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SHABBAT SCHEDULE

Mincha 5:25pm Shir Hashirim: 5:45pm Candle Lighting: 5:20pm Daf Yomi 8:00am Shaharit: 8:30am Youth Minyan: 9:00am Zeman Keriat Shema 9:07am 2nd Zeman Keriat Shema 9:44am Shiur: 4:20pm Minha: 5:00pm Followed by Seudat Shelishit & Arvit Shabbat Ends: 6:20pm Rabbenu Tam 6:51pm Avot Ubanim 7:30pm

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

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

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

We are pleased to announce that our

“Canadian Minyan” has started

again, from Monday to Friday at

8:00am.

We have resumed our Wednesday

Night Shiur in the Houses of our

Congregants. New Participants

Welcome!

We also commenced our Mishmar

Learning Sessions on Thursday Night!

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

SUNDAY

Shaharit: 7:30am Minha 5:30pm Followed by Arvit & Teenager Program

MONDAY TO FRIDAY

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

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Torah Teasers (AISH)

1. In Egypt the Jews are forced to produce bricks (Exodus 1:14). In what context are bricks first mentioned in the Torah? 2. Aside from this parsha, where do midwives assist in a birth? (2 answers) 3. In what context does the number three appear in this parsha? (2 answers) 4. In this parsha, who runs away? What two other places in the Torah does it explicitly state that somebody runs away? 5. In this parsha, who does Hashem call by repeating his name? Who else in the Torah has his name repeated when called? (2 answers) Who is the only person in the Prophets whom Hashem calls with the repetition of his name? 6. In this parsha, who is called a Levite? 7. In this parsha, who is called a kohen (priest)? 8. In this parsha, where do five verses in a row begin with the same word? 9. In what context is snow mentioned? 10. Straw was used by the Jews in Egypt to make bricks (Exodus 5:12). Where else in the book of Exodus is straw mentioned?

Answers 1) Bricks are first mentioned in parshat Noah where the people produced bricks to build the Tower of Bavel (Genesis 11:3). 2) In parshat Vayishlach a midwife is involved in the birth of Binyamin to Rachel (Genesis 35:17). In parshat Vayeshev, a midwife assists in the birth of Peretz and Zerach to Tamar, the wife of Yehuda (Genesis (28:38). 3) Moshe's mother hid him for three months before placing him in the Nile (Exodus 2:2). At the end of the parsha, Moshe requests from Pharaoh to allow the nation to travel on a three-day journey to serve Hashem (Exodus 5:3). 4) In this parsha, Moshe runs away after killing the Egyptian (Exodus 2:15). In parshat Vayetze, Yaakov runs away from Lavan (Genesis 31:21). In parshat Lech Lecha, Hagar runs away from Sarah (Genesis 16:6). [Although Yaakov also runs away from Esav, the Torah does not explicitly state so.] 5) In this parsha, Moshe's name is repeated when Hashem calls him by the burning bush (Exodus 3:4). Elsewhere in the Torah: In parshat Vayigash, Hashem calls "Yaakov Yaakov" on the way down to Egypt (Genesis 46:2), and in parshat Vayera, Avraham's name is repeated (by an angel, not by Hashem Himself) when he is told to stop the binding of Yitzhak (Genesis 22:11). In the Prophets, Shmuel's name is repeated when Hashem speaks to him the first time (1-Samuel 3:10). 6) Aharon is called a Levite (Exodus 4:14). 7) Yitro is called a kohen (priest) (Exodus 2:16). 8) Verses 3:11-15 all begin with the word "Vayomer" - "And he said." 9) When Hashem inflicts Moshe with leprosy on his hand, the Torah states that Moshe's hand is "as white as snow" (Exodus 4:6). 10) In parshat Beshalach, the drowning of the Egyptians is compared to straw sinking in water (Exodus 15:7).

Refuah Shelema List Men Women

• Yosef Zvi Ben Sara Yosefia,

• Aviv Ben Luba Miriam,

• Mordechai Ben Brucha Malka Shmalo,

• Yizhak Abraham Ben Sheli,

• Yosef Yizhak Ben Sara Hana,

• Mordechai Ben Miriam,

• Meir Raymond Ben Mathilde

• Salomon Benarroch Ben Alia

• Mordechai Ben Mercedes

• Isaac Ben Mesoda,

• Haim Ben Marcelle,

• Yizhak Ben Simja

• Reuben Ben Eta,

• Michael Ben Aliza,

• Eliel Moshe Ben Sarah

• Refael Ben Clara

• Netanel Sayegh Ben Rosa

• Simja Bat Esther, • Mesoda Bat Esther,

• Rachel Bat Sarah,

• Nina Bat Rachel,

• Gitel Rina Bat Yael,

• Miriam Bat Sofy,

• Rahma Bat Simha

• Esther Bat Fortuna

• Malka Bat Dina

• Camouna Bat Fortuna

• Sara Ledicia Bat Mesoda,

• Alegria Simha Bat Esther,

• Naomie Bat Rarel Adda,

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

• Natalie Rachel Bat Nancy,

• Abigael Haya Bat Esther

• Madelaine Bat Esther

• Nurit Jacqueline Bat Rahel

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

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

Miscellaneous Announcements:

• This Week’s Congregational Kiddush has been Generously Sponsored by Mr. & Mrs. Yigal Cohen in

Honor of their Dear Son Natan’s Beautiful Reading of Last Week’s Haftarah. Hazak Ubaruch!

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

Lemizvot!

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

• This Week’s Breakfast is is still available for Sponsorship!

• This Week’s Learning is Kindly Sponsored by our Dear Friends Mr. & Mrs. Jack Benoudiz for the

Refuah Shelema of David Ben Margualit, Nissim Ben Frida, & Yossef Ben Rivka. They should have a

Speedy Recovery Amen!

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

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

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

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

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

Important Message!!!

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

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

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

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

Special Announcements

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

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

Community Calendar:

• The program for Teenaged Boys ages 13-18 Started again with Great Succes with Shiur by the Rabbi & Supper on Sunday Evenings after Arvit at around at 5:50 pm With Supper. New Participants Welcome! Anyone wishing to sponsor this Shiur Please contact the Rabbi. Tizke Lemitzvot!

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

Snacks. Everyone is welcome!

Avot Ubanim: This Mosae Shabbat at 7:30pm

Youth Minyan

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

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We would like to Whole Heartedly Thank our Dear Friends,

Isaac & Karine Castiel for generously Donating the TORAH LEARNING of

Tebet 5779 In Honor of our Kahal Kadosh

& Rabbi Elmaleh Shlit”a

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

Birthdays

Happy Birthday To

• Miss Avigail Benmergui – Shab. Dec. 29th,

• Nathan Cohen – Wed. Jan. 2nd

• Annael Adi Albergel – Thurs. Jan. 3rd

• Shirel Esty Albergel – Thurs. Jan. 3rd

• Deborah Abigail Benarroch – Fri. Jan. 4th

• Adam Shem Michael – Fri. Jan. 4th

• Mr. Raphael Amar – Sun. Jan. 6th ,

• Mr. Michael Benchetrit – Sun. Jan. 6th ,

• Mr. Amichai Shoshan – Tue. Jan. 8th ,

• Mr. Samuel Cohen Scali – Thurs. Jan. 10th,

• Ohr Yisrael Shimon Lahmi – Fri. Jan. 11th,

• Simcha Amram – Sun. Jan. 13th,

• Leanna Ammar – Fri. Jan. 18th,

• Mrs. Sara Maya – Sun. Jan. 20th,

• Eliyahu Aquinin – Tue. Jan. 22nd,

• Adina Benmergui – Sun. Jan. 27th,

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

Happy Anniversary To • Amichai & Magali Shoshan Dec 30th

• Alain & Arielle Albergel Dec 31st

Nahalot

Next Shabbat:

• David Sabbah z”l the 2nd of Shebat (Grandfather of Mr. Laurent Becker)

• Yaacob Moyal z”l Ben Djamilah Sadoun the 2nd of Shebat

(Uncle of Mrs. Jeannine Furhmann)

• Perla Bat Clara Tapiero z”l the 3rd of Shebat (Mother of Mr. Jacky Tapiero)

• Amram Benhayoun z”l Ben Avraham the 6th of Shebat (Shabbat) (Father of Mr. Meir & Daniel Benhayoun)

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Community Shiurim Weekday mornings:

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

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

Join.

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

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

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

incredible project.

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

welcome!

Weekday afternoons:

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

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

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

In Recess for the Summer

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

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

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

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

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

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

Welcome! In Recess

Shabbat:

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

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

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

• Shabbat Afternoon – Shiur at 4:20pm

• Spanish Shiur – with Simon Chocron One hour before Minha

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

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The Greatest Praise of All (Rabbi Eli Mansour Daily Halacha)

The Torah in Parashat Shemot tells of the heroism of the midwives of Beneh Yisrael, who defied Pharaoh’s edict ordering them to kill all newborn boys among the nation. These midwives are identified by the names “Shifra” and “Pu’a,” but the Gemara teaches that in truth, these women were none other than Yochebed and Miriam – the mother and sister of Moshe Rabbenu. They were given these names, the Rabbis explain, in commemoration of their efforts on behalf of the babies they delivered. Not only did they refuse to kill the infants as Pharaoh had ordered, but they did just the opposite – they helped the newborns in any way they could. The name “Shifra,” which means “beautiful,” alludes to the midwives’ work to make the infants healthy and good-looking, and the name “Pu’a” refers to the cooing sound which the midwives made in order to calm the babies and make them happy.

It might seem strange, at first glance, that the Torah chose to refer to Yochebed and Miriam by these names. After all, according to tradition, these women were great spiritual figures, who reached the level of prophecy. A person is eligible for prophecy only after achieving outstanding spiritual heights. If Yochebed and Miriam experienced prophecy, then by definition, they were exceptional spiritual giants. Why, then, would the Torah give them names that commemorated their efforts on behalf of Beneh Yisrael’s newborn babies? The name Shifra and Pu’a allude to things like administering medicine, changing diapers, rocking babies to sleep, and playing with them to keep them relaxed and happy. Why does the Torah choose to refer to Shifra and Pu’a specifically by pointing to these menial tasks, if they were outstanding spiritual figures? Is this not demeaning to women of such stature?

The answer, quite simply, is that no, this is not demeaning at all. The greatest praise that can be given is that somebody cared for and

raised children. Whereas modern society belittles the value and importance of motherhood, of devoting oneself to raising and educating children, Judaism regards it as the greatest of all undertakings. The Torah specifically refers to Yochebed and Miriam by these names because their efforts on behalf of the infants of Beneh Yisrael are even more precious than their great achievements as prophets.

We must never find it demeaning to devote time and energy to the sacred task of caring for children. Tasks which contemporary society finds demeaning, such as preparing food, dressing and bathing children, playing with them, changing diapers, and everything else that goes into raising happy, healthy and confident children, are all great achievements. For Jews, the greatest praise is that they succeeded in this role – in the role of raising and caring for their children and preparing the next generation of Torah Jews.

“And the Land Became Filled with Them”

(Rabbi Eli Mansour)

Toward the beginning of Parashat Shemot (1:7), the Torah describes Beneh Yisrael’s rapid population growth in Egypt. It concludes by saying, “Va’timaleh Ha’aretz Otam” – “The land became filled with them.” The situation became such that wherever the Egyptians went, they encountered people from Beneh Yisrael. The Midrash, commenting on this verse, says that Beneh Yisrael filled the theaters in Egypt. Egyptians would arrive at the show and find Jews sitting in their seats.

