo) goes out proclaiming the disgrace to Torah.

The Mechilita (see also Kiddushin 22b) describes the piercing of the earlobe of the Jewish slave as a punishment for his failure to hear and heed the ongoing commandment, "Do not steal." It might be asked, however, why we pierce the earlobe, a mere piece of cartilage, and not the eardrum which failed to hear.

Chazal tell us that the outer ear serves as a funnel to collect the sound waves and direct them to the inner ear. The problem of the slave was not that he did not hear on Sinai that we are all to subjugate ourselves to Hashem alone. But he failed to hear the command as if it were directed to him and him alone. His outer ear failed to funnel those words to him, and thus bears the blemish. He heard G-d's voice but did not experience it as if G-d was speaking to him.

"Kayin spoke with his brother Hevel, and when they were in the field, Kayin arose and smote Hevel, his brother" (Bereshit 4:8). Many midrashim discuss what exactly Kayin said to Hevel. Ibn Ezra notes that according to the simple understanding of the verse, Kayin repeted to Hevel the admonition he had just heard from Hashem: "If you will improve, then you will be forgiven, and if not, the sin crouches

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by the entrance, and it desires you, but you can dominate it" (Bereshit 4:7). How can these words of mussar to Hevel have led to murder? They should have prevented the murder.

Like most people, Kayin heard the mussar as directed at everybody but him. Since Hevel was the only person around, he assumed it was intended for him. So Kayin "said over" the mussar to Hevel rather than mulling over its implications for him. Not only did it fail to prevent the murder, but by suggesting to Kayin that Hevel was in need of mussar, it may have even aroused his animosity.

When I was younger and more naive, I assumed that my Shabbat drashah would be an effective medium to reach members of my congregation in need of reproof. Inevitably, the targeted individual(s) would approach me after davening and tell me, "Rabbi, you really gave it to them, I hope the ones who needed to hear got the message." "Obviously," I thought to myself, "they did not."

Mussar is only effective if one takes it personally. Even if one hears it directly from Hashem Himself, as Kayin did, unless one recognizes that it is directed at him, the mussar is useless.

A truly sensitive person will always hear any reproof as directed at him or her. I once addressed a group of three hundred and fifty complete strangers in Johannesburg and spoke about modesty and the problems of certain forms of dress. After the shiur, I recevied the following note:

Dear Rabbi Leff, I want to apologize for the manner in which I dressed for the shiur. I don't usually wear this type of clothing, but in my rush to the shiur, I grabbed what was available. I know you were referring to me, and I promise not to repeat this error.

I was astounded that there could be a neshama so pure, to hear mussar directed to an audience of strangers as personal rebuke.

Chazal attribute another function to the earlobe. The Gemara (Ketubot 5b) comments that earlobes are soft and flexible, so that if one is in a situation where someone is speaking lashon hara, he can bend his earlobe in as an earplug to avoid listening to the prohibited speech.

Since Chazal also say that the fingers are tapered to serve the same function of plugging up the ears to avoid hearing lashon hara, one wonders why both earlobes and tapered fingers are needed for the same function. Furthermore, why shouldn't one just walk away and in that way avoid listening to lashon hara?

There are in fact three different types of speakers of lashon hara, and each one requires a different response. There are those who speak lashon hara constantly, the professional gossips. One should have nothing to do with such people, and walking in the other direction when one sees them coming is indeed the preferred response.

The second type of lashon hara is that spoken by a basically good person, who from time to time slips into the trap of gossiping. he need not be avoided entirely. The preferred response is simply to prevent oneseslf from hearing the lashon hara. Tapered fingers distance the lashon hara but not the speaker.

There is yet a third type of lashon hara. Someone is asked concerning the honesty of a certain individual by someone else who is contemplating entering into a business relationship with him. The halacha is clear that if the individual being questioned knows the man to be dishonest, he must respond and relate exactly what he knows. (Of course, he must not exaggerate, or add information that was not solicited, or speak out of personal animus.) If a third party is present, who does not need to know this information, it is lashon hara with respect to him, and he must not listen. Putting his fingers in his ears would seem to imply that the information is intrinsically lashon hara and might wrongly discourage the one relating the information from continuing. By turning his earlobe, however, he signifies that this information is only lashon hara with respect to being funneled into his ears.

As we once again experience Matan Torah, with the reading of the sedrah of Yitro, let us learn from Yitro to attune our ears to hear the uninterrupted voice of Hashem, directed personally to each and every one of us from every quarter of creation.

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Reprinted with permission from Artscroll Mesorah Publications, ltd. This article is provided as part of Shema Yisrael Torah Network Permission is granted to redistribute electronically or on paper, provided that this notice is included intact. For information on subscriptions, archives, and other Shema Yisrael Classes, send mail to parsha@shemayisrael.co.il

Authority in Parenting Authority is not a four-letter word. It's essential in raising healthy children, and in fostering their relationship with G-d. (By Rebbetzin Chana Heller)

Authority is a politically incorrect word for many of us, but it is alive and well in Judaism. In fact, everything in Judaism rests on the concept of authority -- the authority of G-d, the Torah, rabbis, courts of law, teachers and parents.

Authority is a good thing. Kids need it to grow up in a healthy way. They thrive on the fact that they have parents who are in charge, making rules and doling out consequences. Of course, parents have to be loving and fair authoritative figures in order to create a healthy relationship, but kids want parents who are in control. No matter how much they try to run the show, children do not really want to be in charge. They know that they don't know enough and in order for them to feel safe, secure and loved they need parents who can confidently take charge.

Children see their parents as authority figures. From a child's perspective, parents are like G-d. They are omnipotent and omniscient. They care for us, feed and clothe us. They protect us from harm.

Lack of respect for authority makes many schools dangerous and fearsome places.

As an extension of this, children need teachers, principals and other authority figures to provide order and security in their world. So many children feel insecure going to school today. Bullies and weapon-toting kids seem to fear no one. Lack of respect for authority permeates many schools and makes them dangerous and fearsome places.

As a child matures, he realizes that his parents are not all-powerful or all-knowing. In fact, they are not at all what he first imagined them to be! If, however, the parents were

successful at their task as parents, they have primed the child to be able to enter a relationship with G-d. The child understands the concept of authority. He has had the experience of submitting to his parents' authority and abiding by their rules. He has felt helpless without them for a significant period of his life. He recognized they had power to protect him and create order in his life. The child is now ready to take this experience to a higher level.

LEARNING ABOUT G-D THROUGH OUR PARENTS

The parent-child relationship exists to teach us about our relationship with G-d. The concept of G-d is an abstract one, so G-d gives us an earthly parallel relationship that enables us to learn about who He is and how He relates to us. We learn about the possibility of unconditional love and compassion from our parents. We learn what it means to exist within a dependent relationship and to relate to authority figures who make rules for our benefit.

Human beings are the only living things created so dependent on their parents for such an extended period of time. G-d designed it this way so that we can understand the extent of our total dependence on Him.

When children honor their parents, it is considered as if they honored G-d.

Part of our role as parents is to transition our children from their initially immature concept of G-d-like parents to a mature relationship with G-d Himself. To this end, G-d gives parents authority that is akin to His own. In fact, our Sages say that when children honor their parents it is considered as if they honored G-d Himself (Talmud, Kiddushin 30 b).

It is not only children, therefore, who need authority. We all do. We all need to feel that we live in an ordered world with the right people in charge. The reason many of us feel so much anxiety is because we often feel we

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can't trust the people in charge. It is very painful to hear stories of policemen beating the innocent, government officials taking illegal campaign contributions and presidents lying under oath. We cannot feel safe and secure in a world where there is no authority to respect or trust.

We need a government that makes sensible laws that people follow. Imagine a world without law. Rabbi Chanina said, "Pray for the welfare of the government, because if people did not fear it, a person would swallow his fellow alive "(Pirkei Avot 3:2). Adherence to law and order is vital to our security and well-being.

G-D IS OUR ULTIMATE AUTHORITY

G-d, of course, is our ultimate authority. He is our one and only security. We know we cannot fully trust anyone else. Just as children need loving parents who make rules for their good, we need G-d. G-d's laws order our world. They let us know what is expected of us. We know what the limits are and that there are consequences to our behavior. We also know we are too limited in our intelligence to be running the world. We make our best effort to contribute to society and improve what we can but in the end, we are glad G-d is in charge.

One of the main tasks of a Jew is to accept the authority of G-d. Getting this concept is so critical to a Jew that we have a holiday which is devoted to internalizing this very idea. This holiday is Rosh Hashanah.

