Today's Learning Mo'ed Kattan 1:2-3 Sponsored by O.C. 128:1-3 The Marwick family Bava Batra 96 in memory of Reba Sklaroff A"H Yerushalmi-- Shekalim 17 Hamaayan/The Torah Spring edited by Shlomo Katz Yitro Vol. IX, No. 17 (401), 20 Shevat 5755, January 21, 1995 We read in the gemara (Eruvin 13b) that the yeshiva of Hillel and the yeshiva of Shammai debated the following question for three years: Is it better that man was created or that he would never have been created? Eventually they agreed, "It would have been better had man never been created, but now that he has been created, let him examine his deeds and make the best of it." Rav Yisrael Salanter explained this discussion as follows: The Torah contains hundreds of commandments and thousands of laws. Can man succeed in keeping them all? Yes, says Bet Hillel, it can be done. Bet Shammai, however, argues that man has an excuse for failure. Man might think that the risk in trying to serve Hashem is too great because corresponding to each potential mitzvah is potential failure. Man would have been better off had he never been given such a challenge, for the size of the task is too demoralizing. What is the solution? Let's assume that the task is overwhelming- -how can man grapple with it? The answer is to recognize that man was created against his will, in order to serve Hashem, and thus he has no choice but to make the best of the situation. (Ohr Yisrael # 23, as elaborated on in Michtav M'eliyahu II, p.118) ************************************ "Now I know that Hashem is greater than any god." This was Yitro's response when Moshe told him of the miracles which Hashem had performed for the Jewish people. Rashi elaborates, "I knew Him before, but now I know Him more." How did Rashi know that this is what Yitro meant? Rav Elya Meir Bloch zatz'l explains that if Yitro had not known Hashem before, he would not have come to Moshe in the first place. Therefore, he must have meant that now he knew Hashem even more. Why then did Yitro say, "Now I know that Hashem is greater than any god," as if he did not know before? Rav Bloch offers two explanations: First, when a person gains new knowledge, he should realize that his old knowledge was, so-to-speak, worthless. New information should not merely be appended to the old; rather, the old should be completely reevaluated based upon the new. Secondly, when a person is learning something new, he should cast aside his old knowledge and preconceived notions. Not only do these not help him learn, they often hinder learning. (Peninei Da'at) ************************************ "They camped (plural) in the desert, and Yisrael camped (singular) there..." (19:2) Rav Yehoshua Heschel Rabinowitz (the "Manestricher Rav") zatz'l writes that this phrase describes the two preconditions to receiving the Torah: humility and unity. The former is alluded to by the desert, for a person who wishes to receive the Torah must be as a desert, devoid of haughtiness. The latter is alluded to by the second word "camped" which is singular in number. It teaches, as Rashi notes, that Bnei Yisrael arrived at Sinai "as one man with one heart." (Divrei Yehoshua) ************************************ "I am Hashem your G-d who took you out of Egypt from the house of slavery." (20:2) The Torah is eternal, Rav Aharon Roth ("Reb Areleh") zatz'l reminds us. "I am Hashem your G-d" is relevant to us because it is one of 613 commandments, i.e., to believe in G-d. "[W]ho took you out of Egypt" also is relevant to us because Hashem constantly saves us from troubling situations (a play on the Hebrew words "Mitzrayim" and "Tzarah"). But what is the relevance to us of "from the house of slavery"? Are we not downtrodden and enslaved today (in many parts of the world) as much as our ancestors were? The answer is that the Exodus from the slavery of Egypt is significant for us because it was the beginning of, and the prototype for, all future redemptions. When Hashem told Avraham that his children would be enslaved and persecuted, He never mentioned Egypt by name. All persecutions are part of the fulfillment of that prophecy, and all redemptions, even the Final Redemption, follow from Hashem's promise to Avraham. The relationship between the original Exodus and the Final Redemption is alluded to in the above verse. The gematria of the initials of (the last four words of the above verse) is 190, equal to the gematria of "the End." Also, the gematria of the last letters of those same words is 570, equal to "blow." The gematria of the words "from the house of slavery"--with the addition of nine (for the nine letters) and one (known as the "kollel") is 588, which equals "b'shofar." Thus, these two phrases represent the shofar which mashiach will blow. (Shomer Emunim) ************************************ "Remember the Shabbat day to sanctify it." (20:5) Remember the Shabbat day on each of the six work days. If you do this, then you will be able to arrange your affairs in such a way that you can set them aside and sanctify the Shabbat. (Sforno) ************************************ Rav Yisrael Salanter born 6 Cheshvan 5570 (1809) - died 25 Shevat 5643 (1883) Rav Yisrael (Lipkin) Salanter is known as the founder of the mussar movement. Rav Yisrael did not invent mussar; the popular mussar work Chovot Ha'levavot is now close to 1,000 years old, and other works such as Sha'arei Teshuvah and Reishit Chochmah were likewise written centuries ago. What Rav Yisrael did was promote the study and practice of mussar (ethical improvement) as an integral part of any program of spiritual improvement. In essence, Rav Yisrael argued that Torah study alone no longer was enough to guarantee one's spiritual future. He therefore established batei mussar--study halls where one could discuss and meditate upon mussar works much the same way that one enters a bet midrash in order to study gemara. Rav Yisrael also instituted the study of mussar works with a special heart-breaking tune. Rav Yisrael first became interested in mussar by (secretly) watching Rav Yosef Zundel of Salant, a student of Rav Chaim ofVolozhin (and father-in-law of Rav Shmuel of Salant of Yerushalayim). It was Rav Zundel's custom to go out into the woods and hide there while engaging in periods of introspection. Having fixed times for introspection, together with actually reading mussar texts, is a key part of mussar. The mussar movement was not without its opponents. Even today, there are those who maintain that Torah study alone is all that a person needs to maintain an excellent character. However, most Ashkenzic yeshivot do promote mussar study to some extent. Less well known than Rav Yisrael's excellent character was his scholarship; though he served as a rosh yeshiva for some time, he successfully hid his greatness from most of his contemporaries. Rav Yisrael also was involved in many projects to increase Torah study, including a failed attempt to translate the gemara into several European languages. Rav Yisrael had three leading students: Rav Naftali Amsterdam and Rav Yitzchak Blazer, both of whom were rabbis in St. Petersburg and later Yerushalayim, and Rav Simcha Zissel Ziv, known as the "Alter of Kelm." A dvar Torah from Rav Yisrael appears on the front page. ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax-deductible.