This situation marked a drastic change from the previous state of affairs. When Yaakob and his family first settled in Egypt, they lived separate from the native Egyptians. The Jewish area of settlement was confined to the region of Goshen, where Yaakob set up a Yeshiva and he and his offspring generally lived apart from Egyptian society. This

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situation began to change when the last of Yaakob’s sons died. With the demise of the last great spiritual figurehead, Beneh Yisrael gradually left the secure confines of Goshen and assimilated. They got involved on all levels in Egyptian society.

And this is when the trouble began. The Egyptians took notice of the Jews’ sudden “invasion” of their society and grew suspicious. These suspicions paved the way for the dreadful period of slavery and persecution that Beneh Yisrael endured in Egypt.

We cannot overlook the similarity between this process and the process that occurred more recently in Germany. The Jews of Germany decided to leave their enclaves and adopt a German lifestyle. They thought that by breaking down the barriers, by being more like the Germans, by abandoning traditions and practices that made them different, they would earn the gentiles’ favor and goodwill. In short, they figured that assimilation is the answer to anti-Semitism. But they were tragically mistaken. It was specifically as a result of the Jews’ becoming more like the Germans that the Germans felt threatened and suspicious. Like in Egypt, the Jews’ presence in the “theaters” bred resentment and laid the groundwork for deadly persecution.

Megilat Ester begins by telling of the lavish party that King Ahashverosh hosted in his palace for the people of Shushan, and tradition teaches us that the Jews of Shushan attended and fully participated in the celebration. One Rabbi suggested that this event may have likely ignited, or at least exacerbated, Haman’s feelings of hatred toward the Jews. He began wondering why these foreign people are taking up space in the palace, why they are feeling so at home in Persia.

It is a mistake to think that we will earn the trust and favor of other nations by being like them and embracing their values and lifestyle. History has proven that assimilation makes matters worse, not better, as it causes mistrust and resentment, rather than respect. The safest way to live in exile is to remain in

“Goshen,” to remain fully committed to our ancient traditions and stay away from the “theaters” of the non-Jews. We will then succeed in preserving our traditions and avoiding the hostility and resentment of the people around us.

The Secret to Surviving Galut

(Rabbi Frand from Torah.org) The Secret to Surviving Galut is Hidden in the Opening Pesukim of Sefer Shemot.

Sefer Shemot begins with the pasuk, “And these are the names of the Children of Israel who came down to Egypt with Yaakov, each man and his household came.” [Shemot 1:1] The Tolner Rebbe shlit”a asks three interesting questions on this pasuk:

First, the five opening pesukim of Sefer Shemot appear to be redundant. The Torah lists the names of the twelve tribes; it says that the population of Yaakov’s family totaled seventy; and that Yosef was already in Egypt. We knew all this already from the end of Sefer Bereshit! Parashat Vayigash contains an enumeration not only of Yaakov’s children, but of all his grandchildren as well. The Torah says that the total population of Yaakov’s descendants in Egypt was seventy. We know the Torah is very judicious in its use of words, so why was this census information repeated here?

Second, it would seem that the more precise way to introduce the sefer would be to say “And these are the Children of Israel who came down to Egypt…” Why is emphasis placed on the names of the Children of Israel?

Third, why does the Torah use the term “ha’baim Mitzrayema” to express the idea “who came down to Egypt,” when grammatically speaking, the word “ha’baim” is present tense, and the expression would usually be translated “who are coming (down to Egypt)?” Why does the Torah not say “she’ba-oo Mitzrayema,” which is past tense?

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These are the three questions the Tolner Rebbe shlit”a asks. He gives the following analysis, which answers these questions:

A famous saying of Chazal teaches that in the merit of the fact that the Jews did not change their names, their language, and their mode of dress, they were redeemed from Egypt.

These first five pesukim of Sefer Shemot are not here to tell us history. They are not written to inform us who came down to Egypt. As we mentioned before, we know that already. This opening section of the second book of Chumash is trying to teach us that this is the secret of how to exist in Galut [exile]. As Chazal say, the exile in Egypt and the redemption from that exile are the paradigms for all future exiles and redemptions of the Jewish people.

As we have mentioned many times, Galut is a function of the history of the Jewish people. We have been in Galut more years than we have been in Eretz Yisrael. The two Batei Mikdash [Temples] lasted approximately 400 years each; the period of the Judges was roughly another 400 years. Other than those approximately 1200 years, we have been in exile most of the time of our collective existence. We need a blueprint, a survival kit, with which to survive Galut.

That is why the opening pasuk of the sefer reiterates, “And these are the names of the Children of Israel.” It is not to inform us who came down. The pasuk is telling us the secret of survival in Galut. The secret of maintaining our national identity in exile involves not changing our names. Yaakov’s children did not adopt secular names or the names of the land. They were called by their Hebrew names, the names they were given at birth, not by the Egyptian equivalent of those names.

As we read in the Hagaddah, “… this teaches that they were distinct there” (melamed she’hayu metzuyanim sham). The only way a few dozen people can survive amongst a population of millions is by maintaining their unique identity. In those days, maintaining a nation’s national identity meant not changing

their names, not changing their language, and not changing their clothes.

Currently, we have 613 mitzvot which allow us to maintain our unique Jewish identity. But this was before matan Torah. They did not have a set of hundreds of unique commandments. What, then, made them “Jewish?” Today we are “Jewish” because we keep Shabbat, we keep Kashrut, we have Tallit, we have Tefillin — we have all these things. But what made us “Jewish” in Egypt? The answer is that they had to “hang on by their fingernails” to whatever Jewish identity they had. A critical part of that Jewish identity was their names. Therefore, “These were the NAMES of the Children of Israel…” This is part of the secret.

Regarding the term “ha’Baim Mitzrayema” (in present tense), the Tolner Rebbe says: Of course, based on the rules of grammar, it should read “she’Ba’oo Mitzrayema” (past tense), but here too, the pasuk is not telling us history. It is teaching us a message. The Jews did not just come to Egypt and settle in. They were always in a state of flux. They knew, and kept reminding themselves, that they were “strangers in a land that did not belong to them.” We are always “still in the process of just coming here.” We are “greenhorns.” We are going to remain “greenhorns,” and we are proud that we are “greenhorns.” We are always in the state of “ha’baim” — just now coming to Egypt. We are here merely as travelers — this is not our permanent country.

These are the “secrets” the Torah is revealing to us in the opening pesukim of Sefer Shemot. A person must not identify himself by saying, “I am an Egyptian Jew.” He must say, “I am a Jew” (period!). If not, he is going to be swallowed up by the host culture.

There is one other secret mentioned in this opening pasuk. That is alluded to by the words “ish u’beiso ba-oo” (each man and his household came).” In situations when a nation is in turmoil — they were after all in exile; they were foreigners in a strange land — in such situations, it is the Jewish home that must become the bastion of serenity and

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protection in order that their national integrity be maintained.

When the outside environment is hostile, the sanctity of the Jewish home (bayit ha’Yehudi) becomes critical to the maintenance of Jewish identity. Our fortress is dependent upon the bayit ha’Yehudi. This is primarily based on how a woman maintains her home. Throughout our exile, it has been the “Yiddishe shtub” [the Jewish home] which has been the key to our survival.

These three things – Shemot (maintain your Jewish identity), ha’baim (always be in a state of being a stranger in the land, not a sojourner), and beto (the Jewish home) — are the secrets of our survival in exile.

Four of the five books of the Torah end in a similar fashion — ending either with reference to “Bnei Yisrael” or “Kol Yisrael“. For instance, the Book of Vayikra ends “These are the commandments that Hashem commanded to the Children of Israel on Mount Sinai.” [Vayikra 27:34] The Book of Bamidbar ends “These are the commandments and laws that Hashem commanded through Moshe to the Children of Israel in the Wilderness of Moab by the Jordan (near) Yericho [Bamidbar 36:13]. The Book of Devorim ends with the words “…before the eyes of all Israel. [Devarim 34:12]”

Sefer Shemot is unique in that it concludes with neither the expression “Bnei Yisrael” (as we find at the end of Bereshit, Vayikra, and Bamidbar) nor “kol Yisrael” (as we find at the end of Devarim). Sefer Shemot ends with the expression: “before the eyes of all the House of Israel…” (kol Bet Yisrael). This is the only one of the Chamisha Chumshei Torah that ends like that, and in fact, this is exactly how Sefer Shemot began — ish u’Beto ba’oo (every man and his household came). The secret of their survival in exile was beis Yisrael — the Jewish household. That was the island of tranquility in a sea of turmoil.

Other than Moshe Rabbenu, You Never Know!

(Rabbi Frand)

After Moshe sees an Egyptian beating a Jew, the pasuk says, “and he looked this way and that, and he saw that there was no man, and he smote the Egyptian and he buried him in the sand.” [Shemot: 2:12] Moshe Rabbenu killed the Egyptian who was beating the Jew. Rashi elaborates on the words “and he looked this way and that and saw that there was no man”: Moshe (prophetically) peered into the future and determined that no righteous person was destined to descend from this Egyptian.

The Brisker Rav (Rav Velvel — Yitzchak Zev — Soloveitchik [1886-1959]) asks the following question: What difference does it make if a righteous person was destined to descend from this Egyptian? If the Egyptian was deserving of the death penalty for striking a Jew, then who cares if he will have righteous descendants? A Jewish court does not pardon the sins of ancestors based on the merits of future offspring. And if he was not deserving of the death penalty for his actions, we certainly would not execute him merely because he was not going to have a righteous descendant!

The Brisker Rav answers by citing the Rashi on pasuk 14: When Moshe Rabbenu killed this Egyptian, he executed him by using the Shem HaMeforash (the Ineffable Name of the Almighty). A person is normally prohibited from pronouncing this Name, but if he has those powers, he can literally kill someone by invoking the Shem HaMeforash against him. Why did Moshe utilize this method of execution?

The Brisker Rav explains by quoting a Rambam: “An idolater who smites an Israelite, even though he is deserving of death, is not executed.” [Hilchot Milachim 10:6] This is a ruling we find in Tractate Sanhedrin [58b]: “Rav Chanina says, an idolater who strikes an Israelite is deserving of death, as it is written, ‘and he turned this way and that and saw that there was no man and he smote

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the Egyptian’.” However, the Rambam rules that although he is deserving of death, we do not execute him. The Kesef Mishna there explains that the Rambam means that the idolater receives the death penalty “at the Hand of Heaven.” We do not prosecute him, but Hashem will take care of him.

Based on this Kesef Mishna, the Brisker Rav says that is why Moshe killed the Egyptian with the Shem haMeforash. Utilizing the Name of G-d to kill the Egyptian was a form of “execution by the Hand of Heaven.”

The Brisker Rav explains that now we understand what Rashi means when he says that Moshe looked and saw that a righteous person would not descend from this person. In earthly courts, we certainly do not take into account who the future descendants of a person are when determining whether or not to punish him for a given crime. In “death at the Hand of Heaven,” however, these are exactly the type of calculations the Almighty takes into account when determining if and when to carry out the punishment of “death at the Hand of Heaven.”

