Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi

Volume 10 Number 13 Brought to you by Naaleh.com The Art of Jewish Parenting: Discipline Part I Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Hershel Reichman The way of Hashem is to pursue tzedakah have laws within the family, within the relation- are, people of law and responsibility. Law and mishpat, charity and justice or as it is ship between parents and children. Din is a equals responsibility. Being a responsible called in Chassidut, chesed and din. This is core concept that we must raise our children person, someone who lives and fulfils his what we have to teach our children. In Tehilim with. There are mitzvot we must do and commitments means being a good person. it says, “Olam chesed yibana; the world will prohibitions we must not do. So too our People who don’t fulfill their responsibility are be built by kindness.” Hashem did a great act children must know that there are things they evil people who have failed as human beings. of chesed when he created the universe and need to do and things they can’t do. In the old We want to teach our children to be respon- He continues to do kindness by sustaining it. days, raising children with din was a fundamen- sible so that they can grow to be authentic, The Torah begins with the verse, “Bereishit tal assumption that everyone knew. It’s holy, and complete . It says, ““Im lo brisi barah Elokim; in the beginning Hashem become less popular today where everything yomam v'layla, chukos shamyim v'aretz lo created.” explains that Elokim signifies goes. People let children do what they want samti.” Hashem gives us the laws of nature so din or justice. The world came into being with and unfortunately we see the results of a that we will keep the moral laws of the Torah. the laws of nature. Without it there would be broken society. This comes from a lack of We clearly have to raise our children not just chaos. The creation of the world is fundamen- respect for law. Parenting, in terms of being an with love and kindness but with a sense of law tally the establishment of divine order. There’s institution of law, has taken a tremendous and order, knowledge of justice , to be cause and effect, limits, and rules. Yes the beating. committed and have that responsibility to fulfill world was created as an act of kindness. Yet it the do’s and don’ts. We have to teach our was also created with judgment and laws. The Torah clearly emphasizes that one must children din, the concepts of limits. According Rashi says that originally the world was follow the rules of Hashem. Hashem himself to Chassidut the definition of law is the limiting created only with din but Hashem saw that it binds himself to the laws. He Himself follows concept called tzimtzum, constriction. Chesed alone would destroy humanity and so He had the rules of nature. Very rarely does He break is hishpashtut, spreading out. Hashem wants to introduce rachamim. You can appeal to it. He created us to be law abiding people. It’s us to raise our children with both unbridled Hashem and He can change the laws just as a part of our soul, a reflection of Hashem. We love and a sense of limits and responsibility. He did at the splitting of the Red Sea. There’s were fashioned with the divine image so May we merit to do so. a combination of rachamim and din. We must clearly it’s not foreign to us. It’s a core psychological and spiritual aspect of who we Honorable Mentchen: Respect For All Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Hanoch Teller

The mitzvah to love one’s neighbor as oneself in Boro Park . It was before yom tov and he suffered shame as he carriedthe sheep out, he is probably one of the most well known watched enviously how people emerged with pays back less. If the Torah worries about the commandments in the Torah. The Yerushalmi bags full of new clothing. Finally one mother shame of a thief, how much more do we need in says that it is the Torah’s preemi- noticed him, took pity on him, and marched to take into account the respect due to every nent command. There are no direct command- him into the store. After she had finished Jew. ments in the Torah to visit the sick, to practice outfitting him as if he was her own child,. The hospitality, or to comfort mourners. Yet all of boy looked at the woman gratefully and asked, The Mishna in Avot tells us, “Yehi kevod these acts are part and parcel of being an “Are you Hashem?” She smiled and said, “No, chaverecha chaviv alecha kishelach. May the observant Jew. The Rambam explains that just one of his children.” The boy then said, “I honor of your friend be as important to you as they all emanate from the commandment to knew you had to be related.” Showing respect your own.” The Alter of Slabodka taught that a love one’s neighbor as oneself. One of the for every person means you are truly a child of human being cannot live without respect. It reasons that we are motivated to help others Hashem. follows that if you give your friend honor you is our empathy which stems from loving give him life. There’s a rule in manufacturing another Jew. There is also the idea Rashi notes that Bilaam’s donkey was killed that a product is as strong as its weakest link. expressed in the beginning of the Torah that because he was able to see the angel of If a plastic component worth 39 cents goes on man was created in the divine image which Hashem while his master could not. So as not the blink within a 35 million dollar jet, it could applies not only to Jews but also to non Jews. to be a source of shame to Bilaam, Hashem bring the whole plane down. Tragically people The Seridei Aish explains according to the caused the donkey to die. If the Torah shows project this principle about objects onto interpretation of the Alter of Slabodoka that compassion for an evil man such as Bilaam, people. We judge people by their lowest Tzelem Elokim means the immensity of how much more so do we have to be performance. We might see someone doing human potential, the latent spiritual heights concerned for the honor of another Jew. something inappropriate and instead of contained within man which can enable him to According to Torah law, if a thief steals a lamb thinking that this is his weak link, we apply it to become like Hashem. or sheep he must pay back four times. If he the whole person. This should be a rule only in steals a cow he must pay back five times. The manufacturing, not with people. A poor boy was once standing outside a store Gemara explains that because the thief

Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com

visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 1 Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi

Volume 10 Number 13 Brought to you by Naaleh.com

Covering One’s Head Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Ari Jacobson The Kitzur Shulchan Aruch tells us, one may not being married. The Gemara further tells reciting a bracha on food is absolutely not walk four amot (about 6 feet) with one’s how Ravina was sitting in the presence of Rav mandatory. The Shulchan Aruch says wearing head uncovered. Even if one is stationary, one Difti. The two were studying and a man passed a yarmulka is midat chasidut that everyone may not recite a bracha or mention Hashem’s by with his head uncovered. Ravina said, has adopted. The Maharshal speaks out name when one’s head is uncovered. The “What audacity does this man have that he against these German businessman.. One root words of yarmulka is Yirah Malcha, fear walks past the with his head uncovered cannot transgress a mitzvah because of a of the King. The Kitzur writes that we must .” The impression one gets is that if you custom. If for some reason one cannot cover educate even young children to cover their weren’t in the presence of Rabbis it was not one’s head the halacha is one still must recite heads in order that they should have fear of necessary to cover one’s head. In Masechas a bracha before eating food. Most poskim hold heaven. The says the purpose of the we read how said, “I am that covering one’s head with one’s own arm yarmulke is to serve as a constant reminder of deserving of praise because I don’t walk four doesn’t help but using a sleeve or part of a Hashem. In Masechet Shabbat we read how cubits with my head uncovered.” This seems shirt is acceptable. the mother of bar Yitzchak was to indicate that Rav Huna’s practice was told by astrologers that her son would be a considered midat chasiddut, not standard or In Middle Eastern countries as well as in thief. She was advised not to allow him to necessarily mandatory behavior. Eastern Europe the common practice was to ever go bareheaded in order that he would cover one’s head. The Mahari Bruna who always have fear of heaven. In Masechet Kidushin it says, Rabbi Yehoshua lived in 15th century Germany suggests in one ben Levi taught that one may not walk four of his responsa that although back in Talmudic Historically it is somewhat unclear precisely cubits with perfectly erect posture as it times there was no requirement to cover one’s the point in history where it became common represents haughtiness and a lack of aware- head it is different now. As non Jews in practice for all men to cover their head at all ness of the constant presence of Hashem. European countries are particular to keep their times. During Talmudic times it was not Regarding walking bareheaded, the Talmud head uncovered, doing the same would be a common practice. The very fact that the simply says Rav Huna wouldn’t do it. This violation of “U’bechukoseihem lo seiluchu.” astrologers had to advice Rav Nachman’s seems to indicate that a head covering was mother to see to it that her sons head not specifically mandated in Talmudic times. How big must the yarmulka be? Rav Moshe remained covered seems to indicate that this Rather there were those who did and those Feinstein and Rav Ovadia Yosef ruled that if was not common practice. The Gemara tells who didn’t. Being particular to always cover the yarmulka is big enough to see from all us in Masechas Kiddushin about one’s head was considered exceptional. sides of the head, it’s fine. Rav Shlomo Kluger who was describing to Rav Huna how great was very adamant that covering one’s head is an individual Rav was. Rav Huna There were communities going back hundreds an absolute Rabbinic requirement and not said, “Bring him to me.” When he came, Rav of years who were very particular to always midat chassidut. He explains that in Talmudic Huna noticed his head was uncovered and he cover their heads. The community of Germany, times if a man was unmarried or not in the asked him why. Rav Hamnuna answered that tracing back to the Middle Ages, were very presence of great Rabbis he would still wear a he was unmarried. Rav Huna turned his back careful to constantly wear yarmulkas. However little yarmulka. Otherwise his head was to him and said, “See to it that you don’t when traveling on business when they weren’t completely covered. return until you are married.” It seems the able cover their heads, they would refrain from custom was that men would cover their heads reciting brachot before eating food. This is an only after they were married. Rav Huna didn’t example of misplaced priorities. The impres- chastise him for not covering his head but for sion we get from the Gemara was that initially wearing a yarmulka was midat chassidut while

Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com

visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 2