Today's Learning Shekalim 6:1-2 O.C. 50:1-51:2 Sponsored by Bava Metzia 74 the Meth family Yerushalmi-- on Sheldon's birthday Beitzah 16 HAMAAYAN/THE TORAH SPRING edited by Shlomo Katz PARASHAT NITZAVIM Vol. VIII, No. 47 (382), 27 Elul 5754, Sept. 3, 1994 R' Moshe Alshich writes: Chazal teach that whenever Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisrael, he honored the "Nesi'im (leaders of the tribes) by addressing them first. This week's Parasha begins, however, "You are all standing today before Hashem." No preference was shown to the Nesi'im over anybody, even the lowly water carriers and wood- choppers. This difference results from the purpose of the assembly described here: to enter into a new covenant with G-d. Everyone was "standing before Hashem." While among ourselves we must respect our elders and leaders, we do not really know who is great or small in Hashem's eyes. This lesson should not lead a person to feel haughty (thinking that perhaps Hashem considers him to be the greatest member of the congregation), but should rather be humbling. The story is told of a person who used to honor everyone, regardless of age or station. When his neighbors inquired of his reason for doing so, he explained, "If one is older than I, he has done more Mitzvot; if he is younger, he has committed fewer sins. If he is wiser than I, he should be honored for his wisdom; if he is less intelligent, he should be honored because he cannot be held as responsible for his sins as I am for mine." (Torat Moshe) ************************************ [In our Tisha b'Av issue (two years ago, when this originally appeared), when we began our series commemorating the expulsion of the Jews from Spain, we quoted the statement of Rabbenu Yonah that when we speak of the destruction of a great community we must include in our discussion a statement of hope for a better future, and our trust in Hashem that He will bring about that future. In that spirit, we conclude our series on this page with some words by R' Yitzchak Abohab on the subjects of Teshuva and the coming of Mashiach, both of which are themes that run through this week's Parasha. The following is condensed from Menorat haMaor, Book III, Part 2, Chapters 9-10.] Chazal relate: R' Yehoshua ben Levi met Eliyahu haNavi at the entrance to the tomb of R' Shimon bar Yochai, and he asked Eliyahu, "When will Mashiach come?" "Go ask him," Eliyahu responded, and he directed R' Yehoshua ben Levi to the gates of Rome, where Mashiach sits among the beggars. "When will you come?" R' Yehoshua ben Levi asked. "Today," Mashiach replied. The next day, R' Yehoshua ben Levi again met Eliyahu. "Did you see him?" Eliyahu asked. "Yes. He told me that he would come 'Today,' but he did not," R' Yehoshua ben Levi replied. "He meant," Eliyahu explained, "to refer to the verse (Tehilim 95:7), 'Today, if you will heed My [Hashem's] voice'." From this, R' Yehoshua ben Levi learned (the Gemara says), that if we repent and are deserving, Mashiach will come immediately. If not, he will come at the time which Hashem has predestined. The king, the Mashiach, who will eventually be revealed, will return the crown of King David to its former glory. He will build the Bet haMikdash, gather in the exiles, and live a long time. After gathering-in the exiles, he will defeat Gog and Magog, as many prophets have foretold. It will appear to mankind that the entire world has been created anew, for the Jews will reside securely side- by-side with the evil-doers of the world. In the words of the prophet Yishayahu (11:6), "The wolf will live with the lamb." All Jews will eat only kosher food and will set aside fixed times every day for Torah study. There will be no more wars, and every person's sustenance will be readily available. This is what Chazal mean by their statement (Ketubot 111b): R' Chiya bar Yosef said, "In the future, the earth will produce ready-made cakes and clothing of silk." Regarding all of this the Gemara (Pesachim 88a) says in the name of R' Yochanan, "The day on which the exiles are gathered-in will be as great as the day that heaven and earth were created." ************************************ T H E M O N T H O F E L U L R' Moshe Tzvi Neriah, Shlita, records that on the evening following Yom Kippur, 5694 (1934), R' Yitzchak Hutner, later dean of Yeshiva Chaim Berlin in Brooklyn, paid one of his regular visits to R' Avraham Yitzchak haKohen Kook, and asked the following question: Rabbenu Yonah, in his work Sha'arei Teshuva, speaks highly of Hashem's kindness in allowing Teshuva to erase one's sins. Why, however, don't Mussar teachers emphasize the teaching of the Gemara (Kiddushin 40b) that a sin can negate a Mitzvah? R' Neriah continues: The master [i.e. R' Kook] answered him, but I forgot the answer. Forty years later, I met R' Hutner at a wedding, and he restored what I had lost. He explained (in R' Kook's name) that of the two truths stated above, the "original" one is the fact that Teshuva erases sins. [Chazal say that Teshuva was created before the world existed.] However, in order for man to maintain his free-will, every advantage must be balanced by a disadvantage. Therefore, Hashem decreed that just as Teshuva erases sins, a sin can negate a Mitzvah. Nevertheless, R' Neriah concludes, Hashem's kindness is always greater than His deeds which appear unkind. Thus Chazal tell us that not only can Teshuva erase sins, it can turn those very sins into merits. (bi'Sdeh haRe'iyah p.424) ************************************ Rav Shalom Rokeach of Belz born 5539 (1779) - died 27 Elul 5615 (1855) Rav Shalom was the first Belzer Rebbe. He was a disciple of both Rav Yisrael, the Maggid of Koznitz, and Rav Yaakov Yitzchak, the "Chozeh of Lublin," but primarily the latter. When he would leave Koznitz for Lublin, the Maggid would plead, "Stay with me and you will see Eliyahu haNavi. Stay with me and you will see the Patriarchs," but to no avail. Rav Yaakov Yitzchak would say, "He who deprives himself of the privilege of beholding Eliyahu haNavi and the Patriarchs in order to return to his teacher is a true chassid." It is said that in his youth Rav Shalom once remained awake for 1,000 consecutive nights studying Torah. On the final night, Rav Shalom was visited by Eliyahu. The town of Belz had been blessed with many distinguished Rabbis, most notably Rav Yoel Sirkes (the "Bach"). Under the leadership of Rav Shalom and his descendants, it became one of the most prominent centers of the chassidic world as well. Rav Shalom's legacy includes the great shul which he began to build in Belz; many stories are told of travelers who were miraculously saved from perils of the road because they stopped to add a brick to the never-finished structure. Rav Shalom's wife was his cousin Malkah. She too was known for the wise and effective advice which she gave to the chassidim. Paraphrasing B'reishit 14:18, Rav Shalom said, "Because Malkah is a tzadeket (righteous woman), Shalom is king." Rav Shalom was succeeded by his youngest son, Rav Yehoshua ("Reb Shia"). ************************************ DONATIONS TO HAMMAYAN ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE ************************************ Hamaayan's editor is on vacation. Parts of this issue are reprinted from Volume VI of Hamaayan.