Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim

Bechukosai 5776

Casualness is not a way of Savo, seem to be ignored by the general population? Life for the Jewish People What does it mean to be casual in Introduction mitzvah observance?

if The describes the errant behavior ,ואם בזאת לא תשמעו לי והלכתם עמי בקרי despite this you will not heed Me, and that results in cataclysmic consequences you behave toward Me with casualness for the Jewish People as keri, casualness. (Vayikra 26:27) What is the meaning of this casualness? The conventional explanation for One of the most quoted forewarnings casualness regarding mitzvah that the Jewish People have received in observance is that one performs the recent history was the prophetic words mitzvos with a lack of fervor and of Rabbi Meir Simcha from Devinsk, enthusiasm. However, this explanation commonly referred to as the Meshech appears difficult, as one would think that Chochma (1843-1926). In the parshaha the Jewish People should not have to of Bechukosai Reb Meir Simcha writes suffer so terribly if they perform the that if the Jew thinks that Berlin is mitzvos, albeit lackadaisically. Perhaps then a raging storm wind will there is a deeper meaning to the uproot him by his trunk, a tempest will casualness that the Torah is referring to. arise and spread its roaring waves, and swallow, and destroy, and flood forth Amalek caused the Jewish People to without pity. Sadly enough, this become casual premonition was realized when we lost, Regarding the incident where Amalek HaShem should save us, six million attacked the Jewish People upon Jews in what is referred to as the liberation from Egypt, it is said Holocaust. What is unique about this (Devarim 25:17-18) zachor eis asher warning is that the Torah itself warns us asah lecho Amalek baderech bitzeischem of devastating consequences if we miMitzrayim asher korcha baderech abandon our service of HaShem and if vayizaneiv bicho kol hanecheshalim we treated HaShem’s mitzvos with acharecho viatah ayeif viyageia viol carelessness. Why is it, then, that it is yarei Elokim, remember what Amalek only the words of Reb Meir Simcha that did to you, on the way, when you were are so well known whereas the leaving Egypt. That he happened upon Tochacha, the rebuke that we read in you on the way, and he struck those of Parashas Bechukosai and in Parashas Ki you who were hindmost, all the

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weaklings at your rear, when you were When the Jewish People are in exile and faint and exhausted, and he did not fear become acclimated to the gentile society, G-d. The simple reading here is that the they become victims to the ambush of Jewish People were fatigued upon Amalek and subsequently they develop a leaving Egypt and Amalek ambushed casual attitude towards HaShem and His them. Furthermore, the Torah states that Torah. To declare that Berlin is Amalek did not fear G-d, implying that Jerusalem is just an outward expression the Jewish People were not at fault for of this casualness. this ill-fated encounter. The Sfas Emes, however, understands the words what Today more than ever we need to Amalek did to you to mean that Amalek intensify our Torah study and mitzvah caused that the Jewish People became observance casual and disconnected from HaShem. Casualness in mitzvah observance is While our main focus is usually on the very subtle, as one can study Torah, evil that Amalek perpetrated, we must pray, and perform mitzvos even in a also remember how we reacted to their casual manner and believe that he is overtures. The Evil Inclination and the fulfilling his requirements. The Torah nations of the world appear to have a instructs us that this is not so. In the great hold over us, but in truth, we are beginning of Parashas Bechukosai the the ones who are ultimately responsible Torah states that we receive the for our behaviors. blessings of HaShem when we toil in Torah study. The study of Torah and all The ambush of Amalek was deliberate mitzvah performance was never meant to cause us to become casual to be approached in a casual manner. It is noteworthy that the Torah uses the Only by being diligent and deliberate in word keri, casualness, in describing the our service of HaShem can we hope to deviant behavior of the Jewish People. defeat the diabolical schemes of Amalek Similarly, regarding the ambush of and his cohorts. The words of the Amalek, the Torah uses the word korcha, Meshech Chochma ring true even today, happened upon you, which also denotes and even more so, as society continues casualness. This seems to be to unsheathe its weapons of destruction paradoxical, as one does not normally through media and technology. The perceive an ambush as casual. Rather, influences appear to be subtle, but their one who ambushes his enemy usually effects are devastating. Intense Torah does so in a deliberate manner. The study and prayer is what can help us Torah, however, is demonstrating to us resist the blandishments of Amalek and that the ultimate goal of Amalek was to contemporary society. cause us to become casual. With this premise we can better understand the premonition of the Meshech Chochma.