In connection with this insight of the Brisker Rav, I would like to relate an interesting incident:

There was a brilliant young Yeshiva student in Lakewood who got married. The Roshei Yeshiva and many of the distinguished students of the Yeshiva came to his Sheva Brachot. The Hattan said a nice dvar Torah during the meal. It was now the end of the Sheva Brachot meal, and the grandfather of the Hattan asked for permission to speak.

The grandfather of the Hattan was an am ha’aretz (opposite of a talmid chacham). He knew nothing. The Hattan began squirming in his chair. “What is my grandfather going to say? The Rosh Yeshivas are all here. I am going to be so embarrassed!” But after all, he was the Zeida. It is not possible to tell a Zeida that he cannot speak at his grandson’s Sheva Brachot.

The Zeida (who was from Europe) got up and spoke to the gathering:

I would like to relate an incident that happened in Europe. There was a young boy in Europe who attended cheder. He was a chevreman [a mischief maker]. One Monday morning, before anyone was in shul, this boy took a goat and put it into the aron kodesh. When it came time for kriat haTorah, the gabbai opened the aron kodesh to take out a Sefer Torah. Lo and behold, a goat jumped out! The people in shul were outraged. They traced the criminal act back to this mischievous boy.

The principal of the cheder came to the boy’s parents and said, “This is the last straw! This time your son has gone too far. We are throwing him out of the school.” The boy then went to the town Rav and told him, “I want to take the principal to a din Torah and demand that he accepts me back into school.” The principal came to the din Torah. The Rav turned to the boy and asked, “What is your claim?” The boy responded, “There is only one cheder in this town. If I get thrown out of this cheder, what will become of me? Either I will go to the gymnasium (secular educational institution) and lose all connection to Judaism, or I will wander the streets and lose all connection to Judaism, and then my children will not have any connection to Judaism. My grandchildren will not have any connection to Judaism! True, maybe I deserve to be thrown out of school. However, can you say that you have “looked this way and that way and saw that in the future no person will descend from me”? What is going to be with my descendants? What is going to be with my children and my grandchildren? This principal is sentencing them that they should all be irreligious Jews. That is not right! How can you sentence my children and grandchildren to a life without Torah?”

The principal said, “You are right,” and he accepted the boy back into school.

The Zeida concluded, “Ani Yosef! I am that boy! I am that mischievous boy who put the goat in the aron kodesh. Now, look at my ainekel [grandson]. Look at this illui [brilliant prodigy]! See what happens! You never know who might come out from someone.”

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Moshe Rabbenu had ruach haKodesh. He could say, “and he saw that there was no man (destined to emerge from him).” But the average person can never know. I have been in the Rebbi business long enough to know that this is indeed true. A prime rule of chinuch that teachers and educators must always bear in mind: “A person never knows!”

A person never knows with his children, one never knows with his talmidim [students], one never knows with his classmates and peers. That is why it is essential to always proceed with caution in all matters of discipline, and certainly in “life and death matters” such as expulsion.

Avodat Perach The Importance of Purpose

(Rabbi Zev Leff)

The Egyptians started to make the Israelites do labor designated to break their bodies (Shemot 113).

In order to keep Bnei Yisrael occupied so that they would not have time to think about Moshe's words heralding their freedom, Pharaoh decreed that henceforth the Jewish slaves would have to collect their own straw while maintaining their previous quota of bricks. Why did Pharaoh not just double their quota? In that way, he would have forced Am Yisrael to work harder and would have benefited from a doubling of production.

The Torah describes our labor in Egypt as Avodat parech, literally work that breaks the person. Avodat parech is defined as work that has no purpose and is designed just to keep the slave busy (see Rambam, Hilchot Avadim 116). We are specifically forbidden to work a Jewish slave in this fashion (Vayikra 25 43).

Pharaoh understood that nothing so diminishes a person as seeing no purpose to his activity, no result in which he can take pride. Thus, he had Jewish slaves build arei miskenos, which can be translated as pitiful cities. These cities, says the Midrash, were built on the foundations of sand, and toppled over immediately after being built, only to be rebuilt again. Thus, doubling the Israelites workload without doubling production fit perfectly into Pharaoh's plans.

Work can be exhilarating, fulfilling and ennobling, but only when it is melachah-purposeful work, work with a goal. But purposeless work (avodah) only serves to break a person's spirit. A prisoner in a Soviet labor camp was confined to his cell for ten years and forced to turn a handle that protruded from his cell wall. He was told that the handle turned a flour mill on the other side, but upon being liberated, discovered that the handle was connected to nothing. The realization that he had labored for nothing was more crushing to him than the ten years of imprisonment.

The Talmud (Betzah 16a) calls the Babylonians foolish for eating their bread with bread. The ba'alei mussar explain that they were caught in a vicious cycle with no purpose other than its own perpetuation. They worked only in order to earn enough bread to have the strength to work another day and earn more bread to sustain themselves for another day. Working to eat so that one can work some more results in a life with no purpose. When the necessity of earning a living is removed from such a life it loses all meaning. That is why so many retirees become depressed, and even suicidal, when they stop working.

Those with Torah are spared this plight, for they realize that everything they do is to secure eternal life in Olam Haba. This recognition gives meaning and value to all of life's pursuits, for the greater the purpose and goal, the more significant the effort. "Six days shall you labor (ta'avod) and do all your melachah, and the seventh day will be a Sabbath to Your Lord ..." (Shemot 20:9-10). What transforms a person's menial labor

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(avodah) into purposeful, creative activity (melachah) is Shabbat, the taste of Olam Haba in this world.

The word es bash has the numerical value of thirty-nine, corresponding to the thirty-nine melachos of Shabbat, the creative activities that went into building and maintaining the Mishkan. Thus, the opposite of Avodat perach-aimless, purposeless work- is meleches hamishkan, meleches Shabbat-purposeful work that leads to eternal results.

Women many times feel that their work is Avodat perach, with no lasting results. The clean clothes are soon soiled again, the house messed up as soon as it is straightened. The result of hours of toil in the kitchen are not framed and saved for perpetuity, but quickly devoured. The key to making these chores ennobling and exhilarating is constantly remembering their ultimate goal the creation of an atmosphere enabling each member of the family to function properly and develop his or her ultimate potential.

Moshe was initially instructed to tell Pharaoh that the Jews wanted to leave Egypt for three days of celebration and sacrifice in the desert. Pharaoh was not told of the real intent of their departure so that he could exercise his free will. Had he been told that the Jews wished to leave forever, he could not possibly have granted their request. Klal Yisrael, on the other hand, had to be told the truth about their departure even though the prospect of having to conquer the Land might fill them with dread, for the ultimate goal of Eretz Yisrael gave meaning to the entire Exodus.

In this light, we can understand the following Midrash. Moshe proclaimed, "I sinned with the word az, and I will rectify [my sin] with the word az. I sinned by saying 'From when (me'az) I approached Pharaoh to speak in Your name, things have gotten worse for the Jewish people' (Shemot 5 23). And I will rectify [my sin] with the word az-'Then (az) Moshe will sing the song at the Red Sea' (Shemot 151)."

Moshe sinned by isolating a moment - Pharaoh's decree of additional labor - and not

placing it in the perspective of the ultimate goal. Had Moshe seen the decree as one more stage towards the eventual Redemption, he would have viewed it differently. Moshe rectified his error when he sang at the splitting of the Sea not only for the moment of present salvation, but for all the future redemptions until the resurrection of the dead. Thus he sang in the future tense.

The Mishnah in Pirke Avot (1:3) says that one should not serve Hashem in order to receive reward. Rambam (Hilchot Teshuvah 10:1) explains the reward referred to includes even the reward of Olam Haba for fulfilling the mitzvot. Rather one should serve Hashem out of pure love and devotion, with no ulterior motive at all. Yet the Torah is full of verses that exhort us to observe its commandments "in order that you live" or "in order that your days be multiplied," (see e.g., Shemot 20:12, Devarim 4:1, 4:40, et. al.)- Which are understood as referring to eternal life.

The resolution of this seeming contradiction is that the knowledge that the mitzvot result in eternal life gives added dimension and significance to the performance of the mitzvah itself-apart from any concern with the reward of Olam Haba - and thereby engenders greater love for the commandments. In this context, does not mean "in order that," referring to a consequence of the performance of the mitzvot, but rather "because" in the sense of revealing the true significance of the mitzvot. Recognition of that significance enhances the love of the Creator, Who bestowed His creation with eternal meaning.

To truly appreciate the significance of our mundane pursuits and the mitzvot that constitute our service of Hashem, we must be constantly aware of our ultimate goal of bringing the world to perfection by fulfilling G-d's will.

The Measure of a Gadol

The child grew up ... It happened in those days that Moshe grew up and went out to his brethren and observed their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian man striking a Hebrew man, of his brethren (Shemot 2 10-11).

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Ramban, commenting on the apparently repetitive mention of Moshe's growing up, explains that the first phrase refers to Moshe's attainment of physical maturity. The second phrase refers to Moshe's growth in intellectual and spiritual maturity, to his becoming "a man of understanding."

The Torah proceeds to specify the sign of Moshe's spiritual maturity the fact that he went out to his brothers and saw their labors. Rashi comments on this phrase that Moshe contemplated their plight and "applied his eyes and heart to suffer with them."

The mark of a gadol, a person who possesses greatness and maturity, is defined by the Torah in terms of his ability to be concerned with others. The Ribbono Shel Olam is called HaGadol, the Great, and Chazal explain this appellation to refer to Hashem's trait of goodness and kindness. Therein lies His gadlus. The concern that envelops and permeates all existence is the mark of His unlimited greatness. Hence He is HaGadol.

We are exhorted to walk in Hashem's ways and emulate His attributes "As He is called merciful, so, too, should you be merciful." Thus, if Hashem is called HaGadol, we too must strive to emulate this gadlus. Just as He is concerned with all Creation, so must we strive to emulate that all-encompassing concern.

Rabbi Shimon Shkop, zt"l, in his preface to Shaarei Yoshor, addresses the following paradox. On the one hand, man was created with a natural concern for himself and his own personal needs. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is predicated on self-love and self-concern. And yet, man is exhorted to be concerned with others. Reb Shimon explains that the key to resolving these seemingly conflicting concerns lies in the definition of self.

Everyone possesses their "ani"-the essence of their being. As the Mishnah clearly states in Pirke Avot (114), "If I am not for myself, who will be for me?" However, the definition of this selfhood can be expanded beyond the parameters of one's physical person.

Many people feel that their spouses are part and parcel of themselves-"His wife is like his own body," say Chazal. Hence, one's concern for a spouse is included in the natural concern for self. Others extend their self to include their families, still others their neighbors. The more one perfects himself, the more his concept of self encompasses. The truly great person feels all Klal Yisrael, indeed the entire world, as part of his self.

And so, the Mishnah in Avot continues, when my ani is limited to my individual self alone, what is the value of this ani?"

A baby enters this world with a clenched fist. After 120 years, part of the preparation for burial includes the opening of the deceased's hands. A person comes into this world concerned only with his own needs and desires. His fist is clenched tight. He is closed unto himself. As he matures, he slowly opens that fist to reach out to extend his self to others, to embrace an entire world in his concern. He must exit this world with an open hand.

This outreach of the self is not mere sympathy, but rather a deep empathy and total identification. Hence, it requires applying one's eyes and heart. It necessitates observing, assessing and understanding the circumstances and needs of others.

