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The Lone Wolf

The Prophet Yeshayahu foretells of the glorious end of days when the wolf and the lamb shall feed together (ישעיהו סה כה).

The Midrash explains that this refers to the coexistence of the tribe of Binyamin who is compared by his father to the wolf, Binyamin is a predatory wolf (כז מט with the ,(בראשית rest of the Jewish nation who is described by the Prophet Yirmiyahu as scattered sheep (ב”ר צה) .(ירמיהו נ יז)

The critical role of the tribe of Binyamin is evident in the fact that upon its unique stone on the Choshen Mishpat, in addition to his own name and the image of a wolf, the sentiment ”שבטי ישורון”, The Tribes of Yeshurun, was engraved there as well. (ש”ר לח)

Additionally, the colors appearing on his flag were similar to all the unique colors of all the other tribes. (במ”ר ב)

The Midrash goes on to detail how periodically throughout our history the descendants of Binyamin would mimic the attribute of the wolf and ”snatch” victory from the hands of our enemies. (ב”ר צט)

Ehud, one of the earlier Judges, takes the initiative to go it alone and arrange an audience with Eglon the King of Moav, ostensibly to deliver a message from G-d. When Eglon stands up to greet the ”word of G-d” Ehud stealthily withdraws a hidden sword thrusting it into him killing him and then locking the door behind him as he leaves, deceiving the king’s servants into thinking the king is busy tending to his needs. In the interim Ehud’s troops rout the Moavite army. (שופטים ג)

Shaul the first Jewish king is valiantly described as the one who “took” the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side (שמואל א יד מז).

Earlier the Prophet alludes to how after the Philistines captured the Holy Ark Shaul courageously runs alone a great distance and ”snatches” the Two Tablets from the hands of Goliath.

(שם ד יב רש”י שם)

In the days of Achashveirosh, Esther ”captures” the heart of the king leading to the sequence of events that lead to the downfall of Haman.

Each of these illustrious members of the tribe of Binyamin display the talent of the זאב יטרוף, the predatory wolf who can adeptly חוטף, snatch, his prey.

Eretz HaTzviRabbi Zvi TeichmanCongregation Ohel Moshe, Baltimore, MD

3rd Dec ‘15 י”ב טבת תשע”ה

פרשת ויחי

פ' ויחיהפטרה: מלכים א' ב' א'-י''ב

הדלקת נרות London 3:47 pm Manchester 3:45 pm

מוצש’’קLondon: 5:02 pm Manchester: 5.04 pm

cont. on page 2

Eretz HaTzvi ......................................................................2

Jewish Classics .................................................................3

Weekly Halacha Conversation .......................................4

Home Grown .....................................................................5

Weekly Nach ......................................................................6

Guidelines ..........................................................................7

Sparks of Chassidus........................................................8

Parnassah Psychology ....................................................9

Dr T .................................................................................. 10

Memini Michoel ............................................................. 11

Rambam .......................................................................... 12

Quiz Time?? ??????? ???????? ????????Answers can be found on the back page. Taken from the 1001 Questions & Answers Series by Rabbi Eli Brunner.

Who was the mother of אברהם אבינו?

2


Eretz HaTzviRabbi Zvi TeichmanCongregation Ohel Moshe, Baltimore, MD

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Clearly this hereditary trait must have stemmed from their famed ancestor Binyamin. Yet in the portrayal of his life as detailed in the Torah nowhere is this skill evident.

Rabbeinu Efrayim, one of the Tosafists, makes a startling claim regarding the nature of Binyamin.

In his commentary on Torah he states: Benjamin was a predatory wolf, sometimes preying upon people. When it was time for him to change into a wolf, as it says, ‘Benjamin is a predatory wolf’, as long as he was with his father, he could rely upon a physician, and in that merit he did not change into a wolf.

He goes on to explain that this was why Yaakov Avinu feared for Binyamin to leave, when Yaakov exclaimed, ‘And he shall leave his father and die’, namely, that when he separates from his father, and turns into a wolf with travelers, whoever finds him will kill him.

In another place he elaborates with the following:

There is a type of wolf that is called loup-garou (werewolf), which is a person that changes into a wolf. When it changes into a wolf, his feet emerge from between his shoulders, as it says, ‘he dwells between the shoulders’ (יב לג And .(דברים likewise, Binyamin ate his mother, who died on his accord, as it is written, ‘And it was as her soul left her, for she was dying, and she called his name the son of my affliction’ (בראשית לה יח).

Perhaps we may suggest that the couching of his nature in this physical malady is actually a metaphor for the inner struggle Binyamin faced from birth.

Binyamin entered this world without the warmth of a mother. He later lost a dear and devoted brother he cherished so much. During the years Binyamin went on to establish his own family, he names each one of his ten children in memory of his departed brother, each name emphasizing the difficult circumstances Yosef must have faced. (רש”י בראשית מג ל)

Perhaps Binyamin struggled with the trauma of pain he was born into and continued to experience throughout his life. The natural reaction when reliving trauma is to react violently and impulsively.

Rachel his mother names him בן אוני, son of affliction.

Why would she give him a name that would accentuate the pain each time his name would be called?

Maybe she sought to make others aware of his fragile nature in the hope that kindness and understanding would be exhibited toward him.

His father Yaakov however calls him בן-ימין, son of strength .(רמב”ן)

Yaakov Avinu wasn’t negating Rachel’s intent but rather infusing within this traumatized child the belief that one can transform pain into strength. One’s plight should not defeat but rather compel one to find the inner-strength to go forward.

The loneliness of pain allows one to focus one’s energies in a way that comfort cannot. One must believe however that one possesses that ability to attain that goal.