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The Shabbos connection states that Esther instituted that each one of her maidservants bear a name Shabbos is the day when we are free corresponding to the days of the week, from the overtures of the Evil Inclination so in this manner she could know when and the nations of the world. The the holy Shabbos arrives. Thus, we can to be read as הַמָּ נֶה Gemara (Shabbos 118b) states that had interpret the word the count, i.e. We should be ,המונה the Jewish People observed the first Shabbos in the Wilderness, no race or counting with haste the days towards nation would have been able to dominate Shabbos. Although we are blessed with a them. Subsequent to their violation of fixed calendar, we must still be the first Shabbos, Amalek attacked the cognizant the entire week of the Jewish People. The Torah and the upcoming Shabbos, so that we can Gemara could not be clearer with the properly prepare for this special day. message of what we need to do to ward off the blandishments of Amalek. Shabbos Stories HaShem should allow us to observe the Shabbos faithfully, and then we will Have true bitachon achieve dominance over the nations of the world, with the speedy arrival of A wealthy businessman once sunk most Moshiach Tzidkeinu. of his considerable assets into a lumber venture. The lumber was to be transported by floating it down the Shabbos in the Zemiros Dnieper River, an economical but somewhat risky process. Shimru Shabsosai The man came to the Netziv, Rabbi The composer of this zemer is Shlomo, a Naftali Tzvi Berlin zt"l for a beracha name formed by the acrostic of the first (blessing) that all should go well. The four stanzas. Nothing definite is known Netziv told him to have bitachon (faith) about him, although some speculate that in Hashem, Who will certainly help him. he was the famous Shlomo ben Yehudah ibn Gabriol. The zemer concentrates on "Of course I know that I should have the requirement to honor the Shabbos bitachon," the man said. "But what can I with culinary delights and closes with do - I am still extremely nervous!" the assurance that the observance of the Shabbos will herald the final "You know," said the Netziv, "now I Redemption. understand a passage in the Torah that has always bothered me. The Torah says the Jews will ask, 'How can we keep ,מַ הֲרּו אֶ ת הַמָּ נֶה, לַעֲׂשֹות אֶ ת דְּ בַר אֶסְּתֵּ ר expedite the portion – fulfill Esther’s Shemitah? What will we eat on the order. What is the reference to “Esther’s seventh year?' One wonders: Why were order?” The Gemara (Megillah 13a) they so concerned over the seventh year?

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Didn't they prepare for it in the sixth with his bike. He saw himself going year? They should have been concerned down the tremendous embankment and over the eighth year! visualized that the end was at hand. All of a sudden, he saw a branch hanging "Let us consider, however, to whom the out of the mountain. He reached out and Torah is speaking - instructing them not hung on, and was saved, walking away to worry and to have bitachon. Certainly without a scratch. "That's how I know," it is not to the poor, firstly because they he said, "that G-d and I are like 'this'!" are already used to relying on bitachon, Rav Noach then asked him, "Did you and secondly because they own no land. ever think about why the truck knocked Rather, the Torah must be speaking to you off the cliff? Maybe that is what G-d the wealthy landowners, who are used to is trying to tell you." (www.Torah.org) 'earning their own living,' and are not connected with bitachon on a regular A volcanic ash blessing basis. They can't believe they can survive without their active A universal crisis, millions of people participation, without "doing it stranded and billions of dollars lost, as themselves!" This is why they are one volcanic eruption in Iceland causes already nervous, even for the seventh chaos across the European continent. year. Within all this tumult, one Jew merits a smile of grace from the Creator of the "Don't worry," concluded the Netziv. World, and a miraculous series of events "Have true bitachon, and all will be begins to unfold. well!" The story begins with a young Maybe this is what HaShem is trying to student, an 18-year-old Jerusalemite, tell you who came down with a fulminate hepatic failure and was mortally ill. The doctors Rav Noach Weinberg tells a story about agreed there was no hope for him unless a long-haired, "hippie" sort of fellow he could receive a liver transplant. who walked into his Yeshiva with long hair and the typical accompanying mode With little hope of receiving a liver of dress. He told Rav Noach, "I don't transplant in , his family consulted need a Yeshiva, because G-d and I are with Rabbi Firer, known for his like this (as he showed his fingers successful record of medical referrals. twisted together to represent a The rabbi advised to send the boy 'twosome')!" Rav Noach asked, "How do immediately to Brussels, the world you know that you and G-d are like center of liver transplants. He cautioned, 'this'?" The student responded that he however, that Brussels is known to not was riding his bike along a mountain transplant non-EU patients under any road and a truck came along, veered circumstances, in order to save the toward him, forcing him off the cliff scanty supply of livers for Europeans.

