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Exceptional a Sanctuary of Torah ISSUE # 215 | PARSHAS KI SISA FRIDAY MARCH 5TH, 2021 | 22 ADAR, 5781 EXCEPTIONAL A SANCTUARY OF TORAH Adapted from Touched by a Story by Rabbi Spero, with the permission of By Rabbi Moshe Pogrow the copyright holders, Artscroll/Mesorah Publications, Ltd. (Artscroll) Based on the commentary of Rabbi Shamshon Raphael Hirsch zt"l on Chumash, with permission from In 1973, Josh Kaniel was in a day school in L.A. The the publisher. From the very beginning, we were taught that the life in the Temple and rebbi, Rabbi Shmuel Leizer Stern, tried to make the life of the nation are not two separate spheres. The Sanhedrin is located learning exciting, but one day the boys gave him next to the altar, and the purpose of the altar is to bring justice, peace and a hard time, and he burst out, “I work so hard to holiness into the life of the nation. Hence, the laws that guide the nation prepare lessons every day and no one in this room is were set forth before the instructions for the building of the Mishkan. interested in learning—except Josh.” In the same spirit, now that those instructions have been carried out, the That caught Josh by surprise. His rebbi thought mitzvah of machatzis hashekel is given so that future generations will know he was learning? Josh struggled in school; no one that nation and Mishkan are one. thought that about him. He decided to pay attention. Thus, a great Jewish truth is established: The Sanctuary is not something He was ready to do whatever Rabbi Stern wanted. that is built and then left for the priests to manage. It cannot achieve its Josh became class gabbai; he frequented the Sterns’ purpose without the participation of the nation. home for Shabbos and even spent the Seder there. By the same token, the significance of each member of the nation, and the At the end of ninth grade, Rabbi Stern sent Josh to nation as a whole, is in deeds that serve to achieve the goal of the Mishkan, a a different yeshiva, where his needs would be met. But without his rebbi, Josh kept getting in trouble continued on reverse side and was expelled. He somehow made it through high school, and a cousin convinced him to give yeshivah another try. Josh enrolled in Chofetz Chaim in L.A. That year, the school went to Israel and Josh went ATA CHONEN: along. He never left. He eventually married a girl PRIORITIES OF SPIRIT from Bnei Brak, raised a wonderful family, and became the mashgiach of Yeshivas Slabodka! The first gift for which the Jew prays is spiritual wisdom. This Not long ago, Rabbi Shmuel Leizer Stern passed desire, which has been the secret of Jewish strength through away. Josh—Rav Yehoshua—came to be menachem centuries of suffering and exile, was implanted deep within the avel. “I have hundreds of talmidim,” he told the shiva consciousness of the Jewish soul as the very first request the Jew house. “I say shiurim on all miktzaos of halacha. I places before the Creator. Even on workdays, our first plea is not am involved with marital issues across Eretz Yisrael. for livelihood. This impresses the lesson upon us that even our And I owe it all to your father, who showed me what work must not be permitted to overshadow our spiritual needs. the life of an eved Hashem is all about.” The intense longing for spiritual energy always takes first place; to the Jew, to be a human being always means to strive toward Nothing can stop someone from maximizing his spiritual perfection.” potential and becoming great. Adapted from The World of Prayer by Rabbi Elie Munk (Feldheim) From our readers... Your newsletters are really good. - Avigdor P. L'zecher nishmas R' Yechezkel Shraga ben R' Yehuda • To sponsor a week, email [email protected] To receive this newsletter in your inbox each week, send an email to [email protected] Sanctuary for the Torah. THE LEGACY OF THE BAALEI TOSAFOS by Rabbi Dovid Sapirman, Dean, Ani Maamin Foundation The Sanctuary is not left to children, such that Rabbi Meir ben Shmuel was the husband of Rashi’s daughter Yocheved, and after reaching adulthood all of their energy the one to lay the foundation for the Tosafos movement. In his hometown of is devoted to pursuing a livelihood, with the Ramerupt, France, he opened a thriving yeshiva, where he authored the