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A Taste of Torah

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A Taste of Torah Parshas Teruma February 19, 2021 A Taste of Torah Stories for the Soul Hungry for War by Rabbi Yosef Melamed Take to Give Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin (1749-1821), As Purim approaches and the excitement over the fourteenth of Adar. Taanis Esther thus the founder and head of the Volozhin this special holiday grows, this week’s parsha commemorates the fast of the day of battle Yeshiva, once travelled to Minsk to raise against the enemies of the Jewish People. is supplemented with Parshas Zachor, the desperately-needed funds to keep the second of the four special supplement parshios Having established the origins of the fast, we yeshiva afloat. In Minsk lived two men, Reb of this time of the year. Parshas Zachor features must now explore why fasting is important Baruch Zeldowitz and Reb Dober Pines, the Torah commandment to remember the while fighting a war, specifically a war against who served as gabbaim (representatives) to evil that the nation of Amalek perpetrated Amalek. collect money for the yeshiva. Rav Chaim against the fledgling Jewish Nation. Rabbi Gedalya Schorr (1910-1979) offers the visited Rabbi Zeldowitz and informed him The commentators explain that reading this following enlightening explanation: The evil of of the dire financial straits in which the parsha is an appropriate forerunner to Purim Amalek and its power stems from the ideology yeshiva found itself, specifying the large because Haman, the antagonist of the Purim that the world is run randomly through sum of money that was needed to stabilize story, was a direct descendent of Amalek who nature and is not subject to any Divine plan the situation. Reb Baruch assured Rav continued his nation’s tradition of evil. As or supervision. Rashi teaches that Amalek Chaim that he would endeavor to obtain Hashem enabled the Jews to defeat Amalek in attacked the Jewish People on their way out the funds. Thus assured, Rav Chaim the times of Moshe, Hashem saved the Jews of Egypt following their expression of doubt, went to his place of lodging in Minsk and from Haman’s evil decree as well. “Is Hashem among us or not?” (Shemos 17:7) studied Torah as he awaited further news. We find another parallel between the narrative Rabbi Schorr explains that this does not mean Some time later, Rav Chaim inquired from of Amalek’s defeat in the times of Moshe and that the Jews ignored the miraculous events Reb Baruch where things were holding. in the time of the Purim story. The Torah of the Exodus of Egypt and the Splitting Reb Baruch responded that, thank G-d, (Shemos 17:10) relates that Moshe, Aharon, of the Sea that they had just experienced. he had raised half the money; Rav Chaim and Chur led the war against Amalek from Rather, the Jews were expressing their lack of was pleased and returned to his learning. atop of a hill. Rashi (ibid.) cites the Mechilta awareness that Hashem is constantly among After nearly a month had passed since that explains that the Jews were fasting during us and overseeing all of the world and nature Rav Chaim’s arrival, Rabbi Zeldowitz the battle, and it was therefore necessary for from the greatest miracles of Creation down joyously informed Rav Chaim that he three people to lead the Jewish Nation in war, to the seemingly mundane, minor, day-to-day had secured the entire sum needed. Rav similar to the three people who would lead the occurrences and happenings. This lack of Chaim thanked Reb Baruch profusely and congregation in prayer on a fast day decreed awareness allows Amalek to attack, because returned to Volozhin with the money in due to a public calamity. This is paralleled the Jews themselves, having given credence to hand. Amalek’s ideology of a lack of Divine order, in the Purim story, where Esther urges Shortly after his return to Volozhin, two are now subject to that very ideology and thus Mordechai to gather the Jews and to have men appeared before Rav Chaim for a din lack Hashem’s usual protection. them fast for three days and nights in order Torah (court case): Reb Baruch Zeldowitz to garner Heavenly assistance for her success The Rambam (Hilchos Taanis 1:2) teaches and Reb Dober Pines, the yeshiva’s gabbaim in entreating Achashveirosh on behalf of the that the point of a fast day is the introspection from Minsk. Reb Dober made his case Jewish Nation. Furthermore, the custom is and teshuva (repentance) that is supposed to before Rav Chaim: He and Reb Baruch to fast the day before Purim, the thirteenth come through abstaining from the physical. were equal partners in matters relating to of Adar, a fast known as Taanis