Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemini 5773

(From the archives)

Shabbos in the Parasha Keep on praying for the Redemption

Introduction (1820-1930). For years they had communicated by mail and now a great crowd had gathered to witness the ויבא משה ואהרן אל אהל מועד ויצאו ויברכו Moshe meeting of these two great ,את העם וירא כבוד ה' אל כל העם and Aharon came to the Tent of luminaries. The crowd finally dispersed Meeting, and they went out and they and only the ’s attendant, Reb blessed the people – and the glory of Shalom, remained in the room where the HaShem appeared to the entire people two leaders were to meet. The Rebbe (Vayikra 9:23) gave his attendant a knowing glance and The Mishkan, the Tabernacle, which will Reb Shalom left the room. Unable to serve as the resting place for the Divine contain his curiosity, however, Reb Presence in the Wilderness, is ready to Shalom remained listening behind the be erected. The entire Jewish People is door, curious as to what would transpire anxiously waiting for a fire to descend in this fateful encounter. At first Reb from heaven, and this revelation would Shalom could not hear anything, and he reflect the love that HaShem had for assumed that the language barrier was them and would also demonstrate that preventing any communication, as the they had earned atonement for the sin of Rebbe only spoke and the great worshipping the Golden Calf. Kabbalist spoke in his native Hebrew. Unfortunately, it appears as if they have Finally the two settled on Hebrew as the waited in vain. The fire has not spoken language, and Reb Shalom heard descended, and they voiced their the Rebbe ask in a slow but urgent tone, complaint to Moshe. What could Moshe “tell me, please, when will the Messiah do that would satisfy their desire to have finally arrive to redeem us from this long the Divine Presence in their midst? exile?” The Saba Kadisha replied sadly, “there are those who are preventing the “Am I also preventing the redemption from occurring.” Reb Redemption from occurring?” Shalom listened eagerly for further conversation, but he could not hear The Munkatcher Rebbe, Reb Chaim anything. After a few moments he heard Elazar Shapiro (1872-1937) had finally the Rebbe crying and then through the arrived in for a historic tears, he was able to make out the meeting with the renowned Kabbalist, Rebbe’s muffled cry, “Am I also among Shlomo Eliezer Alfandri, known those who is preventing the as the Saba Kadisha, The Holy Elder

1 redemption?” The Rebbe’s sincere query bring us the Messiah and the long pierced Reb Shalom’s heart and awaited redemption. penetrates the hearts of the world over. Are we doing enough to bring the The Shabbos connection redemption? Throughout the week we anticipate the Redemption. On Shabbos, however, we Moshe prays for the Divine Presence feel that we are so close to redemption, to rest on the Mishkan as we recite in the Lecho Dodi prayer, Moshe was confronted by the Jewish karvah el nafshi gealah, draw near to my People’s disappointment that they had soul-redeem it! HaShem should give us not yet merited the Divine Presence to the strength to keep praying for rest on their new edifice. Rashi writes redemption, and in the merit of our that Aharon was also saddened by the Shabbos observance, he will surely fact that despite having offered all the redeem us, with the arrival of Moshiach necessary sacrifices to inaugurate the Tzidkeinu, speedily, in our days. Tabernacle, the Divine Presence had not yet appeared. Moshe then entered the Shabbos in the Zemiros Mishkan together with Aharon and they prayed that the Divine Presence should Eishes Chayil rest on the handiwork of the Jewish People. Immediately a fire went forth Composed by Shlomo HaMelech in from before HaShem and consumed Mishlei she ,סָדִין עָשְׂתָה, וַתִמְׂכֹּר וַחֲגֹור, נָתְׂנָה לַכְׂנַעֲנִי upon the Altar the burnt-offerings and the fats; the people saw and rejoiced at makes a cloak and sells it, and delivers a the revelation of HaShem’s Presence in belt to the peddler. This verse alludes to their midst. the requirement that one make the beds and sets the table prior to the onset of We must keep praying for the Ultimate Redemption Shabbos. Furthermore, the word sadin, when applying mispar katan, digit sum, We are constantly praying for the can be broken down as follows: 6-4-1-5, Redemption, and at times we may and by adding these numbers, equal 16. wonder if there is something more that The number 16 is a composite of 1 and we need to do to hasten its arrival. In 6, which totals 7, alluding to Shabbos, truth, however, just as Moshe did for the the seventh day of the week. The word Jewish People in the Wilderness, we vatimkor can be read vatimgor, from the must keep praying to HaShem to bring idea of dwelling, as the letters kaf and the Redemption. HaShem revealed gimmel are interchangeable (see Rashi Himself to the Jewish People then, and to Bereishis 49:5). It is said veshamru He will certainly answer our prayers and bnei yisroel es HaShabbos laasos es HaShabbos ledorosam bris olam, the

