Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi

Volume 5 Number 42 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Parshat Bo: Investing With Interest Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles In Parshat Bo, Hashem tells Moshe to speak explains that if a non -Jewish slave decides to of living to sanctify His name. The exalted to the elders, “Slaughter the Pesach offering convert to Judaism and while he immerses in message of Korbon Pesach and milah is that a and dip the hyssops in blood and touch the the mikvah he says, “I’m not immersing to Jew must be ready at all times and all lintels of the doorpost… and you shall remain a slave but to be a free person,” then circumstances to live and die for the Almighty’s observe this matter as a decree for yourself he becomes free. Therefore the sages say that name. This is the chok olam, the eternal and for your children forever.” The Shivelei at the moment of his immersion, his master covenant of the Jewish people with Hashem. Pinchas asks, we don’t put blood on our doors should command him to do something so that anymore, how is this a decree forever? We he will continue to be enslaved. Most of us are enslaved to society. We do read in the Hagadah, “V’at urum v’erya,”-You whatever we have to do, but we don’t push were unclothed. We had no mitzvot to merit Similarly the Exodus was our moment of ourselves. We’re comfortable where we’re at. redemption. Therefore Hashem gave us the national immersion. Our avdut to Pharoah But if all we’re satisfied with is the external, blood of korbon Pesach and milah. And He would be transformed, as we became servants then it’s like we’re unclothed. The blood of said, “By your blood you shall live.” The to Hashem through the mitzvot of milah and milah and korbon Pesach is about effort and Targum Yonoson says the two bloods were korbon Pesach. The chok olam was accepting exertion. We have to push ourselves beyond mixed together . What is the connection the yoke of Hashem forever. Why were these that to live on Hashem’s terms. There’s a between these two mitzvot? two mitzvot chosen? The Gemara says, “Zot larger picture. If a person doesn’t try at least HaTorah Adam ki yamus b’ohel,” (Torah will once a day to rise above a middah that is Milah and korbon Pesach are the only two endure in the person who is ready to give his difficult for him then it’s as if he’s living on positive mitzvot which if one can do them and life for Hashem.) There’s the idea of living and automatic pilot. Payment for a mitzvah is doesn’t, one bears the punishment of kareis. dying for the sake of His Name. When the calculated on a gradual scale. Every aspect Korbon Pesach was the first mitzvah we did Jews sacrificed the paschal lamb, the deity of counts. actively as a nation. Milah was the first the Egyptians, they demonstrated a willing- Take on a small kabbalah, even something you mitzvah given to the first Jew. These two ness to die for His name. Likewise when a already do that you could do better. When we mitzvot represent the lifeblood and the father circumcises his child which entails pain change the quality of even one middah it foundation of Judaism. The Bnei Yissachor and suffering, he instills in his soul that aspect leaves a lasting effect. The Mussar Revolution: The Greatness of Man-Slabadoka Part 1 Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Hanoch Teller In Yiddish, Alter means the old man or the give us your last message.” He answered, “Be prince, you’ll have to give an accounting of grandfather, because in a mussar yeshiva the careful with your friend’s honor.” Similarly, why you didn’t act the part. The Gra taught mashgiach was so intimately involved with the Rashi says that Bilaam’s donkey was killed to that one is responsible not only for one’s sins students that he was more like a grandfather protect his feelings. The donkey heard but also for the good that one didn’t do in that than a teacher. The Alter of Slabodaka, Rav Hashem’s word while Bilaam did not. Although time. That’s depth of judgment. In Mussaf Nosson Tzvi Finkel, was a master in cultivat- he was a lowly evil man, Hashem worried for Rosh Hashana we say, “The remembrance of ing the potential of his students. He taught his honor. How much more so should we be every created thing passes before you, the that a Jew is so sublime and lofty, how could careful to respect every Jew. deeds of a man and his appointed task.” Man he sin. If he had the proper image of himself, is judged on two levels, his actions and how he knowing what he was and could be, he would The Alter understood each of his student’s fulfilled the mission he was created for. The realize that sinning was beneath him. This is a abilities and potential and he would tweak and Alter and his students sought to emulate fundamental principle in raising children too. fine tune it, until they would achieve their Hashem’s ways of altruistic kindness. Human Let the misbehaving child know, not that he maximum. He would set high goals for himself nature is to automatically ask, “What it’s in for did something wrong, but that you’re and his students and would constantly engage me. How can I gain?” Chesed is putting the disappointed in him. You expected something in educational exercises. At one time he other person first. It’s stretching oneself higher. The Alter taught, “B’tzelem Elokim appointed spies in the yeshiva to report to him beyond one’s comfort zone to help another bara oso,”-Man was created in Hashem’s if anyone was doing something positive. In this Jew. image. Every person has latent spiritual way, he sought to actualize the inherent powers waiting to be actualized. greatness within each student. The school of Slabadoka produced giants of Mussar who later went on to hold leading Rav Chaim Ozer would say that the Shem The Alter taught three central lesson, gadlut positions in the Torah world. Among them Havaya, the signature of the Artist, is hidden ha’adam, omek hadin, and chesed. If you have were, Rav Lezer Yudel Finkel, Rav Henkin and in every Jew, even the garbage collector. an image of who you are, you’ll live up to it. Rav Kamenetzky, who left an indelible imprint We’re all children of Hashem and everyone is You can’t think like a prince and then act like a on the Torah world. deserving of proper respect. The Gemara tells hoodlum. That was gadlut h’adam. If you’re a how when Rav Elazar Hagadol was on his deathbed, his students implored him, “Rebbe