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Nevertheless, it was decided to send him In the midst of the closure, a person died to Brussels anyway, despite the full in the famous Brussels, a person who knowledge of the negligible chance of had agreed to donate his liver to anyone receiving a liver, and the effort and that might need it. Astonishingly, this expenses involved. It was the boy's last liver was a perfect match in every hope. parameter for the young yeshiva student.

Upon arrival, the young student had no The health authorities of Belgium began choice but to add his name to the long contacting the names on liver transplant waiting list for a liver transplant. In the waiting list in order, but 'unfortunately,' meantime, he tried to maintain his not even one patient was able to fly into yeshiva-studies schedule despite the Belgium for a desperately needed illness, consciously aware that it could healthy-liver transplant, as a result of the take weeks, months, and even years till after-effects of the volcanic eruption in he will be able to be given a new liver. Iceland. Many patients were on the waiting list, and his name was somewhere on the As they advanced further on the waiting bottom. And should his turn finally list, they reached the student from Israel. arrive, the liver must completely match Nevertheless, they did not offer the liver his blood type and other medical criteria. to the boy because of his lack of If it is not a perfect match, he will need citizenship. to continue waiting...for a miracle. The clock ticked closer and closer to the However, "Many thoughts in a man's deadline for the amount of time in which heart; nevertheless, the plan of G-d shall the liver would still be viable for prevail," and it seems G-d had a transplanting. The precious healthy liver different plan for this young Jew. In the must not be wasted and would have to be month of Iyar, whose letters stand for the swiftly used to replace a diseased liver. words "ani Hashem rofecha" - "I, G-d, But no one was able to arrive in Belgium am your healer" -- the Almighty's loyal for the transplant except the young servants produced avalanches of hot ash, Yerushalmi. rock and gas in Iceland, causing Europe So, thanks to clear Divine Intervention, to completely shut down its skies and the dedicated young yeshiva student create a no-fly zone. No one could leave received the liver and is now recovering and no one could enter during this self- from surgery. imposed embargo. The enormity of this miracle became Meanwhile, throughout this time, a even clearer after the successful liver religious boy from Jerusalem continued transplant. The doctors said that the to sit in a yeshiva in the capital of young yeshiva student's liver was very Belgium, diligently learning Torah. deteriorated and diseased, and in a

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matter of days his liver would have heralding the arrival of Queen Shabbos, stopped functioning completely. The did they realize that they had to return to doctors unanimously believe that if this their hostel immediately before the young man had to continue waiting for entrance of Shabbos. the liver transplant, he would have been long dead. In ten minutes' time the Shabbos candles were to be lit and they were still so far The names of the patient (the hospital away. How would they have time to and the doctors) cannot be released, have a shower, change clothes and because of the increasingly strict laws prepare themselves for Shabbos? about patient privacy. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery, and long They immediately began to run as fast as and healthy years. they could on the road leading to their place of lodging. However, it was too far A Miracle in Meiron away and they understood that they had little chance of getting there on time. This story occurred on the 7th of Adar, the yahrtzeit of Moshe Rabbeinu, which While running, one of the boys pointed fell on a Shabbos that year. Two students at a small path, winding its way to the from one of the Lubavitcher in top of the mountain. Israel decided to go to Meiron in order to spend the Shabbos near the resting place "Look", he said to his friend, "we have of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. already walked on that path. It is a short- cut that will bring us straight to the It was a clear and chilly Friday. The two hostel." students came to Meiron a few hours before the beginning of Shabbos and His friend immediately agreed, and began making preparations; they found a instead of running on the road, they place to sleep and arranged their turned onto the small path that was personal belongings. Then they went for winding its way between the bushes on a long walk in the Meiron Mountains. the mountain. They ran as fast as they They enjoyed the majestic serenity over could, but they soon came to an abrupt these mountains of the Galilee. The clear stop, unable to continue. fresh air and the knowledge that they An enormous black dog stood there were walking on the same paths used by blocking their way, and there was no the holy ancestors of the Jewish people sign that it would allow them to pass. gave them a feeling of being spiritually The boys had no time for persuasion and uplifted. turned to the right side of the path in They lost all concept of time, and only order to pass the dog and continue on when they heard the faint sound of the their way. However, the dog also moved Shabbos siren in the village of Meiron, to their right and did not allow them to pass. Then they tried to pass him on the