But that is not sufficient, for once one has assessed his neighbor's situation with his eyes, he must open his heart to what he sees-to actually experience emotionally the hurt and pain, the fears and apprehensions, the joys and satisfaction of one's extended self.

The true gadol is only indirectly measured by how many blatt Gemara he has mastered and the profundity of his pilpul. Rabbi Aharon Kotler, zt"l, explains that Torah learning is the ultimate chesed. When we say, "Talmud Torah is equal to them all," it is other acts of chesed to which we are referring. For all other kindnesses are specific and limited, but Torah study is the source of existence. If not for constant Torah study the world would cease to exist. How profound and all-encompassing is the concern and kindness of

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the one who immerses himself in the study of Torah, thereby preserving the entire universe.

The Torah giant is familiar with the entire world. For Torah is the blueprint of the world and only through comprehensive and penetrating knowledge of this blueprint can one gain the eyes to see the world as it really is, to truly be cognizant of the needs and problems of mankind.

The study of Torah and the total immersion in G-d's will unites one with his Creator and imbues him with an open heart, with emotional understanding, compassion, and empathy. Only the Torah giant can fully possess the sensitivity that emanates from G-d's Torah, which is referred to as Rachmana-the Merciful.

Rabbi Chaim Ozer Grodzenski, rav of Vilna and gadol hador of the previous generation, kept a written record of all the many and varied charities of Vilna which he supervised. In it were the records of free loans, monies for poor brides, caring for the sick, the guesthouses for poor travelers, and general tzedakah accounts. It was a massive, voluminous record. When a fire destroyed this book, Reb Chaim Ozer reproduced it from memory.

This story is not important for what it tells us about Reb Chaim Ozer's phenomenal memory, but for what we learn of the importance that he attached to these records.

Our respect for our gedolim is enhanced when we realize that their gadlus in Torah is an emulation of the gadlus of Hashem, which leads them to concern for the entire world.

Appreciating this gadlus should inspire us to strive to extend our concern to include all of our fellow Jews. When we achieve this goal Hashem will reciprocate as He did in Egypt. When Moshe applied his eyes and ears to his fellow Jews, Hashem responded in kind. As the Torah tells us, "And G-d heard their moaning, and G-d remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. G-d saw the Children of Israel; and G-d knew" (Shemot 2:24-25). And Rashi comments "Hashem put His heart to suffer with them and did not turn His eyes from them." Reprinted with permission from Artscroll Mesorah Publications, ltd. This article is provided as part of Shema Yisrael Torah Network Permission is granted to redistribute electronically or on paper, provided that this notice is included intact. For information on subscriptions, archives, and other Shema Yisrael Classes, send mail to parsha@shemayisrael.co.il

5 Tips to Raise Great Kids From parents who seemed to be doing it right. (By Adina Soclof, MS. CCC-SLP)

There are those families who we all look up to. Even though it’s true that we never know what goes on behind closed doors, still, there are those parents who seem to have a handle on this thing called parenting.

Whenever I meet them, I ask them what they think they’re doing right. Here are some ideas that were gleaned from my impromptu interviews:

1. Love, Attention and Date Night for Kids:

Children need their parents’ attention and love; it is critical to their growth and development. They will try to get it any way

they can. So, if a parent is not paying attention to them or giving them enough love, they’ll resort to getting negative.

One mom instituted date night – for kids. Every week, she and her husband take one child out for ice cream. They have six children; every six weeks they each get their turn. This is meaningful for both parents and the child. A little quiet time, some loving attention and ice cream.

Not everyone can do that. Don’t worry. Ten minutes a day of your undivided attention will make a huge difference in their lives. Don’t forget the basics, how important it is to be there when your kids get off to school, when they come home, and tuck them in at night.

2. Foster Autonomy:

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This is a hard one in this day and age when it doesn’t seem safe to send our kids out the door. However, it’s essential to find ways to help our kids grow to be independent. One day they will leave the nest and they’ll need to stand on their own two feet.

One father I know does woodworking projects with his son, picking out the project and making a list of what they need. His son goes to the store and speaks to the store reps about his project and what they would suggest. Then they work together to on the project, with the father asking him, “Well, how should work this? What would be the best way to do this?”

These little projects not only help them spend time together, they increase his child’s self-confidence and sense of independence.

3. Play:

Children love to play, and they love when their parents play with them. The benefits of play are manifold. It helps parents and kids’ bond and connect. Play reduces tension, bringing laughter instead of frustration. Kids are much more likely to cooperate when they are asked to do things in playful ways.

One mom who has two left feet discovered kickball as a great game to play with her three rambunctious boys. She realized that in order to connect with her boys she needed to play something that involved a ball. They all love it and it’s simple enough for non-athletes like her.

4. Family Dinner:

The importance of family dinners cannot be stressed enough. Kids who eat with their family have better academic performance, higher self-esteem, greater sense of resilience, lower risk of substance abuse, depression, obesity and lowered, likelihood of developing eating disorders.

In modern times, it is really difficult to sit down together for a meal. However, one mother I know made this sacred. Her husband who has a very intense job makes it a point to be home from 6-6:30 no matter what, thanks to his wife’s insistence. He can then retreat to his home office or go back to

work. As the years have gone by, he is grateful to his wife. He feels he would not have had the same connection or strong bonds to his children (and his wife) if he didn’t have those 30 minutes a day with his family.

5. Focus on Solutions:

Children who are taught to problem solve and look for solutions to their problems instead of complaining and creating drama feel good about themselves. They tend to be calmer and more resourceful.

One Mom tries to ask her children’s opinions on household matters. For example:

• “We are having your cousins over, do you think they would like to sleep in the guest room or camp out with you?”

• “We are having guests this Shabbat. They have little kids. What kinds of foods do you think they will like? What should we make for them?”

And the kids have some really great ideas and insights!

Ask parents who you respect for their tips on how to raise great kids. You’ll discover some great ideas to help you create a warm and loving family.

Fighting in Marriage 9 ways to turn a valid argument into a full-scale battle. (By B. Gordon)

Every marriage provides ample opportunity to turn a simple disagreement into a conflict of a much larger scale. If you wish to transform your debates into full blown feuds, follow these instructions carefully. If not, avoid these points at all costs.

Choose the absolutely worst time and place to settle your disagreement.

Don't wait for the moment when you are both at ease and relaxing in a quiet environment. Bring up the topic when the noise level around you is high or when you are both already on edge.

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Don’t listen to what your spouse is saying.

While your spouse is talking, instead of listening earnestly, focus only on your piece of the pie. Avoid the exercise of first listening patiently and then repeating what you understood in order to make sure all is clear. Don't allow your partner to finish saying his or her piece. Interrupt your spouse at every possible opportunity.

Don't empathize.

Don't focus on what your spouse is feeling. Leave your feet glued in your own shoes. Don't bother trying to understand the unspoken emotions and messages behind your partner’s words. Avoid phrases such as, “I'm sorry you feel that way” or “I think I understand how you feel.”

Avoid teamwork.

Dismiss the perspective that the issue being discussed is something that is meant to be worked through with both of you together as a couple. Steer clear away from the 'it’s about us' outlook and cling to the ‘me vs. you’ mentality.

Play the blame game.

Blame your spouse for being the source of the problem. Don't focus on just the issue at hand, but on whose fault it is. Instead of using 'I' messages to explain how the particular situation is affecting you; opt to take an offensive stance and criticize your partner.

Let your emotions completely overwhelm you.

Refrain from calculated thought and calm logic. Try to overwhelm your spouse with the intensity of your hurt, anger, and frustration. Yell throw things and punch the wall.

Get defensive.

If what your spouse is saying is difficult to digest, choose the easy way out and go on defense mode. Shout back, pout, and throw all your grievances in your partner’s direction. Alternatively, you can tune out, walk away, or sing as loud as you can.

Don't stay focused on the particular issue at hand.

Veer off course, confuse and overwhelm your spouse by digging up a decade's worth of old disagreements, frustrations, and resentments.

Refuse to give in.

Never admit that you were mistaken or apologize. Stick to your guns. Don’t unjustly sacrifice the all-important credo that you are perfectly right and the other party definitely wrong for the sake of achieving harmony and love in marriage.

Learning how to effectively settle disagreement while maintaining harmony is certainly achievable. But since it takes so much effort, practice, and patience, you can take the easy path instead and blow up any disagreement into an all-out fight.

Drew Brees’ Lesson in Kindness

The award-winning quarterback did something that should inspire all of us.

(By Emuna Braverman)

he Torah teaches us that, despite all its negative implications, there is one area where jealousy can play a role and that’s in our spiritual lives. If someone knows more Torah than me and that spurs me to learn more, that is a positive use of jealousy. If someone prays with more concentration than me and that is a catalyst to work on my focus that is a positive use of jealousy. And if someone has better character traits than me – is kinder, more patient, more thoughtful, more sensitive – that too can urge me on to further growth.

Nowhere do I find this more relevant and helpful than in the field of kindness. I am constantly learning from others – whether it’s the beautiful presentation when a neighbor drops off food to a new mother or the gracious hospitality my friend displays even in the wake of difficult guests or the thank you notes another friend wrote to teachers at the

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end of every school year, a practice I “stole” from her and emulated.

But it’s not only friends and acquaintances who can enlighten and teach us. We are taught in Ethics of Our Fathers that a wise person learns from everyone. So stories in newspapers, magazines and online posts can also illuminate better ways of being, can also enhance our own character and kindness.

One such story caught my eye the other day when I was relaxing by reading nfl.com (yes, I’m a football fan – don’t judge me). It was a story about Drew Brees, the award-winning quarterback of the New Orleans Saints. He recently became the NFL’s all-time career passing leader. This is no small feat and certainly cause for celebration.

But Brees wanted to do something special – for all those who helped him set the record. Instead of basking in his personal glory and using it as an opportunity to inflate his ego, he recognized that he could not have accomplished this alone and he wanted to acknowledge all those who assisted him in achieving this goal.

After some research, Brees determined that there were approximately 174 people who fit this qualification. That’s right, 174! He then tracked down all their mailing addresses, a feat right up there with his sports accomplishments!

And then he acted. A total of 15 current receivers, 84 former ones, seven current offensive linemen, 49 former blockers, 11 coaches and eight contributors, including Saints owner Gayle Benson, will receive a a customized football with their name and contributions in time for the holidays. Also included with the football is a letter personally signed by Brees thanking each individual for their assistance.

Now that’s what I call a thank you! It was thoughtful, it required effort, it was individual. Although I will never be a great football star (yes, I’ve gotten over that disappointment) I can learn from Drew Brees’ actions. I can become a better giver – I can take more time, expend more effort, be more thoughtful, make it more personal and, most of all I think, add something in writing that speaks to my relationship with the recipient.

I was taught many years ago that birthdays are a great occasion for expressing gratitude, that instead of receiving presents (it’s not really an achievement to live another year) we should be giving them (okay I like a little of both!) – to all those who helped us get where we are. À la Drew Brees.

But it doesn’t have to be limited to birthdays. Any time we are given acknowledgement for our accomplishments, it’s appropriate to thank all those who got us there (Academy Awards here I come!). A verbal thank you is a good and important start. But the more thoughtful, the more personal, the better.

We all have opportunities to improve our thank yous, to express our appreciation in ever more detailed and considerate ways. And I can learn how to do that from anyone, including football stars.

