Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Tazria- 5773

(From the archives)

Shabbos in the Parasha Keep on praying for the Redemption

Counting our way out of date of the festival. We do not count the impurity towards purity and days until and other holiness festivals that we celebrate throughout the year. Why, then, must we count from Introduction Pesach until Shavuos? Another We have just completed the celebration perplexing idea that requires explanation of the Pesach festival, and we are now in is why immediately after the joy of the the midst of counting the Omer. In this Pesach festival we enter into a mourning ’s parshiyos we also encounter period over the twenty-four thousand other forms of counting. One counting is students of Akiva who passed when a woman after childbirth counts away between Pesach and Shavuos. How the days of her impurity. A second are we to comprehend the juxtaposition counting is when a metzora, one who of this period of joy with this period of contracts the spiritual disease of tzaraas, mourning? counts seven days from when he is One must search out the impurities cleansed before he is permitted to enter within himself into the Israelite Camp. A third counting is when a woman has a flow and she In order to glean a better understanding then counts seven days and she is then of the purpose in our counting, it is purified. The states that the forty- worth mentioning a fascinating idea nine days that we count from the presented by the Gerrer Rebbe, the Lev bringing of the Omer are akin to a Simcha. It is said (Mishlei 2:3-4) im woman counting her days of impurity. tivaksehna chakasef vichamatmonim The counting from the Omer then tachpisena az tavin yiras HaShem vidaas culminates in the festival of Shavuos. Elokim timtza, if you seek it as [it were] sliver, if you search for it as [if it were] Understanding the counting of the hidden treasures – then you will Omer and the mourning period for understand the fear of HaShem, and the students of discover the knowledge of G-d. The Lev One must wonder why it is so important Simcha () writes that these verses to count the days of the Omer. When one can be interpreted to be alluding to the wishes to know when an upcoming festivals of the year. Seeking like silver festival will occur, he merely has to look alludes to Pesach, as the word kesef, at the calendar and determine the correct silver, also connotes desire, and Pesach

1 is a time when HaShem showed His love reflective of our gathering at Sinai kiish for the Jewish People. Hidden treasures echod bileiv echod, as one man with one allude to the days of counting from the heart. It is not enough to merely study Omer, as the word vichamatmonim, can . One must internalize the lessons be read mem tes monim, counting forty- in Torah, and Rabbi Akiva was the one nine. The word tachpisena, if you search who said viahavta lireiacha kamocha for it, alludes to Shavuos, as the days of zeh klal gadol baTorah, you shall love counting the Omer are a preparation for your fellow as yourself, this is a great Shavuos. The Lev Simcha goes on to rule in Torah. The word gadol is find allusions to Rosh Hashanah, Yom associated with the tribute of chesed, Kippur and Sukkos. It is fascinating that kindness. It is no wonder that the first the word vichamatmonim alludes to the attribute that we refer to when counting forty-nine days of counting from the from the Omer is chesed, and the last Omer. The first letters of the word are attribute is malchus, kingship. The mem and tes, which also form most of (Gittin 62a) states that the true the word tamei, translated as impure. kings are the Torah scholars. For one to Perhaps the lesson contained in this hint achieve a level of kingship he must be is that one should always view himself exemplary in the attribute of chesed. as being in a state of impurity and that Thus, one must “search” himself during he must strive for purity and holiness. these days to filter out all the impurities Hashem, in His infinite compassion, within him. redeemed us from the impurities of Egypt, but we still have a long way to go Sefiras HaOmer is when we count until we are worthy of receiving the towards Shavuos and when we count Torah. How, then, do we remove these away from our impurities impurities from our midst? We can now understand why we count the days from the Omer, and why we We are required to remove tainted count specifically during the mourning character traits period over the passing of Rabbi Akiva’s The Gemara (Yevamos 62b) states that students. We are counting towards the students of Rabbi Akiva died Shavuos, but even more significantly, because they did not treat each other we are counting the days until we can with respect. It would seem from this finally rid ourselves of the impurities Gemara that if the students of the great that exist within our character. Thus, we Rabbi Akiva were lacking in this area, can interpret the word matmonim to then certainly we could use mean counting away from the mem and improvement on how we act towards the tes, which spell out the two essential each other. A person who does not letters of the word tamei , impurity. respect his fellow man demonstrates an impurity of the soul. Shavuos is

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The Shabbos connection levushah in at bash equal the words Shabbos hidurah, Shabbos in its Every week we have the ability to count majesty. the days of the week until we arrive at Shabbos. The weekday certainly has its Shabbos in Tefillah share of impurities, both from the outside world and within us. Unity in praising HaShem Nonetheless, by preparing properly for the Holy Shabbos, we can always Vihaofanim vichayos hakodesh biraash anticipate that we will arrive at Shabbos gadol misnasim liumas seraphim in a state of purity, when all harsh liumasam mishabichim viomrim, then judgments depart and we can bask in the the Ofanim and the holy Chayos, with Kingship of HaShem. Hashem should great noise raise themselves towards the allow us to count these days and they Seraphim. Facing them they give praise should culminate in joy, brotherhood, saying. Here we see how the various and a true purification of our hearts. angels raise themselves up towards each other and unify in their praise of Shabbos in the Zemiros HaShem. We should also realize that no matter what our background is, all Eishes Chayil are unified in their praise of HaShem. Composed by Shlomo HaMelech in Shabbos Stories Mishlei Parshas Vayechi: Rav Yehoshua Leib strength Diskin Curses The Hospital ,עוז-והדר לבושה ותשחק ליום אחרון and majesty are her raiment, and she joyfully awaits the last day. Continuing The famous Maggid of Yerushalayim the theme of these verses alluding to Rav Bentzion Yadler retold the story of Shabbos, we can suggest that here a group of Askanim who came to Rav Shlomo HaMelech refers to strength and Yehoshua Leib Diskin to tell him that majesty as the clothing which a Jew they purchased a plot of land to build a dons prior to Shabbos. Oz, strength, hospital outside of the old city of refers to Torah, and a Jew is supposed to Yerushalayim near Shaar Shechem. Rav increase his Torah study on Shabbos, Yehoshua Leib said to them, “Yehi and hadar, majesty, refers to the nicer Ratzon Shelo Tishreh Shechinah Aleha,” clothing one wears on Shabbos. One it should be HaShem’s will that the who is always anticipating the Shabbos Shechinah will not reside there. The during the week will certainly have group was baffled. Why would Rav fulfilled the latter part of the verse, and Yehoshua Leib curse their holy venture? she joyfully awaits the last day, as