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Children of shall observe the converting, except one thing stopped Shabbos, to make the Shabbos an eternal him from taking this drastic step - the covenant for their generations. The warmth of the Chofetz Chaim’s coat. states that the word ledorosam can be read as lederosam, for their dwelling The doctor explained that when he was places, implying that Shabbos is a state still a boy, he learned in Radin, and one of permanency. Thus, in our verse we cold night he fell asleep on a bench in can suggest that when Shabbos arrives, the shul. Suddenly, he was aroused from one can experience a permanency even his sleep, and he saw an elderly man in this world, as the Gemara states that standing above him, removing his coat Shabbos is one sixtieth of the World to and covering him and providing him Come. with some much-needed warmth. Later, he realized that the elderly man was the Shabbos in Tefillah Chofetz Chaim. The doctor added, “This coat warms me until this day, and this is HaShem’s greatness is found next to what keeps me from converting.” (Shaal His humility Avicha Veyegadcha) (www.Revach.net)

Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh HaShem A Worthwhile Meddling Tzivakos milo chol haaretz kivodo, Holy, Recently, I had the privilege of meeting holy, holy is HaShem, Master of Rabbi Rafael Grossman, Rabbi of the Legions, the whole world is filled with West Side Institutional in His glory. One aspect of this verse is the Manhattan and the Senior Rabbi idea that HaShem is holy beyond our Emeritus of Baron Hirsch Congregation understanding, and nonetheless, His in Memphis, the largest Orthodox glory fills the earth, i.e. the lowly earth congregation in America. Rabbi where human beings reside. This idea is Grossman is a brilliant scholar and an parallel to the Gemara (Megillah 31a) excellent speaker, with a wealth of that states: wherever you find the precious stories from his fascinating greatness of the Holy One, Blessed is life’s many experiences. I took him to He, there you find His humility. visit Migdal Ohr and spent several Shabbos Stories enjoyable hours with him. The following fantastic story is one of many I heard Warmed By The Coat from him during the trip. Many years ago, a prominent member of Rabbi Rav Moshe Schneider once met a Grossman’s congregation invited the renowned doctor who had not only Rabbi to spend Shabbos with him in the veered off the path of Yiddishkeit, but King David Hotel in Jerusalem. fiercely opposed Yiddishkeit as well. Suddenly, the Rabbi heard a commotion The doctor told R' Schneider that he in the streets below his hotel room. would have no hesitations about Looking out the window he could see a

