  |
|
| ||||||
Divrei Chizuk on Ahavas Torah from Maran HaRav Dov Lando shlita
We are celebrating the joy of Torah. Pekudei Hashem yeshorim, mesamchei lev. We do not just say this, we all feel it, the simcha of Torah, the happiness of he who learns Torah.
All possessions do no come to its worth. Nothing can come close. An outsider will not understand this. This is the power of Am Yisroel. This continues to existence of Klal Yisroel.
We forget our difficult circumstances and just experience great simchah.
Ahavas Torah is the great thing that brings to learning Torah, to yiras Shomayim, to dikduk in mitzvos, to histapkus. When there is ahavas HaTorah that is satisfaction in learning and nothing is felt to be lacking. That is why we pray for life that will have ahavas Torah — not just Torah but ahavas Torah. When we cherish Torah and love Torah we go after Torah. We just try for more and more Torah.
How can we, during this period, stimulate the subject of positive interpersonal relations?
The summer session has begun now in yeshivos. This is the introductory statement of HaRav Yeruchom Olshin, and he continues:
An interesting thought is brought in the work Chronicles of the House of Hashem in Volozhin. The talmidim describe the beginning of a new session-semester in the yeshiva. "The joy of the preceding Yom Tov continues into the beginning of the new zman and continues to be maintained in the beis medrash throughout. The new study was issued in amidst enthusiasm and fervor which was maintained continually."
What was the nature of this joy? Chazal instituted a special prayer to be said when leaving a beis medrash? "We thank You for giving us a portion among those who sit in the beis medrash." What is the purpose of this special appreciation? Do we not express our thanks to Hashem three times a day for the miracles and kindnesses at all times? Why did Chazal institute an additional prayer of thanks for those in the botei medrash above and beyond all of His other kindnesses?
Chazal tell us that when the Jews declared their eagerness to "do and to hear," their impurity resulting from the sin of Adam terminated. The decree of an end to temporal life which came to the world at that time was also abolished at the Giving of the Torah when the Evil Inclination and the Angel of Death were nullified.
At that very time, says Nefesh HaChaim, the Original Sin was eradicated and the Jews reached a level of Adam before the Sin. When they sinned with the Eigel, they forfeited this level and descended to their former level.
What was the nature of that Sin? The Ramban says that, 'Hashem created Man straightforward,' that he follow a straight and direct road to levels where he can increasingly draw closer to Hashem, like the angels. But 'they sought many ways.' Man opted for free choice, which made mankind veer from the straight and narrow path, and this caused them to stumble.
Now just think about it. All the bnei Torah who are fortunate to reach such achievements daily in the beis medrash, now, at the beginning of the zman, return to the beis medrash from the hubbub of the outside and its many distractions. The ben Torah enters the house of Hashem and frees himself from the many ways of the world and in yeshiva he can toil and subject himself fully to Hashem and His Torah and can return to the straightforward, nu, isn't it clear what the great simchah was in Volozhin?
With regard to personal interrelations, it is well known that the generations decline from generation to generation. What does that mean? Where can we see it?
On chol hamoed Pesach, an avreich happened on an event in Haifa where, to his horror, chometz was being freely sold, including beer and pizza.
The avreich approached the seller and offered him full price for all his wares. After he handed over the more-than-NIS 80,000 that was involved, the avreich told the workers to burn all the chometz and to pour all the beer into the gutter.
We got several calls after that for the name of the avreich involved. in order to know who was willing to spend such a huge sum of money just to save people from eating chometz on Pesach.
There were others who raised a halachic question:...
Part I
This article was originally published in 1996, 29 years ago.
With the petiroh of the Sadiger Rebbe Reb Mordechai Sholom Yosef Friedman zt"l on the 29th of Nisan 5739 (1979) the fourteenth day of the Omer, came to a close the life of one of the most remarkable tzaddikim in modern times. According to Kavonos Ha'Arizal the date of his petiroh—the 14th of the Omer—corresponds to the middoh, 'Malchus Shebegevurah.' No two words could more aptly describe his life, for over three generations the Rebbe led Klal Yisroel with malchus and gevurah, guiding Yidden through two World Wars, all the while faithfully tending to their needs in every situation.
Born on the 17th of Kislev 5657 (1897) to his father Reb Ahron of Sadiger, (who was a great grandson of Reb Yisroel of Ruzhin), Reb Mordechai Sholom Yosef soon made a name for himself as an unusually gifted and talented child. He was blessed with a fantastic memory. Years later he once remarked that he could recall even the most minute details of his life from when he was three years old.
As a young child Reb Mordechai Sholom Yosef was extremely close to his grandfather, Reb Yisroel zt"l who was Rebbe in Sadiger. From when Reb Yisroel of Ruzhin had settled in Sadiger over 50 years earlier in 1841, the town had become a magnet for tens of thousands of chassidim. After the Ruzhiner's petiroh his son Reb Avrohom Yaakov took over his place to be succeeded in 1884 by his own son Reb Yisroel.
Reb Yisroel treasured greatly his grandson, taking time and care to personally supervise his upbringing. Reb Mordechai Sholom Yosef would receive a test every two weeks from his grandfather who would follow his progress with great satisfaction. Until the end of his days, Reb Mordechai Sholom Yosef would speak about his Zeidy with awe and emotion, and would often say that he asks Hashem that at least a half of the brochos he received from his Zeidy should be fulfilled.