Shabbos is the last day of the week. It is noteworthy that the words oz vehadar

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Then they realized the slyly disguised Shabbos in Navi bracha in Rav Yehoshua Leib’s words. The passuk says (Vayechi 47:31) that Shmuel II Chapter 3 after Yosef swore to bury Yaakov in Eretz Yisroel, Yaakov turned to the head HaShem give us Shabbos to overcome of the bed and bowed. explains the Evil Inclination that from here the Gemara (Shabbos In this chapter we learn how Ish Boshes 12b) learns that the Shechinah rests accused Avner ben Ner of sinning with above the head of a sick person's bed. the concubine of Shaul, so Avner Rav Yehoshua Leib gave them a bracha defected to the camp of Dovid. Avner that their hospital should not have many made a treaty with Dovid, pledging sick people in it and all of Am Yisroel allegiance to Dovid. When Avner left should be blessed with good health! Dovid, Yoav came to Dovid and (Gilyon Pninim Al HaParsha) informed Dovid that Avner was merely Rav Zemele Volozhin Follows The seeking to entice Dovid and to learn Doctors Orders about his comings and goings. Yoav then tricked Avner and killed him as Rav Zemele Volozhin the beloved revenge for Avner having killed Asahel, talmid of the Vilna Gaon and the brother the brother of Yoav. Dovid heard about of Rav Chaim Volozhin once went with this murder and cursed Yoav, and Dovid another Rov to the house of a very poor then eulogized Avner. Dovid did not person. The host was in middle of wish to punish Yoav at that point, eating and begged them to sit down and because he claimed that the sons of join him. Rav Zemele knew that the Tzeruyah were more powerful than him. host did not have enough food for them We mentioned above that the Gemara so he refused, claiming the doctor told (Kiddushin 30a) states that the Evil him he cannot eat. Inclination is very powerful, and without HaShem’s help, one would not be able to When they left, the Rov that overcome the blandishments of the Evil accompanied him asked him if it is true Inclination. The incident where Yoav that he is sick. He said no he is not. killed Avner and Dovid did not retaliate “Then how could you lie? What reflects this idea. Although Yoav was happened to Midvar Sheker Tirchok?” certainly a great man, Dovid had the He answered that the great doctor, the right to kill him because he was the king. Rambam, wrote that it is assur to eat Nonetheless, Dovid felt powerless at that from a meal where there is not enough time to punish Yoav with death. food for the host. He indeed was just Similarly, throughout the week we may following the doctor’s orders. feel an urge to subdue once and for all (www.revach.net) the forces of evil, but it can prove difficult, if not impossible. Thus, we

4 wait for the arrival of the Holy Shabbos, Shabbos in Halacha when all harsh judgments depart, and HaShem and His Heavenly entourage, so Insulating an Urn to speak, subdue all the forces of evil. When one wishes to insulate a hot water Shabbos in Agadah urn with normal wrapping, it is deemed to be an ‘intensifying insulation’ as the Hashem gives the Jewish People the wrapping aids the rise of temperature in souls of the righteous for Shabbos the water. For this reason one cannot wrap an urn completely in any sort of It is said (Shemos 16:29) riu ki HaShem wrapping, even if he wraps the urn prior nasan lachem haShabbos al kein hu to Shabbos. nosein lachem bayom hashishi lechem yomayim, see that HaShem has given Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Tazria- you the Shabbos; that is why He gives you on the sixth day a two-day portion Metzora 5773 of bread. The Tiferes Shlomo (Ibid) Is sponsored in honor of the birth of our interprets this verse homiletically to son. HaShem should allow us to be mean that Shabbos alludes to the soul of machnis him libriso shel Avraham the Tzaddik, and the Gemara (Shabbos Avinu biito uvizmano and we should be 10a) states that HaShem declares, “I zoche to megadeal him along with all of have a precious gift in My treasure our children liTorah lichuppah house and it is called Shabbos.” Yosef ulimaasim tovim. of: symbolizes Tosefes Shabbos and Moshe symbols the Shabbos. Thus, Moshe was ______telling the Jewish People that HaShem has given you a precious gift, which is Have a wonderful Shabbos the soul of the tzaddik, and this is referred to as Shabbos. Therefore Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler. HaShem is giving you on the sixth day a two-day portion of bread, which is For sponsorships please call 248-506- reflected in Yosef, as the word lechem, 0363 bread, when multiplied by two, equals in gematria the name Yosef. It is the idea To subscribe weekly by email, please of Yosef that HaShem is giving you as email preparation for Shabbos. [email protected]

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