3 group of Chassidic fellows screaming a tzaddik?” the Chassid asked in “Shabbos” at a cab driver, who was exasperation. “According to his frame of yelling back at them, at least as loudly. mind,” explained the Rabbi, “he is a Rabbi Grossman was afraid that the tzaddik.” He does not understand the demonstration might get violent, and Torah as we do, and he thinks he is declared that he must go down and doing a .” “Well, we have to intervene. His wife suggested that he just explain to him that what he is doing is a butt out of a situation which he probably very big aveira (sin),” insisted the could not help improve anyway. But the Chassid. “Yes, you are right,” agreed the kind hearted Rabbi insisted that it was Rabbi. But this is not at all the way to his religious and moral duty to at least ‘explain’ it to him. King Shlomo said, try. By the time Rabbi Grossman arrived ‘The words of wise men are heard in on the scene, he found that the cab driver quiet more than the shouting of him who was being accosted by a particularly rules among fools’ (Koheles 9:17). I vocal Chassid who looked like he was have a suggestion. Tomorrow, I am about to deliver blows to the Sabbath having the Shabbos meal at the Plaza violator. On the other end, the cab driver Hotel. Why don’t both of you and your seemed quite ready to return every families come and join me as my guests? punch he would suffer. The Rabbi We can all get to know each other better stationed himself between the two and and share our ideas with each other.” asked what in the world was going on. And with that the Rabbi returned to his The Chassid stated simply that this man room. When the Rabbi told his wife was violating the Holy Shabbos in the what had happened, she asked how the midst of the Holy City of Jerusalem. two parties had responded to his Oddly, the cab driver replied that he suggestion. “They both laughed at me,” sends his children to religious schools, he said. “So what did you accomplish by which charge a hefty tuition, rather than making a fool out of yourself?” she send them to free public schools. In asked. “I prevented two Jews from order to give them a religious education, hitting each other,” he replied. “That he said, he must work on Shabbos. alone was enough of an accomplishment Similarly, in order to buy more for me.” The next day, while eating his expensive, kosher food products for his Shabbos meal, Rabbi Grossman was family, he must work on the Holy Day. amazed to see a familiar man enter the Rabbi Grossman exclaimed that the dining room with his wife and children. driver was a tzaddik (a righteous man). It was none other than the cab driver he The Chassid was overwhelmed and had met the night before. He quickly asked the Rabbi if he, himself, was called them over to his table where the religious. “I happen to be a Rabbi,” he young children declared that they had responded. “Then how can you possibly never seen so much food before and did declare that a public Sabbath violator is not know where to begin eating (they

4 decided to start with the cake). But Shabbos in Navi Rabbi Grossman and his wife were even more overwhelmed when, a few minutes Shmuel II Chapter 2 later, the Chassid came in too, with his wife and children! They all sat together On Shabbos we put aside our at the same table and got to know each differences and show each other love other. The women, in particular, became In this chapter we learn how Dovid was very friendly. The driver's wife had a declared ruler over the people of successful business selling tichels Yehudah while Avner ben Ner made Ish (woman’s kerchiefs) and, after Shabbos, Boshes, son of Shaul, the ruler over she introduced the Chassid’s wife to her Yisroel. Avner and Yoav staged a dual supplier and she began selling them too. between their men and many of the men To make a long story short, the families died as the fighting got out of hand and became quite friendly and kept in touch culminated in tragedy. Asahel the son of with Rabbi Grossman. The cab driver Tzeruyah then chased after Avner and became more and more religious, and Avner killed Asahel. It is always the Chassid became more and more troubling to read in Tanach how Jews tolerant as his wife's business thrived killed each other. While it is difficult to too. After several years had passed, they understand how great leaders of the informed the Rabbi that their children Jewish People reflected hatred towards were becoming engaged to each other! each other, to the point of allowing their Eventually, they married, and moved to hatred to lead to bloodshed, we must the US were they are presently very remember that Shabbos is a day of successfully involved in kiruv; reaching peace. Thus, we should strive to sanctify out to non-religious brothers and sisters this Holy Day and allow it to be free of and, in a mild-mannered, understanding strife and we should only show love and loving fashion, bringing them closer towards our fellow Jews. to Torah-true . [Reprinted with permission from the Shema Yisrael Shabbos in Agadah Torah Network. For information on subscriptions, archives, and other Shema No demons on Shabbos Yisroel classes, send email to The Gemara (Megillah 3a) states that [email protected]] one is prohibited from greeting someone with the word shalom at night because we are concerned that perhaps the one he is greeting is a demon. We can suggest that for this reason we greet the ministering angels on Friday night with the recital of Shalom Aleichem, as we