On the 13th of Tishrei 5667 (1907) Reb Yisroel was niftar and was succeeded by his son Reb Ahron. Known as the Kedushas Ahron, Reb Ahron was famed for his conduct, and hasmodoh.
This Google Custom Search looks only in this website.
Outstanding Articles From Our Archives
Opinion & Comment
Moreinu HaRav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch zt'l points out (in his commentary on the Torah, parshas Terumah) that the keruvim mentioned in Tanach have two definite functions: (a) as watchers and protectors, and (b) as bearers of the Kisei Hakovod. Besides the keruvim that were on the Oron Hakodesh (parshas Terumah, Shemos 25:18-22) of the Luchos (which thus guarded and cared for Hashem's Torah), other keruvim stood at the east of Gan Eden, guarding the way to the Eitz Hachaim (Bereishis 3:24). Furthermore, the mal'ochim carrying the Kisei Hakovod (Yechezkel 10) in the ma'aseh merkovoh were also keruvim.
Why in these three particular cases were the angelic guardians and bearers keruvim? Why not in other cases too?
We can suggest that since, "HaKodosh Boruch Hu, the Torah, and Yisroel are one" (Zohar, Vayikro 73) it is the duty of the keruvim to aid all three: bearing the Kisei Hakovod in the ma'aseh merkovoh for HaKodosh Boruch Hu, guarding the Torah (the luchos), and watching over the entrances to Gan Eden, where the tzaddikei Yisroel sit.
The question remains, however, why keruvim were chosen for this duty. Why not other types of mal'och, such as chayos, ofanim, or chashmalim? What is the principle taught us by the fact that in these three instances keruvim served?
The keilim of the Mishkan could be made from any type of metal when gold was not available (Menochos 28a). The keruvim, however, had to be made from gold (Mechilta at the end of Yisro, parsha 10), and were posul, even bedi'eved, when made from other metals.
HaRav Meir Shapiro of Lublin, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin in Poland and the initiator of the Daf Hayomi program, explained (R' Meir Omeir-- Otzros R' Meir Shapiro MiLublin, p. 82) the difference between all other keilim of the Mishkan and the keruvim. The gemora (Chagigah 13b) tells us that the keruvim had faces like those of young children (keruvim in Hebrew is like ke-ravya in Aramaic, meaning "like a child"). The keruvim that stood on top of the Oron Hakodesh teach us that our primary obligation should be our children's chinuch for Torah and mitzvos. With chinuch we cannot be yotzei in a bedi'eved way. It is unsatisfactory to use other metals.
Home and Family
We take "events" for granted because we are doing them continually. Really, they are very complex and comprise many distinct steps. Sometimes, it is appropriate to "play" a child through an event to help him realize the significance of each stage. Then, when he experiences the event in real life, he can be in control and know what he has to do and and why he has do each stage of the event.
The following is a list of sample events, broken down into their individual steps. You might feel that stages are insignificant - but please do not over-estimate a child's understanding.
GETTING UP
Say Modeh Ani. Wash negel-vasser. Go to bathroom. Say Asher Yotzar. Get dressed. Put away pajamas. Tidy bed. Tidy room. Eat breakfast. Check what you need for kindergarten/school. Kiss Abba/Imma goodbye. Go to Gan/school or catch transport.
MEAL-TIME
Wash hands clean. Wash for bread. Wipe hands dry. Make brocho. Eat bread. Dip bread in salt three times. Eat nicely. Don't play with the food. Eat all the food. Do not look at someone else's plate. Say thank-you. Say Bircas hamozon. Clear table. Wash dishes.
GOING TO THE STORE
Opinion & Comment
"When a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy . . . " (Vayikro-Tazria 12:1). Rabbi Yochonon said, If a person is worthy, he inherits two worlds -- this one and the next. This is what is written, "You created for me before and after . . . " (Tehillim 139). (Midrash Rabboh Vayikro, 14:1)
When a baby boy is born, everyone is happy. Their joy does not stop with admiring the infant; in eight days there will be a bris. Later, the child will enter school and begin to learn Torah. This will bring great merit to the proud parents. "Legadlo leTorah, lechuppa, ulema'asim tovim!"
The worthy parents of the boy will thereby enjoy both this world and the next, im yirtzeh Hashem -- as Rabbi Yochonon said in the Midrash: "If a person is worthy, he inherits two worlds . . . " This is the beginning of our parsha: "When a woman conceives and gives birth to a boy . . . "
Does it always turn out this way?
The gemora (Brochos 5b) relates the following story. Rabbi Elozor fell sick. Rabbi Yochonon came to visit him, and saw that Rabbi Elozor was crying. Rabbi Yochonon said to him, "Why are you crying? Because you feel you have not learned enough Torah? About this it was taught; `A little and a lot are equal [in the eyes of Hashem] -- as long as one directs his heart to Heaven.'"
Rabbi Yochonon continued, "Perhaps you are crying because of poverty? Not everyone merits two tables [meaning: both worlds]. Perhaps you are crying because of troubles with your children? This is the bone of my tenth son to pass away."
Not everyone merits two tables, says Rabbi Yochonon. Tosafos (ad loc.) comments that some people do achieve this state. Tosafos states that many tzaddikim in fact merited two tables, Rabbi Yehuda Hanossi being the outstanding example.
|
||||||
.jpg)
