Close To Torah

The Chazal ask why is it that we find in a parshah primarily containing the subject of the mishkan however we find that the parshah begins with details of Shabbos, why? The Chazal teach us that building the mishkan is not permitted on Shabbos. That is visible since the pasukim of Shabbos are put before the mishkan that the nature of their observance should correlate to the pasukim.

This idea teaches us a great deal about Shabbos and the mishkan and how they are connected. We can apply a very well known thought that the Ramban says in regards to the pushing off of a positive mitzvah when it conflicts with a negative mitzvah. The law is that the positive mitzvah pushes off the negative mitzvah. Says the Ramban this is the idea that ahavah (love) comes before yirah (fear). In our case this law is not applicable because Shabbos is not only a negative mitzvah but it also is a positive mitzvah, while the mishkan is only a positive mitzvah. It is a well known notion that we do not push off a mitzvah that is both positive and negative when we have a positive mitzvah at hand. If that is so why must the Torah order the pasukim in a way that we know that the worship of the mishkan is in fact secondary to Shabbos, shouldn’t that be simple? You can answer this question in two ways. We know that under normal circumstances the mitzvos that are only positive do not push off those which are both positive and negative, however since the actual worship of the mishkan is permitted on Shabbos we may think that its building is as well. The prohibitions on Shabbos consist of the actions used to build the mishkan not the actual worship that was performed on a daily basis. The other way to answer this question can teach us a great lesson. You may think that love (positive mitzvos) supersedes fear (negative mitzvos) but the combination of love and fear is superior to love alone. That means our relationship between Hashem consists of several attributes. The connection between us and Hashem through fear alone is comparable to a Master and his slave. The slave performs his duty due to fear of the wrath of the Master. While he may perform his duties perfectly he does it because he must do it. The connection between us and Hashem through love is comparable to a Father and his child. The child does what the father asks of him only because he loves to do all that he asks of him. While the child truly wants to do the action for the father he lacks the trepidation that would enable him to approach his father with proper respect. You may ask if the child always loves to carry out the will of his father then why would he need to fear his father? If he does something he loves he will come to appreciate his father and respect him accordingly. It is well known that true judgment is not revealed to us in this world. The world could not stand with pure judgment. This world limits our ability to see the totality of the events that take place therefore we cannot always express love whole heartedly since we cannot always express such a strong conviction in doing something we cannot understand. Those difficult times where the love of Hashem is harder to express is why we need to have fear. For the small fragments of light that is concealed from our eyes we must respond with acceptance to that which we cannot understand. Perhaps that is what Shabbos is. Shabbos is the complete revelation of the will of Hashem as it should be seen always. Shabbos is a glimpse to the future of what fruits await us in the World to Come. The presence of both the fear and love for Hashem is sewn together to grow together. Shabbos provides us with the ability to see the things we have missed and savor the precious jewels of closeness with Hashem. The mishkan is a place that provides the People of Yisroel with the ability to see the divine presence in a way that is not visible in any other place. Shabbos enables the whole world to be visible to us for one day. That is why the pasukim regarding Shabbos are put before the ones about the mishkan so that we may be able to learn this fundamental idea. We should all be merited with the ability to bind our love and fear together in our worship and see the day when Shabbos will last forever!

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Parshas Vayakhel Ahavas Hashem, Nitzchius, Shabbos, Yiras Hashem

Today’s Question: Saved By A Wife

Who are the two men in Tanach that had their lives saved by a woman and afterwards married her?

Yesterday’s Question: Ahava and Yirah

Why is it that with regards to the love of God it is called “Ahavas Hashem,” whereas in regards to the fear of God, it is called “Yiras Shemayim”? Why does one focus on Hashem Himself and the other refers to the Heavens?

Our Answer:

We began our new series with a discussion of “Raishis Chochma Yiras Hashem, the start of knowledge is the fear of Hashem” (Tehillim 111:10)!

The Talmud Yerushalmi (Berachos 67a) states that one should both love God and fear Him. It explains that one without the other is insufficient. The reason is that, “a lover does not come to hate, and a fearer does not come to kick!” The explanation is that if one has fear, this deters a relationship and closeness, thus one can end up hating, but with love, there is a true and lasting relationship. When one has love though this can cause one to be extremely comfortable and can break down the proper parameters of respect. Thus Chazal teach us to develop both a loving relationship with Hashem and a fearful respect as well.