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left but the same thing happened: he The following day they met the woman blocked their way again. whom they had assisted. She asked them to be seated and began to relate her The students knew that Shabbos was to story: start within the next few minutes and decided to pass the dog, come what may. "For a long time I wished to go to the They decided to try and pass him holy site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in quickly but to their horror the huge dog order to pray there. When the 7th of stood up on its hind legs and opened its Adar approached, I decided to go to mouth in such a frightening way that Meiron. they ran straight back to the main road leading to Meiron, convinced that they "I packed whatever I needed for the had no other choice. weekend in two suitcases. They were too heavy for me to carry all the way from In the middle of the difficult and the bus stop to the lodging in Meiron, strenuous run they noticed a woman but I was sure that somebody would be standing at the bus stop. Next to her, on willing to help me. I arrived at Meiron the ground, there were two big suitcases. an hour and a half before Shabbos, but to When the boys reached her, she said my great surprise I was the only one who very excitedly, "It is so good that you got off the bus as this stop. came. Please could you help me carry my suitcases to the hostel? Afterwards I "I stood on the road, waiting for shall tell you about a miracle that does somebody to come. As time went by, I not occur every day." began to be more and more worried. When I heard the Shabbos siren, I The boys took the cases on their backs realized that my chances of arriving without asking any questions and ran as there on time were very slim. Where fast as they could to the hostel. would I spend my Shabbos?

They participated in the Shabbos prayers "I started to pray to G-d and ask for help. with devotion and joy of heart. Despite I cried and begged. I brought Shabbos the long run they felt an inner peace and candles with me in my suitcase, but I did were happy that they had come to not bring any matches. During all my Meiron for Shabbos. It would have been life I have been very conscientious about better if they had made more proper lighting the Shabbos candles - and now, preparations for Shabbos, but on the near the resting place of Rabbi Shimon other hand they had performed a great bar Yochai, I was to lose this dear mitzvah by helping the woman with her mitzvah? I beseeched G-d for help to suitcases. She had arrived at the hostel in perform this commandment. time to light the Shabbos candles. "Suddenly I saw how both of you came running on the road in my direction. I

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was so happy. Within a few moments with was the local Shul. When the heads you would reach the bus stop and you of the Kehila heard, they ran to Rav would certainly be willing to help me Mendele of Rimanov to ask him what to with my suitcases. do.

'To my great dismay, I saw that suddenly One person jumped up and said that as you turned onto a side path and began to soon as the officials find out that the roof go up the mountain. I prayed to G-d that leaks and all their supplies will be he should perform a miracle. You were ruined, they will not use our Shul as a so very close to the spot where I was storehouse. Everyone agreed and seemed waiting. satisfied with the plan. However, Rav Mendele, with his great Yiras "I prayed to G-d that he should send an Shamayim, heard this and said that they angel from above who would make you are sorely mistaken. In fact, it is because turn into my direction -- and suddenly I of the leaky roof that this Gezeira befell saw that huge black dog standing in your them. If we don't take care of our Shul way! and are Mizalzel in its honor allowing "You can surely understand how anxious the roof to leak, what do you expect of I was when I saw how you tried to pass the non-Jews? Go fix the roof right away the dog! I prayed fervently to G-d that and everything will be okay. you should be unable to walk around They did as they were commanded and him -- and at that very moment he stood never heard from the officials again. up on his hind legs to his full size. I then (www.Revach.net) saw how you returned to the main road until you reached the place where I was Shabbos in Halacha waiting! Opening Food Packages "I am sure that because of my strong wish to light the Shabbos candles - not There are four separate prohibitions for my sake but for the sake of G-d - I related to opening sealed containers on had the privilege to see how my prayers Shabbos, and almost every type of were fulfilled in such a wondrous packaging used today is subject to at way!"(www.ascentofsafed.com) least one of these prohibitions. For this Rav Mendele MiRimanov Saves the reason it is preferable that one open all Shul food containers, i.e. bottles, cans, milk cartons, bags etc. prior to Shabbos. A contingent of government officials came to Rimanov to search the city for a In the upcoming weeks we will outline suitable storage warehouse for the the relevant prohibitions and the army's food and supplies. After combing procedures that one should follow in the city, the only place they came up

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case one inadvertently left a container unopened until the onset of Shabbos.

Shabbos Ta’am HaChaim: Bechukosai 5776

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