B”H Erev Shabbat Pinchas, 18th of Tammuz, 5780; July 10th, 2020 647

sage from the One Above. Never Give Up The following day’s searches were just The hero of our story was a bank manag- as fruitless as the others. That evening er in Odessa in the late 1890’s. His therefore, he returned to the small room name is not known but the story was after Maariv to reach for the poison, and widely circulated at the time and has again his eyes fell upon Rabbi Nach- been handed down by word of mouth man’s book. Down he went again for ever since. another sleepless night. In those days the Ukraine banks were all This scenario repeated itself over the privately owned and the bank manager next few days. Finally, Erev Shabbat himself was the owner. To open a bank arrived and he decided to go back home one had to be rich and the bank manager to spend Shabbat with his family in the was usually very wealthy indeed. The hope that the coming week would bring banks were under the supervision of the good news. Nevertheless his mind was Russian Government which was no lover made up: if the money was not found on of Jews. Monday, the first working day of the week, he would definitely end it all. Once every three years each bank had to submit an audit detailing all of the mon- As he walked into the bank on the fol- ies coming in and going out since the lowing Monday morning, the assistant last audit. The supervisor of the banks manager rushed over to him screaming was a government official with very lit- The Beis HaMikdash “ I found it, I found it!” tle sympathy for “rich Jews”. Woe betide Yehoshua Wiseman - yehoshuawiseman.com The assistant grabbed him in a bear hug any unfortunate bank manager who and they began to dance wildly, round couldn’t account for every kopik. Some and round the floor of the bank with the two weeks before the up and coming to the local synagogue to carry out the amazed staff barely able to believe their audit was due for submission, the assis- dark deed. eyes, two staid old men going crazy! tant manager of the bank went to his superior looking desperately worried. He arrived before the evening prayers The manager struggled to find the words and scouted around for a suitable place, “What? Who? Where?” “We are missing three thousand rubles, finally settling on a small room leading an absolute fortune! We have been The assistant thrust into his hand a tele- off the main prayer hall. He hid the poi- gram which had just arrived from a bank through every piece of paper, searched son on the top shelf of a bookcase and everywhere and there is no trace of the in Switzerland. Its contents stated that then went to join in the evening prayers. 3,000 rubles had just been transferred to missing sum. If this gets out to the Gov- ernment we will be in big trouble.” them to repay a loan from three years After everyone had left he returned to ago. The bank manager decided to search for the little room. In the still of the night he the money himself. On the following climbed on a chair, using a single candle day he too reviewed the financial situa- to find the poison. As he reached for the Continued on page three tion and came to the same sorry conclu- bottle, his sleeve caught on a heavy tome sion. Looming ever closer was the vi- which fell onto the table below with a sion of a court case, with the outcome thud, emitting large clouds of dust. The Shabbat Times being exile to Siberia from where no one book had opened to the first page and by ever expected to come back alive. A full the light of the candle, he saw the He- Candle Lighting Motzei Shabbat week of yet further frantic searching brew words ‘lo l’hitya’esh’ – never give Jerusalem 31:7 91:8 produced no results. up. The book had been written by Rabbi Nachman of Bratzlav. Tel Aviv 3177 917: The bank manager knew he would find Haifa 31:7 9177 no mercy in the courts and the thought of “Surely this is a message from Heaven,” working in a slave labor camp in Siberia was his first thought. Then: “But maybe Beer Sheva 31:9 91:8 was too much to bear. So he decided the it is a figment of my imagination. Well, New York 91:7 81:9 only option available to him was to take maybe not. The message is clear: don’t his own life. give up. No, it’s just a coincidence.” Chabad Of Israel He spent the entire night debating with Rabbi Joseph I. Aronov He procured a deadly poison and re- Published by M.L.S. Kfar Chabad (03) 3731777 solved to carry out his awful plan that these thoughts until the break of dawn. In the end he decided to try once more to Editor: Aharon Schmidt very evening. He didn’t want his wife or [email protected] find the missing money before giving up. family to be implicated in this predica- Please guard the sanctity of this publication ment in any way whatsoever so he went What if he had received a genuine mes- A True Leader nection to him. make his own life better. He merely has the vision to appreciate that his own life A Greater Purpose cannot be consummately good until the This week’s Torah reading, Pinchas, con- lives of others are also improved. tains a passage that sheds unique insight on What will inspire a person to willingly the nature of Moses’ leadership qualities. accept the authority of another? A purpose A G-dly Purpose which both the leader and the follower G‑d tells Moses that the time has come for recognize as greater than his self. A Moses, by contrast, is concerned with him to pass away. Moses’ response is not G‑d’s purpose, not man’s. He wants to to