Behar-Bechukosai

A PROJECT OF THE פרשת פרשת בהר-וישב שבת בחוקותיחנוכה כ״וכ״ה איירכסלו תשפ״א At the 5781 DECEMBERMAY 8, 2021 12, 2020 ISSUE #40 Shabbos RABBI YITZCHOK WEEKLY INSPIRATION AND INSIGHT ADAPTED FROMTable CLASSIC ARTSCROLL TITLES HISIGER, EDITOR DEDICATED BY MENACHEM AND BINAH BRAUNSTEIN AND FAMILY DESIGN & LAYOUT: L’ILLUI NISHMAS RAV MOSHE BEN RAV YISSOCHOR BERISH AND MARAS YENTA BAS YISROEL CHAIM MRS. AVIVA KOHN

Parashah WALKING IN TORAH Rav Wolbe on Chumash from Rav Shlomo Wolbe, written by Rabbi Yitzchok Caplan אִ ם בְּחֻ קֹּתַ י תֵּ לֵ כוּ. If you walk in My statutes (26:3). Rashi explains this pasuk as an exhortation into the Torah, all the while gaining to toil in the study of Torah. Why is Torah study greater perception of its infinite wisdom. referred to as “teileichu,” walking? Shouldn’t the A similar pasuk appears in Parashas Acharei Torah have written, “Im bechukosai tilmedu” — Mos (18:4): “And you shall guard My statutes to walk if you study My chukim? in them.” Rashi explains The study of Torah is THE MORE that a person should unique in that it is always WE APPLY not say, “I have already possible to delve deeper OURSELVES, studied the Torah and and deeper into the To- THE MORE therefore I will now go rah’s wisdom. The more WE WILL study the wisdom of one toils over a maamar SUCCEED. the nations.” If a person Chazal, the more insight- Rav Shlomo Wolbe constantly “walks” and ful it becomes. As a per- delves deeper into the son grows older, the very same statement that wisdom of the Torah, he will never claim that he he might have already studied in his youth can is finished with Torah study. Even with regard to take on a whole new meaning. As he continues chukim, the Torah writes that one should “walk” to age and become wiser, he will be amazed and toil. Although we cannot understand the when he once again studies the same passage full reason for these mitzvos, there are aspects and perceives newfound profundity within the that we can comprehend. The more we apply Torah’s timeless words. It is for this reason that ourselves, the more we will succeed in tapping Hashem termed the toil of Torah “walking.” A into the vast wisdom contained within each person can constantly stride deeper and deeper word of the Torah.

Pirkei SENSITIVE TO OTHERS Avos Pirkei Avos – Generation to Generation by Rabbi Nosson Muller

NOW IN NEW CONVENIENT וְהַּמַ לְ יןִ ב ּפְ נֵי חֲ בֵ רֹו בָרַ ִ בים. One who humiliates his fellow in public (Avos 3:15). SIZE! Rabbeinu Yonah quotes The question is: Even if one swers that since when one literal- Chazal, who explain that when a were to actually kill someone pur- ly kills someone, he is well aware person is embarrassed, his blood posely, he doesn’t lose his Olam of his action and cannot possibly rushes from his face and he liter- Haba and is only subject to death deny his wrongdoing, it is very ally becomes white (hence the in this world, so how can it be that probable that he will repent be- term malbin, whiten, is used). for embarrassing someone, the fore he dies (or is killed). How- Therefore, it is as if the person punishment is even greater? ever, concerning embarrassing doing the embarrassing has In Shaarei Teshuvah (3:148), another person, many times, killed his friend and he is pun- Rabbeinu Yonah himself ad- people are so insensitive to the ARTSCROLL MESORAH ARTSCROLL ished with the loss of Olam Haba. dresses this question and an- feelings of others continued on page 2 PUBLICATIONS To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 1 NEW! Inspiration IN HIS SHADOW The Prayer of Protection – Yosheiv Beseiser by Rabbi Yechiel Spero Tanna DeVei Eliyahu Rabbah (25) shares a novel interpreta- his new lodging quarters, Moshe approached the tion of the pasuk of “Yosheiv beseiser – Whoever sits in the refuge Rebbe and informed him of the “good news.” They of the Most High, he shall dwell in the shadow of the Almighty.” would now be “barracks mates.” The word seiser can also mean in secret. With this in mind, But the Klausenberger Rebbe was not so the Tanna Devei Eliyahu explains that protection is guaranteed enthusiastic when Moshe shared the news with him. He flatly for one who sits in private and learns Torah without fanfare stated, “If you think it’s going to do you any good, it won’t.” and without others knowing. Such a person is deemed a Moshe’s spirits could not be dampened. “Of course, it’s go- “yosheiv beseiser.” He is the one who is elyon, elevated, and he ing to help! Mir ken redden in lernen. We can talk in learning.” will bask “betzeil Shakai,” in the shadow of the Almighty. The Rebbe was still not convinced. “Bachur’l, you are in When Moshe Weiss arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau on Auschwitz and you want to talk in learning?” Shavuos, 1944, he was with his parents and his family. Tragi- Moshe defiantly proclaimed, “Rebbe, if we don’t talk in cally, however, that was the last time he saw his father, moth- learning, how will we ever prevail? How will we ever make it er, and five of his siblings. Soon, they were no longer among out of this Gehinnom?” the living; only Moshe and two brothers survived. The Rebbe was very moved and he hugged Moshe. For the After being sent by Mengele, also known as the angel of next 12 months, they were inseparable. They went from Birke- death, to the right, to life, Moshe and his few remaining family nau to Warsaw to clear away the rubble, and then to Dachau, members were disinfected, sent to retrieve clothing, and then and finally to Mehldorf, where they were liberated. Throughout pushed to have their number branded on their arms. that time, they talked in learning — beseiser — so that the Nazis The following day, the second day of Shavuos, the Klau- would not hear or see. When the war was over, Moshe spent the senberger Rebbe, Ray Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam, arrived. next long while finding bodies and burying them properly. When By the end of the war, the Rebbe had lost his wife and 11 chil- he finally finished his holy work, he asked the Rebbe for a bera- dren. It is difficult to comprehend such a tragedy, but the Reb- chah that his children should become talmidei chachamim and be carried on, doing his best to encourage those around him. illuminate the world with their Torah learning. As fate would have it, Moshe’s barracks was adjacent to the Reb- This story was shared by Rav Asher Weiss, Reb Moshe be’s barracks. Though it was prohibited, Moshe desperately wanted Weiss’s son, a rosh kollel, dayan, and one of the premier to make his way into the Rebbe’s quarters and stay there; he wanted poskim in the world today. so badly to get to know the holy Rebbe and become close to him. The Rebbe and Reb Moshe were yosheiv be’seiser. “For That night, under the cover of darkness, he managed to switch without it, how will we ever prevail?” And prevail they places with one of the inmates in the Rebbe’s barracks. Pleased at did. Betzeil Shakai yislonan.