Mr. Brees has been quoted as saying that the four priorities in his life are faith, family, football, and philanthropy; I’m impressed that he puts faith first. And that’s the most important lesson of all – that in the moments of our greatest earthly accomplishments, not only do we have to stop and thank the “village” that assisted us, but we need to first thank our biggest cheerleader of all, the Almighty Himself.

Halachot of Shabbat (Daily Halacha)

May One Move Candlesticks on Shabbat After the Candles Have Burned Out?

It often happens that a person wants to move the Shabbat candlesticks, such as to make room on the table or for some other purpose.

DAILY HALACHOT

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Similarly, people sometimes wish to move the Hanukah candles on Friday night after the candles have burned out, out of concern that the children might knock them over, or because they are taking up space. Under what circumstances is it permissible to move candlesticks or a Menorah on Shabbat?

Halacha strictly forbids moving candlesticks on Shabbat while the candles are burning. And even after the candles have burned out, the candlesticks remain forbidden to be moved, as they are considered Mukseh. However, one is able to circumvent this prohibition by making a stipulation at the time of the candle lighting. Before the woman lights the Shabbat candles, she should verbally state that the candlesticks should not be Mukseh and should be allowed to be moved after the candles burn out. This is the explicit ruling of the Shulhan Aruch (Orah Haim 279:4). Hacham Ovadia adds that it suffices to make this condition once a year, stating that for the rest of the year the candlesticks should be allowed to be moved on Shabbat after the flames go out. This is, indeed, a worthwhile custom to adopt in order to enable moving candlesticks on Shabbat without any concern.

There is some debate among the Halachic authorities as to how far this Halacha extends. Several Poskim (including the

Mishna Berura and Kaf Ha’haim) maintain that making this stipulation is only effective in rendering the candlesticks a “Keli She’melachto Le’issur.” This means that the candlesticks may be moved if they are needed for some permissible purpose, or if the space is needed, but not for the purpose of protecting them (such as if they are in the sun and may become tarnished) or for no purpose. This is also the ruling of Rabbi Moshe Halevi (Israel, 1961-2001), in his work Tefila Le’Moshe. Hacham Ovadia (listen to audio recording for precise citation), however, disagrees, noting that numerous Rishonim (including the Ra’avad, Ramban, Rashba, and Rashbatz), as well as the Hida (Rav Haim Yosef David Azulai, 1724-1806), in his Birkeh Yosef, maintain that the stipulation allows moving the candlesticks for any purpose. And thus by making such a stipulation, the candlesticks are allowed to be moved on Shabbat without any restrictions whatsoever.

Summary: It is forbidden to move candlesticks on Shabbat, even after the candles burn out. However, if one makes a stipulation before Shabbat that he wishes to move the candlesticks after the flames go out, he may, and one may even make such a stipulation once a year to cover the entire year.

Daf Yomi Masechet Hulin

(Daf Notes) The Good Pig Our Gemora says that when the verse mentions “all manner of good”, it means pig meat! HaGaon Rav Z. Sorotzkin zt”l wondered: “Pigs? All manner of good?” He explained that we understand this from Chazal’s dictum that one shouldn’t say “I can’t stand pig meat” but that one can stand it “But what should I do if my Father in Heaven decreed against it?” Therefore, the Torah said “all manner of good” – don’t refrain from

eating it because of feelings of revulsion. It is truly “all manner of good” but one mustn’t eat it because of the Torah’s command (Oznayim LaTorah, Devarim 6:11).

How a Shochet Is Tested Our Gemora recounts how slaughterers were tested: “In Eretz Israel they test it (the knife) with the sun. In Nehardea they test it with water. Rav Sheishes tested it with the tip of his tongue.” G-d-fearing shochatim in previous generations would say “In Eretz Israel they test it with the sun” – i.e., they tested shochatim by the virtue of charity – “Charity like sunlight”. “In Nehardea they

DAF YOMI

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tested him with water” – i.e., if a shochet purifies himself properly. “Rav Sheishes tested him with the tip of his tongue” – if he guards his tongue (Toras HaShechitah).

DAILY MASHAL Rav Zalman Sorotzkin zt”l explained regarding the purpose of melikah as opposed to shechitah. “Why does shechitah suffice for the rich man’s sacrifice but the poor man’s must have melikah? Why not do shechitah on bird korbanos like we do for animals? To understand this, we must consider why sacrifices are slaughtered. This is to break the heart of the sinner since he will contemplate that it is fitting to kill him instead of the animal. That is enough to break the heart of a wealthy man who brings an animal, but what about a poor man? He has such a hard life that he may literally prefer death. After all, once it’s over he will stop suffering and eventually enjoy his eternal reward. This

is why we do melikah which is much more painful. This is to show that until one dies things can also be very bitter. And death itself can also be very painful. It is only in this way that the poor person will also break his heart and do teshuvah.”

Warm Water and Oil Rabbi Chanina said in our Gemora: “The warm water and oil with which my mother treated me in my childhood stood by me in my old age.” The Munkaczer Rebbe zt”l writes that this contains an important hint: Warm water – the warmth and heated rapture in the service of Hashem, oil – the wisdom of the Torah, with which my mother treated me in my childhood – these influences from my childhood, stood by me in my old age – had a far-reaching influence (Kuntres ‘Al HaTzidikim).

InterestIng MIdrash (from Torah Tots)

Snakes, Storkes, & Squabbles

Long before Moshe became "Rabbenu" (Our teacher), the Kingdom of Cush was calling him "Malkenu" (Our King).

When Moshe realized that he was an Israelite in Egyptian clothing, he headed out to the mud pits to check out the plight of his people. He had to leave Mitzrayim (Egypt) in a great hurry when he realized that someone (or two) saw him kill an Egyptian task master. He fled towards Midyan and arrived there around forty seven years later at the age of 67. Where was Moshe for forty seven years? It may just blow your mind to find that by the time Moshe and Bilam met in the Midbar (desert), (See Bamidbar, Parshat Balak), they were old enemies. Here's how it happened:

While the Bne Yisrael suffered in bondage, the battle for independence was breaking out back East. In those days, the Kingdom of Cush was

collecting taxes from cities of the East. When a rebellion broke out, Kinkos, King of Cush, assembled a huge army and set out to squash the squabble. Before he left, Kinkos put Bilam and his sons in charge of the kingdom.

Bad idea. As soon as Kinkos left, Bilam went to work. He gathered all the leaders of the city. In a quick coup, Bilam became the king and Kinkos lost his crown. But the question still remained: What happens when the King returns?

Meanwhile, Kinkos copped a major victory, putting those vassals back into a state of servitude. Now they would pay even more taxes to the regime. But, as Kinkos returned home, it became apparent that he, too, would pay a price - his kingdom!

Two sides of the city had huge fortified walls, the third side was cut off by a moat. The fourth side was fortified with a huge pit of poison snakes.

Kinkos and his men assumed that the city was fortified against a Canaanite enemy. Imagine their confusion when they discovered that they were the ones being kept out! Kinkos tried

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everything to penetrate the city; they scaled and swam, tippy-toed and attacked. In turn they were shot, drowned, bitten and defeated. Since Kinkos couldn't make it in, he decided to build a wall around the city so that no one could make it out. For nine years, Kinkos and his armies kept Cush under siege.

During the first year of that siege, Moshe arrived in Cush and joined Kinko's army. He was a mere lad of 20, but strong, full of courage and wisdom, and an expert at Egyptian battle tactics. Moshe whipped the army into shape and soon became a respected ranking advisor to the King.

Nine years into the siege, Kinkos died. The Cushite soldiers needed a new king and Moshe was at the top of the short list. The soldiers swore their allegiance to Moshe, the new Cushite King. But allegiance doesn't come cheap. Moshe's first order of business was to "take down the wall!"

Moshe had a plan, but in order for it to work, the soldiers had to agree to do everything Moshe ordered without questioning his intentions. No problem. Moshe was a wise man. He always acted rationally, why should they begin to doubt him now? A great shout of solidarity came from the newly invigorated crowd. Moshe commanded the soldiers to head out to the woods and look for... storks nests.

STORKS NESTS??!!? Well, if it was a bird hunt Moshe wanted, that's what he'd get! The men followed Moshe's instructions and spread out through the forest, each one gathering a newborn stork. When they returned, each man was holding a fledgling.

Next, Moshe ordered each soldier to raise and train his stork to follow his commands. This became priority one for the soldiers and as the weeks passed, the storks learned to swoop, dive and sit on their master's shoulder upon demand.

When the storks were properly trained, Moshe announced that the time had come to go to battle. The final command was to starve the storks for three days.

Three days later the soldiers armed themselves with swords, shields and starving storks and headed to the fortified city. But how would they breach the walls? They wouldn't! How could they swim the moat? They couldn't! How would

they bypass the vipers? Well, any man with a starving stork on his shoulder should be able to figure out that answer!

Upon Moshe's signal the soldiers released the starving storks. The birds immediately and fearlessly attacked the snakes in the pit. Soon, there were no snakes left and the soldiers easily crossed the trench.

The city was easily overtaken. Eleven hundred of Bilam's men were slaughtered. Bilam and his sons escaped to Mitzrayim where they became Pharoh's chief advisors.

Moshe was a national hero in Cush. For forty years he ruled, squashing rebellions and taking care of royal business until Kinkos' son became mature and experienced enough to take the "reigns."

Moshe left the Kingdom for the destiny that awaited him in Midyan. There, he would marry and learn his greatest lessons of leadership as a shepherd, tending to the needs of even the smallest of his flock.

Kid’z Korner (Revach)

Moshe Complaining to Hashem Adapted from Mishlei Yaakov, pp. 114-115

Speaking in G-d's Name

"O Lord, why do You mistreat Your people? Why did You send me? As soon as I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he made things worse for these people. You have done nothing to help Your people." (Ex. 5-22-23)

So Moshe complained to G-d about the initial failure to bring the Jews out of Egypt. But why did Moshe stress that he spoke to Pharaoh "in G-d's Name"? Why not just say, "From when I came to Pharaoh, he made things worse"?

The Mashal of The Detective and the Mafia

Joe 'Scar Face' Mozzarella was feeling good. An undercover detective had been making far too many inquiries about his various 'businesses.' But now they had nabbed the nosy policeman. The local mafia boss told his men to teach him a lesson about what happens to cops who are too inquisitive.

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The frightened detective blurted out, "Don't you know that I work for the FBI? If you hurt me, the agency will close you down for good!"

But this outburst just made Mozzarella seethe in anger. "What, this fool thinks he can scare me with threats about the FBI? I'll show him." Scar Face told his men give the FBI agent a beating he would remember for the rest of his life.

When the detective, bruised and hurting, returned to his office, he said nothing. His boss asked him what happened to him, but he responded, "Why do you ask? Do you think you could help?"

"Come on," responded the FBI station chief. "Who did this to you?"

"It was Joe Mozzarella and his gang."

"Doesn't he know that you work for the FBI?"

"That was my mistake. I thought that if he knew I'm with the FBI, he would be afraid to touch me. But instead, they just started beating me even harder. As soon as I mentioned the FBI, Mozzarella became enraged and told his men to break my bones."

When the station chief heard this, a grim determination set in his face. "If that's the case, now you will see what we will do to him."

He then carefully set traps until they succeeded in putting Scar Face and most of his gangsters behind bars. The FBI chief's intense efforts to capture the criminal were due to the words of his agent - who had transformed the affair from a simple matter of protecting agency workers into an attack on the FBI itself.

