November 25, 2016 their leader- Tosafos Yom Tov-3 they chose to die by their כד חשון תשעז own hand rather than submit to forced baptism at the פרשת חיי שרה Willingness to die hands of the mob.

We know of many stories where A Jew who would always eat non-kosher meat, throughout history were willing to forfeit their lives to was informed on to the Nazis during the Holocaust for sanctify Hashem’s name. The records that when refusing to eat non-kosher meat. It was because of this R’ Akiva was taken to be executed- his flesh being that he was beaten brutally by the Nazis. Although he ate עול combed with iron combs- he accepted upon himself this meat his entire life he explained that he never knew 1.בכל נפשך as he was now finally able to fulfill מלכות שמים the value of eating non-kosher meat until now. These are The Gemara there says his Neshama left him at the word just a sample of the countless stories that are told of love 4 ;אהבה, חפיצה, דביקות are the initials of אחד .שמע of אחד Jews who were ready to give up their life for Hashem. for Hashem, desire for Hashem and clinging to Hashem, 2 as this is how R’ Akiva departed from the world. Where do these people get the power to do this from? Avraham, as he was Moser Nefesh himself by the The Ohr Zarua relates the following story. About fiery pit, after smashing his father’s idols.5 His ;כבשן האש 1,000 years ago in Mainz, Germany, the bishop insisted son Yitzchok therefore also possessed this quality as he that his friend and adviser- R’ Amnon- convert to was willing to be Moser Nefesh himself at the Akaida. Christianity. Upon returning home, after requesting three Just as Avraham passed this onto his immediate children, days to think about it, he was so distraught at having he also transmitted this power to his future given the impression that he even considered betraying descendants.6 God. The following three days he spent in solitude fasting ************************************************ and davening to be forgiven for his sin. Since he didn’t Enjoying this world return to the bishop on his own, he was brought there כל השונה הלכות מובטח לו שהוא בן The Gemara7 says against his will. When R’ Amnon said that his tongue whoever learns Halachos is assured that he is ;עולם הבא should be cut off for the sin of saying he would consider שהוא בן עולם destined for the next world. Why does it say the matter, the bishop replied that the sin wasn’t in what that he ,שיהיה בן עולם הבא present tense? It should say ,הבא he said rather in his legs for not coming as he had will be- future tense? promised. He then ordered that R’ Amnon’s feet be chopped off joint by joint. The same process was done to Many mistakenly think that those who are his hands. After each amputation, R’ Amnon was asked if dedicated to sacrifice this world In order to have a he would convert, to which he refused. Then the portion in the next world. The truth is that not only do merciless bishop ordered that he be carried home a they have a portion in the next world, they have this maimed and mutilated cripple, together with the world also. amputated limbs. When Rosh Hashana arrived a few days later, R’ Amnon asked to be carried to the ark. Before the The story is told of a wealthy person who asked me or you. I support ,עולם הבא congregation recited Kedusha, he asked to be allowed to R’ Shach who has more sanctify Hashem’s name in the shul as he had in the many people learning whereas you are just one person which he wrote learning. He replied I don’t know and the truth can be ,ונתנה תקף bishop’s palace. He recited However, I certainly have .עולם הבא earlier, and then died. Three days later, R’ Amnon that you have more .עולם הזה appeared in a dream to R’ Klonimos ben Mushullam, a more great Talmid Chochom in Mainz and taught him the text and asked him to send it to all parts of Jewry 3 He was born in Germany in 1579 and died in Cracow on the 6th ונתנה תקף of to be inserted in their liturgy. This Tefila then became of Elul in 1654. In the year his father died, he got married- at the integrated in the Tefilos of Rosh Hashana and Yom age of 18. He was inspired to write his commentary on Kippur. Mishnayos because of the renewed interest in learning Mishnayos which was stimulated by the Maharal. His lengthy עיקר During the anti-Jewish riots, in the year 1190, that commentary was abridged by R’ Meshulam Katz titled Tosafos Yom Tov died penniless, not even having .