ask anything for himself or for his chil- When the leader espouses and identifies make the world a dwelling for Him, not dren. with an ideal that gives his life greater merely a pleasant abode for mankind. meaning and direction, he will be able to Instead, he asks G‑d: “G‑d, L‑rd of spirits, share this ideal with people at large. For Certainly, when G‑d’s dwelling is com- appoint a man over the assembly.” At the every person is ultimately looking for pleted, it will also be very comfortable for moment of truth, he shows no self concern. something more in life than the fulfillment man to live in, but that is not his purpose. His attention is focused solely on the wel- of his personal desires. fare of his people. He is concerned with G‑d’s objective, and A Jewish leader, a Moses, transcends him- the identification with that goal takes him If a Person Is Only Selling Himself self to a greater degree. First of all, he is beyond his personal self entirely and not concerned with his own personal ob- makes him the ultimate paradigm of lead- This is the fundamental quality that distin- jectives — even as an afterthought. Many ership. guishes a Jewish leader. In general, leader- leaders, though concerned with a purpose ship involves identifying with ideals and beyond themselves, are still looking for Adapted from the Lubavitcher Rebbe; principles that transcend one’s own self. their own payoff. They bear in mind their Shabbos Table and Moshiach Now! re- own honor, wealth, or self-interest. A Mo- printed from Keeping in Touch, Sichos in If all a person is selling is his own self, ses is not looking for that. English; From our Sages reprinted from others will not identify with him so easily; LchaimWeekly.org - LYO / NYC for they are concerned with their own But most of all, the purpose with which a selves. Why should they nullify them- worldly leader identifies is still somewhat selves before the other person? intertwined with his own self, for ultimate- ly, what is a leader looking for? To make Talking In Shul After Davening Yes, they can be forced to accept authority the world a better place for all the people or they can be bribed. But then, the per- living here. Reb Michoel Beliner was known as Reb son’s authority will be dependent on the Michoel der Alter since he remembered strength of the stick or the flavor of the Although he is concerned for others be- when the Tzemach Tzedek’s beard was carrot. The people will have no inner con- sides himself, his ultimate goal is how to still blond. For many years, he was the mashpia of the town of Nevel, but in his later years, the Rebbe Rashab appointed him as the mashpia of Tomchei Temimim Yeshiva in Lubavitch. From Yetzer, the family of the Yitzrites; And the Children of Korach did not die from Shilem, the family of the Shilemites (26:11) When Reb Michoel lived in Nevel he (Deut. 26:49) davened in a shul where they certainly They did not die, and in every generation didn’t speak during davening, but before Our Sages said: "A person is led in the Korach's "inheritors" - those who rebel and after davening they discussed their direction he wishes to go." If a person against the Moses of that generation - are troubles – their home, business and wants to indulge his "yetzer," his evil alive and well, continuing in his path. animals. At one farbrengen, Reb Michoel inclination, he will not be prevented from (The Lubavitcher Rebbe ) spoke of the holiness of a shul and how it doing so. But if he truly strives for whole- isn’t appropriate to converse about ness (from the same Hebrew root as business there. The members all decided "Shilem") and purity, G-d will help him to make a resolution that they would not achieve his goal. The land shall be divided by lot. (Num. speak any mundane talk in the shul at all, (Rabbi Yechiel Michel of Zlatchov) 26:55) and they kept their resolution faithfully. A month later, Reb Michoel went up to In the land of Israel there are different the bima and announced that their kinds of areas: mountains, valleys, fields, resolution is canceled. When questioned, Let the L-rd, the G-d of all living souls, orchards, etc. When one received his Reb Michoel explained, “I observed that appoint a man over the congregation share in the mountains and another in a during this month people became (Num. 27:16) valley, or one received cornfields and distanced from each other. Previously, Rashi explains that Moses was asking another orchards, this division of the when someone’s cow stopped producing G-d to appoint a leader who would be physical land of Israel reflected each milk, or his horse grew old and weak, he able to understand each person according one's individual relationship to the spir- would voice his plight in shul and his to that person's needs. Moses referred to itual land of Israel. colleagues would help him. Recently, this G-d as the "G-d of all living souls." This was lacking and I decided that it justifies This means that everyone has something talking in shul after davening.” was to underline that the leader should be unique that relates specifically to him or one who loves all Jews in an equal and her in their spiritual service. fair manner, regardless of their fear of The above piece and True Sincerity G-d, or position. (the Rebbe) reprinted from The Weekly Farbrengen (Kedushat Levi) by Merkaz Anash, on-line at TheWeeklyFarbrengen.com True Sincerity When President Zalman Shazar visited the “Master of the world! What can I offer Never Give Up Rebbe in