The main theme of Rosh Hashanah is the idea that G-d is King. The word "HaMelech", the King, is found innumerable times in the Rosh Hashanah prayers. We accept that we are living in His universe and cannot take even one breath without His will. We accept that we have no existence independent of Him and His will.

On Rosh Hashanah we do something we never do the entire year in order drive this reality home. In the Musaf (additional) service we recite the Aleinu prayer and where it says, "we bend the knee, " we actually prostrate ourselves fully on the ground. (More traditional synagogues do this. If you've

never tried it, go to a synagogue this year that does it. I guarantee you an intense emotional experience!)

This bowing down is one of the highlights of my year. It is the one moment of the year that I feel fully in touch with reality. There is a G-d, He is in control, I owe everything to Him and am totally dependent. G-d is my King. The rest of the year I float in and out of this consciousness, but for that moment it is crystal clear, and I ask G-d for the ability to hang on to this experience. Authority is real and its name is G-d.

A CONSTANT STRUGGLE

G-d knows how difficult this concept is for us. Inasmuch as we want and need authority to make us feel secure and taken care of, we also want to run the show. The dual nature of man (call it the higher and lower selves or the Yetzer Hatov, the Good Inclination and the Yetzer Harah, the Evil Inclination) makes it difficult for us to accept authority. We see this in children as well as adults. It is human nature on the one hand to want to submit to G-d and on the other hand to want to be the one in charge, submitting to no one but ourselves and our own desires.

We're torn. We want to submit to G-d, and we want to submit to no one but ourselves and our own desires.

It is a constant struggle. Submitting to G-d's authority is tough. Another tool a Jew has towards this end is saying the Shema prayer. It is our daily dose of proclaiming that G-d is King and accepting His authority. A Jew starts his day with the Shema and says it again before he goes to sleep, saying it out loud day after day in order to internalize its message.

We parents have a major responsibility in determining our children's future relationship with G-d. How we use our authority will have a major impact on how they relate to all authority figures and ultimately to G-d. We need to use our power wisely, by providing loving care, clear limits and fair consequences. We do harm by being neglectful and not providing a safe structure within which our children can grow. If our

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rules are arbitrary or we are on a power trip with our kids, the results could be disastrous.

Most parents are, of course, less than perfect and a few are downright abusive. Children of unfair, excessively authoritarian or abusive parents are very likely to have special challenges in learning to relate to G-d and accepting His authority. In fact, people who have trouble finding a relationship with G-d often attribute it to problems with their parents.

We need to work hard at making ourselves the type of people our children will be able respect and want to listen to. We need to ask ourselves where we are falling short and how we can improve. We need to know that by being the most loving authority figures we can possibly be that we are opening doors for our children's spiritual growth.

Real Friends Facebook to the contrary, most of us have very few friends. It's supposed to be that way. (By Emuna Braverman)

There is a famous story about friendship in the Talmud. It is the story of Rav Yochanan and Resh Lakish, unlikely study partners whose daily interaction and give and take was so deep and meaningful that when Resh Lakish died, Rav Yochanan was thrown into bitter mourning and passed away soon afterwards. The friendship and relationship was life-sustaining.

This ancient sentiment has been confirmed recently by numerous studies. (see: What are Friends For? A Longer Life in NY Times, April 21,2009) Strong friendships lead to greater success in battling illness and to greater vibrancy in general. Friendships promote brain health and psychological well-being. And without friends...the converse is true.

Friends are a crucial support system, not just in sorrow but also in joy. What's good news without someone to share it with?

Yet there is a price. The mishnah in Ethics of our Fathers says "Buy for yourself a friend."

This is not referring literally to a financial transaction; it's referring to time and effort.

A friendship requires give and take. If it is all one or the other it is not a friendship. It may be a relationship you want to maintain for other reasons, but it is a delusion to call it friendship.

Like a marriage, friendship demands commitment. It requires saying "I'm there for you" and meaning it.

Which is why, Facebook to the contrary, most of us have very few friends. It is simply not possible to invest the time and effort and emotion necessary to create true friendship in large numbers of people.

Nor is it wise. Although CNN thought it was breaking news that Ashton Kutcher was the first to reach 1,000,000 Twitters, I was surprised it was considered newsworthy at all. It may say something about star power; it says nothing about real relationships.

And successful friendships share another common trait with successful marriage. They require common goals and a shared sense of purpose.

It may not be that hard to find someone to see a movie with, but it is significantly more difficult to find someone who will help you out when you're in trouble and stand by your side through thick and thin.

Many years ago, a friend of ours who was a prominent local philanthropist was sentenced to some time in jail for a relatively minor white-collar crime (I'm not justifying the crime, merely explaining the circumstances). All of the sudden no one in any of the organizations that had been feting him would return his calls. Only my husband and a very few others bothered to visit him in prison.

Because they require so much time and effort, real friendships are rare. Because they require so much energy and attention, real friendships are precious. And, as the Talmud and recent studies demonstrate, life-sustaining and affirming.

Well worth the price.

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A Secret to a Wonderful Marriage

Instead of complaining about what's wrong, ask for what you need. (By Emuna Braverman)

The public has an insatiable appetite for two types of books: cookbooks and advice on relationships (I suppose you could include diet books and romance novels on that list as well!). We so badly want our relationships to work and struggle so much with them that we are willing to grasp at the latest advice.

Obviously not all books say something helpful or are actually written by people with successful relationship experiences! So I was intrigued by a short excerpt I read from a new book entitled Wonderful Marriage by Lilo and Gerry Leeds. I don't know anything about their credentials except the most important one of all -- they have been married over 56 years. After 56 years, I figured they must have learned something.

Marriages are made through small practical steps repeated day in and day out under even the most trying of circumstances.

And indeed they have. What the Leeds surely know is that marriages aren't made through lofty insights and deep revelations. Marriages are made through small practical steps repeated day in and day out under even the most trying of circumstances.

Everyone wants exciting advice, uplifting ideas. That's not what works. Here's one suggestion from the Leeds that does. They recommend that individuals should ask for what they need instead of complaining about what is wrong. Sit with that for a moment. It's a simple yet profoundly important idea. And it's not just marriage advice. It's a whole philosophy of living.

Complaining is clearly a negative posture. An expression of a desire or a wish is a positive one. This affects how we see the world, how we experience our time, how others view us and what kind of impact we have on those whose lives we touch.

No boss wants a complainer as an employee. They're not great as co-workers either. They're lousy as parents, a challenge as children, frustrating as friends and a real drag as spouses.

The Leeds offer this wise reframe. Instead of the all too familiar kvetching, we need to speak up for our hopes -- in a cheery and good-natured fashion. It's a little more work, it requires a little more thought -- and it's a lot more productive.

It gets much better results -- not just because we actually get our needs met but also because we become more pleasant people in the process, which of course improves our marriages, our friendships, and our work relationships…

What would this novel way of communication look like? It's so simple yet for many of us it's a revolutionary new way of being. Instead of saying "We never go out anymore" we could try "I'd really enjoy it if we went bowling this evening." Instead of whining that "I'm sick of cooking," we could try "It would really be a treat to go out to dinner tonight." And instead of screaming "I'm not your maid!" it might be more pleasant not to mention effective to say, "I'm really feeling overwhelmed; would it be possible in budget in some cleaning help?"

This strategy can be applied to almost any situation. "It would mean a lot to me if we went on time to my sister's party" probably works better than "You always hold us up; we're never on time." "It's so much easier for me if you put your clothes in the hamper" likely keeps the house cleaner than a shriller reminder. And "I really enjoy spending quiet time with you" likely ensures more private 'couple' time than fussing about how your husband likes his job/computer/car better than you…

This technique is also preferable to the other common strategy of not saying anything at all while letting the resentment fester and the frustration build. Until a really big fight ensues. This has been an ineffective female [and male!] tactic since time immemorial. But we've continued to employ it for lack of a better alternative. Now we have one.

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The Leeds have opened our eyes to other possibilities – small changes that can literally be life changing.

And hopefully if we express our needs in this positive mode instead of complaining, those around us will learn from our example. Our employers, our colleagues, our children and our husbands will also reframe their "kvetch" into a positive statement.

It's not easy to have a happy marriage. 56 years takes some doing. And some mazal. And some prayer. And some willingness to not only think outside the box but to act on it as well.

Halachot of Berit Milah (Daily Halacha)

How Early in the Day Should a Berit Mila be Performed?