תוספות יום טוב broke out in England following the coronation of Richard the Lion-Hearted, the Jews of York were locked up in a enough money for shrouds. This was because he never castle and surrounded by an angry mob. At the urging of accepted gifts in addition to having no business dealings with the community since the money may be earned dishonestly. 4 The Toldos Yaakov Yosef (Parshas ) writes I heard a woman from Mezbiz say in Russian it is beautiful that we chose Hashem. 1 Brachos 61b. When R’ Simcha Bunim was on his deathbed, However, it is also beautiful that Hashem chose us because seeing his wife crying profusely over him, he said my entire life Feivish- a simple Jew- sanctified himself to Hashem... This that over מעלות has been a preparation for this moment. Hence, there is no Hashem chose us is not a wonder since we have need to cry. The Kotzker Rebbe would say “death is merely other nations. However, bigger than that is that we chose of Hashem only through His מעלות moving from one home to another. The wise man spends his Hashem as we know the main efforts in trying to make his future home the more actions, not His essence. beautiful one.” 5 Breishis, 11:29, says that the nations will (הרנינו .The episode 6 Rashi ( 32:43, s.v .ותצא .See Nitzotzai Shimshon, , s.v 2 praise us by saying that we cleaved to Hashem through all the אשריך ר' emanated from heaven saying בת קול concludes that a fortunate is R’ Akiva for he is travails and didn’t abandon Him. Even then, we knew of His ;עקיבא שאתה מזומן לחיי העולם הבא .goodness and excellence יש קונה עולמו are the first letters of עקיבא .ready for the next world Megila 28b 7 .בשעה אחת The three Mitzvos endowed to women line up with the is synonymous הדלקת נרות :By us, Jews, the night precedes the day as it says three the Gemara mentions 8 as Shabbos is מטה מוצעת matches up with נדה .נר דלוק figuratively night) and with) עולם הזה There is .ויהי ערב ויהי בקר שלחן is aligned with חלה ,the time of relations.12 Finally קדשים day). In regards to eating) עולם הבא then 13.ערוך Korbonos), the opposite is true as it is first day and then) night. For example, if a Korbon that is allowed to be ************************************************ eaten for one day and night is slaughtered on Sunday Not for you morning, one has until (and including) Sunday night to The Mishna Brura writes that one shouldn’t feed from that which (כותי) or non-Jew (חיה) an animal, beast ;קדשים) -eat it. The Chassam Sofer says that by Tzadikim on.14 Similarly, the Bnei Yissoschar (1783- המוציא holy ones) it is the same- it is day and then night. That is, he made this world is day as a Mitzva is so pleasurable. What could 1841) relates that he saw people that were careful from compare to such sweetness. In the next world however, giving Shabbos food to a non-Jew. one can’t perform Mitzvos. Therefore it is comparable to 9 15 night. The Agra Dkalla says in the name of the Sefer Chassidim that if one recites a Bracha on water and leaves In Europe, when R’ Boruch Ber would give a some over, he shouldn’t give it to a non-Jew or animal on it as he infused it with שם שמים shiur, students from other Yeshivos would also attend. since he mentioned Due to overcrowding, they began locking the door as if holiness. With this we can understand why after Rivka one wasn’t from the Yeshiva, he wasn’t allowed in. It was gave to drink, she drew water for the camels- she hurried and emptied her jug into the ;ותמהר ותער...גמליו the day after they began to lock the door, that they noticed a student from another Yeshiva there. When he trough and kept running to the well to draw water, and was asked how he got in, he replied that he jumped she drew water for all his camels,16 as Eliezer recited a through the window in order to hear the shiur since it Bracha on the water. When Rivka heard this, she said it is was so sweet to him. This was the famed R’ Aaron Kotler not fitting to give the camels from the same water. She –ותער כדה .the one who later founded the Lakewood thus said I will get water for the camels anew ,(1892-1962) Yeshiva. she emptied out the water Eliezer drank from and then she went to draw water for the ,ותרץ אל הבאר לשאוב שהוא בן In light of this we can grasp why it says camels. עולם הבא עולם הבא since for such a person, it is even in this ************************************************ world. Have children

