Parshas Tzav/Shabbos Hagadol April 3, 2020
A Taste of Torah Stories for the Soul Rising from the Ashes by Rabbi Avraham Dovid Karnowsky Blessing of Relief Life is a constant cycle of ups and has an obligation to elevate the ashes. Rebbetzin Basya Bender (1913- downs. One would assume that the This signifies, explains the Sfas Emes, 1996) was one of the pioneers of the Bais Yaakov movement best path through life is to keep that after the fallout from one’s sin that revolutionized girls’ Jewish moving forward and upward. If one and after burning it, the failure must education in America following slips, repent, get back up and keep be utilized to take the person to even World War II. Her passion for going. greater heights than before. When Judaism inspired thousands of However, our Sages have revealed a one has fallen and feels badly about it, students across decades, as well as concept which allows one to actually one should take that inspiration and many others who interacted with utilize his downfalls as an impetus to use it as an impetus to become more her. rise even higher. One of the places elevated and pure than he was before During the pregnancy of one of where this concept can be found is he had fallen. her children, Rebbetzin Bender through an understanding a mitzvah This is the great emphasis of separating developed a severe kidney infection described in this week’s Torah portion. the ash. The Torah is teaching that which nearly took her life. While The Torah gives the kohanim (priests) the main purpose of the offering is she eventually recovered, she very precise instructions for what to ultimately to have an elevation from suffered from kidney issues for the do with the ashes upon the Mizbe’ach it. Of course, one must first burn rest of her life. (Altar). Every morning, a kohen removes the offering, destroying the negativity In 1963, the pain from her some of the ashes that remain after the within himself. But don’t stop there. condition reached a point that fire has consumed the offerings of the The ultimate purpose is for the person necessitated surgery. During the previous day and places them on the to take those ashes and use it as procedure, doctors discovered floor next to the Mizbe’ach. inspiration to not slip again, reaching that it was necessary to remove the One would assume that the main part even higher levels than before. entire kidney. of the offering is the animal being Of course, one cannot use this as a For the first several days after the offered. If so, why does the Torah make license to commit a sin, rationalizing operation, Rebbetzin Bender was such a big deal out of the consumed that it will be used as a springboard not allowed to leave her bed to ash from the offering? Furthermore, for inspiration and growth. Sin is relieve herself. After a few days, she the Torah prefaces this mitzvah of forbidden, and one must do whatever was able to go to the bathroom on her own. After exiting, she recited separating the ashes by writing “this possible to stay away from it. However, the asher yatzar blessing (recited is the law of the olah-offering” which if one has already fallen prey to seems to imply that the main purpose after relieving oneself) softly but temptation, he should not waste with great care, appreciating that of the offering is separating the ashes. the opportunity he is presented. If How is such an idea to be understood? Hashem had restored this ability one simply repents and moves on, to her after her kidney issues. The Sfas Emes (Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh he will have missed the chance to This process repeated itself every Leib Alter; 1847-1905) explains that the grow through his failure. Rather, one subsequent time she used the olah-offering, while not a sin-offering should contemplate the feeling he facilities. per se, atones for one’s thoughts had after he slipped, how clear it was Rebbetzin Bender had three non- and desires to sin. The offering is to him that doing this was not a good Jewish roommates in the hospital; completely burned, representing the idea. That realization is a means to one of them observed her intently burning of one’s base desires and shoot for the stars. Take the ashes of every time she recited this blessing. purification of one’s thoughts. the sin and use them as the inspiration Finally, after several days, this However, that is not enough. One now to strive for more purity and holiness. continued on back
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