SENSITIVE TO OTHERS continued from page 1 of hot tea in order to ease his sore throat. container out on the counter and real- that they don’t even know what they Erroneously, the student mistook the ized what happened, came frantically did wrong and will never repent. salt for the sugar and put two heaping running to the shiur room and mo- What a terrifying thought! Hurt- spoons of salt in the tea instead of sugar! tioned to her husband to exit the shiur. “Did you drink the tea? There was ing someone’s feelings can put a WOULD A person in a worse predicament salt in it!” she exclaimed. PERSON “How could I not?” was Rav Yehosh- than actually killing someone! EVER THINK Would a person ever think of OF KILLING ua Leib’s answer. killing someone? Of course not! SOMEONE? “What do you mean?” his wife said. Then how can we not be sensi- “Your health is in danger!” tive to the feelings of others? The rav answered, “It might be Due to health reasons, Rav Ye- Rav Yehoshua Leib detrimental to my health, but my not drank the tea as if noth- drinking that cup of tea would have hoshua Leib Diskin was not allowed Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin to have any salt in his food. Even a ing was wrong despite been an embarrassment to that boy little salt could have a catastrophic effect the horrible taste and who made the tea. That would be like on his wellbeing. One day during shiur, danger to his health. A few minutes killing him, and that I could not do, re- he asked a student to bring him a glass later, his wife, who had noticed the salt gardless of my health!”

To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 2 Emunah EVERYONE CAN SEE Living Emunah for Teens 2 by Rabbi David Ashear, adapted by Chana Nestlebaum