The word אוני refers to pain as well as to strength. Rav Hirsch teaches that און actually means to ”claim possession”. When we suffer the pain of death it is the feeling of having a right to the possession of somebody of whom you have been robbed of. When one regains a healthy perspective on the situation at hand that is grounded in emunah, one becomes empowered with a greater strength, a greater resolve.

The wolf is an animal that lacks the requisite strength to overpower by brute force alone in gaining its prey. He must utilize the element of surprise to ”snatch” its quarry. At times it is the very lack of strength and its diminished size that deceives its target into thinking it is incapable of attack.

The lone wolf is confident that in its limitation lay its greatest strength. The instinctive resolve the wolf possesses compels it to achieve its goal.

Rabbeinu Efrayim describes the ”werewolf” and its “feet emerging from the shoulders”.

The shoulders represent “burden”, suffering. The feet imply mobility, going forward and taking that ”load” and giving it ”feet”.

Each of these descendants of Binyamin stood isolated and alone against powerful enemies. These lone wolves however had that inner confidence that in their most difficult circumstance they would discover their greatest strength.

Each one of us can easily transform into reactive werewolves if we permit self-pity to defeat us.

If we maintain the legacy of Binyamin however, we can shackle the forces of defeatism transforming challenge into victory.

May we finally reach that day when the force of the ”wolf” within us will coexist healthily with the ”lamb” and bring in its wake the final redemption.

cont. from page 1

2. Who said “ תמות נפשי עם פלשתים “?

S P O N S O R E D

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Jewish Classics: Mesillas Yeshorim

Rabbi Osher Chaim Levene

לע''נ

רות שאשא בת יעקב מאיר ע"ה

BackgroundAuthor

Rav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746) known by his acronym “Ramchal”

Historical Backdrop

Forced to leave his Italian hometown of Padua because his kabbalistic teachings were considered suspect in the tragic aftermath of the tragedy of the false Messiah Shabsei Tzvi, the Ramchal settled in Amsterdam where this work on Jewish ethics was first published (5500/1740).

Structure of Book

Elaborating upon the Talmudic teaching of R. Pinchas ben Yair, this work records the spiritual ladder in a step-by-step progressive ascent towards the perfection of human soul and of closeness to G-d.

The original version of this work was presented as a dialogue between a wise man (chacham) and pious man (chassid). The spiritual progression detailed follows the 4 categories framed in the opening phrases of the Shabbos morning prayer: the journey from (a) yeshorim, just ones (b) tzaddikim, those who fulfil their basic duty (c) chassidim, the one who goes beyond the letter of the law with his giving heart and (d) kedoshim, holy ones.

Later, the reorganized work was published as a series of stages. Here the Ramchal systematically defines each virtue; discusses its elements; states the

pathways necessary in order to acquire it; and what factors might interfere in its attainment.

Its Impact

This ethical guide to a true Torah life is one of the most popular and influential works of its kind. Published many times, with umpteen commentaries, Mesillas Yeshorim has been considered an indispensable part of curriculum of many yeshivos from the nineteenth century onwards.

Critical Acclaim

The Vilna Gaon exalted the shining light that descended to this world when this work was published. Rav Chaim Volozhin instructed his disciple Rav Zundel to make this work his “practical guide and primer” above other ethical works. Rav Yisrael Salanter, founder of the Mussar Movement, considered this work an indispensable text which offered a systematic, all-inclusive structure for “fear of G-d” on the topic of avodas Hashem (divine service) similar to what the Rambam’s Mishnah Torah did for “halacha”. Despite the deceptively open and straightforward presentation, Torah luminaries have noted how this work is replete with words of kabbalah and actually contains great, mysterious secrets of Torah.

IntroductionThe purpose of this work is not to teach novel ideas. Rather, it comes

to remind people of well-known truths that have either been overlooked or forgotten. A constant review of this work is necessary so that these principles take root in the reader’s heart.

Man has to plan elaborate strategies in order to attain piety (that would have otherwise remained unknown) and to perfect his avodas Hashem, ”divine service”, as there is no inborn drive within man to otherwise acquire piety. It is for this reason that man must [choose to] initiate the search that is likened to a quest for hidden treasure.

The 5 qualities to perfect his avodas Hashem are:

(1) Fear – of the King’s exaltedness and of man’s shame

(2) Walking in His Ways – of honestly following G-d’s ways to strengthen Torah and society

(3) Love – to find favor before G-d (4) Perfecting the Heart – to conduct service with pure intent

(5) Mitzvah Observance – to be fulfilled according to all the details.

These are included within the systematic ladder of Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair, upon which this work is based.

Torah brings to Watchfulness, Watchfulness brings to Alacrity, Alacrity brings to Cleanliness, Cleanliness brings to Abstinence, Abstinence brings to Purity, Purity brings to Piety, Piety brings to Humility, Humility brings to Fear of sin, Fear of sin brings to Holiness, Holiness brings to Divine Inspiration, Divine Inspiration brings to Resurrection (Avodah Zara 20b)

Overview: Man’s Duty in this World Chapter 1

”The foundation of Piety and the root of man’s divine service” is to establish and to clarify what is man’s duty and goal in this world.

The greatest pleasure of existence – and man’s raison d’être – is to take delight with G-d in the World to Come as the place where the soul clings to G-d for all of eternity.

How does man earn this? It is through his mitzvah performance in This World where man battles against his personal yetzer hara, ”Evil Inclination”. In truth, his reward in the World to Come is defined by the level of closeness to G-d that he attains. And his degree of perfection is determined by the actions executed in the preparatory realm of This World. Like a corridor leading to the palace, This World is not an end in itself. Its pleasures may satisfy the ”body” but not the higher spiritual standing of the ”soul” comparable to whatever

material possessions a coarse villager can possibility offer his wife, formerly a princess, will always – by definition – be inadequate.