The earliest time for performing a Berit Mila in the morning is the point of Nes Ha’hama (sunrise). However, if the circumcision was performed earlier, it is nevertheless valid, as long as it was performed after the point of Amud Ha’shahar (when the first rays of light become visible in the eastern sky).

The Shulhan Aruch, in discussing the laws of Berit Mila, writes that a Berit should be performed early in the day, in fulfillment of the famous rule of “Zerizin Makdimin Le’misvot,” which requires performing Misvot as soon as possible without unnecessary delay. This principle is learned from the example of Abraham Abinu, who arose early in the morning in order to comply with the command of Akedat Yishak (“Va’yashkem Abraham Ba’boker” – Bereishit 22:3).

In light of this Halacha, the Aruch Ha’shulhan (Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein of Nevarduk, 1829-1908) raises the question of why we do not perform a Berit Mila early in the morning, even before the Shaharit prayer. Why do we delay the Berit until after Shaharit, if the rule of “Zerizin Makdimin” requires performing the Misva as early as possible?

Numerous answers have been given to this question. One answer is that Shaharit should be recited before performing a Berit because of the rule of “Tadir Ve’she’eno Tadir, Tadir Kodem” – we perform a more frequent Misva

before a less frequent Misva. Since the Misva to pray Shaharit is observed far more frequently than the Misva of Berit Mila, we first recite Shaharit before performing a Berit. (This is particularly so in light of the fact that Shaharit includes several Misvot – the Amida, Shema, Tallit and Tefillin.)

The Dibreh Malkiel (Rav Malkiel Tzvi Tannenbaum of Lomza, 1847-1910) writes (1:14) that we first recite Shaharit because its time frame is far more limited than that of Berit Mila. Shaharit must be recited by a certain time in the morning, whereas a person can be circumcised at any time during his lifetime. And although the Misva is to perform the Berit on the eighth day, it can be done at any point on the eighth day, until sundown, as opposed to Shaharit, which must be recited by the end of the fourth hour of the day. Therefore, we first perform the Misva with a shorter time frame, before performing the Berit.

Yet another reason that has been suggested is that the Torah speaks of performing Berit Mila on “Yom Ha’shemini” – the eighth day, whereas in reference to the Shaharit prayer, the Torah uses the word “Boker” (morning). We therefore first recite Shaharit, which is specifically associated with the morning, before performing a Berit, which is associated with daytime generally.

The work “Koret Ha’berit” (Rav Eliyahu Posek, 1859-1932) explains, very simply, that it is customary to drink the wine over which the Beracha is recited at a Berit, and it is forbidden to drink wine before reciting Shaharit. Necessarily, then, the Berit must be delayed until after Shaharit.

The Hazon Ish (Rav Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz, 1878-1953) ruled that one does not

DAILY HALACHOT

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have to recite Shaharit immediately at sunrise on the day of a Berit in order to perform the Berit at the earliest possible time. It suffices to pray Shaharit at the time one normally prays and then perform the Berit afterward.

More generally, the Halachic authorities indicate that while a Berit should ideally be performed early, the requirement of “Zerizin Makdimin” is fulfilled as long as it is performed before Hasot (midday as defined by Halacha, namely, the midway point between sunrise and sunset). Thus, for example, the Shebut Yaakob (Rav Yaakov Reischer, 1661-1733), cited in Pit’heh Teshuba, criticizes the Hazanim who prolong the prayer service on Shabbat and Yom Tob when a Berit is performed, causing the Berit to take place after Hasot. It seems that Hasot marks the critical cutoff point with regard to the rule of “Zerizin Makdimin Le’misvot.”

Should a Berit be postponed until the afternoon if this will allow more guests to participate? Does the value of “Be’rob Am Hadrat Melech” – performing the Misva in the presence of a large assemblage of Jews – supersede the value of “Zerizin Makdimin Le’misvot”?

Hacham Ovadia Yosef addresses this question in his work Yabia Omer (vol. 2, Yoreh De’a, 18), and he concludes that as long as a Minyan would be present without delaying the Berit, it should not be delayed. The Berit should be delayed until the afternoon only if this is necessary to assure the presence of a Minyan; if a Minyan can be assembled earlier, the Berit should not be delayed allowing for a larger crowd.

Interestingly, the Ma’aseh Roke’ah (cited in Machshireh Mila, 2:3) notes that there were occasions when a Berit Mila was delayed because of the women who needed time to put on their makeup and jewelry (listen to audio recording for precise citation). The Ma’aseh Roke’ah sharply denounces this practice, noting that although the Rabbis were unable to stop it, people should ensure to perform the Berit promptly.

One important exception to this Halacha must be emphasized. The work Kibbud Horim (chapter 12, note 17; listen to audio recording for precise citation) brings the ruling of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv (1910-2012) that if the infant’s grandparents ask the parents to delay

the Berit so they can attend, the parents should comply. Since the Berit can be performed the entire day, Rav Elyashiv explained, it is proper for the child’s parents to honor their parents’ wishes and delay the Berit, as this overrides the principle of “Zerizin Makdimin Le’misvot.” Rav Elyashiv said that it is preferable to try to convince the grandparents to allow the Berit to be performed earlier, but if this is not possible, then the Berit should be delayed. Similarly, the author of the work “Ve’alehu Lo Yibol” relates that he posed the question to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (1910-1995) of whether a Berit may be delayed until the afternoon to allow family members to attend, and the Rabbi responded, “Titnaheg Ke’ben Adam” – “Act like a human being.” For the sake of family members’ attendance, it is proper to delay a Berit, in consideration of their feelings, notwithstanding the general rule requiring performing a Berit Mila early in the day when possible.

Summary: It is proper to perform a Berit Mila as soon as possible after Shaharit, though one does not have to pray Shaharit at sunrise in order to perform the Berit at the earliest possible moment. Most importantly, the Berit should be performed before halachic midday. As long as a Minyan can be present earlier, a Berit should not be delayed until the afternoon to allow for a larger attendance. It should be delayed until the afternoon, however, to allow for the grandparents or other family members to attend.

Daf Yomi Masechet Hulin

(Daf Notes)

Naming Children after Torah Leaders In our sugya, we find that R’ Natan offered advice to two families who had lost children as a result of performing the bris milah before the child was healthy enough to endure it. He instructed them to postpone the bris until the children were ready. They followed his advice, and in both cases the children lived, and the parents named them both Natan HaBavli, after R’ Natan.

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We find many instances in the Torah in which children are named after events in the lives of their parents. For example, Moshe Rabbenu named his son Gershom, explaining, “For I have been a sojourner (ger) in a foreign land,” (Shemot 2:22). Later generations began to name their children after their forefathers instead. The Midrash explains, “R’ Shimon ben Gamliel said: the earlier generations made use of Ru’ach HaKodesh. Therefore they chose [original] names based on the events that occurred to them. We do not have use of Ru’ach HaKodesh, therefore we name our children after our fathers,” (Bereishis Rabbah, 37:7; See also Meoros HaDaf HaYomi, Ketubot 100a). Natan HaBavli was just one example of a Torah leader after whom parents named their children. However, he was not the first. Our Sages tell us that a convert who was drawn to Torah observance by Hillel, named his son Hillel (Avot D’Rebbe Natan, ch. 15). Thousands of families whose domestic strife was resolved through Aharon’s HaKohen’s intervention, named their sons after him (ibid, ch. 12). An auspicious name brings success to its bearer: In Zecher David (cited in Otzer HaBris I, 341) the author writes that an auspicious name brings success to its bearer. For this reason, many have the custom to name their children after their rabbis. R’ Elimelech of Lizensk zt”l said that when a tzaddik’s name is given to a child, his light is awakened in the higher worlds, creating an influence to help the child resemble him.

Some authorities hold that it is preferable to name one’s child after his rabbi, than after his father (Zecher David, ibid). Others hold that a child should only be named after the previous generations of his own family (Mishneh Halachos VI, 256). Sometimes parents are forced to name their child after someone in their family, whose lifestyle was such that the parents can only hope that their child will excel his namesake. In such a case, it is best that the parents intend that the name refer to a tzaddik who carried the same name (ibid, 253).

Naming a child after a tzaddik who endured misfortune: The Poskim debate whether it is proper to name a child after a tzaddik who endured uncommon misfortune (see Teshuvos Afarkasta D’Aniya, 101; Otzer HaBris, ibid). For this reason, many refrain from naming their children after such tzaddikim as Yishayahu HaNavi, Yirmiyahu HaNavi, and Gedalyahu ben Achikam, who all suffered untimely deaths at the hands of their enemies. Those who do name their children after them, change the name slightly, removing the final vav. Thus, the names Yishaya, Yirmiya, and Gedalya are more common (see Bet Shmuel, hilchot gittin, Shemot Anashim:10; Teshuvot Chatam Sofer, E.H. II, 25: Otzer HaBrit p. 263, 347).