the winter of 5733 (1973), he you? Here, I have a coin in my pocket and spoke of the am haaratzus, the sheer igno- I will give it to you.” He took the coin and rance, of the Russian Yidden who were cast it heavenward. Some tell that the coin Continued from page one: moving to Eretz Yisroel. More than once, never descended the Rebbe corrected him and said that this A Pure Heart should not be referred to as am haaratzus “For some strange reason the loan had but rather as their being poshut, meaning The Midrash records a teaching of Rav never been recorded,” explained the as- that they were ordinary and unlettered. Acha: "Even if instead of saying ve’aha- sistant. The Rebbe added that this simplicity in vta ("and you shall love"), an illiterate fact connects them with the simple and davener says ve’ayavta (“and you should The manager raced home to tell the story undefinable Essence of HaShem. hate”), his error is loved by HaShem since to his wife. It is stated in HaYom Yom for the 24th of it comes from a pure heart." “Yes but who is this Rabbi Nachman,” Iyar, when Moshiach comes, the lofty The Baal Shem Tov taught that a Torah she asked. value of the simplicity and artless devo- scholar should be shamefaced in the pres- “I am not really sure,” he answered, “but tion of the common folk who daven and ence of the ordinary, unlearned Yidden he has saved my life.” recite Tehillim with heartfelt sincerity will who mispronounce their davening, for become apparent. their artless temimus, sincerity, is im- That night Reb Nachman appeared to the manager in a dream. “I am Nachman of A Lesson from the Baal Shem Tov measurably superior to that of a learned person. Bratzlav, a great grandson of the holy The Baal Shem Tov once invited his stu- Baal Shem Tov. You should know that I dents: “Come with me and we will learn a Delight Above wrote the words ‘lo l’hitaya’esh’ on the lesson about how to love HaShem.” He Rebbi Akiva once heard someone reciting first page of my book all those years ago led them to a large field where a young Shema but he mispronounced the last especially for you.” shepherd was tending his flock. Spontane- word slightly: instead of saying echad, Author’s note: This story was heard ously, the shepherd called out, “Master of which means that HaShem is "one," he from Harav Moshe Weiner at a chasidic the world, I love you!" He then ques- said acher, which means that there is farbrengen in Ramot Gimmel, Jerusalem. tioned aloud, "How shall I serve you?" "another." And he answered his own question: "I Legend has it amongst ‘old timers’ that will dance for you!” And with that, he When Rebbi Akiva explained the distort- Reb Nachman said to the banker in his broke into a long and joyful dance. ed meaning of his pronunciation, the poor dream: “I want you to sell your bank. fellow was in a dilemma. He couldn't con- You have enough money to live in Eretz A short while later he called out again, tinue with his pronunciation and couldn't Yisrael. Go there and print my books “Master of the world, I love you! What master the proper one, so he simply once you arrive.” A well-known Jewish shall I do for you? I will jump back and stopped saying Shema. personality (who wishes to remain anon- forth over this little pond for you!” And This diminished the delight he aroused ymous) told this to Rabbi Weiner when so, he repeatedly jumped over the pond he told him the story. out of his love for HaShem. Above, the pleasure in his original way of saying Shema – because his intention was He further told Rabbi Weiner that he met After some time, he once again called out, so pure. an old Bratslaver Chassid in Jerusalem, who was nearly 100 years old, who was a student of the Jewish banker!

"Pinchas...has turned My anger away from the children of Israel by his zealously Autobiographical Note: Rabbi Nachman avenging Me... therefore I hereby give him My covenant of peace." (Numbers 25:11- of Breslav (Bratslav) was the founder of 12) the Breslav Chassidic movement. He was a great grandson of the Baal Shem Our Sages identify Pinchas with Elijah the Prophet, the herald of the Redemption. They Tov and was a great storyteller. His sto- explain that Elijah’s function will be more than that of a bearer of news. He will also ries contained deep esoteric secrets of help inspire the mindset of love and harmony that will make Redemption a reality. Judaism. He lived from 1772 to 1810 Thus the prophet Malachi states that Elijah will “turn the hearts of the fathers to the and is buried in Uman, Ukraine. children and the hearts of the children to the fathers.” In the same vein, Maimonides writes that Elijah will come “solely to spawn peace.” For spreading peace and harmony By Yaakov Cass. Rabbi Cass is a Lubav- will encourage Moshiach’s coming, creating a setting into which he will desire to enter. itcher chossid living in Jerusalem. Until recently he was a senior official in the This also serves as a lesson to all of us. Working to generate harmony in the microcosm Israel Ministry of Health. in which we live will serve as a catalyst for the ultimate harmony Moshiach will intro- duce in the world. Question: We are a religious family and my Learning Rambam 17 year-old daughter dresses quite immodest. It is embarrassing in public and I get annoyed. My Through ‘The Daily Rambam’ learn- husband and I have had countless talks with her ing schedule, founded by the Lubav- but she says this is how she dresses. I don’t itcher Rebbe in 1984, tens of thou- know