Life is about how we serve G-d. Facing challenging tests in This World is how man earns his reward in the World to Come. Consequently, every single mitzvah makes a difference. It is the reason why this must be performed with the utmost precision as if weighing up/valuing gold or pearls. Every action must be enacted with the intention to come close to G-d (like an iron attracted to a magnet) and a removal of impediments from his self.

Once man has clarifies his worldly duties, he has to go out to examine the levels and details of R’ Pinchas ben Yair’s teachings as will be elaborated in this work.

3. How old was דוד המלך when he died?

to be continued...

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The Weekly Halachic Conversation

Rabbi Avi WiesenfeldRosh Kollel, Yerushalayim and Rav at Kav Halacha Beis Horaah

4. One brother was a כהן the other a לוי. Who were they?

Children On Shabbos – Part 1Although the Torah addresses adults when commanding us about Shabbos, nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that children under bar/bas mitzvah are completely exempt from the halachos of Shabbos.

The Mitzvah of Chinuch Chazal teach us that just like a father/mother is instructed to train their children to do mitzvos, they are instructed to prevent them from doing a

melachah on shabbos.1

Q. At approximately what age does a child reach “chinuch”?

A. It depends:

עשה • Positive Commandment: Although there is no – מצוה set age at which chinuch begins, many children at the age between 5 – 72 already understand what a mitzvah is and even how to perform it (e.g., to shake a lulav). If it is a mitzvah that requires a deeper understanding, e.g., mourning for the Beis Hamikdash, the age may be older (around 6 - 7).3

תעשה • לא ,Negative Commandment: e.g., Shabbos – מצות children will understand from an even younger age, around 4 - 5.4 Some say even younger, perhaps 3 - 4 depending how clever the child is. One may assume that once he understands when he is told it is forbidden and why it is so, he has reached the age of chinuch.5

Stopping a Child From Performing an MelachahQ. When must one stop a child from transgressing a melachah

on shabbos?

A. it depends who the child is doing the melachah for: himself, or for a parent, and if he has reached the age of chinuch or not:

• Child doing a Melachah for a Parent/an Adult:

A child doing a melachah for a parent or another adult must be stopped, even if the child was not asked to do anything. This applies to a child of any age.6

• A Child doing a Melachah for Himself:

If a child is performing a melachah for himself, i.e., for his personal benefit/enjoyment, stopping him depends if he has reached the age of chinuch or not.

1 תוס' קכא ד"ה שמע, וכ"כ הרמב"ם הל' מאכל"א פי"ז הכ"ח והמ"ב ס"ק ב. 2 מ"ב סי' קכח ס"ק קכג. וע"ע במ"ב סי' תרמ ס"ק ד ושעה"צ שם ס"ק ג ומ"ב סי' רסט ס"ק א.

3 מג"א בשם או"ה "כשהוא בר הבנה" ועי' בגר"ז ומ"ב שהכוונה כשמבין כשאומרים לו שדבר זה אסור )אף שאינו מבין עדיין ענינו של דבר(.

4 דהיינו שמבין חומר האיסור ולכך פורש אבל אם גוערין בו והוא מתירא ופורש אין זה מקרי בר הבנה שאינו פורש מחמת האיסור אלא מחמת היראה.

5 מג"א ס"ק ב, חי"א כלל סו ס"ג, מ"ב ס"ק ג. 6 עי' שו"ת נשמ"ש ח"ז סי' תס שפסק שאם הקטן עושה מלאכה ע"ד אביו, ואין אביו שם רק אחרים, גם הם צריכים

להפרישו. וכן משמע מהגר"ז סי' שסב סעי' יז.

A Child Over Chinuch:

A child that understands what Shabbos is and what is forbidden on Shabbos (approximately 4 - 5) who performs any prohibited act on Shabbos

– even if he is doing it for his own benefit – must be stopped by either the father or the mother because of the mitzvah of chinuch.7

Q. Does anyone apart from the parent have to stop a child from performing melachah on Shabbos?

A. A child over the age of chinuch must be stopped by anyone only if he is doing an 8איסור מן התורה [Torah Prohibition], e.g., borer, electric lights, combing hair, squeezing grapes, etc. However, when the child is doing an איסור מדרבנן [Rabbinic Prohibition] e.g., playing with muktzah toys, noise making toys (non-electric), biting nails, etc., they need not be stopped.

The exception is if a child is performing a melachah for an adult – even if it is not for a parent – everyone must stop him, even if the child is only doing an 9.איסור דרבנן

A Child Under Chinuch:

Q. If a child under the age of chinuch is doing a melachah on Shabbos, must he be stopped?

A. If it is being done for an adult – even if he was not asked to do it – the child must be stopped.

However, if a child under chinuch is acting totally independently and is doing the melachah (even מדאורייתא) for himself, he need not be stopped, even by a parent.10

This is because neither of the two איסורים mentioned above are being transgressed;

• The child is under the age of chinuch, thus, there is no reason to train him not to do the melachah.

• The child is not doing the melachah for an adult, so there is no need to stop him. Nevertheless, he still may not be given the prohibition in his hands.

For example, a child under the age of chinuch is doing borer, combing his hair, switching on a light, plucking flowers/grass, he need not be stopped since he is under the age of chinuch, and doing the melachah for himself.

The care and devotion which Jewish parents bestow upon their children is well-known. The merit of faithful compliance with Shabbos laws will greatly help them in bringing up G-d fearing and Torah true children.

7 רמב"ם פי"ז ממאכ"א הכ"ח, טור ושו"ע סי' שמג ס"א ומ"ב ס"ק ג. 8 רמ"א סי' שמג בשם תוס', מ"ב ס"ק ז.

9 מ"ב סי' שלד ס"ק סו. 10 דקטן אוכל נבילות אין ב"ד מצווין להפרישו, גמ' שבת קכא. וכ"כ ברמב"ם פי"ז מאכ"א הכ"ח ורמב"ן עה"ת פ' יתרו.