Segulah for having children: Some hold that if a person davens to have a child, and resolves to name him after a tzaddik, this merit will assist his prayers (Birkat HaBanim, p. 533).

InterestIng MIdrash

(from Torah Tots)

What’s in A Name. Give Me A "Vav"...

Who proof-read the Torah anyway, you may ask, once you notice that almost every "big name" in the Torah is spelled at least two different ways - sometimes there's a letter, sometimes the letter's missing. "Avram" becomes "Avrohom" and "Sarai" becomes "Sarah." Efron has a vav before the sale of the Machpelah cave, then loses it once the deal is signed! Didn't Moshe ever hear of "spell-check"? - or could there be a deeper

meaning to the mystery of the menacing spelling mistakes?

The key to this quest for correct spelling lies in the story of Yitro's advice to Moshe. Judge for yourself: When Yitro heard all the commotion about Bne Yisrael's exodus from Mitzrayim, he packed his bags, accompanied Tziporah, and her sons to the camp of Yisrael. During a conversation with his son-in-law, Moshe, Yitro got the feeling that Moshe was havng a tough time playing leader, judge and jury to the three million members of Bne Yisrael.

That's when Yitro gave the famous advice that changed the name of this week's Parsha forever. He advised Moshe Rabbenu to cut himself some slack and share the beit din

KID’Z KORNER

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burden. Yitro laid out a plan to appoint judges - lots of judges. Seventy-eight thousand to be exact.

Well, this advice may not earn Yitro a page in a crooks book, but it certainly earned him a "vav" in his name. You see, Yitro's real name was "Yeter." Hashem gave him a vav at the end of his name to make it "Yitro". The extra vav is a sign that:

1. Yitro became a Ger (convert).

2. The entire episode involving the appointment of judges was added to the Torah to honor Yitro.

The rabbis teach us that there's a rule of thumb when it comes to the "Torah name-change game": Adding a letter to a name is the sign of a good deed. Taking away a letter from a name denotes an evil act. Efron, for example, lost his vav when he insisted upon being paid for the Machpelah cave, instead of giving it as a gift to Avrohom, the way he originally said he would. Avrohom, on the other hand, gained a "hay" to show that his spiritual level had soared to greater heights.

Yitro actually had a few more names:

"Chovav," to show that he loved the Torah.

"Chaver," like a friend, because he became a companion to Hashem.

"Re'uel," to show that he was loved by Hashem and was a friend to the people of Yitroel.

"Putiel," because he gave up his idolotry.

"Kaini," a name with a double meaning: He acquired the Torah, as in "kinyan" (acquired) ; and he was very zealous for Hashem, as in "Kanai" (zealot).

And that, my friends, teaches us that every letter counts when it comes to the Torah of Hashem.

Kid’z Korner (Revach)

The Prince & The Dancing Bear

The Unhappy Prince

There was once a king who was served by an highly talented minister. The king valued the minister's experience and advice, and always consulted with him before making any serious decisions.

The king had a son whom he loved dearly. Since his son was still young, the king did not involve him in affairs of state. Whenever the minister came to the palace for consultations, the king would ask his son to leave as they attended to important matters.

After the minister saw this happen several times, he joked to the other advisers that he was more important to the king than the king's own son.

Unfortunately, the minister's indiscreet words reached the ears of the king's son, who became extremely unhappy. "Could it be that my father prefers the minister over me?" The young boy was so distressed at this thought that he became ill.

The physician who examined the prince realized that the source of his illness was not a physical ailment, but severe psychological depression. He recommended curing him through laughter and jesting. The king immediately brought clowns and musicians to cheer the boy up, but these attempts failed to raise his spirits. The young prince was accustomed to seeing such performances in the palace and quickly tired of their jokes and pranks.

The worried king met with his advisers to see what could be done to help his son. The boy clearly needed some form of entertainment that he had never been seen before. After much thought, the advisers suggested that all of the king's ministers dress up as various animals. The boy would certainly recognize the ministers from court, and seeing these famous and well-respected men cavort and carry on should make the boy laugh.

One by one, the ministers entered the boy’s room to try to make the prince laugh. But despite their best efforts, he appeared as gloomy and down as ever.

Finally it was the turn of the king's most valued minister. As soon as the child saw the

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dignified and stately minister - dressed as a bear, dancing and waltzing in the palace - he began to shriek with laughter. At last, the young prince was cured of his depression.

One of the advisers grinned at the minister, who had not yet taken off his bear costume. “Did you really think that you were more important than the king's own son? Now you see, when it was necessary, even you had to dress up like a bear and make a fool of yourself for the boy's sake!”

Moshe and the Angels

When Moshe went to heaven to receive the Torah, the angels mocked him. "What is a mortal man doing here? Give G-d's glory to the heavens!"

In response, G-d made Moshe' face look like that of Abraham. G-d then rebuked the angels: “Aren't you ashamed to treat him this way, after he fed you and took care of you?” (Shabbat 88)

This Midrash is puzzling. What kind of rebuke is this? The angels didn't need Abraham's kindness. After all, angels don’t eat or drink – they only ate out of politeness! Why should they feel that they were in Abraham's debt?

The Maggid explained that when Abraham was upset that he had no guests, G-d sent three angels to visit him. Even though angels do not eat and drink, G-d commanded them to dress like men and eat and drink in order to make Abraham happy.

The point was not that the angels should feel indebted, but that they should understand their relative importance. By having Moshe' face look like Abraham, G-d sent a strong message to the angels: they may be important and powerful ministers in the world, but His children are more precious to Him.

We may be feeble, mortal creatures, especially when compared to the mighty forces of nature and the universe. But we are still G-d's children - "You are children to the Eternal your G-d" (Deut. 14:1).

(Adapted from Mishlei Yaakov, pp. 152-154)

Rav Elyashiv's Ba'al Korei Brings Unleashes His Mother's Tears And Memories

One Shabbat, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv had to stay in the hospital after undergoing a procedure. A minyan and a Sefer Torah were organized for his hospital room, but the family members were unable to find someone to read the parsha. Finally, they found a bachur who was staying with his mother who had also been hospitalized over Shabbat. The bachur read the parsha to the minyan, and Rav Elyashiv, who was extremely grateful, wished to wish his mother a refuah shelemah. Someone brought the mother to the Rav Elyahsiv’s room to receive his bracha.

The mother became very emotional when she heard Rav Elyashiv’s bracha, and began crying. She explained that her son who had read the parsha had been born as a result of a previous bracha from Rav Elyashiv. She had been childless for many years, and after approaching Reb Elyashiv for a bracha, she had finally given birth to a son.

Another poignant twist to the story was that that Shabbat had been the bachur’s Bar Mitzvah parsha. However, the bachur had not read the parsha in shul the Shabbat of his Bar Mitzvah due to a mix-up. There had been another boy in shul that Shabbat whose Bar Mitzvah also fell out that Shabbat and was expecting to read the parsha, and this bachur allowed him to read the parsha instead of him. A few years had passed and the bachur now merited to read the parsha to the Gadol Hador. (Heard from Rav Hodaya of Eilat)

The Shach As A Businessman

When the Shach was a young man, he sat in the Bet Midrash learning, and was supported by his father-in-law. One day, his father-in-law informed him that it was market day in the marketplace, and he should try to earn some money. The Shach obeyed his father-in-law, bought merchandise for a low price, sold it for a higher price, and succeeded in

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earning a hefty profit. He then promptly returned to his beloved sefarim.

When the next market day rolled around, his father-in-law tried to convince him to try his hand once again. This time, the Shach refused. He quoted and explained the passuk in Az Yashir – “’The enemy says’ – this is a reference to the Satan.” “’I will chase, I will split the loot.’ – this means that the Satan will cause him to earn a large profit until he gets so involved with his profit that he will forget his learning And then, ‘I will inherit him,’ – I will also take the money which profited, and he will be left with nothing at all” (Devarim b’Itam)

Reb Yehoshua Leib Diskin - Just Show Him The Money

Reb Yehoshua Leib Diskin was a Rav in various cities in Europe before moving to Yerushalayim in 1878 and becoming a Rav there. When he was still in Europe, certain members of the city falsely accused him of accepting bribes. They brought false witnesses against him who testified that he was seen accepting bribes.