The Chazon Ish once underwent surgery without One of the main purposes of a woman is to have אין האשה אלא לבנים 17 anesthesia since it posed a health problem for him. He children as it says ; a wife is primarily ;הבה לי בנים... for childbearing.18 Indeed, remarked asked the surgeon to delay in making the incision until he 19 had enough time to become involved in introspection on give me children, otherwise, I am dead. a deep subject of Torah. After that he would hardly feel For this reason, there are 9 words in what the הרי את מקדשת לי -the pain. Chassan says to the Kalla under the Chupa corresponding to the 9 months of ,בטבעת זו כדת משה וישראל ************************************************ The three Mitzvos of women 20 בנין עדי עד pregnancy. It of course is no coincidence that 10 The Gemara highlights three tasks to be done yields a sum of 270. This refers to the 270 days of מטה מוצעת, שלחן ערוך נר דלוק upon the entry of Shabbos- , ; pregnancy as 9 (months) multiplied by 30 (days) is 270. lamp burning, the table set and the bed made. Why are To receive this on a weekly email, feedback, comments or to support these three highlighted? this publication please contact Yehoshua Alt at parshadt28@gmail. לעילוי נשמת שמואל אביגדור בן יצחק מאיר There are three Mitzvos that have a special 11.הדלקת נרות and חלה, נדה connection to women. They are (corresponding to the Mitzva of Challa) and the light of the world (corresponding to lighting candles). בני See Kesubos 62b, Orach Chaim 280:1. Indeed, the first letters of 12 8 .relations ;ביאה Shemos 31:16-7) are) בני ישראל אות היא and ישראל את השבת As in Breishis 1:5 is said upon the entry of אשת חיל There is a well-known story told about the Gra in relation to 13 In light of this we can understand why 9 this. When he was on his deathbed, he was holding his Tzitzis Shabbos. 14 crying. He explained that in this world for a few pennies you can Mishna Brura 167:97 15 Chaya Sara buy a Mitzva such as Tzitzis. However, in the next world, no 16 is 24:20 חייב amount of money can buy a Mitzva. Indeed, the word a happy mother of children (Tehillim ;אם הבנים שמחה The first letters of 17 פטור חי .אשה related to as those living are obligated in Mitzvos. on the 113), are The .פריה ורביה as the dead are exempt from 18 Taanis 31a. Nevertheless, only a man is commanded in נפטר other hand is associated with דרכיה דרכי Mitzvos. Meshech Chochma (Breishis 9:7) explains this is because of the ways of the Torah are pleasant (Mishlei 3:17), as women go ;נועם Shabbos 119b 10 11 Mishnayos Shabbos 2:6. See Breishis 24:67, Rashi. The first through the pain of pregnancy and childbirth. For this reason, before see Maom Loaz, the sin of where this pain didn’t exist, both Adam and Chava were) חנה spell –חלה, נדה, הדלקת נרות -letters of these .פריה ורביה commanded in Shmuel 1, 1:8), since Chana was a reincarnation of Chava (Rema 19 Mipano, Gilgulai Neshamos, footnote 161), who sinned in these 3 Breishis 30:1 Beis .פרו ורבו There is a disagreement how one fulfills the Mitzva of 20 areas, as is shown in the following. The Yerushalmi (Shabbos Shamai says with 2 boys and Beis Hillel says with 1 boy and 1 girl. The law This is hinted to where it .(1 אבן העזר ,explains why these three are connected to women: Chava follows Beis Hillel (Yevamos 61b (2:6 ואין Breishis 1:28) as it forms the first letters of) וכבשה in פרו ורבו caused the death of Adam who is called the blood of the world discusses .הלכה כדברי בית שמאי corresponding to Nida), the pure Challa of the world)