וכ"ה בשו"ע סי' שמג ומ"ב שם.

לע''נ

ר' חיים אליעזר בן ר' יעקב ז"ל

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The Parsha starts “ Yaakov lived in the land of Egypt for 17 years, and the years of Yaakov were 147”. Why did the Torah feel it necessary to tell us the age of Yaakov Avinu. Yaakov had told Pharaoh when he arrived in Egypt in last week’s sedra that he was 130, so if the pasuk tells us that he lived in Egypt for 17 years we don’t need it to continue saying that he was now 147 at the time of his death?

If a person lives his life without the understanding that there is a clear and definite purpose to it, then when asked how long he has lived he only reckons the times he has enjoyed and the times he has achieved, but the remaining years in which he endured suffering or didn’t succeed in his endeavours he doesn’t include. These were not years he has truly ”lived” as for him they were not worth living for. An observant Yid however, who appreciates that life on earth is merely a preparation for the real and eternal life to come, whether or not he enjoyed all of his life he certainly includes these times in the years he has “lived”. On the contrary, if it was necessary for him to suffer then he could not have achieved his potential without the full extent of each difficult event.

Rashi 1 says that the repetition of ”shnei chayay sara” tells us that ”kulan shavin l’toivah”, which many explain to mean2, that to Sara all her years felt equally as good. The difficult times like when she was taken to Pharaoh and the beautiful times like the birth of her long-awaited son, all her years were equally as good. She understood that all her experiences were bestowed upon her by the same loving creator, each with their purpose of helping her grow, and she was grateful for all of them.

Here too the Torah repeats the years of Yaakov, teaching us that he appreciated each and every part of his tumultuous years3.

It is greatly fitting for this lesson to be taught to us at this point of Jewish history, the Yidden were now starting the first of their bitter exiles. Times which seem to have no purpose. Times in which Hashem appears to have forsaken us. And in preparation for these difficult situations Yaakov taught his children that there is purpose to every suffering and nothing is left to chance.

We can take this idea deeper. Not only is the righteous person’s belief unwavering in physically and emotionally challenging phases, but during spiritually difficult times too. The latter is often harder than the former, as one doesn’t have any encouraging heavenly signs during his distress. Yaakov Avinu endured 22 years without any

1 (Beraishis 23:1)2 R’ Avraham Gurvits Shlit”a in V’anfeha Anfei El, and others3 Based on R’ Yaakov Neiman Zts”l,

appearance of the shechina4. During that period he believed his life was a failure and he was going to Gehinom5. Yet we do not see that for those years Yaakov Avinu didn’t fulfil what was expected of Yaakov to achieve. He didn’t lapse in his avoide during these dark years, he continued serving Hkb”h without feeling any success and without knowing that his existence was desired. He used all of his 147 years to their entirety and returned his soul having utilised every moment.

Many commentaries ask, if Yaakov was withheld from ”revealing the end” of our exiles to his children why does the Torah in two places6 tell us that he was planning to make the revelation. What use is it knowing that it was his wish to do so but he wasn’t allowed? The Zohar Hakodesh answers that Yaakov revealed it to us but it remains hidden.

Maybe we can explain his words along our previous line of thought.7 We must ask ourselves what did Yaakov feel he would achieve by revealing ”the end”? Yaakov wanted to reveal to his children the secret of all exiles and this would have been the ”end” of the exile as knowing this would have taken away the hardship of any exile. He was therefore prevented from clearly giving over this information, but the general idea was still passed on, and it is this which keeps us going. He wanted to reveal to us the purpose of the hardships that we would be suffering. When a person clearly sees the rationale behind his troubles he happily accepts the difficulties knowing that he’s taking the necessary steps closer to achieving his goal.

An uncivilised person was once treated to a tour of a modern town centre. He was shown the police station and the library, the coffee shops and the banks. He was then taken to a gym. Peering through the keyhole he sees a man running on a machine until his body can take no more. Dripping in sweat and panting for breath, the man moves on to pushing extreme weights. Our friend is sure that just beyond his range of vision is a man holding a gun to this man and forcing him to do these painful activities moving him on to the next workout just before he collapses. Little does he know that the man in the gym has actually paid for the service! This man is exhausted and broken on the outside but his heart is singing happily on the inside “no pain no gain”. True happiness is a sense of achievement rather than a sense of enjoyment8. [This is used to explain how R’ Nachman from Breslov said one should be happy at all times, despite the requirement for a Jew to mourn at specific times etc.]

Yaakov Avinu lived a complete life with this fundament, and he passed it on to us. He may not have managed to convey the exact meaning of our galus, but he impressed within us the understanding that if we live with the appreciation that the pain we endure is perfectly measured to help us achieve our goals then there can be no pain. We may look exhausted and broken on the outside but our hearts will be singing happily on the inside.

4 (Rashi 45,27)5 (Rashi 37,35)6 (See Rashi 47,28 and 49,1)7 (See Ohr Gedalyahu and Sfas Emes 5635.)8 Heard this parable from Rabbi A. Tatz Shlit”a

Home Grownfrom the Golders Green KolelThis week: Rabbi Sruli Lerner

לע''נ

חיה שפרה בת יהודה ע"הכז סיון תשעד לפ"ק

5. Which letter doesn’t occur in אשרי in order of the “א-ב“?

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Weekly Nach Journey through NachJourney through Nach will soon be available in the shops! To purchase this unique 2-book box-set with perek summaries on all of Nach, Divrei Torah and charts, timelines and more visit www.feldheim.com or email [email protected]

6. Who gave the good news to יעקב אבינו that יוסף was still alive?

Perek 21

The heads of the families of Levi approached Yehoshua

and requested that Hashem’s instructions of land to dwell

in and space for their cattle be fulfilled. Their cities were

distributed within the land of other tribes. This allocation

signaled both the completion of the apportioning of

the land and that all the Bnei Yisrael’s enemies had

been delivered into their hands. We are told (21:41) that

‘Hashem delivered all He promised to our forefathers’.