At the trial, Reb Diskin’s lawyer called the prosecution witness to the stand and said, “Are you sure you saw R’ Diskin accept a bribe?”

The witness answered, “Yes, I saw him accept a bribe and then count the money.”

The defense lawyer said, “Are you sure you saw him count the money?” and the witness answered positively. “Are you one hundred percent sure?” said the lawyer, and the witness again answered positively.

The defense lawyer then said, “Your Honor, with your permission, I’d like to show you what type of person we’re talking about.” The lawyer then proceeded to remove a huge wad of bills from his pocket. He handed the wad of bills to the judge and requested that he split the pile in two.

The defense lawyer then pointed to the larger pile of bills and turned to R’ Diskin and said, “Will the esteemed Rav please tell me how many bills are in this pile?

R’ Diskin immediately replied, “632.”

The defense lawyer turned to the judge and asked him to count the money, and the judge proceeded to do so, and counted 632 bills. The defense lawyer then asked the judge to divide the wad of bill again, and proceeded to carry out the same steps. Again, R’ Diskin was able to pinpoint the amount of bills without counting it. The lawyer repeated the process a third time.

The defense lawyer then turned to the judge and said, “Your Honor, I think we’re discussing someone who would be extremely unlikely to be counting bills!”

The judge dismissed the case.

(Rav Itshak Nabet)

Le Mérite de Yitro Il est écrit dans la paracha de la semaine: "Et il entendit, Yitro, le prêtre de Midiane, le beau père de Moché, tout ce qu’Elokim fit pour Moché et pour Israël son peuple, lorsqu' Hachem fit sortir Israël d'Egypte. " Les sages du Midrach enseignent: "Qu'est-ce-que Yitro entendit afin de venir? L'ouverture de la mer de Joncs et la lutte contre Amalek." Le Beer Mayim Haïm zal pose plusieurs questions à propos de ce verset et de ce Midrach. Premièrement, pourquoi celui-ci vient-il expliquer ce qui est déjà explicité,à savoir que "Yitro entendit tout ce qu'Elokim fit…" ce qui inclut l'ensemble des miracles, la Manne…? Ensuite, pourquoi la Torah précise-t-elle ici que Yitro est le beau père de Moché, alors que c'est une information qui est déjà connue de tous? Nous devons également comprendre pourquoi le Créateur est nommé au début du verset "Elokim" et à la fin "Hachem"? Enfin, pourquoi est- il dit que Yitro entendit, alors que nous savons par ailleurs que tout le monde entendait les miracles...? Alors, qu’avait-il de si particulier dans son écoute?

Comme vous le savez, il existe deux sortes de miracles par lesquels le Tout Puissant modifie

PAR LA FRANCOPHONE

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le cours des événements. Parfois, Il intervient en changeant les lois de la nature de façon spectaculaire, comme lors de l'ouverture de la mer ou lorsqu'Il arrêta le soleil à l'époque de Yéochoua ben Noun, prouvant ainsi à toutes les nations du monde son existence et sa domination sur les éléments. Mais lorsque les bné Israël sont moins méritants, Il cache ses prodiges et opère sans dépasser les règles de la création. Ce qui fut par exemple le cas à l'époque d'Esther et de Mordéhaï, pendant laquelle Il sauva l'ensemble du peuple juif de la mort sans jamais montrer ouvertement son intervention. Ce type de miracle donne la possibilité aux nations de nier le caractère divin du sauvetage et laisse croire que ce n'est qu'un beau concours de circonstances... Or, même lorsqu'il cache Sa Face, ses enfants, les bné Israël, reconnaissent son omniprésence. De même que nous ressentons combien Hachem intervient dans notre vie au quotidien, malgré sa grande discrétion, nous savons que le hasard n'existe pas et que tout vient de Lui.

Cependant, il faut savoir que certaines personnes sont tellement entêtées qu'elles ne croient pas aux miracles, cachés ou dévoilés. A l'image de Pharaon qui ne voulait pas ouvrir les yeux faces aux plaies, ou d'Haman qui disait à Ahachvéroch que Moché était un grand sorcier qui avait ouvert la mer grâce à une formule magique…Et ainsi, à chaque époque, se lèvent quelques illuminés qui contestent ce qui est évident! N'y a-t-il pas presque tous les ans un Science et Vie qui explique comment Moché envoya les dix plaies grâce à sa grande connaissance de la Nature et des marais…En effet, lorsqu'un homme s'éloigne trop du droit chemin, Hachem alourdit son cœur et l'empêche d'admettre même ce qui est incontestable.

Revenons à présent à notre verset. Yitro était le grand prêtre de l'idolâtrie et il n'existait pas un culte qu'il n'avait servi, nous dit le Midrach. Ainsi, il parait certain qu'avec toutes les fautes qu'il avait accumulées, il devait lui aussi avoir le cœur fermé à toute spiritualité. Et même s'il avait entendu les miracles de la sortie d'Egypte, il aurait pu dire comme Haman que Moché est un sorcier, ou comme Science et Vie que c'est un grand marin. Or la Torah est venue nous enseigner par quel mérite il a pu entendre et croire en ces prodiges. Puisqu'il était le beau- père de Moché et qu'il accepta de

l'accueillir et de le nourrir pendant quelques années, cette mitsva purifia son cœur et le rapprocha un peu d'Hachem. Ce qui lui permit d'entendre, au sens d'en comprendre la véracité, les miracles, au point de décider de se convertir au judaïsme. Mais plus que cela encore, nous dévoile le Midrach! Il reconnut même "tout ce que fit Elokim", et même ce qu'il était possible de réfuter, c'est-à-dire l'ouverture de la mer de Joncs et la guerre contre Amalek. Pour lui, il ne faisait aucun doute que ces miracles cachés provenaient aussi de la main du Créateur qui envoya les plaies d'Egypte ou la Manne de manière spectaculaire. Voilà pourquoi il est écrit au début Elokim, qui signifie la manifestation du Créateur à travers la nature, et ensuite Hachem, qui représente son caractère infini qui domine le temps et la matière.

Nous pouvons donc apprendre de cette paracha combien une mitsva peut changer le cours d'une vie. Car à travers son accomplissement, nous nous purifions et nous rapprochons d'Hachem. C'est pourquoi nous devons essayer de ne jamais négliger une mitsva. Comme nous le disent les sages, personne ne connaît la portée de ses actes et le salaire d'une bonne action. Parfois une tsédaka, une prière ou une étude peut nous ouvrir à des nouveaux horizons. Alors, à l'image de Yitro, essayons de saisir les perches qu'Hachem nous envoie afin de nous rapprocher de lui, et sachons comprendre Ses messages afin de prendre un nouveau départ…

L'enseignement de Yitro Dans la paracha de la semaine, Yitro, la Torah nous raconte deux événements importants: la conversion de Yitro, le beau père de Moché Rabénou, et le don de la Torah, en particulier des dix commandements, ainsi que les préparatifs à cet événement historique. Le premier verset de notre section hebdomadaire s'ouvre sur ces mots: "Et Yitro, prêtre de Midiane, beau- père de Moché entendit tout ce que l'Eternel fit à Moché et aux bné Israël, et en particulier comment Hachem les avait fait sortir d'Egypte." Rachi zal évoque le Midrach qui rapporte qu' Yitro entendit l'histoire de l'ouverture de la mer rouge ainsi que celle de la guerre contre Amalek. Après avoir écouté ces

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miracles, il décida de se convertir et de rejoindre son gendre dans le désert. De nombreuses questions ont été soulevées par nos maîtres à propos de cette venue de Yitro. Premièrement, pourquoi la Torah précise-t-elle qu'il était prêtre de Midiane? Il paraît surprenant que notre paracha rappelle les fautes de ce Tsadik qui abandonna tout pour se lier à notre Dieu et notre peuple... De plus, il est écrit dans les Midrachim que lorsque la mer de Joncs s'ouvrit, toutes les eaux du monde, tous les lacs, les puits, les verres d'eau…se divisèrent. Or puisque chaque être humain entendit les miracles de la sortie d'Egypte, pourquoi Yitro fut-il le seul à se convertir? Ensuite, si on comprend qu'il fut impressionné par les miracles de la mer de Joncs, que rajouta la guerre contre Amalek à sa décision? Enfin, pourquoi avoir choisi d'appeler cette paracha si importante, celle du don de la Torah, du nom de Yitro?

