Close To Torah

ויראו בני ישראל ויאמרו איש אל אחיו מן הוא כי לא ידעו מה הוא… (טז:טו)

“The Jews saw it (Heaven-sent food) and they called it “Monn” for they didn’t know what it was…” (16:15).

It always perplexed me to understand what the lesson of this verse is. Why do we have to know that the Jews did not know what the Manna was? Also, why did the name, “Monn, what is it?!” remain? Once they figured out what it was, the name should have been changed appropriately?

I believe that understanding what is being taught here will prove very relevant to us all. Hashem took the Jews out of Egypt with great miracles and fanfare. Now they were in the dessert and needed food to eat. Hashem wanted the Jews to dedicate themselves to the undisturbed study of His Torah. This is precisely what they did.

This practice of dedication to Hashem’s Torah and the study and fulfillment of its beautiful and life-altering lesson, relates to every one of us.

It can be quite expensive following the Torah laws! Not working on Saturday incurs a great financial loss for us. Sending our children to private religious schools costs thousands more that the free public system. Giving up time from work to learn Torah with a study partner takes much effort and dedication. Buying only Kosher food is a price to pay as well.

We may take these things for granted, but this is something worth contemplating. Certainly those that commit themselves to the Kollel and teaching lifestyle are well aware of the trials of making ends meet. Yet, they all do. They have their needs met! In fact, the Jews are one of the most prosperous races on planet earth. Not everyone is middle or upper class, but even those in need are generously cared for by the warm community members. No one is hungry and most people have the clothes, food and medical care that they need. Hashem has promised to care for those that turn to Him and to never let them down (Tehillim 37:25, 145:14)!

The Manna represents Hashem’s care for the Jew’s wellbeing in the desert. Hashem made sure that everyone had enough food for their daily needs. More so, the Midrash states that every morning the Jews found two thousand years worth of food that had fallen from the sky! However, every person was only allowed to collect one Omer, his daily need, no more and no less! After everyone took, the sun came out and all the leftovers melted away, only to repeat itself again the next morning. What was the purpose of this strange occurrence?

The Gemara (Yuma) explains that Hashem wanted the Jews to always feel that they needed Him to provide for them. If they were to have a large silo stored up, they would stop relying on Him.

So why did 2000 years worth fall daily? Rav Eliyahu Dessler zt”l explains that this fortified the concept. We must see that Hashem is all capable, He is unlimited in the amount of bounty which He can bestow upon us! This is the first perspective. The second idea expressed is that we should pray to Him and ask Him personally to fill our needs!

Indeed, our livelihood is often a mystery, we don’t know how it worked out or how things came together. The struggle is for the purpose of us recognizing how much Hashem does for us. The solution is brought about in a way that we can only credit Hashem!

The name that the jews gave to the Monn was most appropriate and on-target. “What is it!?” Indeed, our livelihood is miraculous and often unexplainable.

This is a most relevant and timely lesson of the Monn.

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Parshas Beshalach

Making Fun of Pharaoh
“…you should relate to your children and grandchildren that which I was ‘hitalalti’ in Mitzrayim, and the miracles that I did, for I am Hashem” (Shemos 10,2)
Rashi explains that “hitalalti” refers to the mockery the Almighty made of Mitzrayim. On one day Pharaoh declared, “Hash-m is righteous, and myself and my nation are evil.” Yet a short time later, after the Almighty removed the each plague from Egypt, Pharaoh forgot everything that happened, and returned back to his previous arrogant denial of G-d.
The Torah instructs us that the correct way to convey this irrational behavior to tell our children is to depict Pharaoh as foolish and fickle. However, this episode seems like a minor aspect of the major miracles of the ten makos. Why does the Torah place such an emphasis on remembering this?

If we look closely at what happened to Pharaoh, we can understand that we also experience similar patterns in our lives. When we have a crisis, we pour out our hearts to Hash-m in tefila, begging him to rescue us from our straits. Yet just as soon as we find our salvation, we find ourselves slipping back to our old ways, and Hash-m is once again the furthest thing from our minds.