Although some Canaanite inhabitants still remained in the

land, what was most important was that the Bnei Yisrael

had defeated all those who fought against them in battle,

preventing any further threat of invasion (Ralbag 21:43),

as the next passuk implies.

Perek 22

Yehoshua thanked the 2½ tribes for their military

assistance, and bid them farewell, reminding them

to serve Hashem properly. Upon returning home,

these tribes erected an altar as a reminder for future

generations that although they do not live in Eretz Yisrael,

they are equally obligated to serve Hashem. The other

tribes suspected the 2½ tribes of using the altar as a

replacement for the Mishkan and sent a delegation of

Pinchas and ten elders of the tribes and threatened civial

war. The Ralbag (22:10) explains that the nine tribes

initially took the severe step of threatening civil war over

this illegal altar so future generations would understand

the gravity of such a sin, and would not repeat this

mistake. The threat of civil war ceased once Pinchas and

the 10 elders of the tribes in Eretz Yisrael1 understood the

1 The Malbim (22:13-14) explains why the tribes sent both Pinchas and the elders of each tribe to confront the 2 and a half tribes, and why (in passuk 21) these tribes only responded to the elders, not to Pinchas. For the 2 and a half tribes had been suspected of committing two sins here: one against Hashem and one in severing the unity within the nation. Pinchas (as the Kohen Gadol, the emissary of Hashem) was sent to reproach them for the former whilst the tribal leaders were reproving them for the latter. Because the 2 and a half tribes did not feel they had committed any

good intentions of the 2½ tribes and praised them for it.

Perek 23

Towards the end of Yehoshua’s life, he summoned the

people (for practical reasons he only assembled the leaders

[Ralbag]). He emphasized to them that the Torah must

be kept precisely, and warned them not to intermingle

with the nations or serve their idols. The consequences

of committing these sins would be that Hashem would

withdraw His Divine assistance, and they would be

banished from Eretz Yisrael.

Perek 24

Yehoshua assembled all the tribes2 at Shechem3.

Yehoshua summarized Bnei Yisrael’s history and Hashem’s

kindnesses up until then. Yehoshua instructed the people

to remove any idols and serve Hashem wholeheartedly.

The people made a covenant with Hashem4, pledged to

serve Him, and agreed to be witnesses to this covenant.

Yehoshua wrote the ”Words of the Torah” on a large

stone,5 and told Bnei Yisrael that the stone would act as

a symbolic ‘witness’ to this covenant. Yehoshua died at

110 years of age and was buried in Har Efraim. Yosef’s

bones, which were brought up from Egypt, were buried

in Shechem. Elazar the son of Aharon also died and was

buried in the Valley of Pinchas. Note Rashi’s explanation

(24:33) that Pinchas received a portion in the land (despite

being a member of the tribe of Levi) because he inherited

from his wife.

The scene is now set for the beginning of the turbulent

era of the Judges: Sefer Shoftim.

sin against Hashem, they directed their response to the tribes’ leaders and not to Pinchas (22:21).2 Given the wording of the opening few pesukim, presumably this time even the Ralbag will agree that the entire nation was gathered.3 The Radak writes that the reason Shechem was chosen was because this was the first location Avraham stayed at when he entered Eretz Yisrael, this was where Yaakov Avinu experienced a miracle and this is the first plot of land Yaakov acquired in Eretz Yisrael (see parashas Vayishlach).4 Rashi (24:26) and the Radak (24:1) comment that the Aron Kodesh was brought to this gathering, so that the people could enter a covenant with Hashem.5 There is a dispute in Makkos 11a whether Yehoshua completed the final 8 pesukim of the Torah from where Moshe left off or Yehoshua wrote the portion concerning Arei Miklat.

לע''נ

ר' שלום שכנא בן ר' חיים יעקב ז"ל

7

S P O N S O R E D


The Davening DiscussionRabbi Elozor Barclay Rabbi Yitzchok Jaegerauthors of the Guideline Series

Times of Prayer cont.

51. Is it preferable to daven ma’ariv alone before

midnight or with a minyan after midnight?

It is preferable to daven alone before midnight.

52. What is the earliest time for mussaf ?

Immediately following shacharis.

53. What if a person davened mussaf before

shacharis?

Although this is forbidden, one who did so has

fulfilled his obligation.

54. What is the latest time for mussaf ?

Ideally, one should start davening before mincha

gedola.

If this time passed, one should make every effort to

finish davening before one halachic hour after noon.

If this time passed, one has transgressed, but may

nevertheless still daven mussaf until sunset.

55. May one daven mussaf after sunset?

A man should follow the same rules as for mincha

(see question 44).

A woman should not daven mussaf after sunset.

56. If a person wishes to daven mussaf and mincha

together, which one should he say first?

If it is close to an hour after noon, he should daven

mussaf first, in order to meet the ideal deadline.

At other times he should daven mincha first, since

mincha is a more important prayer.

57. May one daven mussaf and mincha at different

times during the afternoon?

Yes.

• Before the time of mincha ketana one may daven

these prayers in either order.

• After the time of mincha ketana, one should

daven mincha first.

58. What if it is close to sunset and there is not enough

time for both mussaf and mincha?

One should daven mincha.

The following summary chart may be useful to

readers:

Earliest Time Latest time

Normally In times of need Normally Bedieved

Shacharis Sunrise Dawn One third of the day Noon

MinchaHalf an hour after noon

- Sunset

15 minutes before nightfall

Ma’ariv Nightfall Plag hamincha Midnight Dawn

Mussaf After shacharis -

½ hour/

one hour after noon

Sunset/

15 minutes before nightfall

לע''נ

ר' משה בן ר' פנחס ג'יי ז"ל7. Which is the longest מסכת in שס?