Il est écrit dans la Mékhilta, au début de notre paracha, qu'il n'existait pas une idole que Yitro n'avait pas servie. Nos sages, à travers cette information, ont voulu nous montrer que sa conversion ne fut pas le fruit du hasard. Elle fut la conclusion d'une recherche qu'il effectua toute sa vie: celle de la vérité. En effet, ce désir de connaître le but de notre vie sur Terre le conduisit à pratiquer l'idolâtrie. Lorsqu'il comprit que ce service était inutile, il essaya le culte d'autres "divinités". Cette quête le poussa à apprendre le sens de toutes les religions. Mais rien ne l'avait satisfait. Le mensonge semblait se cacher derrière toutes ces belles théologies. Ce n'est que lorsqu'il entendit l'ouverture de la mer de Joncs et les miracles de la sortie d'Egypte qu'il comprit qu'il existait un Dieu unique, celui des bné Israël. Désormais, nous pouvons comprendre pourquoi il est précisé dans notre verset que Yitro fut prêtre de Midiane. La Torah voulait nous apprendre que c'est cette recherche de vérité qui fut à l'origine de sa conversion. A l'inverse, tous les autres qui entendirent les miracles et se mirent à trembler ne purent pas se convertir. Ils comprirent que quelque chose d'anormal se passait mais restèrent à servir leurs idoles. Car si une personne ne désire pas avancer, toutes les connaissances du monde ne peuvent pas la faire bouger d'un centimètre.

Pire encore, lorsque Yitro entendit que le peuple d'Amalek était parti en guerre contre les

juifs malgré tous les miracles, il comprit à quel point une personne pouvait se cacher la vérité. Or si aujourd'hui sa reconnaissance d'Hachem était inébranlable, qu'en serait-il dans un an, dans dix ans? N'y a-t-il pas des milliers de personnes qui nient l'existence de la Shoah, malgré la présence des camps et des survivants, malgré les aveux et les témoignages ? Et c'est à ce moment précis qu'il décida de partir rejoindre les bné Israël dans le désert et de se convertir. Les sages, en nous dévoilant ce qu'avait entendu Yitro, veulent nous enseigner à quel point la vérité est une valeur difficile à acquérir et à conserver. Cependant, il existe un moyen pour l'ancrer en nous, c'est de chercher immédiatement une manière d'appliquer ce qu'on a appris. C'est pourquoi Yitro ne se contenta pas de savoir que Dieu existe: il quitta son poste et son pays pour aller se convertir et apprendre la Torah dans le désert.

A présent, nous pouvons également comprendre pourquoi cette paracha du don de la Torah fut nommée Yitro. Car à travers l'histoire de ce Tsadik, nous pouvons apprendre que le seul moyen d'acquérir la Torah, c'est, dans un premier temps, de rechercher la vérité. En effet, le désir de connaître le but de l'existence, de comprendre ce qu'Hachem attend de nous et de se rapprocher de la vérité est un élément indispensable pour pouvoir avancer dans le service divin. Un homme doit être prêt à se remettre en cause s'il comprend qu'il n'est pas dans le vrai. Il ne doit pas avoir peur de changer de route ou de comportement s'il s'aperçoit qu'il s'est perdu. Mais plus que cela, de Yitro nous devons apprendre qu'il faut toujours essayer de mettre en application nos nouvelles connaissances. Lorsqu'on écoute un cours de morale ou de loi, nous devons trouver des moyens pour vivre, chacun en fonction de son niveau, avec cette nouvelle Torah qu'on reçoit à chaque cours. Et c'est en accomplissant ce travail sur nous-mêmes que nous pouvons espérer intégrer les enseignements que nous apprenons et nous rapprocher réellement de la Source de Vie. Nous vous souhaitons beaucoup de réussite dans cette difficile quête... Qu'Hachem guide toujours nos pas sur les sentiers de la Vérité, amen ken yéhi ratson.

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(Rav Yonatan Gefen)

La Grandeza de Rav Nóaj Weinberg zt"l

“Yo soy el Señor, tu Di-s, quien te sacó de la tierra de Egipto, de la casa de esclavitud” (1).

El primero de los Diez Mandamientos es la mitzvá de emuná, creer en Di-s como la causa primera de toda la existencia, Quien crea y sustenta constantemente a toda la creación (2). Hay otro concepto fundamental que está conectado con la emuná, que es el bitajón, la confianza en Di-s. ¿Es confiar en Di-s parte de la mitzvá de emuná o es un concepto independiente que no está no incluido en ninguna mitzvá en particular?

El Jazón Ish explica que el bitajón no es independiente, sino que es el resultado natural de la verdadera emuná. La obligación de tener emuná requiere que creamos en los principios fundamentales sobre Di-s como Primera Causa y en la Providencia Divina, mientras que el bitajón es la aplicación práctica de esa creencia. Si una persona no puede hacerlo, revela que su emuná tiene falencias básicas.

El Jazón Ish da un ejemplo: Rubén expresa constantemente su emuná y afirma que todo lo que tiene proviene de Di-s; proclama reconocer que su sustento emana exclusivamente de Di-s y que no es necesario tener ansiedad. Sin embargo, cuando alguien abre un negocio que compite con el de Rubén, de repente toda su emuná desaparece y se preocupa constantemente por el futuro. La emuná de Rubén parecía ser fuerte cuando todo iba bien, pero cuando fue puesta a prueba no logró mostrar suficiente bitajón. Esto demuestra que su emuná nunca fue genuina (3).

Aprendemos del Jazón Ish que un aspecto esencial de la emuná es el bitajón, que significa aplicar la emuná a las situaciones de la vida real. El Netivot Shalom desarrolla nuestro entendimiento del bitajón explicando que hay dos niveles de bitajón: El birajón inactivo y el bitajón proactivo.

El bitajón inactivo aplica cuando uno se encuentra en una situación difícil, en la que no hay no hay nada que podría hacer. En circunstancias así, lo que se debe hacer es

confiar en que todo lo que ocurra será para bien. Por otro lado, el bitajón proactivo es necesario cuando una persona debe hacer algo que demuestra su confianza en Di-s. El Netivot Shalom cita el ejemplo de Kiriat Yam Suf (la partición del Mar de los Juncos), en donde Moshé y el pueblo judío le clamaron a Di-s para que los salvara del ejército de Paró que se les acercaba. En respuesta, Di-s les dijo que dejaran de rezar y que se metieran al mar. El Netivot Shalom explica que para que el pueblo judío ameritara que Di-s fura más allá de la naturaleza por medio de Kiriat Yam Suf, debía demostrar tener una confianza en Di-s que fuera más allá de las leyes normales de la naturaleza. Tenían que creer que si la voluntad de Di-s era que cruzaran el mar, debían confiar en que Di-s tenía la capacidad para permitirles que lo hicieran, incluso si no sabían cómo sería posible. En consecuencia, meterse al enfurecido mar antes de que este se abriera fue una demostración de bitajón proactivo, lo que les ameritó el gran milagro de Kiriat Yam Suf (4).

Si combinamos las enseñanzas del Jazón Ish y las del Netivot Shalom, podemos concluir que la emuná genuina sólo puede manifestarse en quien está dispuesto a actuar con una confianza inquebrantable en Di-s, una creencia de que, si la voluntad de Di-s dicta que actúe de una cierta manera, puede hacer esa acción y Di-s le permitirá tener éxito en todo lo que se proponga.

Acabamos de conmemorar el yórtzait de Rav Nóaj Weinberg ztz” l, y hace sentido decir que Rav Nóaj personificaba este atributo en una forma muy elevada. Su fama principal es por sus increíbles proezas en kiruv, pero, como señaló uno de sus amigos más cercanos (5), todos sus logros emanaron directamente de su profunda emuná y bitajón.

Tuve el mérito de estudiar en Yeshivat Aish HaTorá durante cuatro años y, en ese tiempo, tuve la fortuna de ver la grandeza de Rav Weinberg en primera persona. Nunca olvidaré cómo bendecía: le hablaba a Di-s como si realmente estuviera delante de Él, una demostración de shiviti Hashem kenegdí tamid (Pongo a Di-s constantemente delante de mí) (6). Cuando hablaba sobre la confianza en Di-s, influía profundamente en sus oyentes, no porque hubiera dicho algo inusual, sino porque vivía con ese bitajón y el haberlo internalizado

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tan profundamente le permitía que otros se contagiaran con tan sólo observarlo.

Gracias a que su emuná era tan genuina, pudo aplicarla en la práctica y de esta manera expresar el alto nivel de bitajón proactivo que describió el Netivot Shalom (7). Solía decir que si vemos problemas en el mundo, no hay razón para no salir y solucionarlos si creemos que ese es el deseo de Di-s. Di-s puede y está dispuesto a ayudarnos a que logremos materializar Su voluntad incluso si para ello hicieran falta logros sobrehumanos. Si demostramos bitajón proactivo, Di-s puede hacer milagros para nosotros.