Remembering Pharaoh’s foolish behavior can help keep us aware of our own hypocrisy. We will realize that even when things seem to be good, we are still utterly dependent on the Almighty’s constant protection and mercy. This will prevent us from making the same mistakes as Pharaoh.
The Secret to Staying Inspired
After Hash-m has directly intervened in our lives by saving us from harm, rescuing us from a crisis or some other act of hashgacha pratis, we will certainty feel uplifted and close to Him. However if we let nature take its course, we will inevitably forget what happened almost immediately. How can we maintain the lofty awareness of Hash-m’s greatness that we achieve during our moments of inspiration?
The Zohar reveals that we are obligated to regularly revisit and recall our memories of these acts of Divine kindness. Constant reflection on the awesome acts of love that the Almighty performs just for you will ensure that these acts become etched on your heart and make a permanent impression on your world view. This is the deeper meaning of the mitzvah of remembering Yetzias Mirtzrayim daily.
In addition to remembering Hash-m’s kindness, there are other measures that help us maintain a constant and unwavering connection to our Creator. The strongest force that pulls us away from serving Hash-m properly is our sins. If we want to maintain our elevation, we should know that every effort we make to avoid an aveira is a huge step in the right direction.
In the sixth chapter of Hilchos Teshuvah, the Rambam writes that Pharaoh was not the only person to have his heart hardened by Hash-m. Anyone who habitually transgresses sinks into impurity, and creates blocks between himself and his Creator. These locked doors make it much harder for him to return to the Almighty.
Even with the doors of teshuvah slammed shut, a person can still use a spiritual crowbar to pry them open. However the deeper a person has immersed himself in sin, the harder it will be to get through the gates of repentance. Righteous individuals constantly worry if perhaps they have overstepped the bounds, and therefore are always doing teshuvah to maintain their closeness to Hash-m.
In another section, the Zohar writes that a person who has sunk into transgression will have difficulty concentrating on his prayers. His mind is bombarded with foreign thoughts, and this disturbs his prayers. He must erase his sins through teshuvah, and then he will be able to return to praying with the proper intention.
Signs of Blood
When the Beis Hamikdash stood, we brought the korban tamid daily. These sacrifices erased our transgressions, and helped us to maintain an elevated state. Now that the Temple lies in ruins and we are in galus, what can we do on a daily basis to protect ourselves from the strong undercurrent in our society, which pulls us downwards so forcefully?
On the night of Yetzias Mitzrayim, Hash-m revealed the secret to us. Every Jewish family was obligated to do bris milah on all of the males, and to wipe the blood of the Korban Pesach on their doorposts. These two signs protected them from the fatal power of makos bechoros.
The blood of milah and on the doorposts is a lesson for all generations regarding how we can remain elevated despite the downward pull of the galus. Blood represents mesiras nefesh, completely giving ourselves over to the Almighty’s will, even when this is difficult. Such acts ensure that we will stay on the elevated level that a Jew is meant to strive for, even when the tides around us are pulling us in another direction.
It is particularly noteworthy that the Almighty instructed us to place the blood on the door. This is meant to be a reminder to us that if we want our homes to be a place where the Divine Presence will dwell, that we must stand guard over what we let into the house. Radios, newspapers, and internet are especially threatening, as they can subtly introduce foreign ideas wrapped in the guise of essential information and convenience, and these can be completely antithetical to Torah ideology.

This is what the Torah means when it foretells that your children will ask, “What is this avodah to you?” In the thick of the galus, the korban Pesach and the Temple service may seem antiquated and irrelevant to our children. We are instructed to answer them that just as the Jews acted with mesiras nefesh and were saved from the depths of Mitzrayim, so too in every generation if a prodigious effort to swim against the tide which pulls us downward will allow us to maintain our elevated state.

For this reason when Moshe Rabbeinu told the Jewish people that they would have Jewish descendents, Klal Yisrael expressed deep thanks to the Almighty. The Jewish people thought that when they would be exiled into foreign lands that their descendants would stray from the path of Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu told them that if they would internalize the message of the korban Pesach and act with mesiras nefesh in the galus, they would be protected from harmful influences.

Potential for Greatness
Rav Sternbuch relates that when he was thirteen he entered yeshiva in England. During his first week there, the Rosh Yeshiva Rav Shneider gave a shiur to the entire yeshiva in which he told the students that he expected them all to become gedolei Yisrael like Rav Chaim Brisker.
One of the young bachurim responded in shock to the Rosh Yeshiva’s words. “How can we be like Rav Chaim Brisker?! I don’t have a father like the Beis HaLevi, and I am not gifted with the genius of Rav Chaim!”

The Rosh Yeshiva explained that he did not expect the boys to reach the same level of Torah learning as Rav Chaim. Certainly, Rav Chaim was given exceptional parents, intelligence, and other advantages, which enabled him to reach the level that he did. This was not expected of everyone.