8


Your Weekly Spark of Chassidus

Rabbi Tal Moshe ZweckerMipeninei Noam Elimelech

8. Which great men died on שבת?

We Are Rewarded For Mitzvos

And Yaakov lived in Egypt...

(Bereishis 47:28)

In order to understand why we are rewarded for the performance

of mitzvos, we have to comprehend the idea that from an intellectual

point of view, reward is earned not because of the actions we perform.

Hashem created us to honor His glory, and we cannot even begin to

do justice to His tremendous goodness and kindness to us [let alone

be rewarded for performing His will], and therefore, it is proper and

fitting that we perform mitzvos, as the Tanna teaches in Avos (ch. 2):

”If you learn a lot of Torah, don’t feel vain about it because you were

created for that reason.” Rather, the principal merit that earns us our

reward is that we are tested through the evil inclination. Hashem

gave us an inclination toward evil that is constantly tempting us at

every moment to desire and think about sin and ”all the thoughts of

our desires are only evil all day” (Bereishis 6:5).We must stand up to

the yetzer hara and combat him, waging a war against every single

evil whim and desire, whether it be flattery and lies, excessive levity,

lashon hara, or desires and lustful thoughts. It requires great effort and

many battles to break down the desires and lusts of the yetzer hara,

which is a great source of suffering and self-affliction. Through this

Hashem purifies and sanctifies us as if we performed great mitzvos,

for we are sanctified through the mitzvos, as we say in our blessings,

“who has sanctified us through His commandments.” This is what the

Gemara means by the statement ”He who sits idly by and does not

sin, it is considered as if he performed a mitzvah” (Kiddushin 39b). If

a person is actively overcoming his desires and breaking his yetzer

not to sin, he is sanctified as if he is performing mitzvos. This was

Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayer: “Gladden us like the days of our suffering”

(Tehillim 90:16) — we ask Hashem to gladden us through His

sanctification, because of the days of our suffering while battling the

evil desires of the yetzer hara whom we must overcome. [The verse in

Tehillim continues:] “For years we have seen the evil” — and we have

safeguarded ourselves from it. Through this ”Your servant shall see

Your handiwork” — it will be as if Your servant has fulfilled all of Your

commandments, because through the suffering and torment endured

to overcome the inclination for sin, it is considered as if we performed

all the mitzvos.

This is the meaning of the verse ”You gave him his heart’s desire”

(Tehillim 21:3) — You gave man free will so he can choose to do his

heart’s desires,” that You Hashem do not prevent man’s lips from

speaking any way he wishes” (ibid.). All this You did for man’s good,

“for good blessings shall come to him” (ibid., 4) — since man has

free will and the evil inclination tempts him to sin yet he overcomes

his desires, Hashem sends him blessings and great reward through

His divine Name, which is equal to the number 17, which is also the

gematria of tov.4 This is true even in the bitter exile, where Hashem’s

Name is in a state of katnus, constriction; in the future, when

Hashem’s Name will be in a state of exalted expansion, surely there

will be boundless rewards. And thus, ”Hodu laHashem ki tov — Praise

His Name [Havayah] which equals tov” — even in exile, when His

Name is constricted and equals 17, it is still tov, good, ”because His

kindness endures forever.”

[In our exile, Hashem’s glory and the glory of the Jewish people

are constricted. We express this idea by saying that Hashem’s Name

is constricted. However, Zechariah teaches us (Zechariah 14:9) that

one day, in the time of the future redemption, Hashem and His Name

will be one. Then they will be in an expanded state of glory, as will

be the Jewish people as well.] This is the meaning of ”Yissachar is a

strong-boned donkey” (Bereishis 49:14). The name Yissachar spells

the words שכר יש, “there is reward” for man — through חמור , ”donkey,”

which can also spell חומר , ”physicality.” ,גרם ”strong-boned,” can

also connote גורם , ”causes,” meaning there are great rewards through

overcoming the desires of the physical body and its desires for this

physical world.

[The verse on Yissachar continues:] ”He crouches between the

boundaries” — he has a choice through free will to speak as he

desires. “And he shall see peace and rest” — after breaking your

will [to do evil] and the desires for lust and the flesh of the physical

world, you shall see peace and rest from this battle. ”Because it is

good” — the Name of Hashem sends us blessing because it equals

tov, goodness.

Thus, “Yaakov lived in Mitzrayim” — through breaking and

overcoming the desires of evil called ”Mitzrayim,” which is the land

of klippos, he had life and blessings from G-d, who conducts Himself

with mercy and whose Name is the numerical equivalent of tov, good.

Shabbos Mincha followed by Shalosh Seudos: 4:00pm

Sunday Morning Shacharis followed by Halacha Chabura & Breakfast: 9:00am

מזל טוב – בן ארבעים לבינה – מזל טוב

S P O N S O R E D

9


Parnasah PsychologyRabbi Issamar Ginsberg

Coca Cola’s Secret Recipe3 ounces of citric acid

1 ounce caffeine

30 cups sugar

2 ½ gallons of water

2 quarts plus 1 pint of lime juice

1 ounce vanilla

1 ½ ounces caramel, (add more for color)

Liquid Coca extract: 3 drams USP

7X flavor to give it that sharp bubbly taste:

(to be used as follows: 2 ounces flavor to each 5 gallons of syrup)

8 ounces alcohol

20 drops orange oil

30 drops lemon oil:

10 drops nutmeg oil

5 drops coriander

10 drops neroli oil

10 drops cinnamon

No, this isn’t a recipe column--- and yet, the above recipe is one of the most important marketing lessons of the last century, which is why I’ve taken the liberty of giving it to you here.