Moshe' Complaint

At the time of the redemption from Egypt, there was a judgment in the heavenly court against the Jewish people.

"Why do they deserve to be rescued?" the prosecuting angel protested. "They are idol worshipers just like the Egyptians!"

However, Moshe had this foresight to present the case for the Jewish people in a different manner. "I told Pharaoh, 'The G-d of the Hebrews is called upon us.' Yet Pharaoh responded brazenly, "Who is this G-d that I should listen to Him?""

Thus, when Moshe complained to G-d, he emphasized, "From when I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your Name, he only made things worse."

G-d's responded firmly, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh!"

Now G-d needed to rescue the Jewish people - not due to the merits of Israel, but because of the tremendous chillul Hashem, to defend the honor of His Name. As the Torah emphasizes numerous times: "So Egypt will know that I am G-d."

Rav Moshe Feinstein Paskens - Honor Rav Aharon Kotler

Rav Aharon Kotler, z”tl, the Rosh Yeshivah of Lakewood, was preparing to travel to Eretz Yisrael for a visit. Meanwhile, Rav Aharon’s talmidim made their own preparations to accompany him to the airport. When Reb Aharon found out about their plans, he made known to them that he preferred that they remain in the yeshivah and adhere to their normal learning schedule.

Rav Aharon’s talmidim were in a quandary about what to do. They brought the question to Rav Moshe Feinstein, zt’l. Rav Moshe’s answer left no room for doubt. “Accompany the Rosh Yeshivah. Honoring Rav Aharon is like honoring the Torah itself!” (Rav Moshe Feinstein)

Reb Yerucham Gives Rav Chatzkel Levenstein Advice In The Dark Of Night

Rav Chatzkel Levenstein z’tl was the mashgiach of the Mir Yeshivah during WWII, when the entire yeshivah escaped to Shanghai. Rav Chatzkel spoke constantly about emunah and bitachon, which was so necessary during that difficult and frightening time. He taught the talmidim to feel a palpable sense of emunah and bitachon at every moment.

At one point during the yeshivah’s sojourn in Shanghai, the city was being heavily bombed. It was suggested that the yeshivah leave the city and move to a town called Charvin. R’ Chatzkel opposed the move. Later, R’ Chatzkel revealed that R’ Yerucham

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Levovitz, his predecessor, had appeared to him in a dream, and spoke against the move.

The yeshivah stayed in Shanghai, despite the great danger, and the promise of a safer haven in Charvin. When that period of danger had passed, the yeshivah heard the news that Charvin had been bombed twice as much as Shanghai, and the city had suffered countless casualties. (R’ Yaakov Finklestein, former Mir talmid)

Rabi Shimon’s Tricks

"Now show us what you can do,” the witches said to Rabi Shimon.

”Very well,” he replied. ”You see how hard it is raining, but when I will whistle two times and then 80 young men will appear, all dressed in dry clothes.”

“If you are able to do that," they replied, ”then we will admit that you are the mightiest of all the magicians.”

Rabi Shimon whistled once and all the young men waiting outside removed the jugs from their heads, took out the dry cloaks and donned them. Rabi Shimon whistled a second time and his disciples entered the

cave and each man grabbed a witch and placed her on his shoulder. They were then carried to gallows that were prepared for them, and hanged.

All Israel Thankful

When the people of Israel heard how Rabi Shimon had rid them of these evil people, they blessed him, saying, “Blessed is Rabi Shimon hen Shetach unto G-d, who has this day rid us of this terrible evil. For as long as they were present, idolatry could not be stamped out.”

(Rav Itshak Nabet)

Le Véritable Sauveur

La Torah décrit, au début de la paracha Chémot, l'esclavage de nos ancêtres en Egypte ainsi que la naissance du futur libérateur Moché Rabénou. Comme vous le savez, notre ancien Berger provenait d'une sainte famille: son père Avram était le chef spirituel de cette génération. Sa mère Yokhéved, agée de 123 ans lorsqu'elle donna vie à Moché Rabénou, était une petite fille de Yaacov avinou et fille de Lévi. Enfin, sa sœur Myriam prophétisait déjà malgré son très jeune âge. Et pourtant, si on y prête attention, on peut s'apercevoir que la Torah ne mentionne aucun nom de ces tsadikim! Ainsi, il est écrit: " Et il y avait un homme de la maison de Lévi qui épousa une fille de Lévi. Cette femme donna naissance à un fils…qu'elle plaça dans un berceau sur la rive du fleuve. Sa sœur se tenait à distance pour observer la suite des événements…L'enfant grandit et la fille de Pharaon l'appela Moché…"Alors pourquoi la Torah n'explicita pas la généalogie de Moché Rabénou comme elle le fit pour tous nos ancêtres dans le livre de Béréchit? Et plus

encore, même le nom de notre sauveur n'est pas celui donné par ses parents, mais celui que la fille de Pharaon lui attribua. Pourquoi la Torah ne dévoila pas le vrai nom de Moché Rabénou?

Chaque pays possède son histoire et ses pères fondateurs qui oeuvrèrent pour l'établissement de la nation. Ces hommes de courage se levèrent pour libérer leur peuple des colonisateurs. Par exemple, qui n'a pas appris comment Vercingétorix lutta avec bravoure contre César? Malgré sa fin tragique, le peuple s'unifia et continua la guerre qu'il avait commencée, ce qui constitua les prémices de la future Gaule. Cependant, la Torah ne décrit pas ainsi la naissance de notre nation. Tout d'abord, la notion d'individu a disparu. Comme nous l'avons dit, nous ne connaissons ni le nom de notre libérateur, ni sa famille…Et plus encore, nous voyons dans notre paracha que le sauvetage de Moché Rabénou fut un échec total. Lorsque celui-ci se présenta devant Pharaon pour lui transmettre la parole divine, que répondit le Roi d'Egypte? "Hachem!? Je ne connais pas, et mes esclaves je ne les libérerai pas!" Pire encore, à cause de son intervention, il ordonna de ne plus fournir de paille nécessaire à la fabrication des briques, ce qui

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augmenta considérablement la tâche de nos ancêtres. Nous constatons donc que l'Histoire de notre peuple ne ressemble en rien aux scénarios classiques.

En réalité, la réponse à ces questions se trouve à la fin de notre paracha. En sortant de chez Pharaon, Moché se tourne vers Hachem et s'exclame: " Pourquoi faire souffrir ce peuple, et pourquoi m'avoir envoyé? J'ai parlé à Pharaon en ton nom, mais je n'ai pas sauvé les bné Israel." Alors Hachem répondit:"Maintenant tu va voir ce que Je vais faire à Pharaon, et c'est avec une main puissante que Je vais vous faire sortir d'Egypte." Maintenant que tu as constaté que tu n'as pas été utile pour la libération de tes frères, et que tu as vu que tous tes efforts n'ont fait que rendre la situation plus difficile... Maintenant, tu vas voir clairement "ce que JE vais faire à Pharaon", Moi et pas un ange et pas un envoyé. La Torah nous dévoila que la fondation de notre nation ne fut pas l'œuvre de mains humaines. Hachem, Lui-même, nous délivra et créa Son peuple. Voilà pourquoi la Torah ne voulut pas faire dépendre cette libération de Moché Rabénou. En cachant son nom et celui de sa famille, elle nous laissa entendre que celui-ci, aussi grand et parfait qu'il était, n'était qu'un envoyé du Tout Puissant.

Or, comme nous l'avons souvent dit, ce qui est vrai à l'échelle nationale l'est aussi au niveau individuel. Si la délivrance de nos ancêtres ne fut l'œuvre que du seul Créateur, il faut savoir que pour tous les exils personnels, il en est ainsi. Que ce soit pour des problèmes de santé, d'argent, de famille…l'unique sauveur, c'est Hachem. Comme nous le disons tous les soirs "Chir Lamaalot, Je lève les yeux au ciel, d'où viendra mon aide? Hachem sera mon soutien!" Même s'il est évident que nous devons faire tout ce que l'on peut pour réussir nos entreprises, il ne faut pas croire que la délivrance vient de nos actes ou de telle personne. Car plus une personne place sa confiance en des hommes et des intermédiaires, plus Hachem lui montre qu'il n'existe pas d'autre Sauveur que Lui et que ses efforts ne servent à rien. Et à l'inverse, plus il va comprendre que le résultat ne dépend que de Lui, et plus il verra les miracles qu'Il dévoila lors de la sortie d'Egypte. Alors qu'Hachem nous aide à croire en Lui, et rien qu'en Lui, afin de voir rapidement les délivrances que nous

désirons. Nous vous souhaitons un très bon Chabat, à très bientôt…

Dvar thora inspire du Rav Pinkhous

La Grandeur de Moché Rabénou

Nous ouvrons cette semaine le second livre de la Torah, intitulé Chémot, qui traite essentiellement de la sortie d'Egypte. Nous verrons ainsi comment Hachem délivra physiquement nos ancêtres de leur maison d'esclavage, puis comment Il les libéra spirituellement en leur offrant la Torah. Ce Chabat, nous débuterons cette extraordinaire aventure avec la paracha Chémot. Les descendants de Yaacov se sont multipliés sur cette terre égyptienne. Affolé à la vue de cette menace potentielle, Pharaon décida de transformer ces habitants de Gochen en peuple d'esclaves. Après de longues décennies de labeur et d'humiliation, une naissance change le cours de l'histoire, celle du futur libérateur Moché rabénou. Après avoir été sauvé du Nil et adopté par la fille unique de pharaon, Moché grandit dans le palais royal. Malgré le luxe et le confort que sa vie lui offre, il ne peut supporter d'être en paix alors que ses frères souffrent. Dès lors, il fait tout ce qui est en son pouvoir pour aider clandestinement hommes, femmes et enfants. Il pleure avec eux et n'hésite pas à remplacer les plus fatigués, même pour les corvées difficiles. Jusqu'au jour où il vit un Egyptien battre à mort un juif: il prit la défense de la victime et tua l'agresseur. Les représailles ne tardèrent pas. Moché fut condamné à mort et réussit par miracle à s'échapper d'Egypte. Nous retrouvons Moché Rabénou de nombreuses années plus tard. Il est devenu berger chez son beau père Yitro. Un jour qu'il fait paître son troupeau, un de ses agneaux se sauve, nous dit le Midrach (Chémot raba 2;2). Moché court derrière pour le ramène lorsqu'il voit la bête se précipiter vers un point d'eau pour assouvir sa soif. " Je ne savais pas que tu avais si soif, tu dois être épuisé maintenant" dit Moché à l'agneau. Puis il prit la bête sur ses épaules en retournant vers le troupeau. Et c'est à ce moment qu'Hachem déclara: "tu as de la miséricorde, envers le troupeau, d’un homme. Je jure que tu seras le berger de Mon troupeau Israël."

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Nous sommes facilement étonnés à la lecture de ce Midrach. Pourquoi est-ce à la suite du sauvetage d'un agneau que Moché Rabénou fut choisi pour libérer les bné Israël? N'avait-il pas prouvé mille fois sa compassion et ses qualités en Egypte? Comme nous l'avons dit, il avait mis sa vie en danger pour alléger le joug de ses frères, puis fut contraint à l'exil pour avoir défendu un juif. La vie d'un animal est-elle plus importante aux yeux d'Hachem que celle d'un bné Israël?