Rather every bachur who channeled all of his energies towards reaching his potential is considered a gadol. Since he did everything in his power, Hash-m would consider him to have fully fulfilled his obligation to strive for Torah greatness. This was the Rosh Yeshiva’s expectation for each of his talmidim.
The world we live in today is filled with powerful distractions and temptations that tug at our hearts and minds from all directions. Maintaining our moments of inspiration, teshuvah, and mesiras nefesh are the best defense against foreign influences and the most important step towards reaching our personal greatness; these are the keys to maintaining the high as we count the days until this bitter galus ends.

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Parshas Beshalach

Following the lengthy wait Klal Yisroel are finally sent to leave Mitzrayim. After noting the unusual path that they were heading the Torah acknowledges the deed of Moshe Rabbeinu. Says the pasuk“ויקח משה את עצמות יוסף”, “And Moshe took the remains of Yosef”. The choice of the word va’yikach (coming from the word קיחה, to take) had always seemed unusual. Not only does the word va’yikach bother me but the fact that the pasuk uses the word והעליתם at the end of the pasuk in reference to the promise that was made. Additionally we need to explain why Moshe is pointed out as the one to “take” the remains. The pasuk could have written that the remains were taken, or nothing at all. It is no coincidence that Moshe is the one mentioned and that this pasuk is in fact something that must be mentioned. You may suggest that the Torah is coming to show that Klal Yisroel kept their promise. The idea of establishing a relationship through a promise and later showing its completion is the ultimate adherence to one’s word. The Midrash Tanchuma says that Moshe went to find Yosef however the Midrash asks how did Moshe know which aron was his. Says Moshe Yosef Yosef it is time that the Holy One Blessed Be He is to redeem his people….If you reveal yourself – good, if not I am clean of my promise. Immediately the aron shook and Moshe took Yosef and went on his way. That is a loose translation of the Tanchuma which clearly states that Moshe was concerned about keeping the promise, and they he put in the necessary effort. To add to this idea the Midrash Rabahsays a beautiful idea that exemplifying the act of Moshe. Yosef had buried his father because he was obligated as his son, Moshe was not from the tribe of Yosef (he was from Levi), says HaKadosh Baruch Hu, just like you (Moshe) were not obligated to bury Yosef, I will reciprocate and bury you even though I am not obligated to do so. This act of Moshe earned him burial by Hashem. What was so great about this action? The Midrash bring the pasuk in Mishleiחכם לב יקח מצות as all of Yisroel were involved in silver and gold Moshe was involved in the remains of Yosef. The question as I had already mentioned is also asked by the Yidai Moshe on Midrash Rabah, he asks why doesn’t the pasuk say ויעל as the and of the pasuk uses that language. He answers by saying that Moshe took the remains in place of taking the gold and silver that they had taken from the Egyptians. This answer is greatly emphasizes the actions of Klal Yisroel although it is hard to say that the pasuk is pointing out such a contrast when the Torah is not talking about their actions. We see twice in the previous parshah reference to the money. The first time is the commandment to do so and the second is in its execution. There seems to be no emphasis on a great involvement in this. The truth is that even if there was it still doesn’t explain what was going on at the time of this parshah. I’m left with a question that I feel is greater than its answer, and I prefer to keep it that way.

The greatness of Moshe’s actions is clearly pristine. The words of Chazal explain that Moshe was zocheh to burial by Hashem himself due to his actions. As was already mentioned there must be a greater significance beyond the fact that Moshe did something that no one else was willing to do…isn’t that what Moshe was all about? The Chazal quote a pasuk in Mishlei that expounds upon the grandeur of his actions, חכם לב יקח מצות. On that pasuk the Baal HaTurim comments that the gematriah of Mitzvos is 612 (if you spell out each letter as he explains), which is the same as the words תלמידי חכמים. It is without question that there is a connection with the word Mitzvos and the 613 Mitzvos in the Torah. It is also interesting to know that the gematriah העצמות is Torah. Additionaly the word atzmos contains the mitzvos. In fact perhaps it is that the עין or eye of the Torah is Mitzvos. That means that the 70 interpretations of Torah as well as its sense of sight is associated with it intrinsic value. The word atzmos means both bone and core or essence. That means that the Talmidei Chachamim and the Mitzvosand the eye of the Will of Hashem is the essence (העצמות).