You might be familiar with the story about Coca Cola’s secret list of ingredients. It’s the recipe that makes Coca Cola so special, and as the story is told, Coca Cola never even patented the formula. While patenting something helps protect against copy cats, it has two adverse secondary effects: one, that people know what’s in it, which takes away the mystique, and two, after the patent expires, anyone would be able to manufacture their own cola using that same recipe. And so, taking out a patent would not have been a wise business strategy.

And yet, the recipe is available if you want to make your own. (When people were given the above recipe to drink, a good number of them were unable to differentiate between the “real thing” and the

”real thing, homemade.”)

Pepsi will never beat Coca Cola- in selling cola, if it’s only for the fact that a blue bottle will never do better than coca cola red in attracting customers from a distance.

Pepsi and Coke have very different marketing strategies. Coke puts money into heavy advertising and sponsors major sporting events;

Pepsi has chosen to produce snacks (Frito-Lay is owned by Pepsi) and own restaurants that are well known brands which were started so that the soda fountains in those locations would dispense Pepsi and not Coke. (Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Kentucky Fried Chicken were all created by PepsiCo and serve Pepsi exclusively.)

In Eretz Yisrael, Eidah Chareidis gives a hechsher to Pepsi and Rav Landau gives a hechsher to Coke. Most Eidah Chareidis stores therefore serve Pepsi brand sodas because it’s what their hechsher offers, and stores with Rav Landau’s hechsher serve Coke branded products.

If Coke were to switch to an Eidah Chareidis hechsher (or Pepsi were to move away from the Eidah Chareidis), there would be a major difference in the amount of cola that Pepsi sells. There’s no doubt that Israeli corporate headquarters in the cola wars knows that the hechsher reason is a major driver of their soda sales in certain areas. While the average person walking down the street might not understand the mechanics of why stores sell what, there’s a reason behind these things—and those reasons drive hundreds of millions, even billions of dollars of strategic decisions.

Victorniox sells very good knives. Something tells me that in areas like the Five Towns, Brooklyn, Eretz Yisrael, and other areas with significant percentages of the population keeping a kosher home, they sell more red and blue knives than they do on the island of Hawaii. And most likely, they sell more knives of those colors during specific seasons of the year-- before Pesach, wedding season, and the like.

The question is: How much up the ranks, from the local salesperson to the CEO in Switzerland, does that awareness go? Or do non-Jewish companies understand why they see a spike in sales every year in certain months, like erev Pesach. Do they realize that an ”iberyahr” (leap year) can mess up their projections because the Jewish calendar takes an extra month between Purim and Pesach?

One of the large chains in England put out all their Purim goods right after Chanukah, unaware that there was an extra month that year compared to other years. If they don’t have the right business insight into their target market, they may see that ”the kosher candy isn’t pulling its sales in sales per square foot” (how retails stores measure success). If they catch on that it’s a failure of information about their target market, and not the candy’s taste or changing neighborhood demographics that is at fault, they can make smarter decisions in the future.

These kinds of factors influence every new product introduction, store opening, and essentially every idea that moves from concept to profitable reality. Of course, it’s all just nothing more than our hishtadlus, but we should be making proper hishtadlus, of which this is all a part.

9. Who said “ אם אני כאן הכל כאן “?

10


Dr TPsychotherapy & ConsultationDr Sara Teichman psy.d.A psychotherapist in Beverly Hills, California

S P O N S O R E D

10. Who were the sisters of דוד המלך?

Fair

Dear Dr T.,

As a mother of many children, I am very aware of the challenge of ‘making things fair.’ I feel that I really try to make sure that things at home are distributed as fairly as possible. However, inevitably one of my children will bring home something special from school or a birthday party and another will fall into a fit of jealousy. How can I deal with these ‘unfair’ situations that occur and are beyond my control?

Dr T Replies,

Sibling rivalry is an old story: as old as Cayin and Hevel. Though

its roots are in childhood, we are all know adults, well into their

later years, who persist in engaging in these childhood battles. And,

while some of these early conflicts are merely petty, inconsequential

bickering, some are symptomatic of deep, raw feelings underneath.

So, these early conflicts are not easily dispelled or overcome. Each

family plays out the jealousy theme in its own unique style: your

children engage in only one of the many variations on the theme.

I do not know of any fail-proof way to resolve conflicts and I

do not think it is in anyone’s best interest for Mom to take on the

persona of ”referee.” What I would like to suggest is working on

preventing sibling conflict as much as possible. Note that I do not say

‘eliminate’, because that would be an unrealistic goal. The method

that I recommend is the first habit in Stephen Covey’s The Seven

Habits of Highly Effective People – the proactive approach. By being

proactive, by setting up a system of clear, consistent guidelines before

difficulties occur, parents can anticipate fewer rivalries and jealousies.

So, before the “It’s not fair!” flies, parents want to disabuse

their children of the notion that fair means equal; quite the contrary,

children should be in encouraged to see that equal is NOT fair. What

is fair is that everyone gets what he needs; so, for example, older

children get more school supplies because they have more subjects.

Even a very young child can understand this concept when presented

with a concrete example: a five year old child can not live on the same

amount of food as a five month old. The consistent teaching that

different people need different things at different times is a critical

lesson and one that helps in the long run lessen sibling rivalry.

In addition, younger children idealize their parents and see them

as all powerful and mighty. However, it is important for children to

learn that though their parents seem larger-than-life, they do not, in

fact, control the world and the environment. Parents have no control

over what their children ‘get’ – from school, from friends etc. However,

it is precisely the unrealistic expectation that parents should control

what happens and make it ‘fair’ that upsets the child. Helping our

children see that no one is that omnipotent and that ‘stuff happens’

is a gift we can give our children. And, realistic expectations are for

parents as well. The realization that children bicker coupled with

our ability to ignore the fussing rather than reinforce it by parental

attention and focus goes a long way to lessoning the attention seeking

portion of the bickering.

