זי' בא שת פ" תשרפ בקע August 7, 2020 7Th Year, Edition
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************************************************ פרשת עקב יז' אב תש "פ August 7, 2020 7th year, edition 347 The Day of Tu B’Av EXCITING NEWS: The newly released Sefer, Fascinating The Mishna6 tells us that we have no festive days and Yom Kippur. Let us take a (ט"ו באב) Insights, is now available for purchase by sending an like the 15th of Av email to [email protected] or at look at why the 15th of Av is so significant. Each month https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08929ZCNM. receives its vitality from a formation of Hashem’s name. To join the thousands of recipients and receive these insights free on a This affects the climate, occurrences and everything else weekly email, obtain previous articles, feedback, comments, in the month.7 There are twelve formations of Hashem’s suggestions (on how to spread the insights of this publication further, corresponding to the twelve months. In ,י-ה-ו-ה ,make it more appealing or anything else), to support or dedicate this name by twelve (months of the (26) י-ה-ו-ה publication which has been in six continents and over thirty-five fact, if we multiply month.8 ,חדש countries, or if you know anyone who is interested in receiving these year) we get 312, the same sum as insights weekly, please contact the author, Rabbi Yehoshua Alt, at [email protected]. Thank you. ,דין Tamuz is a month entirely dominated with לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר This newsletter can also be viewed at strict judgement9 whereas the month of Av is divided as it mercy. The formation of ,רחמים and half דין fascinating-insights/ and is half/הורדות-עלונים/https://www.dirshu.co.il/category http://www.ladaat.info/showgil.aspx?par=20200425&gil=2725 זה based on the Pasuk הוהי Hashem’s name for Tamuz is Archives: https://parshasheets.com/?s=Rabbi+Yehoshua+Alt 10 It comes from the end letters which .איננו שוה לי /To view these essays in German, please visit https://judentum.online is the reverse הוהי Furthermore, being that 11.דין Please feel free to print some copies of this publication symbolize 12.דין it represents ,(רחמים which signifies) י-ה-ו-ה and distribute it in your local Shul for the public, having a order of hand in spreading Torah. A Human Torah Scroll On the other hand, the formation of Hashem’s are not in הוי-ה The first two letters of .הוי-ה R’ Elchonon Wasserman would relate that, once, name for Av is This .(הוי-ה) whereas the last two are ,י-ה-ו-ה when the Netziv1 (1816-1893) was carrying a Sefer Torah the order of דין to the Bima, the Netziv slipped and fell along with the is expressing that the first half of Av is dominated with is aroused. The רחמים Sefer Torah. While everyone ran to pick up the Sefer in contrast to the second half where th Torah first, R’ Itzele of Volozhin2 yelled that the Netziv reason: it was on the 15 of Av when those destined to 3 die in the desert for the sin of the Meraglim finished must be picked up first because he is a living Sefer Torah. 13 14 dying. The Kedushas Levi shows us an allusion to this ארור, ברוך אב The Sefer Be’er Moshe tells of a story with the idea in the word as it is an acronym for , 4 cursed and blessed, since it is a month that is divided great R’ Dovid Deutsch (1756-1831). He once came to the .ט"ו באב from Rosh Chodesh Av until city of Pressburg late at night and didn’t have a place to lodge in. He therefore went to the Beis Midrash and walked on 15,וילכו בלא כח לפני רודף The Pasuk states rested on the floor. Early the next morning when the without strength before the pursuer. The Bnei Chassam Sofer arrived and saw R’ Deutsch on the floor, Yissoschar16 tells us there are letters missing in the Torah he decreed a fast, saying that a Sefer Torah is on the ,י-ה-ו-ה from ה and ו ,כסא from א due to Galus. They are the 5 floor! 17 Adding the numerical .ירושלים from י and אליהו from ו His first wife was to merit his words and his light…His merit should protect us from all .