Eso es exactamente lo que ocurrió en la vida de Rav Weinberg. En una época en la que el kiruv era virtualmente desconocido, vio una gran necesidad de acercar a la Torá a los millones de judíos que no sabían nada de observancia de Torá. Muchas personas se burlaron de sus sueños, considerándolo extremadamente irreal y llamándole tonto. Sin embargo, su convicción de estar cumpliendo la voluntad de Di-s le permitió superar muchos traspiés y realizar milagros en la creación de un movimiento que salvó miles y miles de judíos seculares de perderse por completo del judaísmo (8).

Su hijo, Rav Hilel Weinberg, ex Rosh Yeshivá de Aish HaTorá, describió cómo Rav Nóaj comenzó su cruzada con tres jóvenes en un cuarto pequeño de Kiriat Sanz. Nadie hubiera imaginado que ese humilde comienzo culminaría en Aish HaTorá y lo que derivó de allí. Nadie, a excepción de Rav Nóaj mismo; los más cercanos a él afirman que él creía firmemente que traería al mesías con sus esfuerzos. Sus grandes logros eran pequeños ante sus ojos, porque sabía que Di-s quería mucho más. En el funeral, su hijo, Rav Hilel, nos dijo lo que Rav Weinberg nos habría dicho si hubiera estado allí. Hubiera dicho que podíamos ser más grandes que él, ¡que podíamos ser tan grandes como Moshé Rabeinu! Las palabras de los Sabios en este sentido no eran una expresión vaga, sino una realidad y debían ser tomadas en serio.

Escuché una historia increíble sobre Rav Weinberg poniendo su emuná en la práctica: en la shivá (el período de duelo), su hija contó que una vez fue a Aish un campeón de ajedrez, estudió durante unos días y decidió

irse. Rav Nóaj lo desafió a un juego de ajedrez, con la condición de que si el estudiante ganaba podía irse, pero que si Rav Nóaj ganaba se quedaría. Rav Noah ganó. Cuando le preguntaron cómo tuvo la audacia de proponer tal trato, dijo que sabía que Di-s quería que el joven se quedara, por lo que confió en que Di-s lo haría ganar (9).

Es apropiado terminar con una de sus historias más famosas, una que he mencionado antes, pero que siempre nos despertará.

Hace muchos años, el gran sabio Rav Shaj fue a Aish HaTorá para un brit. Al ver muchos baalei teshuvá, gente de los orígenes más distantes, Rav Shaj dijo una idea que jamás había expresado antes (10). Citó al Naví, Hoshea: “Regresa, Israel, a Hashem, tu Di-s, porque has tropezado en tu pecado” (11). Preguntó: el naví implica que la razón por la que Israel debía regresar a Hashem era porque habían tropezado con el pecado, ¿por qué es tropezar en el pecado la razón para volver a Hashem? Respondió explicando que sabemos que por más poderoso que sea el mal, el poder del bien es mayor. Entonces, la medida en que Israel haya pecado es la prueba de que tiene el poder de hacer teshuvá. Basado en esto, Rav Shaj dijo que, si un hombre puede destruir seis millones de vidas, entonces un hombre puede salvar seis millones de vidas. Claramente se vio motivado a afirmar esta idea por las proezas que Rav Weinberg ya había realizado. Rav Hilel agregó que el hombre que causó tanta destrucción, Hitler, imaj shemó, no era una persona particularmente talentosa ni inteligente, pero igualmente logró causar una gran cantidad de daño. Entonces, cada uno de nosotros, sin importar lo simples que nos consideremos, tenemos el potencial de hacer más bien que el mal que él perpetró. ¿Cómo podemos lograrlo? Aprendiendo de Rav Nóaj y desarrollando una emuná y bitajón que nos fortalezca con la creencia de que, si Di-s lo desea, podemos lograr hazañas increíbles.

Parece difícil aspirar al nivel de emuná y bitajón al que llegó Rav Nóaj Weinberg. Sin embargo, su grandeza en esta y todas las áreas no fue resultado de su talento natural, sino de años de arduo trabajo desarrollando su relación con Di-s. Nos exhortaba constantemente a aprender a internalizar las Seis Mitzvot Constantes, las mitzvot que

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encapsulan la relación de un judío con Di-s. Una forma apropiada de recordarlo sería, quizás, escuchando sus enseñanzas y fortaleciéndonos en nuestra relación con Di-s mediante el estudio de esas mitzvot, comenzando con emuná (12). Esta es la clave para lograr el nivel de bitajón proactivo al que llegaron los judíos en kiriat Yam Suf y que personificó Rav Weinberg durante su vida.

Que todos ameritemos aprender de Rav Nóaj Weinberg y asegurar que sus sueños sean cumplidos, y que todo judío vuelva a su Padre Celestial.

Notas: (1) Itró, 20:2. (2) Ver Rambam, Séfer HaMitzvot. (3) Ver Emuná y bitajón, del Jazón Ish, Cap.2, Parte 2. (4) Netivot Shalom, Parashat Beshalaj. (5) Rav Jaim Uri Froind, Rosh Yeshivat Toldot Aharón. (6) Ver Ramó, Óraj Jaim, Simán 1, seif 1. (7) A propósito, Rav Nóaj fue bisnieto del primer Rebe de Slonimer, el Beit Abraham, y primo del Netivot Shalom. (8) Sus logros incluyen: • la fundación de la pujante Yeshivat Aish HaTorá

en Ciudad Vieja, frente al Muro Occidental. • más de 25 sucursales de Aish HaTorá en todo el

mundo, abarcando cinco continentes y lugares como Moscú, Australia y Chile.

• el programa Fellowship, que trajo a más de 10.000 judíos seculares en viajes inspiradores a Israel.

• el Programa Discovery, que enseña la validez de la Torá a judíos escépticos, y en el que participan 10.000 personas cada año.

• la página de internet de Aish HaTorá, que tiene 260.000 subscriptores y recibe más de millones de hits por mes, haciéndolo el sitio judío de internet más grande del mundo.

(9) Oído de la Rabanit Gila Manolson (10) Este hecho fue oído directamente de Rav Nóaj Weinberg. (11) Hoshea, 14:2. (12) Aquí sugiero algunas fuentes para comenzar a estudiar sobre las seis mitzvot: El Séfer Hajinuj es la fuente de la idea de que hay seis mitzvot que una persona tiene la obligación constante de cumplir. El Jafetz Jaim ztz” l, en el segundo Biur halajá del Mishná Brurá, explica la importancia de esas mitzvot. Además, pueden obtenerse clases excelentes de Rav Nóaj mismo y de mi rabino, Itzjak Bérkovits shlita, en el Aish HaTorah Audio Center.

El Arte de Escuchar Uno de los rasgos más llamativos de la parashá de esta semana es la yuxtaposición de los consejos de Itró a Moshé con la entrega de la Torá. Rav Tzadok HaKohén nos da, en nombre de su rabino (1), una interesante lección a partir de este hecho.

Él comienza analizando la sección en la que Itró le aconseja a Moshé que modifique el sistema judicial y Moshé acepta dicho consejo. Esto no pareciera ser un hecho especialmente destacable, pero si reflexionamos en ello podremos notar que la reacción de Moshé ante el consejo de Itró nos muestra una gran característica de Moshé.

Puede que Itró haya sido un hombre muy sabio pero, con seguridad, estaba muy por debajo del nivel de su yerno; además, no había tenido ninguna exposición a la sabiduría de la Torá. Moshé podría perfectamente haber escuchado el consejo y luego haberlo rechazado con delicadeza, sin considerar realmente su aplicación. Sin embargo, Moshé escuchó atentamente el consejo, lo analizó profundamente y finalmente decidió aplicarlo.

El rabino de Rav Tzadok dice que Moshé nos enseña que una persona debería escuchar incluso las palabras de una persona ordinaria y que ese es uno de los aspectos del concepto de ‘aprender de todas las personas’. Luego explica la yuxtaposición con la entrega de la Torá diciendo que esta lección es la introducción a aquel evento trascendental, ya que aprender de todas las personas es parte esencial del estudio de Torá.

Ahora, uno podría argumentar que si bien la capacidad para escuchar a los demás puede ser beneficiosa para el estudio de Torá, no es tan importante como para ser la lección introductoria de la entrega de la misma.

