Yom Kippur 5767

Yom Kippur 5767 This week’s Dvar Torah is dedicated to the refuah shleimah (complete recovery) of our grandmother Rut bat Chana as well as Chaya Tova bat Carol, both in need of rachamei Shamayim (Heavenly mercy). Making Room During the time we merited having the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple in Jerusalem) stand, millions of Jews would converge on that one spot numerous times a year. For so many people to fit into the Beit HaMikdash was quite a squeeze. As squished as they were with everyone standing there, the millions of people would then bow down simultaneously as part of the Yom Kippur service, which we replicate to this day by bowing down during our Yom Kippur prayers. With so little room for everyone to stand, how did the massive number of people then manage to bow down? To answer this question, the mishnah (Avot 5:6) explains that this was one of the ten miracles that happened in the Beit HaMikdash. “Omdim Tzefufim, U’Mishtachavim Revachim” (They stood packed together and they bowed down with plenty of room). By the laws of nature, if there was not enough space for everyone to stand with elbow room, there surely was not enough place to bow down. Yet there was room, because Hashem decided to suspend the laws of nature and miraculously make room. This is the simple interpretation of this phrase. Rav Yissocher Frand (of the Ner Israel Yeshiva in Baltimore, MD) quotes an additional, homiletic interpretation of this phrase. When we are Omdin-when we think about ourselves, and stand up for what we think is right, putting our foot down because we believe we are correct-then we end up Tzufufin-with no room. It gets very squishy when we stand up for what we want and feel we deserve. But when we are Mishtachavin-we bow down and let others have their way, instead of thinking about what we deserve-then all of the sudden-Revachin-there is plenty of room and no one feels squished. But as long as we are thinking about ourselves and what is good for me-then people begin feeling squished. Rav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler (1891-1954, Rosh Kollel in Gateshead, England and later Mashgiach Ruchani of the Ponevezh Yeshiva in Bnei Brak; most widely known for his thoughts and shiurim that were published as the Michtav M’Eliyahu and later translated into English as Strive for Truth) was spending the Pesach Seder at the home of a student of his. He was forcibly separated from his family for a number of years while he was in England and they were in Europe and later in Australia and the United States. This student, Rabbi Zusia Waltner and his wife had the privilege of hosting Rav Dessler at their seder. As soon as the seder began, Rav Dessler noticed how exhausted Mrs. Waltner looked as a result of the countless hours she spent preparing for Pesach. Rav Dessler insisted that the seder be conducted swiftly to allow her to remain awake for its entirety. After they completed the seder, Rav Dessler sent Mrs. Waltner to sleep while he and Rabbi Waltner cleaned the dishes. There is no doubt that both Rav Dessler and Rabbi Waltner were very much looking forward to a seder at which they would spend hours and hours discussing the exodus from Egypt and the mitzvot of the night. But as soon as Rav Dessler noticed what that would do to his hostess, he immediately chose to give preference to what his hostess would prefer. Gmar Chatimah Tova, Shuki .

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