Another proactive way of preventing the development of excessive

rivalry is to foster a spirit of co-operation, rather than competition,

in the family. Accenting how the whole group can do better is more

effective than who is first, best, most etc. Positive reinforcement –

tangible and intangible rewards- for being family minded and

supportive of each other- rather than individual prizes for child who

performs ‘best’- goes a long way in inculcating the co-operative spirit.

To gain greater insight into sibling issues, I recommend to my

readers Dr. Abraham Twerski’s book I Didn’t Ask to Be in this Family

which I think you will enjoy. And, by becoming thoughtful and

developing a proactive approach, there is much you can do before

jealousy rears its ugly head.

Reprinted with permission from Binah Magazine

לע''נ

יפה שינדל בת ר' יחזקאל ע"ה

11


MiYemini MichoelRabbi Michoel JablinowitzRosh Yeshiva Ateret Yerushalayim

S P O N S O R E D

11. What חומרא does חול המועד have over שבת and יום טוב?

The parsha begins with the words Vayechi

Yaakov B’Eretz Mitzrayim. The Meshech

Chachmah explains what the Torah is teaching

by emphasizing that Yaakov lived seventeen years

in Egypt. (There is a well-known Zohar which

explains that Yaakov’s main “chiyus” of his life

were the seventeen years in Egypt. See also the

Ba’al HaTurim). He says that there are people who

have an influence on their immediate surroundings,

their city for example, but not on the larger area

like their country. Yaakov had influence not only on

his city, not only on the province of Eretz Goshen,

but on all of Egypt. This is what it means when

the Torah says Vayechi Yaakov B’Eretz Mitzrayim.

Yaakov lived and had a major impact on all of

Egypt.

How was this major impact felt? There is a Sifri on

parshas Eikev (Chapter 11, Pasuk 10, also brought in the

Medrash Tanchuma on Naso 26, and Rashi brings it in last

week’s parsha, Chapter 47, Pasuk 10) that when Yaakov met

Pharaoh he blessed him that the Nile River should rise up and

greet him, thus ending the years of famine. And according

to the Sifri (see the Gra’s version), when Yaakov died, this

bracha ended causing the return of the famine. Not only did

Yaakov’s life affect all of Egypt, his death did as well. This is

also expressed in the Torah when we read by Yaakov’s death

(Chapter 50, Pasuk 11), Aivel Kaved Zeh L’Mitzrayim. The

mourning experienced at the time of Yaakov’s death was felt

by all of Egypt since his death had an impact on the entire

country, as we explained above.

The same idea is expressed in the Gemara Yerushalmi

(Kesuvos, Chapter 12, Halacha 3) concerning the death of

Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi. The Gemara says, that Rabbi Yehuda

HaNassi said about himself paraphrasing our pasuk, Yehuda

lived seventeen years in Tzippori. The Gemara testifies

immediately thereafter that for most of this time (thirteen years

during which he suffered greatly), no woman miscarried and

no woman died in labor in all of Eretz Yisrael. The Meshech

Chachmah explains the Gemara in a similar vein to our pasuk.

Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi was modest about himself and said

that he lived in Tzippori for seventeen years, meaning that

his impact was very localized, only felt in the city of Tzippori.

But the Gemara testifies differently, that his impact was felt

throughout the land, since as a result of his righteousness

and suffering no woman died in childbirth or miscarried in all

of Eretz Yisrael. A proper paraphrase of our pasuk would be

not that (Rabbi) Yehuda lived in Tzippori seventeen years, but

rather he lived in Eretz Yisrael seventeen years.

At the beginning of parshas Vayeitzei, Rashi teaches that

Yetzias Tzaddik Min HaMakom Oseh Roshem. When a Tzaddik

leaves a city, there is an impact on the city. All the glory and

splendor of the place departs with the Tzaddik. This was

taught concerning Yaakov Avinu. The midah of a Tzaddik

is to have an impact on a place. When he left Eretz Yisrael,

the Torah teaches Vayeitzei Yaakov M’Be’er Sheva. When he

comes back, the Torah says Vayichan Es Pnei Ha’Ir. The Sfas

Emes explains this to mean that the ”chein” of the city which

left with Yaakov’s departure now returned with his arrival.

Similarly in our parsha, Yaakov’s impact was felt upon his

arrival in Egypt, the famine ended, and was felt upon his

departure from this world, the famine returned.

This concept is illustrated through the pasuk in Mishlei

(Chapter 10, Pasuk 25) Tzaddik Yesod Olam, a Tzaddik is the

foundation of the world. The commentators explain that the

Tzaddik maintains the world and protects it from calamity

and destruction. This is expressed as the midah of Yaakov

Avinu and of Rabbi Yehuda HaNassi. Though they might have

lived in a small, isolated place, Eretz Goshen or Tzippori, their

impact was felt throughout the land.

לע''נ

ר' יוסף דב בן ר' משה הכהן אלביצקי ז"ל

12


to be continued...

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Part 6

?? ( גמרא בבא בתרא צא . See) .אמתלאי בת כרנבו .1( שופטים פרק ט''ז ל' See) שמשון .23. 70 (See רש''י בראשית מ''ז כ''ט ) אהרן and משה .4 (ע‘ ברכות ד:) ” נ ” .5( סדר היום See) שרח בת אשר .6

דפים in בבא בתרא .7( או‘‘ח רצ‘‘ב ומב‘ סק‘‘ו) דוד המלך, משה רבינו, יוסף .8(גמרא סוכה נג See) הלל .9 (דברי הימים א‘, ב‘ פסוק ט‘‘ז) צרויה & אביגיל .1011. To arrange building work to be carried out

outside the תחום.

AnswersQuiz Time