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Volume 5 Number 42 Brought to you by Naaleh.com

Netivot Olam II-Sprouts of Redemption Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rebbetzin Tzipora Heller The Gemara says that each of the forefathers middah was truth and mercy. This is seeing the mankind will be included in our vision. The beit called the place of the beit hamikdash by a whole picture, both the challenges, the hamikdash will speak to all possibilities. different name. To Avraham it was a har negativity, and the pain, and then filling the (mountain), to Yitzchak, a sadeh (field), and to empty place with goodness and kindness. We will recognize our Elokut, our potential for Yaakov a bayit (house). Rabbi Elazar teaches Yaakov saw more than Avraham and Yitzchak. wholeness and peace. When a person that the third beit hamikdash will be similar to He called the beit hamikdash, bayit, a place of mourns they’re silent, there’s nothing to say. Yaakov's experience. Chazal say that a man’s absolute attachment. It was there that one When the beit hamikdash will be rebuilt we’ll wife is his home. She forms what he brings could see Hashem’s caring and compassion express our highest selves. Speech comes forth into something tangible, real, and eternal and remove the evil within to make place for from the mind while song comes from the soul. and in this way she becomes her husband’s kindness. It touches the part of us that yearns. The connection to reality. Likewise the beit sages say that the third beit hamikdash will hamikdash was where Hashem’s presence It says that in the future there will be a river sing shira and each person will respond with manifested itself in the lower world. that will flow from the Holies of Holies. their own unique chorus. Allegorically, this means that when Mashiach Avraham called the beit hamikdash, har. He comes man’s inner longing for spiritual wisdom When the beit mikdash stood, people felt the recognized Hashem’s great kindness, the and connection will bubble forth like a stream. song not only in their minds and bodies but in intricacy of His divine mind, His creativity and It’s hard for us to yearn for the beit hamikdash their hearts. Every village and city sent continual giving. Yitzchak’s middah was din, because we never experienced it. We’ve had representatives and as their sacrifices were the ability to draw lines and make borders. He moments of inspiration, when we’ve sacrificed offered, the people would gather and pray. The understood that in order to bring Elokut something of ourselves and felt that inner beit hamikdash was always a part of our (divine reality) into the world one must battle attachment to Hashem’s will. But when the beit identity. On an objective level, it’s conceivable evil by saying no with the same force and hamikdash will be built, we’ll feel Hashem’s that we can’t be who we want to be without it. higher consciousness as one must say yes to love for us constantly. We’ll see what is highest We’re drawn to point out all the imperfections Hashem’s will. He called the beit hamikdash and greatest and most admirable within in the world because of our deep need for sadeh, a field, because just as it must be ourselves and the world. When the previous tikun. When the beit hamikdash will be rebuilt, flattened and turned over in order to plant, so beit mikdash stood, the nations didn’t come there will be a place for rectification and for too must we remove evil in order to create a consistently. It was primarily a place where expressing what is deep and eternal within us. space where kedusha can live. Yaakov’s Jews served Hashem. But in the future, all of

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visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 2