De manière générale, l'homme est pris de compassion lorsqu'il se trouve face à une situation tragique. Il est très difficile de ne pas aider une veuve qui doit nourrir de nombreux orphelins, ou un père de famille qui demande de l'aide pour un jeune enfant atteint de maladie. Ce genre de situation qui déchire le cœur est heureusement très souvent soutenu par les communautés. Mais lorsqu'il s'agit d'une famille en difficulté financière qui ne présente pas une histoire émouvante, on éprouve plus de mal à écouter et à ouvrir le porte-monnaie. De même, il nous semble normal de visiter des malades qui souffrent de graves maladies, et nous pouvons parfois négliger de réconforter des amis qui se sentent mal intérieurement, même si nous savons qu'ils souffrent. Ainsi, les actes de solidarité de Moché Rabénou en Egypte ne pouvaient pas dévoiler sa pureté de cœur. En effet, peut-être que la vue de cette détresse, parce qu'elle était immense, l'avait rempli d'émotion et, dès lors, motivé pour aider ses frères. Mais lorsqu'il sauva cet agneau, il prouva qu'il était profondément bon et miséricordieux avec tout le monde. De plus, lorsque Moché Rabénou porta la bête fatiguée, il se trouvait en plein désert. Personne ne pouvait le voir ou le

féliciter. Son acte témoignait donc fidèlement de son intériorité. A l'inverse, pendant toutes ces années en Egypte, il avait accompli des actes de bonté en public. Il devait forcément être admiré et honoré pour son comportement. Il existait donc un léger manque de perfection, mû par le plus pur désintéressement, dans sa compassion.

"Hachem n'élève les hommes qu'après les avoir observés dans les petites choses" nous dit le Midrach. Car c'est là-bas qu'il dévoile son véritable visage. Nous pouvons hélas constater la véracité de cet enseignement au quotidien. De nombreuses personnes sont agréables, courtoises et altruistes dans leur vie professionnelle ou sociale. Mais dès qu'elles rentrent chez elles, dans la sphère privée, leur comportement change brusquement. Le plus doux des hommes peut se transformer en mari indigne. La Torah, cette semaine, nous apprend que c'est justement là que nous sommes jugés. Nos maisons, à l'abri des regards et du qu'en dira-t-on, sont les laboratoires de notre intériorité. Si nous arrivons à nous conduire avec la même bonté et le même respect envers nos proches, c'est la preuve que nous sommes effectivement marqués par ces qualités. Il est en est de même pour tous les domaines du service divin. Hachem regarde en particulier comment nous faisons les bénédictions lorsque nous sommes seuls, comment nous mangeons, comment nous faisons le Qriat Chéma avant de dormir…car c'est dans ces moments que nous dévoilons notre véritable visage. Alors qu'Hachem nous donne les forces et les moyens d'être de bons juifs, de bons conjoints et parents hors mais surtout dans la maison, amen ken yéhi ratson.

(Rav Yonatan Gefen)

¿Cómo reaccionar ante un mal decreto?

Después de que Paró esclavizara al pueblo judío, sus astrólogos le dijeron que un bebé estaba destinado a nacer, y que redimiría al

pueblo judío de su terrible galut (exilio). Paró respondió con grandes esfuerzos para evitar que esta predicción se cumpliera, incluyendo su orden de que todo bebé varón debía ser arrojado al Nilo después de nacer.

El Stáipler, Rav Yaakov Israel Kanievsky, nota la ironía de los eventos que siguieron al decreto de Paró. Cuando Moshé nació, los

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egipcios querían arrojarlo al Nilo; como resultado, Iojéved lo puso en una canasta y lo dejó para que flotara río abajo, hacia un destino desconocido. Su salvación llegó, nada menos que, de manos de Batia, la hija de Paró, quien lo sacó del agua. El joven Moshé fue criado en el palacio de Paró, por Paró mismo. Todos los esfuerzos de Paró para alterar los eventos fallaron, ¡pero lo más destacable es que la salvación de Moshé vino a causa del mismísimo decreto de matar a los niños! Como resultado de ese decreto, Moshé fue puesto en el Nilo y salvado por la hija de Paró.

El Stáipler nos enseña que, de aquí, podemos aprender que si Di-s desea que un cierto evento ocurra, es imposible cambiar sus planes más allá de lo que hagamos (1). Puede que una persona haga una gran hishtadlut (esfuerzo) en un cierto emprendimiento , y que la haga bien, pero el Stáipler afirma que sólo tendrá éxito porque la hashgajá (providencia) lo decreta. Si no estuviese destinada a lograrlo, entonces ningún esfuerzo cambiaría esa realidad.

Esta enseñanza fundamental tiene una gran relevancia para la crisis financiera que ha afectado seriamente al mundo en los últimos años. Muchas personas que invirtieron cantidades increíbles de tiempo y energía para ganarse la vida han quedado, de repente, en una situación financiera muy precaria. ¿Cómo debería una persona reaccionar ante este difícil desafío? La idea del Stáipler puede ayudarnos a responder la pregunta.

El Stáipler cita la Guemará que nos dice que el año de una persona es decretado en Rosh Hashaná. Consecuentemente, no hay esfuerzo posible en el mundo físico que pueda cambiar lo que la providencia decretó para una persona. Una reacción natural para quien, de repente, perdió una cantidad importante de dinero, es encontrar nuevas formas de ganar dinero. Esto es entendible, pero también es importante advertir que un esfuerzo excesivo no lo llevará a aumentar su ingreso. ¿Cómo puede saber la cantidad apropiada de esfuerzo? Rav Itzjak Bérkovits sugiere que todo lo que sea considerado un

esfuerzo normal es aceptable, pero que uno debería cuidarse de no pasar ese límite. Dedicar una gran cantidad de tiempo y energía a la obtención de dinero, descuidando todo lo otro, se considera un esfuerzo innecesario y no producirá ningún fruto. Así, una enseñanza que puede aprenderse del Stáipler es que si Di-s decreta un evento particular no hay forma de cambiarlo a través del mundo físico.

Un ejemplo interesante de este fenómeno es contado en nombre del Ben Ish Jai. Es la historia de un hombre que tuvo un éxito increíble en todos sus emprendimientos comerciales. Este hombre ganó tanto dinero que tuvo un gran temor al ayin hará (el mal de ojo) que se generaría por los celos de los demás. En consecuencia, se esforzó para perder todo su dinero en emprendimientos comerciales desastrosos. Para su desilusión, sus esfuerzos terminaban siendo fructíferos, todos sus emprendimientos tontos tuvieron éxito. Fue a un rabino para compartir su dilema. El rabino le dijo que debía dejar de intentar perder su dinero, porque si Di-s había decretado que fuera rico, no tendría forma de cambiarlo. Vemos de aquí que tanto el éxito como el fracaso en el mundo físico están completamente más allá de nuestro control (2).

Sin embargo, hay una manera para cambiar el decreto de Rosh Hashaná. El Stáipler explica que los esfuerzos en el ámbito espiritual pueden cambiar el decreto. La Guemará nos dice que la plegaria puede cambiar un decreto. También dice que el arrepentimiento puede hacer que aparezca un decreto positivo que reduzca el daño del negativo. Por ejemplo, si se decretó que caiga poca lluvia a causa de los pecados de una persona, su arrepentimiento puede generar que caiga de manera propicia. De la misma forma, si se le decreta a una persona recibir una cierta cantidad de dinero en base a su nivel espiritual de Rosh Hashaná, su arrepentimiento posterior podría hacer que el dinero llegue de manera más provechosa y alcance para satisfacer sus necesidades.

Mientras que crecer espiritualmente puede ayudar a la situación financiera de la

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persona, es importante recordar que el beneficio principal del crecimiento es acercar a la persona a Di-s. A menudo, una pérdida de dinero puede brindarle a la persona una oportunidad para enfocarse más en el ámbito espiritual. Por ejemplo, si el negocio de una persona sufre al punto de necesitar menos trabajo, esta puede reaccionar de dos maneras: puede trabajar más aún en un intento vano para detener la caída, o puede aceptar la disminución de su riqueza y utilizar la oportunidad para estudiar más Torá o estar más involucrado en otros objetivos espirituales, como la bondad. Un ejemplo sorprendente de este fenómeno es la historia del comienzo de la dinastía Soloveitchik, de grandiosos eruditos de Torá.

En la época de Rav Jaim de Volozhin vivió Rav Moshé Soloveitchik, un hombre rico y temeroso de Di-s. Había heredado su riqueza de sus padres. Como poseía grandes bosques de árboles de madera dura, se dedicó a la industria maderera, talando sus árboles y vendiendo la madera a cambio de grandes sumas de dinero. Debido a su ajetreada agenda laboral, no era conocido como un erudito en Torá, pero era muy generoso con su gran riqueza, dando generosamente a causas de caridad. Sin embargo, llegó el día en que perdió todo su dinero, quedando sin un centavo. Todo el que lo conocía se preguntaba cómo un filántropo como él podía sufrir un destino tan terrible. Rav Jaim de Volozhin designó una corte especial para tratar esta pregunta. Examinaron sus libros de contabilidad exhaustivamente, pero no encontraron ningún error. Incapaces de señalar una causa para su colapso económico, concluyeron que debió haber transgredido la prohibición de dar más de un quinto de su fortuna a caridad (3). Le reportaron esta conclusión a Rav Jaim, quien no aceptó la conclusión. No pudo aceptar que, por esa transgresión, Rav Moshé fuera castigado con tal dureza, por lo que el tema quedó irresuelto.

Mientras tanto, ahora que Rav Moshé no tenía un negocio que atender, fue al bet midrash (la casa de estudio) y se embarcó en un vigoroso curso de estudio. Poco a poco,

aparecieron talentos ocultos hasta que quedó en claro que sobresalía en el estudio de Torá. Avanzó firmemente hasta que, en poco tiempo, era una de las personas más sabias de su ciudad, alcanzando eventualmente la posición de Av Bet Din (líder de la corte judía) de Kovno. También alentó a sus hijos a seguir sus pasos, quienes aceptaron el desafío y se hicieron famosos eruditos de Torá. Ahora, Rav Jaim entendió la razón por la que Rav Moshé perdió su fortuna con tal rapidez. Por sus grandes actos de caridad, mereció una recompensa inmensa: comenzar una dinastía de eruditos de Torá. Y, como es difícil que la grandeza en Torá surja de un hogar rico, su riqueza le fue quitada, para liberarlo del envolvimiento con el mundo y permitirle estudiar Torá, preparando el camino para generaciones de eruditos sobresalientes (4).

Es muy difícil cuando una persona experimenta un decreto que le dificulta la vida, pero, sin embargo, todo desafío es una oportunidad para cambiar la dirección de nuestra vida. Una pérdida de dinero puede causar que una persona se esfuerce más en sus actividades mundanas, aunque eso sería una pena. Aprendemos de los esfuerzos fútiles de Paró para cambiar un decreto celestial, que ningún esfuerzo físico puede cambiar la providencia Divina. La única reacción fructífera es utilizar el tiempo extra obtenido por la merma del trabajo involucrándose más en espiritualidad.

Notas: 1) Birkat Péretz, Parashat Shemot. 2) Arush, BeGan HaEmuná; p. 364. 3) Ketubot, 50a. 4) Meller, The Brisker Rav, p.1-3. En generaciones subsecuentes, algunos de los rabinos más grandes emergieron de esta dinastía, incluyendo al Beit HaLevi z"l, Rav Jaim Soloveitchik zt"l, y el Brisker Rav zt"l.