A simple explanation of the connection with the pasuk in Mishlei is that the Chacham is the greatest physical embodiment of the Will of Hashem. He dedicates his life to seeking the truth and carrying it out. His lev is the force that drives you. The blood that runs through your body is the life force that enables your body to function. The heart pumps the blood throughout the body to that which needs it. The heart pumps constantly beat after beat without any other intention. The lev is the source of the carrying out of Hashem’s will. It is the mind that contains the consciousness and the greatest essence of what defines you to be a man, but it is the heart that carries on the duties with such consistency. This idea is clearly personified by the fact that the Torah is in fact lev as it begins with a beis and ends with a lamed, this is the source of every heart. The will to live, to carry out the Will of Hashem is imprinted in the genetic code of our heart. It is the Chacham who not only functions in his flesh but in his will as well. It is the one who thirsts for the opportunity to enhance his relationship with his Maker that will gladly leap to the endless offers at hand. The feeling of satisfaction never quenches the yearning for more.

There are two more pieces to the puzzle before us that are still unclear. The greatness of the remains of Yosef in reference to the exile from Egypt, and why it is followed by the description of the Annunai HaKavod that guided Klal Yisroel. Pirkei D’Rebbi Eliezer says that when Moshe attempted to place his hands on the water and nothing happened. He then looked at his bris milah and at the aron of Yosef and at his staff that had engraved in it the explicit name of Hashem and it didn’t accept. Answered Moshe to Hashem, the water won’t listen to me. Immediately the revealed Hashem in his honor on the water and chased the water. Explains the Radal on this that it is clear from Mechiltah that it is the merit of the remains of Yosef that the water was split, as is hinted by the language that he tilted his hand, what was in his hand the remains of Yosef were in his hand.  Now we see that the zchus of Yosef and the Mitzvah of taking his remains is what allowed the splitting of the sea. If that alone is the reason why is it that Moshe had to say to Hashem that the water would not listen to him? Only then Hashem came and the water broke apart. The Mechiltah brings out this point even clearer through a mashal. A king has two gardens one inside of the other. A gentleman comes and purchases the inner garden from the King. The new owner approaches the outer garden attempting to enter into his newly acquired property with little success. The King’s guard is resisting and refuses to let the owner in. The owner explains his situation and that the King said so. This loyal guard is not willing to just hand over to anyone who claims the right to the garden. The owner shows the guard the King’s seal which had obviously been given from the King. The guard continues to refuse to allow the owner to enter. Finally the owner asked the King himself to come and speak to the guard, with promising results. The owner questions the guard as to why he resisted when he had requested in the name of the King. The guard responds it is not because of you that I am leaving it is because of the King. This Mechiltah is a startling one and surely needs explanation. The Mechiltah ends by citing the pasuk הים ראה וינס, it is not before you that I ran but מלפני אדון חולי ארץ מלפני אלוה יעקב ההופכי הצור אגם מים חלמיש למעינו מים. Just as we are servants of Hashem so too are the bodies of land and water that fill this world. Everything that exists functions under the rule of the King of Kings. Although our role in this world is dominant over other creations we are still only servants of Hashem. We do not control this world we may present the Will of Hashem thus utilizing our role to continue to carry out the Will of Hashem through his Name. The power of a servant is only is as great as his Master wills, no matter how great a servant he is not the King. It is when you are executing the request of the King where you have done everything in your capacity but fall short. Within that capacity you are given the priviledge to call upon the King to finish that which you had started. It is embedded within the will of the King that your abilities include the chance to request the presence of the King. The fact that the aron of Yosef is in the hand of Moshe as he stands before the yam, shows that his action of taking the remains of Yosef as well as Yosef himself are the extent to which Moshe was able to split the yam. Without that action Moshe would have been lacking in his pursuit to follow the orders of the King and it would be a disgrace to request the King for such a reason.