very egoism of manhood replacing the inspiration of first Tosafos commentary on the Talmud. Later, there would be numerous other versions, written by the Rishonim of the next 200 years. childhood. Rabbi Meir and Yocheved’s three sons were Rabbi Shmuel, Rabbi Yitzchak and The Jewish Sanctuary does not proclaim “Bring Rabbi Yaakov, known to us by their acronyms: Rashbam, Rivam, and Rabbeinu me the children”—it awaits the adults, their Tam. They continued their father’s work, and their Talmudic analysis would form the basis of the Rishonim for the next two centuries. vitality and seriousness. The Jewish Sanctuary Among the many great men who arose to lead the Jewish people after Rashi’s calls us to its service during the years when a death was the aforementioned Rabbeinu Tam, nicknamed “Tam” after our person starts to think about himself and begins forefather Yaakov Avinu. He was wealthy, having made his fortune in the wine to earn a living. A Jewish man attains manhood and finance industries. Rabbeinu Tam’s brilliance in Torah and skillfulness in leadership made him the head of the entire Jewish French community. His for the sake of the Torah; likewise, his thoughts insights are found on almost every page of the Tosafos commentary, and his and his endeavors for himself are to be for the name is still revered by all students of Gemara, even 850 years after his death. sake of the Torah. It is well known that there are two types of tefillin, Rashi’s and Rabbeinu Tam’s. They are identical except for the order in which the parchments are The pesukim of the kiyor remind the kohanim placed inside. When the Gemara says “kadesh and v’haya ki yeviacha from the who serve in the Sanctuary that they did not right, Shema and v’haya im shamoa from the left,” Rashi says this means the reach the honored position of their priesthood placement of the four parchments are 1-2-3-4. Rabbeinu Tam says it means the first two are placed from the right and the second two from the left, so that the through holy conduct or a holy way of life they placement is 1-2-4-3. This was an ancient machlokes from long before Rashi had already achieved. Rather, they officiate and Rabbeinu Tam. It was finally ruled in favor of Rashi—the roof of Yechezkel as emissaries of the nation, on the basis of Hanavi’s kever collapsed, and during repairs, tefillin were found corresponding to Rashi’s opinion. qualities they represent. They represent before The era of the Baalei Hatosafos lasted about 200 years. Although it was one the nation the sanctification of life that the of our most productive eras spiritually, it was also one of our most tragic— Torah requires of them. the years of the Crusades, and the beginning of blood libels. Many Jewish communities were attacked, and a large number of the Ba’alei Hatosafos were Through kiddush yadayim, the kohanim martyred al kiddush Hashem. The wild menace of anti-Semitism permeated acknowledge the supremacy of the Sanctuary’s the culture, and the population took full advantage. No Jew’s safety was guaranteed. The slightest provocation was enough to arouse wild mobs. ideals. Not on account of their own deeds and Nevertheless, the Torah progress made in those times is still felt until today in qualities do they merit to serve, but because batei midrash around the world. of their symbolic representation of the To be continued... requirements of the Sanctuary. What is the largest eagle in the world? The harpy eagle, sometimes referred to as the American harpy eagle, is a giant forest eagle. It is considered to be one of the largest and most powerful birds of prey in the world and is found in AMERICAN HARPY Mexico, through Central America, and as far south as Argentina, living in the upper canopies of the tropical rainforest. This fearsome bird has a very distinctive appearance, with its menacing, pale gray face and its double-crested crown. The feathers on its head rise into a prominent crest when the harpy eagle is alarmed or threatened. Adapted from Exploring the Wild World of Animals & Birds (Israel Bookshop Publications) To receive this newsletter in your inbox each week, send an email to [email protected] CREATED BY THE ANI MAAMIN FOUNDATION • Reinforcing the basics • Increasing passion • Deepening commitment.
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