This says the Maharal (Derech Chaim 1:4) is hinted by the exact difference of expression which our question took note of. Ahavas Hashem is the approach of love. This focuses on our closeness to God himself. Thus Ahavas Hashem! Yirah, fear, is the buffer-zone that maintains the respect and does not overstep the appropriate boundaries, thus it contains the word Shemayim, heaven, to show that He is still far and removed from us. Only with the development of both feelings can one be called a true Servant of God!

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The Daily Question Ahavas Hashem, Yiras Hashem

Why is it that with regards to the love of God it is called “Ahavas Hashem” whereas in regards to the fear of God it is called “Yiras Shemayim”? Why does one focus on Hashem Himself and the other refers to the Heavens?

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The Daily Question Ahavas Hashem, Yiras Hashem

I once commented to my Rebbe Rav Nochum Lansky Shlit”a that this parshah was very enjoyable, he responded “They all are”. That being the obvious truth, though sometimes some parshiyos speak to you more than others. All of sefer Brayshis is like that in regards to the foundations of our Emunah and the very essence of what it is all about. To choose one things to talk about it is more difficult than the actual sugyah at hand. In the past I have been writing longer articles all going through one idea. That has kept me from posting some weeks because I only had several smaller ideas. No longer will I hold back, even one word of Torah is worth while. I will separate different ideas with a line and a sub-heading division. I hope to keep up the writing, as long as you keep up the reading!

Im Lavan Garti – With Lavan I Lived

There is a very well known Rashi on this pasuk, let’s explore it. Says Rashi^[1].

“ד”א גרתי בגמטריא תרי”ג כלומר עם לבן הרשע גרתי ותרי”ג מצות שמרתי ולא למדתי ממעשיו הרעים” – The word “Garti” is the same gematriah as the word Taryag (613, there are 613 Mitzvos in the Torah). Taryag mitzvos I guarded and I did not learn from his wicked ways

This is a very nice idea, we learn that Yaakov kept all of the Mitzvos even in such circumstances. Why is this the place to tell us that? At this time the Torah is telling us the events that took place when Yaakov learns of his brother Esav’s camp approaching after years of separation. The pasuk says to tell his brother his servant that he Yaakov his slave lived with Lavan was detained until now. The first question is why would you call Esav your master as he was a wicked individual. The Ramban suggests that this was a way of showing respect that should be given to the oldest born. This gesture reveals to us the true spirit of Yaakov that he didn’t care about the respect of the birthright. With this understanding, we can attempt to analyze our first question. Why is this the place to discuss the observance of the Mitzvos in Yaakov’s dwelling with Lavan. The Baal HaTurim points out that the word at the end of the pasuk עתה (now) is a remez to the time that the people of Yisroel are in exile. As the ע is the seventy years in between the first Temple and the Second temple. The ת is the four-hundred years of the exile in Egypt. The ה is the five thousand years of exile under Edom who is Esav.^[2] With this understanding we can understand the first question. The explanation given by the Ramban was to attempt to appease Esav for the birthright. In doing so Yaakov tells Esav that he was able to keep the mitzvos under the influence of Lavan. The Midrash Lekach Tov explains that up until Yaakov lived with Lavan he was unable to completely keep the Torah. Through living with Lavan he was now fulfilling all of the Taryag Mitzvos including reproduction and respecting your parents. Up until Yaakov arrived by Lavan he had not wed therefore not fulfilling the commandment of his Father to get married. Through Lavan Yaakov was able to complete the will of the Torah. Yaakov comes from the word עקב or heel. This is because he grabbed on to his older brother’s heel when leaving his mother’s womb. Chazal tell us that this is the relationship that Yaakov has with the world. Yaakov represents all spirituality, and Esav represents physicality. The way that the people of Yisroel live is through the heel of the physical realm. Meaning by using the physical to carry out the spiritual. Perhaps this idea is well expressed in this pasuk we have been working through. Yaakov wants his brother to realize that it is the physical world that we must harness and utilize to succeed in this world. We will be casted against our will, through exile and punishment. Ultimately however, through the observance of the Torah we will prevail. If we ‘live’ in this world and make the physical our ambition we will just be a slave to Esav. If we embrace the spiritual world, we will be privileged by being an Eved Hashem. There is also an aspect of appreciation to Esav. Even with all the difficulties that he causes, he is a stepping stone for Yaakov. Therefore Yaakov should express his appreciation to his brother. Perhaps that is another lesson we learn from this pasuk where Yaakov shows respect to his brother and adds that he had been enduring a great deal of tests through Lavan. Just like he prevailed with those tests, so too with the three exiles that the people of Yisroel will have to endure we will succeed. With this message we see that even in the most difficult scenarios there is always that ray of hope that carries us through. That ray of hope is the realization that I am going through this stage of life not by chance, rather through the great chessed that the Almighty constantly bestow upon us. With this realization we should all be zocheh to realize the gravity of all the events that we encounter and through our faith, and our actions that follow them, we will achieve greatness!

