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PROJECT OF THE KOLLEL WEEKLY TORAH OF HOUSTON TORAH CENTER PUBLICATION

Vol. 2 No. 24 May 7, 2016 u”ga, ixhb y”f Acharei Mos

Parshas Acharei Mos Rabbi Avi Metchik In the middle of this weeks Parsha we the person will be restored to a full life founded a Yeshiva in his hometown of find a fascinating possuk. The Torah after the intervention. Radin. The Rosh Yeshiva he hired was tells us (Vayikra 18:5)”You shall observe The explain the reasoning the well known gaon Rabbi Naftoli Trop My decrees and My laws, which man behind this is that in the short time zt”l. Rav Naftoli tragically contracted an shall carry out and by which he shall that the person will live he can perform illness and passed away at a very young live - I am Hashem”. Onkelos is Mitzvos or other good deeds which will age. When he was hovering between not just a plain translation of the words, earn him everlasting reward in the next life and death the yeshiva students but oftentimes is an explanation of the world. Alternatively, in that short time took upon themselves an extremely deeper meaning of what the possuk is he can do Teshuva on any sins he may unique pledge. They began to pledge trying to convey. Here the Targum says have, thus saving him from punish- to give away time from their own lives on the words “he shall live” that he ment in the next world. Either way, we to be placed onto the years that their shall live an everlasting life, the allusion definitely can understand the value of beloved Rosh Yeshiva was destined presumably is to a life in the Next World. an extra few hours or minutes of life, to live. This one pledged one month learn from this possuk a fun- therefore we are obligated to trans- and the next pledged three, and soon damental concept in . They gress almost any mitzvah to give that enough almost all the bochurim had say that the Torah is teaching us here gift of life to another person. undertaken the pledge. that the Mitzvos are designed to be a way of life. Therefore, if a situation arises where we must choose between between Mitzvah observance and a “We can accomplish tremendous danger to life, we say to guard the life and ignore the mitzvah. This concept is things with an investment of even just termed by the Gemara as v’chai bahem, literally meaning “to live by them”. The a small amount of time.” well known exceptions to this rule are the three cardinal sins; Idol worship, This is why the Targum says what he With great trepidation one of the forbidden relations and murder. What does. The reasoning behind the ruling bochurim decided to approach the we see from Chazal is that the possuk of Chazal is that the person can gain in holy Chofetz Chaim and ask if he would is referring to life in this world as it is the next world. The potential gain in participate in their mission. The teaching you a halacha regarding life the next world is precisely the reason Chafetz Chaim said “In honor of our in this world, why would the Targum why Chazal teach the halacha about exalted and beloved Rosh Yeshiva I will render it as referring to life in the World saving a life in this world, therefore pledge five minutes of my own life to to Come? the Targum speaks about reward in go to his”. Understandably the bochur the next world. The true purpose of life The Sefer Sifsei Ratzon brings a was a little taken aback. All the Chofetz in this world is to gain reward in the beautiful answer to this question. He Chaim could give was five minutes? The next world. explains that the Halacha is that we Chafetz Chaim said to the bewildered are commanded to violate a mitzvah to What we can all learn from here is the bochur “I see that you don’t under- save a life even if the person in question value of even a small amount of time. stand the value of five minutes. Don’t will only live for a short time after we We can accomplish tremendous things you know what can be accomplished in intervene. Even if the sick person will and gain tremendous reward in the just five minutes?” This question of the at best live only for another few days, world to come even with an invest- Chafetz Chaim to the bochur is really a or even hours, we are still obligated to ment of just a small amount of time. question that we must ask ourselves. transgress Shabbos and drive him to In the beginning of the twentieth the hospital. The Halacha is not only if century the renowned Chafetz Chaim Good Shabbos!

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