Parshas Teruma February 19, 2021

A Taste of Stories for the Soul Hungry for War by Yosef Melamed Take to Give Rabbi (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 , 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. 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 , 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 Kollel Happenings Halacha Riddles RD Last week we asked: Two identical fruit pies were baked together, they are regarded as one KOLLEL 23 ANNIVERSARY were made, yet one seemingly minor difference unit and the crust is considered more significant CELEBRATION VIRTUAL between them changes the bracha to be made and the food requires a mezonos. If, however, EVENT ON MARCH 10 upon them. What is this difference? the filling was not baked together with the crust, then each item is viewed independently The Kollel will hold its 23rd Answer: It depends whether the crust and filling were baked together or not. Although and each requires its own blessing (see Mishna Anniversary Celebration, The the filling is more important than the crust, the Berura 168:45). Journey, on Wednesday, crust, having been made from one of the five This week’s question: How can two containers March 10 at 7 pm. The event types of grain (wheat, barley, spelt, rye, oats), is of identical peanut butter, eaten under identical will feature A Journey of a regarded as significant. If the crust and filling circumstances, require two different blessings? Thousand Miles: The Sperber & Aragon Story, and A Never Ending Journey: The History Lives of Our Torah Leaders of the Kollel Movement. Rabbi Saadia Gaon - Part XVII org. Reserve by February 25 Rabbi Saadia was also forced to leave Sura due the dispute, he also now had more time to focus and receive a gift bag and to the persecution from the Raish Galusa, and on other things. It was during this period that a special book. For details he settled in Baghdad. While he suffered from he wrote his most famous work, Emunos Vide’os.

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denverkollel.org or email A Taste of Torah info@denverkollel. continued from front ETHICS OF SHORT SELLING fasting is a necessary part of the war strategy, Fortunately, the Jews realized their mistake AT MARCH 3 T4T as it brings about the repentance necessary to and engaged in fasting and prayer, thus negate the need for the adversity in the first acknowledging their error and once again Join Andrew M. Kark, CPA/ place. This was especially true when Amalek putting their faith in Hashem, not in nature PFS,CFP, Partner/Advisor at fought the Jewish People after the Exodus, as or man. They did so during the initial three- M.Z. Kark & Associates, and the attack was generated by the Jews’ lack of day fast requested by Esther, and they did so awareness of Hashem’s guiding hand. Fasting again on the day they fought the battle against Rabbi Mordechai Fleisher, was therefore an essential part of the fight, as Amalek and its evil belief that the world is not Senior Educator for Denver it served to display that the world is not left run by Hashem. Community Kollel, for an to natural forces, and the sin that brought on Thus, reading Parshas Zachor and its lesson of intriguing discussion on the attack in the first place was thus rectified. belief in Hashem’s control over every part and the ethics of short selling in Similarly, in the Purim story, the aspect of nature is truly an appropriate way of the wake of the GameStop teaches that the Jews sinned by attending King preparing for Purim and its theme of Divine Achashveirosh’s party, an act that seemed logical Providence being present, albeit often hidden, stock market frenzy. Wed., as a diplomatic necessity in their relationship in every situation. 3.3., 8-9 pm via Zoom. Visit with the king. However, Mordechai declared Let us take the lesson of reading Parshas Zachor denverkollel.org for further that it was forbidden to attend the party, and to heart and put our faith in Hashem, not in details. so going was, in effect, denying the power of other ineffective means and reliances. In that Hashem to ensure the security of the Jews and way, we will surely merit Hashem’s protection KOLLEL CLASSES CONTINUE exchanging that power for dependence on the and assistance in serving Him properly! VIA ZOOM MEETING natural course of diplomacy.

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of its classes and offering Stories for the Soul new classes via Zoom continued from front Meeting. You can tune in money in two installments? Couldn’t you have Rabbi used this story to live classes online or call immediately given me the entire sum and sent to explain a verse at the start of this week’s in on a phone. For a full me on my way?” parsha. Hashem tells Moshe to command schedule and the links and Reb Baruch replied, “Do you think it’s a small the Bnai Yisrael, “And they shall take for phone numbers to access matter to simply give such a large amount of Me a separation.” Wouldn’t the appropriate this treasure trove of Torah, money away? I spent many days and weeks term have been “and they shall take for Me”? working on myself until I was ready to give the But, explained Rabbi Sorotzkin, this story visit www.denverkollel.org or money. At first, I was ready to give half, and illustrates that giving often involves first email [email protected]. then, a few weeks later, the second half!” taking from oneself.

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