Rav Eliyahu Lopián responde esta pregunta: "Hay personas que estudian todo el tiempo y que se esfuerzan en Torá, pero que no tienen la capacidad para escuchar a otros y conectarse con sus amigos a través del estudio de Torá. Son personas que están absolutamente enfrascadas en sí mismas y en sus dálet amot (‘cuatro amot’) (2). Estas personas no sólo son severamente castigadas, sino que tampoco tienen éxito en el estudio".

Él continúa explicando la razón por la cual la incapacidad para escuchar dificulta tanto el estudio. "Las personas tienen una tendencia natural hacia favorecerse a sí mismas y a estar cegadas ante todo lo que vaya en contra de su opinión. Si alguien no puede escuchar lo que dicen los demás, entonces jamás podrá clarificar nada con precisión" (3).

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La incapacidad innata para oír perspectivas que contradicen a la propia puede llegar a evitar que un estudiante escuche adecuadamente incluso a quienes saben más que él, ya que hay una tendencia particular en él a discutir todo lo que dicen; en consecuencia, el estudiante nunca puede entender bien y absorber lo que su superior está diciendo.

En contraste, la capacidad para escuchar de corazón y comprender lo que los demás dicen es una de las claves para la grandeza. El Alter de Novardok expresó este punto cuando alabó la grandeza de Rav Jaim Ozer Grodzensky. "Su genialidad y sabiduría son inmensas y tienen tanta amplitud y profundidad porque cuando era joven siempre estaba en presencia de grandes rabinos. Nunca les dijo acepten mi opinión, sino que se convirtió en un recipiente que escuchaba y absorbía todas las opiniones y explicaciones de los grandes hombres que se encontraban en el lugar. Incorporó a su ser toda la sabiduría que escuchó, y su mente se purificó y elevó a partir de la grandeza de muchas generaciones que grabó en su mente (4)”. Vemos de las palabras del Alter de Novardok que la clave para la grandeza de Rav Jaim Ozer fue su voluntad para asimilar todo lo que escuchaba.

A pesar de que prestarle atención a nuestros rabinos es un desafío, prestarle atención a nuestros pares es aún más difícil. A menudo, cuando escuchamos que una cierta persona está a punto de expresar una idea, cerramos nuestra mente y pensamos en lo que diremos a continuación. Además de ser una falta de

respeto, esa actitud obstaculiza gravemente nuestra capacidad para crecer.

La capacidad para aceptar la opinión de alguien — en particular cuando contradice la propia —, es una cualidad muy poco común. Más difícil aún que escuchar a nuestros pares es escuchar a quienes están en un nivel inferior al propio. Un erudito estaba molesto por la Mishná de Ética de nuestros padres (5) que dice que un hombre sabio es quien puede aprender de todo hombre, no sólo de los grandiosos. Por tanto, le preguntó a un distinguido rabino, argumentando que seguramente no había nada para aprender de las personas que están en un nivel de estudio muy inferior al propio.

El rabino le respondió que él le había enseñado Mishná Brurá a principiantes que habían estudiado Torá sólo durante un año, y dijo que ellos habían analizado las leyes desde ángulos que él nunca había visto antes, lo cual lo hizo repensar seriamente muchos fundamentos que había llegado a considerar sagrados.

Aprendemos de la parashá de esta semana que escuchar a otros es una de las bases de la sabiduría. Espero que todos obtengamos la capacidad para escuchar honestamente lo que nuestro maestro, amigo o estudiante está diciendo y que eso nos ayude a aprender y entender la Torá.

Notas: (1) Citado en BeShem Amru, Séfer Shemot, p.281. (2) La amá es una medida que era usada en el tiempo de la Guemará. La frase "cuatro amot" se emplea para referirse al espacio que ocupa una persona. (3) Lev Eliahu, Emor, citado en Mishel Avot, III tomo, Cap. 6, Mishná 6. (4) ‘Hameorot Haguedolim’, citado en Mishel Avot, ibíd.

Nahala of Rav Yehudah Zev Segal Monday the 22nd of Shebat

Rav Yehuda Zev Segal, the Manchester Rosh Yeshiva (1910-1993). Born in Manchester to Rav Moshe Yitzchak Segal, the Rosh yeshiva and a former talmid of the Alter of Novardok, who received smicha from Rav Yechiel Michel Epstein, the Aruch Hashulchan. At the age of 20, Rav Yehuda Zev attended the Mir, where he learned with Rav Chaim Shmulevitz. He formed a

close bond to Rav Yechezkel Levenstein, whom he referred to as “mori verabi.” After he married in 1934, he learned at Gateshead, but moved to Manchester after the Germans bombed Gateshead in 1940. On April 16, 1950, he was officially inducted as Rosh Yeshiva by Rav Yechezkel Abramsky, supported by Dayan Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (the Minchat Yitzchak), then the Manchester Av Bet Din.

Nahala of Rav Israel Salanter Thursday the 25th of Shebat

Rav Yisrael Lipkin Salanter (1810-1883), founder and spiritual father of the Mussar movement. Born in Zager (near Kovno), Lithuania, to Rav

NAHALOT

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Ze’ev Wolf Lipkin, a descendent of the Vilna Gaon, Rav Yisrael became a close talmid Rav Zundel of Salant, who introduced him to the classic works of mussar. In 1840, he became rosh yeshiva of the Ramellat Yeshiva in Vilna, and later opened a yeshiva in Kovno. A compilation of his thoughts were recorded in a sefer, Or Yisrael, written by one of his closest talmidim, Rav Yitzchak Blazer of Petersburg. Among his other close disciples are Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv of Kelm, Rav Yosef Yozel Hurwitz of Novardok

The Importance of Having A Mission To Live Up To

(Rabbi Frand)

The pasuk says, “And you shall be for Me a Kingdom of Priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Children of Israel.” [Shemot 19:6] This pasuk is recorded on the threshold of Kabbalas HaTorah (Revelation at Sinai). Rashi says on the phrase “These are the words” – “neither less nor more”.

What is Rashi telling us here? My good friend Rabbi Yaakov Luban shared the following insight with me, along with a story.

This is perhaps the most auspicious moment in the history of the Jewish people. They are about to receive the Torah. They do not know anything about Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu is about to give them their big charge, right before receiving the Torah. This is going to be the biggest speech of his life. What should he tell them? One would think that he should tell them what Torah is, what mitzvot are, what Torah can do, what mitzvot can do. It could have been an hour long sermon!

HaShem told Moshe, I want you to tell the people: They shall be for me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy nation. That is it! Seven words, nothing more nothing less. What is this all about?

The following is a true story: There was a family in Yerushalayim with a child who was severely retarded. The parents came to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach to discuss the institutionalization of their son: Where should they put him, how should they tell him, and so forth. The son did not want to go. Rav Shlomo Zalman asked the parents: Did you discuss this with your son? They said, “We cannot discuss it with him, he is mentally diminished.”

Rav Shlomo Zalman insisted. You cannot just drop him off in an institution. You have to discuss

it with him first. Rav Shlomo Zalman told the parents, “I want to see the boy.” They brought their son to see Rav Shlomo Zalman. The great Rabbi asked the boy, “What’s your name.” The boy told him his name. Rav Shlomo Zalman then told the boy, “My name is Shlomo Zalman. I am the Gadol Hador [greatest Torah Sage of the generation]. You are going to go now to a special school. But there is no one in the school to supervise that everything is Kosher and everything is being done properly. I am making you my personal representative to see to it that everything in that school is Kosher and everything is done properly. And I am giving you Semicha and now you are a Rabbi. I want you to tell everyone there that Rav Sholomo Zalman Auerbach, the Gadol Hador, made me his personal emissary to see that everything is right.”

They put the boy in the institution. A few weeks later, the parents wanted to take the boy home for Shabbat. The boy said “I cannot leave. Rav Shlomo Zalman told me that I am responsible. I am the Mashgiach here. I have to take care of things.” The boy did not want to come home for Shabbat.

What did Rav Shlomo Zalman do? He gave this boy a mission. When the boy received the mission, he said “This is what I have to live up to.” He knew his mission and he knew the importance of the mission.

Moshe Rabbeinu tells Klal Yisrael: I am not going to tell you all about Torah and Mitzvot. I am merely going to give you a mission: “You shall be for Me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.” That is the mission. The way to accomplish this mission is through something called Torah. When you receive the Torah, you will be able to accomplish the mission. But the only thing you need to know for now is the ultimate goal, the ultimate mission. That mission is “You shall be for Me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation”, nothing more and nothing less. This is the introduction to receiving the Torah.