Dar Sin Un Fin Ulterior “Di-s benefició a las parteras, y el pueblo se incrementó y se fortaleció mucho. Y fue porque las parteras habían temido a Di-s que Él les hizo casas" (1).

Yojéved y Miriam arriesgaron sus vidas para salvar a los bebés judíos de ser asesinados por los egipcios. Por su acción, Di-s las

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recompensó haciéndoles casas; Rashi explica que esto significa que ameritaron ser las madres de las familias de los cohanim (sacerdotes), los leviim y los reyes.

Rav Moshé Feinstein pregunta que si su recompensa principal fueron esas casas, entonces por qué el versículo interrumpe la descripción de su recompensa diciendo "y el pueblo se incrementó y se fortaleció mucho"; si las casas eran el beneficio directo, entonces éstas deberían haber ido inmediatamente a continuación y el versículo debería haber dicho: “Di-s benefició a las parteras y les hizo casas”.

Rav Feinstein responde que la recompensa principal de las parteras no fueron las casas, sino que fue el incremento del pueblo judío, ya que su verdadero deseo y fuente de regocijo no era nada más que la expansión de la población judía. Por lo tanto, después de declarar que Di-s las benefició, el versículo continúa con el resultante aumento de la población judía. Esa fue su recompensa principal; las casas eran simplemente un bono secundario por su gran temor a Di-s (2).

Hay muchas razones distintas sobre por qué una persona hace un acto de bondad: puede que esté consciente de que hacer actos de bondad es una mitzvá, puede que le deba un favor a alguien, etc. La explicación de Rav Moshé Feinstein nos enseña que el objetivo principal cuando ayudamos a alguien (además de la intención de hacer una mitzvá) es que la persona se beneficie con nuestra acción. A Yojéved y Miriam no les importaba la recompensa que recibirían por salvar vidas judías; simplemente querían que las vidas fueran salvadas. Di-s las recompensó permitiendo que sus acciones fueran exitosas y que el pueblo judío creciera como resultado.

Moshé, el hijo de Yojéved, heredó esta misma dedicación por los demás. Él vio el sufrimiento de su pueblo y arriesgó su vida para salvarlos. Persuadió al Faraón para que les diera un día de descanso para que pudieran respetar Shabat y, además, mostró gran preocupación por la oveja perdida de su rebaño. Fue por el mérito de esas acciones que Di-s le habló en la zarza ardiente y lo convirtió en líder del pueblo judío. Lo único

que quería Moshé era liberar a su pueblo de la dura esclavitud en Egipto; su recompensa fue tener el mérito de ser quien los sacara.

Esta lección es importante en muchas áreas de nuestras vidas, pero sobre todo en nuestras carreras. Muchas personas tienen la fortuna de que su trabajo involucra ayudar a otras personas. Sin embargo, es muy fácil terminar enfocándose principalmente en el dinero que reciben por proveer este servicio.

Una vez un dentista estaba tratando a Rav Abraham Pam. Rav Pam comentó cuánto ayudaba este dentista a las personas con su profesión, a lo que el dentista le respondió que efectivamente era un hermoso beneficio colateral de su trabajo, lo que implicaba que la razón principal por la que lo hacía era para ganar su sustento. Rav Pam le dijo que el beneficio colateral era el dinero que ganaba, pero que el objetivo principal debería ser ayudar a las personas a tener dientes saludables.

Sabemos que la recompensa principal de Yojéved y Miriam será en el Mundo Venidero; ésta, será la consecuencia de sus intenciones puras. Si una persona realiza un acto de bondad con esa motivación, puede estar segura de que recibirá un gran beneficio en el Mundo Venidero.

El Alter de Slobodka comentó una vez sobre el auto sacrificio de los panaderos (en ese tiempo, el panadero se levantaba muy temprano para proveer pan a su comunidad). Los panaderos hacían un gran acto de bondad al levantarse tan temprano para que el pueblo tuviera este bien tan vital. Sin embargo, comentó que si el panadero lo hacía sólo para ganarse el sustento, entonces estaba perdiendo su fuente principal de recompensa en el Mundo Venidero. Hacer actos de bondad es muy bueno y amerita una gran recompensa, pero no hay que perder el foco: ayudar a otros es lo más importante. Los beneficios colaterales vendrán, pero mejorar la vida de otro judío es en sí misma una gran recompensa.

Notas: (1) Shemot 1:20-21. (2) Darash Moshé, Parashat Shemot.

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Nahala of Rav Dessler This Thursday the 24th of Tebet

Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler (1892-1953). His father, Rav Reuven Dov Dessler, was a talmid muvhak of Rav Simcha Zissel of Kelm,and his mother was a grand-daughter of Rav Yisrael Salanter and a niece of Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzinski. After learning at Kelm, he married a grand-daughter of Rav Simcha Zissel. During the Bolshevik revolution, he moved to London in 1927. In 1941, he founded the Gateshead Yeshiva and kollel. In 1948, he was asked by Rav Yosef Kahaneman to join the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnai Brak. Many of his thoughts and discourses are collected in Michtav M'Eliyahu. [25 Tevet, per Yated 2007]

Nahala of the Baal Hatanya This Tuesday the 24th of Tebet

Rav Shneur Zalman of Liadi (1745-1813), Baal Hatanya. Became a talmid of the Magid of Mezritch at the age of 30, studying with him for 12 years, and becoming the leader of Chasidus in Lithuania following the Magid’s petira in 1772. Following his incarceration in St. Petersburg, he moved to Liadi. In addition to Tanya, he also authored the Shulchan Aruch HaRav.

Nahala of Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch Friday the 27th of Tebet

Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch, Frankfurt am Main, Germany (1808-1888). His father, Rav Raphael Aryeh (1777-1857), who changed the family name to Hirsch, was the son of Rav Menachem Mendel Frankfurter of Altuna (1742-1823). Rav Menachem Mendel was a talmid of Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz and was the Rav of three communities of Altuna, Hamburg, and Wandsbeck (“AHU”). At the age of 18, Rav Shamshon Raphael went to Mannheim to learn at the yeshiva of Rav Yaakov Ettlinger, author of Aruch La’ner. Rav Hirsch received smicha from Rav Ettlinger after learning there for a year. Thereafter, he attended the University of

Bonn. That education would serve him well later in life as he combated the forces of Reform with eloquence. When he was 21, he was appointed Chief Rabbi of the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg. There, he married Chana Judel. He also authored Iggros Hatzafon (The 19th Letters), under the pen name Ben Uziel. One year later, he published Chorev. In 1847, he became Chief Rabbi of Moravia, a region of 50,000 Jews in 52 communities, and which is now the Czech Republic. In 1851, he became the Rav of Frankfurt am Main, which he transformed into a Torah bastion. His best known works are the classic six-volume Commentary on Chumash.

Nahala of Rav Yitzchak Kaduri Next Sunday the 29th of Tebet

Rav Yitzchak Kaduri (1901-2006). Born to to Rab Zeev Diva in Baghdad. Upon his second visit to Eretz Yisrael in 1923, he changed his last name from Diva to Kadouri and fixed his place of study at Yeshivat Porat Yosef in the Old City. He studied Kabbalah under the tutelage of Rabbi Ephraim Cohen and Rabbi Salman Eliyahu (father of former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu). After marrying his first wife, Sarah, HaRav Kadouri lived in Shechunat Habucharim, one of Jerusalem's first neighborhoods built outside the Old City walls. He would stay at the yeshiva all week, coming home shortly before Shabbat. Following the petira of Rav Ephraim Hakohen, head of Jerusalem's mekubalim, toward the end of 1949, Rav Kadouri was selected to head the group. He found a new institution called Yeshivat Nachalat Yitzchak. Graced with a phenomenal memory, he was said to have known the entire Babylonian Talmud by heart. His closer students say that the blessing of the Ben Ish Chai and that of the Lubavitcher Rebbe - both of whom blessed him that he might live to see the Final Redeemer - came true. The students say that Rabbi Kaduri told them he met the Messiah on Cheshvan 9, 5764 (Nov. 4, 2003). He reportedly said that the Messiah is not promoting himself, and that a study of his [Rabbi Kaduri's] words in recent months would provide hints of his identity.

NAHALOT

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When You Are Raised As A Prince, You Act Like A

Prince (Rabbi Frand)

Pharaoh’s daughter rescued baby Moshe from the Nile River. She brought him home to the palace and raised him as an adopted son. On a superficial level, it is a great story. Pharaoh wants to get rid of all the Jewish baby boys, in order to preclude the possibility of a savior being born to them. He orders all Jewish baby boys thrown into the Nile. In the irony of ironies, Pharaoh’s own daughter saves the future savior of Israel from the Nile and brings him into Pharaoh’s own palace to raise and nurture him.

Of course, there is more to the sequence of events than just the fact that it “makes a great story.” There is a fascinating Ibn Ezra that explains the motivation of hashgacha [Divine Providence] in causing events to turn out this way. The Ibn Ezra speculates that the reason the hashgacha brought Moshe to the palace was to create a future leader of Israel who would be raised in an atmosphere of royalty and power, rather than in an environment of slavery and submission.

In the great controversy of nature versus nurture, the Ibn Ezra lends weight to the point of view that gives great import to nurture in determining what a person eventually becomes. If Moshe Rabbenu had been raised as a slave, thinking like a slave and acting submissively like a slave, it would have been much more difficult for him to become the leader of two million people.

The Ibn Ezra cites the fact that Moshe killed the Egyptian for an act of injustice that the latter perpetrated. A slave, who is always downtrodden and spat upon, would not have the forcefulness and the gumption to protest injustice and to personally punish the perpetrator. There is no way we could imagine someone with a slave’s mentality doing such a thing. On the other hand, someone brought up in the house of the king, believing he is a prince, automatically possesses a certain aura and confidence that allows him to intervene in situations that people with less self-esteem would certainly avoid.

The Ibn Ezra similarly notes Moshe’s intervention on behalf of Yisro’s daughters during the incident with the Shepherds at the well of Midyan. Moshe was a stranger who had just arrived in town. Who asked him to intervene? Who asked him to get involved? The answer is that someone who grew up in a house of authority and leadership has the courage and the assertiveness to take charge and administer justice wherever justice needs to be administered. These leadership abilities were much more easily nurtured in the palace of the king than in a house of slaves.

The Mir Masgiach, Rav Yeruchem Levovitz, comments on this Ibn Ezra that we learn from here the power of nurture. Two genetically identical twins will grow up to be very different individuals if they are exposed to different educations and different atmospheres in their formative years. This underlies the power of chinuch [education], the power of environment, and the power of a nurturing home.

We look around today and unfortunately see the many ills that plague our society. What is happening to society? Why is this happening? Part of the answer is that there is no real home life for a large number of children growing up in our society. It is not the least bit surprising and it does not require a great social scientist to see the cause and effect relationship between how one is raised and how one turns out.

The reverse is true as well. When one takes an individual and showers him with love and with confidence, giving him a sense of self and a sense of presence, chances are high that the individual will grow up to demonstrate far greater leadership capabilities than an equally talented individual who was not given the benefit of such an enlightened upbringing.

The ironic sequence of events at the beginning of Sefer Shemot provided the leadership training necessary for the savior who would eventually take Israel out of Egypt.