Did anyone ever tell you some- couples, children at risk, people in in London, who was thing nice about your parents or need of medical or mental health taking a Jewish man NEW! siblings and you realize that it’s advice, and so much more. to the airport. something you never even noticed? We might not see Hashem’s The taxi broke For instance, a friend comes to your hand in all this, but like the guest down and the driver house for Shabbos for the first time. at the Shabbos table in the opening couldn’t fix it. He got another cab to Later, he tells you, “Your brother scenario, those around us do see it. take both him and the passenger to the is such a nice guy. He really tried When the Jewish people act with airport. “I’ll make sure you get on your to include me in the conversation arrogance, our status makes them flight even though it’s late,” the taxi at the table.” You’ve known your angry and spiteful. However, when driver promised. brother all your life, but you never we act with dignity and are true to They got to the airport and ran to realized that he had this sensitivity our identity as Hashem’s people, the gate, but as hard as the taxi driv- to others. they react by recognizing that Hash- er tried, he could not convince the air- In a similar way, sometimes it em is with us. takes non-Jews to point out to us Rabbi Danderovitch CONNECT TO THE what we could have and should of England told this story: have known all along — that we are A pious man was going FEELING OF BEING Hashem’s chosen people and that on an airplane trip. He PART OF THE PEOPLE He takes special care of us. In fact, requested beforehand to the special status of the Jewish peo- be seated next to a man. HASHEM TREASURES ple is Hashem’s proof to the rest of However, when he board- WITH SPECIAL LOVE. the nations that He runs the world. ed the plane, he saw that Tehillim (117:1-2) says, “Praise Hash- the airline had not honored his re- line agent to permit the Jewish man to em, all nations; exalt Him, all the states, quest. When he politely tried to get the board. The taxi driver apologized to his for His kindness has overwhelmed us, flight attendant to switch his seat, she passenger. He then made his way back and the truth of G-d is eternal.” This threatened to throw him off the flight. to his broken-down cab and turned the teaches us that when the other na- “And we won’t take your luggage off, key, and it started up like nothing was tions recognize Hashem’s care for either,” she added angrily. ever wrong. His people, they will recognize that A non-Jew overheard the argument A few hours later, he heard the He is the one true G-d. and told the flight attendant that if she news. Pan Am Flight 103 to New York There are so many ways in threw the Jewish man off the flight, — the flight his passenger had missed which our status as the chosen peo- he would demand to get off too. “And I — was blown up by a terrorist as it ple shows itself. The Jewish peo- won’t leave without my luggage. You’ll flew over Scotland. ple’s ability to survive thousands have to sift through the whole plane- “From my friend’s story,” said the of years in exile is a key proof: Al- load to find it.” non-Jew, “I realized that your G-d though we’ve always been few in The flight attendant realized that protects His people. I felt safe seeing number, and we’ve been the sub- the situation was only going to snow- there was a Jew on my flight, and if ject of numerous decrees and ex- ball. She took a few minutes to find you were getting off this plane, I was iles, we’re still here. In fact, we are someone willing to switch seats and getting off too.” growing and thriving, learning To- the problem was settled. The Jew- MAKE IT REAL: When you say, rah and serving Hashem in histor- ish man later went to the non-Jew to in the blessing over the Torah, “Asher ic numbers. In addition, Jews have thank him for his support. “You really bachar banu mikol ha’amim — Who always created functioning, sup- helped me,” he said. chose us from all the nations,” con- portive communities. With Hash- But the non-Jew insisted that he nect to the feeling of being part of em’s help, we have organizations was only protecting himself. He told the people Hashem treasures with that cater to sick children, childless the man about his friend, a taxi driver special love.

To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 3 Parashah for Children פרשת בהר–בחוקותי NEW! Stone Floor ver wonder why before we bow down on the floor on Yom Kippur, we put something like a mat or a paper on the floor to E bow down on? No, it’s not so we don’t get our clothes dirty! The answer is con- nected to the end of this parashah. The Torah tells us about the mitzvah called “even maskis,” not to bow down on a stone floor. This was something the non-Jews did when worshiping their idols. The only place it’s permitted to bow on a stone floor is in the Beis HaMikdash. The Ashkenazic custom is not to bow down on the floor even if it’s covered with carpet, wood, or some material other than stone. When Ashkenazim bow down, they first cover the floor with something like a mat or paper. Sephardim use a mat or paper on a stone floor, but not if there is a carpet. Can’t Be Changed! hat if someone comes along and says that Even if the one telling us seems to be a prophet. Hashem told him to tell us to add a mitzvah We know this from the last pasuk in this parashah W to the Torah? Or he says that he has a “new” (which is also the last pasuk in Sefer Vayikra). This Torah to give us, and the “new” Torah says, for pasuk teaches us that the Torah that Moshe gave example, we can eat pig? us CANNOT BE CHANGED. Anyone who tells us to IT IS NOT TRUE! change even one letter — is lying!

WIN A $36 ARTSCROLL THE WEEKLY QUESTION GIFT CARD! Question for Parshas Behar-Bechukosai: Were the Jews ever exiled from Eretz Yisrael because they didn’t keep Shemittah? Kids, please ask your parents to email the answer to [email protected] by this Wednesday, May 12, to be entered into a weekly raffle to win a $36 ARTSCROLL GIFT CARD! Be sure to include your full name and contact info. Names of winners will appear in a future edition. HINT: The answer can be found in The Jaffa Family Edition Weekly Parashah. The winner of the Parshas Tazria-Metzorah question is: ROCHEL STEINBERG, Brooklyn, NY The question was: Usually, a man may not shave parts of his head or face with a razor, but it is a mitzvah for a metzora to do this to become tahor. What are two other cases where the Torah says that a person must shave off his hair with a razor? The answer is: 1) A nazir upon completion of his nezirus. 2) When the Levi’im were first put in charge of serving in the Mishkan, they had to have all their hair shaved off with a razor.