1. Perek 32, Pasuk 5 D”H Garti [↩]
2. That is another name for Esav. [↩]

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Parshas Vayishlach Avos, Nisyonis / Yisurim, Shmiras HaMitzvos, Yiras Hashem

The Sages teach us that one must absolve his agenda in place of the Almighty’s. His acceptance of the yolk of the Torah stands adjacent to making its teachings innate. The veneer of a person is his physical realm as opposed to the true person who is submerged deeply below the surface. At the center of this depth lies a person’s true existence which is not of a physical nature. The fusion of the two is the commencement of a person’s long stretch of life. His growth is judged by how much of his existence is surrounded by physicality or only providing an outlet to spirituality. As he yearns for the truth his depth emerges accordingly. The peak of his life is when the shell is engulfed by this depth and marches according to what it is told. This battle is lifelong and unique to each of those given the chance to wage such a war. The battles of the war are won and lost. With each slash and wound there is tremendous damage done, as well as for each victory world are created. The actions and even thoughts one experiences is his weapon and must always be on guard. Within the confines of the norm there are occasional bombs that seem to fall from up above. Those are the times that one is given the greatest chance to gain territory, to eliminate the enemy. However, within any great opportunity there is ample room for failure. There is no room for secession when he is surrounded from all sides. He must be victorious or God forbid fall.

This war is not of a global nature, rather a civil war. Though what does he do when there are neighboring lands under siege? Does he fend for himself, or assist his fellow? A part of the civil war is do you relocate troops from one faction to protect and aid elsewhere. There is no aspects of life that is not part of this war. Every battle is another decision that is life changing. There are instances that he is confronted by surprise and must be ready to defend and attack at all times. The only way he can do that is with the utter notion of his dangerous situation. That thought cannot however come to the point where he is looking behind his shoulder every moment. He must be able to walk and realize whom he stands before. Realize what awaits him the second and the next. Understand that each battle is a chance of obtaining greatness as well as the trepidation of its awesomeness.

To live a life of fear is not a life, but to live a life without fear is death. Life must be lived with fear but not of fear. The only reason why he would live a life of fear is because he questioned his capabilities or the capabilities of his oppressors. This state of fear can only cause harm because he has no trust and therefore he is vulnerable. One should trust himself enough not to trust himself. Meaning to say that he must realize what it is that he does not question and what he does. He must know his vitality and his ammunition status. If he has no ammunition he must act accordingly and use a sword. This is the objective nature one must take when waging constant war. He cannot afford to take risks that he knows he cannot handle as well as minimize a threat that he may uproot. One who knows how serious his condition is would never act beneath or above his capabilities. The the verse states “Thorns and snares are in the path of the perverse; he who guards his soul will distance himself from them”^[1], from here the Tosfos tell us^[2] that even if you are capable of standing in a place of danger and withstand it, you should not stand there. Perhaps he is coming to explain from this that one must not put himself into such places regardless of his personal abilities. Additionally he annotates that when the Lord wants something to happen to you there is nothing you can do to stop it, realize that it all boils down to what is the desire of the Almighty.