The fact that this noble act of Moshe is found next to the description of the Anunai HaKavod still needs explanation. Within the approach we had in regards to the splitting of the sea we can begin to understand this as well. The Chazal say a very perplexing the statement about the aron of Yosef. I first want to note that the pasukdoes not actually say that the remains of Yosef were in an aron rather the Targum Yonasan Ben Aziyaldoes translate it that way. Why is it so important that the remains of Yosef be kept in an aron? The Chazal tell us a conversation between the nations of the world and Klal Yisroel. Says the Mechiltahthat with Yosef came the aron, the shechinah, the Kohanim, the Leviim, Yisroel, the seven Anunai HaKavod and no more!? Rather the aronof Yosef went with the aron chai HaOlamim. Says the nations of the world to Yisroel: what is the greatness of the two arons? Yisroel responded to them this is the aron chai HaOlamim and this is the aron shel mais. It seems to me that the aron chai HaOlamim is the aron that held the luchos. The problem is that the luchos were not given yet and there is no aron. The truth is that the idea is still true it is simply referring to a conversation that took place in a later time. Assuming that is true why should that be the answer to the question of the nature of the arons. Furthermore isn’t it odd that we usually don’t usually consider a tzaddik to have a title of mais, of course he is no longer living in this world. The answer is that the Torah is the key to an immortal life, the remains of a person is not. The teachings that we have and the actions that they did still affect us today. The fact that there remains are here is not what is so great about them. Good so maybe we can say that is the explanation to the midrash but what does that have to do with why this whole idea is found next to the Anunai HaKavod. It is possible that the answer is when you do all that are capable of in the end you must realize that you are being led by Hashem. Yosef was dealt a life full of struggles and he stood up to all of them. Yosef is the one who overcame his Yetzer HaRato illicit relations, and to become an Egyptian, to question the winding path that he took through out his life. Yosef accepted all that he was given and was the B’chor Shor. The idea of the Anunai HaKavodis the constant presence of the will of Hashem, no questions. May we all be zocheh to follow the great paths that lay before us and swiftly bring in Mashiach Tzidkainu.

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Parshas Beshalach Moshe Rabbeinu, Nisyonis / Yisurim, Shmiras HaMitzvos, Wisdom, Yosef

כי בא סוס פרעה ברכבו ובפרשיו בים… (טו:יט)

“When the horses of Pharaoh, with their riders and chariots came into the sea…” (15:19).

There is a verse in Shir HaShirim (1:19) which is very difficult to understand. “Like the horses of Pharaoh I (Klal Yisrael) compare my beloved (Hashem).” What is the message being expressed in these cryptic words? How can we dare compare Hashem to a horse?! A proper understanding here yields a very fascinating point.

Hashem is All-Powerful and in truth any action that we take, whether good or evil, have absolutely no effect on Him whatsoever. However, Hashem created the world and placed man into it and gave him the opportunity to find happiness and fulfillment by pursuing perfection and utilizing his freewill properly. Amazingly, Hashem endowed man with the power to affect the world by his actions and even determine whether Hashem will act with compassion or judgment towards him. Thus, Hashem subjugated Himself to be effected, so to speak, by man’s actions.

The Nefesh Hachaim (Gate 1) cites a number of sources where this idea is portrayed. Chazal say, “what does ‘Eh-yeh Asher Eh-yeh’ (Shimos 3:14) mean? Just as you act towards Me, so I will act towards you!” Also, “Dovid Hamelech says (Tehillim 131) ‘Hashem Tzil’cha, Hashem is your shadow,’ meaning, just like your shadow does whatever you do (laugh, cry), so too Hashem deals with you as you act towards him!”

The two Cheruvim on top of the Aron expresses this idea as well. One Cheruv represented the Jews and one represented Hashem. They served as a constant meter, gauging the connection between the two. If the nation was at peace with Hashem, then the two Cheruvim faced each other warmly. However, if the Jews turned away from Hashem, then their representational Cheruv turned away from the one hinting to Hashem, and so too respectively Hashem’s cherub turned away from theirs as well.

R’ Chaim Volozhin continues and says that the Midrash writes that when the chariots of Pharaoh approached the Yam Suf which had just split and allowed the Jews to enter, the horses just kept chasing. Normally, says the Midrash, the horseman controls the horse, but in this case, it was the exact opposite; the horses controlled their master. This defied the natural order of the world! With this, the original verse can now be understood. The Jews compared Hashem to Pharaoh’s horses, namely, in the aspect that just as they defied the logical order and the subservient creature controlled its’ master, so too Hashem has placed man, his humble creation, as the controller on how He will act towards us. Hashem has created a world where the roles are reversed. He tells us, you control Me, just as the horse controlled its’ master!

This idea is expressed again as the Jews stood trapped moments before the Splitting of The Sea. Hashem told Moshe, “speak to the Jews and just travel!” R’ Chaim Volozin says that this means, Hashem said “you are in control! If you act with faithfulness and travel into the raging water, this will trigger a response from Me and surely a miracle will occur and the sea will split!” We must always be aware that it is our actions which determine how Hashem acts towards us!

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Parshas Beshalach Chashivas HaAdom