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ראש השנה א׳ תשרי תשפ״א At the 5781 SEPTEMBER 19, 2020 ISSUE #9 Yo m To v Table RABBI YITZCHOK WEEKLY INSPIRATION AND INSIGHT ADAPTED FROM CLASSIC ARTSCROLL TITLES HISIGER, EDITOR DESIGN & LAYOUT: AVIVA KOHN A TINY OPENING Shofar Yomim IS ENOUGH Noraim The Mystery and the Majesty HORNS by Rabbi Daniel Glatstein OF Rav Meir Shapiro was invited to give a MESIRUS derashah (lecture) in a city he was visiting. His derashah focused on the verse in Para- NEFESH shas Balak, said at the beginning of Shacha- AND ris: “Mah tovu ohalecha Yaakov - How goodly REDEMPTION are your tents, O Yaakov” (Bamidbar 24:5). Rav Druck on Machzor The simple pshat, as explained by Rashi, is: “Al shera’ah pischeihem by Rabbi Yisrael Meir Druck (she’einam mechuvanim zeh mul zehֶ - He saw that the doors were not Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer (Ch. 31 aligned.” Bilaam was very impressed by the modesty he noted in teaches that the ram that was the arrangement of the tents of the Bnei Yisrael, as the doorways created at twilight of the sixth of their tents were not situated opposite their neighbors’, pre- day of Creation was utilized to LET US TAKE venting them from seeing its fullest, with no part of it go- into one another’s homes. ing to waste: The ashes of that ADVANTAGE Rav Shapiro explained ram formed the base above the OF THIS the verse homiletical- Inner Altar; its sinews were the EXTRAORDINARY ly. The Midrash says that ten strings of the harp that Da- Hashem tells the Bnei vid Hamelech played; its skin OPPORTUNITY. Yisrael, “You open a small was worn by Eliyahu; its left opening [of repentance], horn was blown at Har Sinai; as small as the point of a needle, and and its right horn — which is I will open for you an entrance to al- larger than the left — is des- low wagons to enter.” tined to be blown in the future. Hashem is telling us that we must This final statement about the make one small improvement and ram indicates that in its two then He will take us the rest of the horns lies all the spiritual pow- way. er of the Jewish people, for This is what pained Bilaam: He these horns encompass both saw that the “doorways were not the mesirus nefesh (self-sacrifice) aligned” — a Jew’s “doorway” of te- continued on page 2 shuvah is required to be only a tiny Rav Meir Shapiro opening and then Hashem will open a vast entrance for him. Bilaam was very jealous that even the smallest effort on our part is matched many times over by Hashem. Bilaam was commenting on what he felt was an ex- pression of Hashem’s unparalleled love for Klal Yisrael. Perhaps we can suggest that this concept is alluded to by the shape of the shofar that we continued on page 10 MESORAH ARTSCROLL Rav Yisroel Meir Druck PUBLICATIONS 1 continued from page 1 used at Mattan Torah and in the fu- fact, they are called “Avos” — forefa- of Akeidas Yitzchak (the binding of FORGIVING OTHERS ture, when the mountain on which thers — because their ability to sac- Giving In Rav Chaim Kanievsky on the Yamim Noraim Yitzchak on the altar) as well as the the Torah was given will return to rifice themselves in sanctification by Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Shteinman, adapted by Rabbi Dovid Hollander mesirus nefesh of the Jewish people’s Yerushalayim and the great shofar of Hashem’s Name was infused into declaration of “Naaseh v’nishma – With the days of judgment approaching, it is appro- on having his way; a wise man of Mashiach will be blown from the the spiritual DNA of their descen- We will do and we will hear” at Har right horn of that ram. priate for a person to ask forgiveness from anyone he allows his wisdom to over- Sinai — which stemmed from the dants. Based on this Midrash, Rav might have harmed. Moreover, one who is asked forgive- come his desires and therefore love of Hashem implanted in them Some people wonder why Avra- ness should readily forgive those who harmed him, for it forgives and forgoes. In addi- Chaim Kanievsky explained the fol- ham’s one-time act at the Akeidah through the mesirus nefesh of Avra- lowing words, which we say in the is only appropriate that we forgive others before we seek tion, a forgiving man is called ham and Yitzchak. was considered so astounding, forgiveness from Heaven. And when a person forgives “mighty,” as stated in Avos D’Rebbi Nassan (Chapter 23): zemiros of Shabbos in the song Yonah Both and considering that Jews throughout others, Hashem responds in kind and forgives his sins. “Who is a strong man?...One who makes his enemy Akeidas Yitzchak Mattan matza vo manoach: “Diber bekadsho (the Giving of the Torah) are the generations have acted simi- Rav Chaim Kanievsky often says that one of the into his friend.” Torah behar hamor yom hashevi’i zachor described in the Torah as occurring larly, sacrificing themselves and most important character traits to strengthen in prepa- Rav Chaim adds an incident that occurred with Rav v’shamor v’chol pikudov yachad lig- . their children al kiddush Hashem. In ration for the Day of Judgment is the attribute of vitur, Shmuel Hanagid, a leader of Spanish Jewry during the bayom hashelishi, on the third day mor - The seventh day — remember This is no coincidence, for the truth, however, this very ability to giving in to others whenever possible. eleventh century. Rav Shmuel was a close adviser to the Mi- and safeguard. And all His precepts teaches ( 56:1) king of Spain. He was once walking with the king when a drash Bereishis Rabbah should equally be studied.” These be moser nefesh for Hashem’s sake is that the third day holds great signif- MAKE person ran toward Rav Shmuel and began to insult him. icance, as the verse states (Hoshea EVERY The king was furious at the disrespect to his adviser and 6:2): “Yechayeinu miyomayim bayom JEWS THROUGHOUT THE GENERATIONS he ordered Rav Shmuel to cut the man’s tongue out. hashelishi yekimeinu v’nichyeh lefa- HAVE ACTED SIMILARLY, SACRIFICING EFFORT TO Rav Shmuel reacted differently. He sent the man gifts nav – He will heal us after two days; GIVE IN TO and showed him graciousness and attention, until the on the third day He will raise us up and THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN AL man began to admire Rav Shmuel and show him respect. we will live before Him.” The Midrash OTHERS. Sometime later, Rav Shmuel was again walking Rav Chaim Kanievsky goes on to list several events that are KIDDUSH HASHEM. with the king when they passed the same man. This described as occurring on the third Chazal teach (Rosh Hashanah 17a) that one who for- time, the man bowed and called out praises to Rav goes his due measure [i.e., he does not insist on de- Shmuel. The king was furious. “Didn’t I tell you to cut day, including Esther’s appearance words seem puzzling, for the com- rooted in Avraham’s mesirus nefesh manding what is due to him] is forgiven for his sins. this man’s tongue out?” he said. before Achashverosh, which the mandments of Shabbos — zachor at the Akeidah, an ability that was Now, when we face judgment, a person should focus “I did as you ordered,” answered Rav Shmuel. “I cut rabbis say succeeded in the merit and shamor — were uttered at Har subsequently instilled in all future on this idea and make every effort to give in to others out his evil tongue and replaced it with a good one.” of Mattan Torah, and R’ Levi says it Sinai, in the Ten Commandments, generations of Jews. So it all started and to forgive them. Rav Chaim concluded: “A person who gives in to succeeded in the merit of Akeidas and not on Har HaMoriah. with Avraham Avinu, who gave the Rav Chaim adds that in general, forgoing one’s others saves himself from anger, hatred, fighting, and Yitzchak, both of which took place According to the above Midrash, Jewish people the ability to be moser own desires in order to give in to others demonstrates squabbles. He saves himself and his family from trage- on “the third day.” however, we can explain that Har nefesh. wisdom. A fool never gives in and stubbornly insists dy, simply by giving in.” The connection between Akei- HaMoriah — the site of Akeidas The right horn of the ram, which das Yitzchak and Mattan Torah goes Yitzchak — was plucked from its is larger, will be blown at the time further yet, for the Midrash (Shoch- place to serve as Har Sinai, upon of the final redemption, as the verse er Tov, Mizmor 68) teaches that Har which the Torah was given, and states (Yeshayah 27:13): “V’hayah bay- The Machzor CONSULT THE CHAZZANIM! Sinai is Har HaMoriah, the place Rabbi Meir Zlotowitz by Rabbi Yisroel Besser it is therefore accurate to say that om hahu yitaka b’shofar gadol - And where Avraham offered Yitzchak the commandments of zachor and it is said: And it will be on that day on the altar; Har HaMoriah was up- One Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Meir Rabbi Levi said. ing dilemma. shamor were uttered upon it. .” At rooted from its place in Yerushalay- that a great shofar will be blown Zlotowitz, the founder of ArtScroll, Reb Meir nodded. “By next year, The standard im and moved to the Sinai Desert in MESIRUS NEFESH IN that time, the redemption will be was sitting near his friend, Rab- im yirtzeh Hashem,” he responded.