what to say to her? sands of Jews around the globe are learning the Rambam’s Mishneh To- Answer: Your teenage child is in a process of rah (Yad HaChazaka) gaining a com- study cycle, the study aims to bring growth, change and exploration. She is trying to prehensive overview of all the Torah’s about Torah unity and Jewish unity find her place in a world of choices, influences, laws. The learning schedule has three simultaneously. This year, both the pressures, excitement, beauty, worries and fears. tracks. The first track includes study- three and one chapter cycles were Although she might not say it, she needs her ing three chapters a day, with the en- competed on the 17th of Tammuz. mother more than ever. She needs your tire Mishneh Torah completed in less guidance, support and security. than one year. The second track in- Avraham Fried Releases New A mother is like a trainer, a coach. A trainer cludes one chapter daily and com- knows there are ups and downs, and getting to pletes the entire Mishneh Torah in Song for Siyum HaRambam the goal takes patience. Yet, the trainer approximately three years. A third continues to coach, encourage, believe in and track is the study of Sefer Hamitzvos. With the 40th Siyum HaRambam support the trainee’s growth. This is the role of (completion of learning the Ramban’s the mother. She knows there will be ups and By learning Rambam’s Mishneh To- Mishneh Torah) and the beginning of downs; this is part of the process. The mother rah, one effectively learns the entire the new cycle, a new song was re- recognizes that childhood and teenage hood is a Torah. Through uniting in the daily leased by superstar Avraham Fried to long journey; a journey of laughter and tears, accompany the upcoming siyum cele- patience and perseverance. Just like the trainer brations, which will be held this time she is there for her child; patiently encouraging, Cooking Tip of the Week in a different format due to corona- supporting and guiding, while all the while virus restrictions. keeping her eye on the goal. Parve Cholent for Two: Because of the issues with Corona, my hus- Personalizing our child’s behavior leads to feel- The song “Ashrei Talmid Chochom,” band and I have been alone for Shab- ings of embarrassment, annoyance, anger, hurt, is performed by Avraham Fried to- bos. How to make a cholent for two? betrayal, etc. We must not take our child’s be- gether with Naftali Kempe. They The following is from Avishag R. of havior personally. Rather, we can empathize chose this momentous occasion to Beitar and Braindy Deren of Lod. with their experience and remember our role as collaborate on the song, noting that Sauté several chopped onions and trainers in our child’s life. add three cloves fresh garlic, one the siyum of all three study cycles chopped white potato and one takes place only once every three Chassidus explains that compassion reveals chopped sweet potato. Add silan, years. This year, tens of thousands of love. The more a parent understands and empa- paprika, salt, and cinnamon (feel free students in Eretz Yisroel and around thizes with their child, the more the parent’s to add black pepper). Cover with the world will be completing the en- innate love for their child will come to the fore. water. If you have parve kishke that tire Mishneh Torah or Sefer Hamitz- Your daughter needs your love and support is also good. I added 1/4 cup of bar- vos. The song was commissioned by more than ever. Spend time together and dis- ley to the onions in the beginning. the “ Keser Torah ” organization – a cuss what interests her. Your daughter will Alizah Hochstead, global organization to promote the appreciate your interest in her life, opinions and [email protected] daily study of Rambam. Second arti- outlook. This builds trust and closeness. cle reprinted from Anash.org At this point, it will not be helpful to continue to discuss her dress. She already knows you do not agree with her behavior. It will be much more Halacha Corner – Fish and Meat valuable to show you are there for her; loving and supporting her; understanding the There is no need to have separate pots for fish and meat. While there is a challenges she is going through. danger to mix fish and meat together, Plaitas Kelim, the taste that remains in pots, is not a danger, and the same pot may be used for both fish and meat. As a guiding principle: everything you do or While there are those who are strict to designate separate pots, for fish and say will create either closeness or distance. meat, this is only a Chumra, a stringency, and only lechatchila, in the first When children feel love, closeness and support instance. After the fact, if fish was cooked in a meat pot or vice versa, all from their parents they are encouraged to emu- agree that there is really no problem. A possible explanation for this Chumra late the values and behaviors of their home. is that often it is difficult to clean a pot thoroughly, and it is possible for some fish or meat remnants to have remained in the pot. However, if the pot is absolutely clean, it seems like there would not be any problem to use the Aharon Schmidt - marriage & individual coach- same pot for fish and subsequently for meat or the opposite. ing. Video and telephone sessions also available. For an appointment contact: HaRav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, Mara D’asra, member of the Beis Din of [email protected] Crown Heights; 1 Minute Halacha, #19; from halacha2go.com