נפתלי צבי יהודה ברלין—is an acronym for his name נציב 1 the daughter of R’ Yitzchak of Volozhin (R’ Itzele), the son of R’ Chaim harm.” Volozhin. His second wife was his niece, a daughter of R’ Yechiel Michel 6 Taanis 26b. Epstein, the author of the Aruch Hashulchan. A son from his first 7 When the Baal Hatanya was imprisoned, he was able to tell the time marriage, R’ Chaim Berlin, became the rabbi of Moscow. His son from from feeling the formation of Hashem’s name at any given time. This his second marriage was R’ Meir Berlin (later Bar-Ilan). The Netziv led was in spite of the fact he had no watch or windows in his cell to have the yeshiva in Volozhin from 1854 to its closure in 1892. During the any indication of the time. Netziv’s time in Volozhin, the yeshiva produced many greats, including 8 Bnei Yissoschar Nissan 1:1. R’ Issur Zalman Meltzer and R’ Zelig Bengis. His Sefarim include Ha'amek 9 The Meraglim were in Eretz Yisrael the entire month of Tamuz, in She'eila, Meishiv Davar (a collection of his responsa), Ha'amek Davar (a which they sinned. Torah commentary) and Meromei Sadeh. 10 Esther 5:13. 2 R’ Chaim Volozhin headed the yeshiva in Volozhin until 1825. When R’ 11 Roshai Teivos (initials of words) symbolize Chessed since it is the Chaim died, his son, R’ Yitzchak, who was called Reb Itzele, became the beginning of the word. After a beginning it continues, which is like head of the yeshiva and the chief rabbi in Volozhin. R’ Itzele often took Chessed—giving more and more. This is different than end letters which because it is the end of the word. When the end of something דין an active role in lobbying the Russian government on behalf of the signify דין Jewish people. is reached, it can’t continue anymore, it is now limited. That is what .limit ,די is from the word דין ,how foolish are those is. Indeed ,כמה טפשאי...ולא קיימי מגברא רבה The Gemara says 3 that they rise before a Sefer Torah but not before a great man—Torah 12 Bnei Yissoschar Tamuz Av 1:1. sage (Makkos 22b). 13 Taanis 30b, Baba Basra 121a. See Bamidbar 14:26-38. The Sandek at the Bris of R’ Levi Yitzchak of .חודש אב .s.v ,לשבת נחמו He was a student of the Noda B’yehuda and became a Rav in several 14 4 cities. Barditchiv (the Kedushas Levi) was the Baal Shem Tov while the Mohel 5 See Shu”t Chassam Sofer, Orach Chaim 124 where the Chassam Sofer was the Maggid of Mezerich, whom he later became a student of. gives R’ Dovid Deutsch a title of honor. In the Haskama for the sefer of 15 Eicha 1:6. R’ Dovid Deutsch, the Chassam Sofer wrote “that Tzadik, holy Jew, 16 Bnei Yissoschar Tamuz Av 3:6. genius…I have seen in it [the sefer] wonderful things. We are privileged 17 See Shemos 17:16, Vayikra 26:42 Rashi, Eicha 1:7. Zelig was walking to the house of the Maharatz Chayus ,כח value of these, we reach a total of 28, identical to strength. This is the number of days from the 17th of when at a certain corner he suddenly rested. He then Tamuz until the 15th of Av, where we lack strength. The commented, “It smells like Gan Eden here.” Puzzled, the is when we get our strength back. With this Maharatz Chayus called the elders of the city to find out ט"ו באב day of Hashem gives us our what occurred at this corner. He was told that it was at 18–יגדל נא כח אדנ-י we can grasp this corner where R’ Avraham Gombiner wrote his 19.ט"ו באב strength on ************************************************ famous commentary called Magen Avraham (on the A Royal Residue Orach Chaim section of Shulchan Aruch). In 1924, at the laying of the cornerstone of Yeshivas Chachmei Lublin, R’ Meir Shapiro said, “Our The reverse is also true. R’ Baruch Mezbitzer was great Rebbes of Chachmei Lublin—the Maharshal, R’ once in a house and wanted to say some words of Torah Shalom Shachna,20 Maharsha, Maharam Lublin21…You but was unable to. He then commented that there must Gedolei Hador spread Torah here in Lublin before me. It is have been a Rasha who once lived there. In this way he who was in this (דרוש) seek out 26:דרוש נוי ואולמי your light and power that gave me inspiration to establish explained ,אלם and then you will know why you are an (נוי) a Yeshiva that will continue the light of the Torah that dwelling meaning that you are unable to say words ,(ואולמי) you transplanted in Lublin. I invite you to come and be mute part of our cornerstone laying. I am sure that in your of Torah.27 merit and in the merit of your Torah we will be ************************************************ Bounty Of Yirah קדושה ראשונה קידשה successful.” Then he commented 22 the seven weeks of consolation ,שבעה דנחמתא The Kedusha from the great The :לשעתה וקידשה לעתיד לבוא Achronim whose Torah we learn to this day, that Kedusha which follow the Three Weeks, correspond to the seven remains.