Esther. The The Rambam (ibid.:2,3) further teaches that the Volozhin Yeshiva, but Reb Baruch had commentators (see Levush 686:1) explain fasting and teshuva are especially appropriate donated the entire sum necessary to save that this fast is not to commemorate the for a time of danger or misfortune. This is the Volozhin Yeshiva from his own pocket, aforementioned fast of three days and nights, because engaging in repentance as a response without allowing Reb Dober to have a as that fast (and the subsequent downfall to misfortune acknowledges that when share in this great venture! something bad occurs, it does not point to of Haman) took place right before and on Rav Chaim was taken aback at the Pesach. Rather, the lesson learned from the a world of randomness and a life left to the revelation that the money had not been Jews’ fasting while fighting Amalek is that elements. Rather, the world is indeed run by collected, but had come from Reb Baruch’s during a war, Jews fast as a means of penance. an omnipotent and beneficent Creator and own estate. He also had a question for Reb That being the case, it can be assumed that Master Orchestrator Who saw fit to cause this Baruch: “If you gave all the money, why in the days of Mordechai and Esther, the particular misfortune as a means of atonement did you make me remain in Minsk for Jews fasted on the thirteenth of Adar, as well, and to engender repentance for those sins. nearly a month, and why did you give the as part of the battle against their enemies Thus, explains Rabbi Schorr, when fighting which preceded the Purim celebration of a war, which is certainly a time of adversity, continued on back continued on back To receive Torah Weekly by email, email to [email protected] to email email, by Weekly Torah receive To [email protected] [email protected] www.denverkollel.org www.denverkollel.org Denver Community Kollel Kollel Community Denver 303-820-2855 Ave. 14th W. 5080 To sponsor Torah Weekly, delivered weekly in print and via email to thousands of Jews worldwide, email [email protected] email worldwide, Jews of thousands to email via and print in weekly delivered Weekly, Torah sponsor To then, a few weeks later, the second half!” second the later, weeks few a then, taking from oneself. oneself. from taking email [email protected]. [email protected]. email money. At first, I was ready to give half, and and half, give to ready was I first, At money. illustrates that giving often involves first first involves often giving that illustrates visit www.denverkollel.org or or www.denverkollel.org visit working on myself until I was ready to give the the give to ready was I until myself on working But, explained Rabbi Sorotzkin, this story story this Sorotzkin, Rabbi explained But, this treasure trove of Torah, Torah, of trove treasure this money away? I spent many days and weeks weeks and days many spent I away? money for Me”? Me”? for take shall they “and been have term phone numbers to access access to numbers phone matter to simply give such a large amount of of amount large a such give simply to matter Me a separation.” Wouldn’t the appropriate appropriate the Wouldn’t separation.” a Me schedule and the links and and links the and schedule Reb Baruch replied, “Do you think it’s a small small a it’s think you “Do replied, Baruch Reb the Bnai Yisrael, “And they shall take for for take shall they “And Yisrael, Bnai the in on a phone. For a full full a For phone. a on in parsha. Hashem tells Moshe to command command to Moshe tells Hashem parsha. way?” my on me immediately given me the entire sum and sent sent and sum entire the me given immediately to explain a verse at the start of this week’s week’s this of start the at verse a explain to to live classes online or call call or online classes live to Rabbi Zalman Sorotzkin used this story story this used Sorotzkin Zalman Rabbi have you Couldn’t installments? two in money Meeting. You can tune in in tune can You Meeting. new classes via Zoom Zoom via classes new continued from front from continued Stories for the Soul the for Stories of its classes and offering offering and classes its of The Kollel is continuing many many continuing is Kollel The VIA ZOOM MEETING ZOOM VIA natural course of diplomacy. of course natural and assistance in serving Him properly! Him serving in assistance and KOLLEL CLASSES CONTINUE CONTINUE CLASSES KOLLEL exchanging that power for dependence on the the on dependence for power that exchanging way, we will surely merit Hashem’s protection protection Hashem’s merit surely will we way, Hashem to ensure the security of the Jews and and Jews the of security the ensure to Hashem other ineffective means and reliances.
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