The only way one may realize his strengths and weaknesses is by being trained and utilizing them. He must experience victory and defeat. He must learn from his accomplishments and failures. However, if he lacks to realize the weight of his past he will never grow from it. This is the life without fear. One whom lacks the fear of life will never learn from his mistakes and correct them. This sort of behavior is assured failure and can cause great damage to those whom interact with him. This is removal of the yolk of Torah that numbs ones senses to the truth. He becomes blind to his actions and is left an empty shell that shrivels to dust. Without the yolk of Torah he is losing all of his forces to the dissident. One must help him, he is sinking, he is dying. Woe to the one whom is ill from his illness. He doesn’t realize the havoc that his loss is causing.

Each battle lost is a massive destruction. He is imprisoned by enemy; falling to their ways and distancing himself from the truth. He grows to pushing the side he had come from with great passion. His eyes are full of anger and hatred. He is a traitor of his own army. He knows the ways and secrets of his new enemy. They must not question that he is a great threat to their survival. Those whom oppose their own are a greater threat to the opposition. Something of great potential always has the ability to transcend above as well as sink below.

1. Mishlay 22,5 [↩]
2. Kesubos 30a [↩]

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Mussar Shviras HaMidos, Yetzer HaRa, Yiras Hashem

As with everything there is a start, we don’t always know why, or when only that it is. The foundations of our emunah are based on the concept that all has been started for a purpose above our understanding. It’s start among all things in the World is complex and difficult, as the Chazal teach us, “kol haschalos kashos” meaning all beginnings are difficult. The great sage, the Chasam Sofer once noted that this is a din which means all that is considered a beginning is difficult, however what is determined as a “beginning” is more flexable and under your control.

This being my first “blog”, I want to begin by recognizing the difficulty it is to start anything at all. What I mean to say is not even to continue something but the pure beginning of it is difficult as well. That is possibly because you are treading on unfound territory, something new always creates hesitations and questions. The answers to these questions are not always found on the other side, as some things may become more vague and of course the opposite holds true as well. The more we know, the greater understanding of how little we know. That is of course seen in the remez that Amalek is gematriah the word sufek, which means that within every question of doubt is rooted an aspect of the power of Amalek. This doubt continues to haunt our People until this very day, grasping our deep connections to all that is false.

In a modern world, where doubt is more present than truth the great difficulties that we face day by day become covered with gloomy darkness. Seemingly endless, and without origin, we don’t know where to face. The only thing that we can know that is constant is the strong calling voice of the path before us. The shining light, the only truth, no questions there is only One truth. All your questions seem to fade away before it until you flinch and turn away. With the beginning a bit behind us, let us go a step ahead and walk one step closer to the light, on the Path of the Just. As the Chazal tell us the only thing one should fear is the Almighty himself, but never think that the fear should distance you from Him. Fear is only the pure reverance of his awesomeness, but full of an underlying Love that is endless.

It is my hope that as with everything in this World, all places full of tumah have a tremendous place to allow for kedushah and eminate our World. The Internet is one of those places, where one stroke of the keyboard can bring you to the worst gehaynum and that should never befall us. Of course, the opposite is always true, and can provide the greatest heights that are possible. Let all of us be zocheh to take all that Hashem has bestowed upon us and take it to the levels of kedushah that are in our grasp.

On that note, I hope to provide a small part of this effort and at least make a place where people like to express every belief in the World to bring some kedushah and emes in a place that is so vacant and empty. As for the content that I write, it is all Torah and its teachings, I can only write that which I know and can only know that which I have been granted to, so I hope to only give over words of wisdom that can inspire myself and anyone who they touch. The smallest things are always what makes the difference, as the whole World sits upon a tzaddik that is clear that he is composed of all his actions that made him into the pillar of Torah. That is to say, that the World stands on the mitzvos that make a person into a tzaddik is only logical because they are what makes him a tzaddik, a gadol is not born but grown. Everyone is given their task in this World, all special and dear to Hashem and half of that task is realizing what it is! To realize that every thing you see and do makes an affect upon you is the definition of such a realization. We all need to think about this from time to time, and that would be a tremendous thing.

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Mussar Kedusha, Yiras Hashem