5 are confident that they are good angels recite the words (Ibid 95:10) arbaim and not demons. shanah akut bidor vaomar am toei levav heim viheim lo yadu derachai, for forty Shabbos in Halacha years I was angry with the generation; then I said, “An errant-hearted people Insulating a pot on the blech are they, and they know not My ways.” Although nowadays it is not common to It is said (Mishlei 21:2) kol derech ish store food in materials such as salt, peat, yashar bieinav visochein libos HaShem, lime, sand, wet cotton, grass or straw, a man’s every way is upright in his eyes; there are several common application but HaShem resides inside his heart. regarding this prohibition. A pot that one Shabbos is a propitious time for one to wrapped in a towel and left on the blech straighten the paths, and to arrive at a or hot plate is deemed to be insulated in state where his mind is at ease and he is a heat-intensifying material as the towel accountable for his actions. combines with the heat below to allow This week’s question is: The Medrash the temperature of the pot to rise. Thus, (Bereishis Rabbah 11:8) states that one is prohibited from wrapping Shabbos complained to HaShem that completely a pot left on the blech or hot every day has a mate and only Shabbos plate, even if this was done on Erev does not have a mate. Hashem Shabbos. responded that the Jewish People will be Shabbos Challenge Question your mate. The question is, why did Shabbos not have a mate? Shabbos could Shabbos Challenge Question have been the mate of the sixth day, similar to the fact that the fifth day was Last week we posed the question: why deemed to be the mate of the sixth day. do we mention in the first Perek of If you have a possible answer, please Kabbalas Shabbos that the Jewish email me at People are an errant-hearted people that [email protected] and do not know HaShem’s ways? The Pinei your answer will be posted in next Menachem writes that one must prepare week’s edition of Shabbos: Ta’am for Shabbos. To attain true spiritual HaChaim. perceptions on Shabbos, one must have good character. On Shabbos one can attain the levels of nefesh, ruach, and neshamah. It is for this reason that prior to Shabbos we recite the chapter in Tehillim (107:4) where it is said tau vamidbar bishimon darech, they wandered in the wilderness, in the desolation of the path. Furthermore, we

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Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim Shemini Lakewood to learn with Rav Aharon 5773 Kotler for 9 years (1943-1952). As a married man, he moved back to the East Is sponsored in memory of: Side and taught at Rabbeinu Yaakov Yosef (RJJ) for over 20 years. Rav Dan of Radvil (1838) After his father was niftar in 1968, he replaced him as Rav of Adas Yisrael. In Rav Chaim Halberstam of , author 1973, he also became administrator of of Divrei Chaim (1793-1876), founder of Ezras Torah and made out the checks for נפטרו כ"ו ניסן, זכר צדיקים .the Sanzer Chasidus. Born in Tarnograd, all the yungeleit וקדושים לברכה, זכותם יגינו עלינו ועל כל ישראל Poland. At the age of 18, he was לטובה appointed Rav of the small town of Rudnick, where he became a close talmid of Rav Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz. ______In 1830, he became Rav of Sanz Have a wonderful Shabbos (Tzanz), where he stayed for 46 years. He had 15 children, including Rav Prepared by Rabbi Binyomin Adler. Yechezkel of Shinov. His third son, Rav Meir Nosson, died of an epidemic at an For sponsorships please call 248-506- early age; his only son was Rav Shloime, 0363 who would become the first Bobover Rebbe. Another scion of Sanz, Rav To subscribe weekly by email, please Yekusiel Yehuda Halberstam, the email Klausenberger Rav, has erected several [email protected] towns, yeshivos, and a modern medical center in Israel, as well as yeshivos in View Shabbos: Ta’am HaChaim and New Jersey and New York. The Sanz other Divrei Torah on Chassidim have a yichus document www.doreishtov.wordpress.com showing how they are descended via the Maharal of Prague from Rav Yosef I of Rome and back to King Dovid.

Rav Moshe Ulman (1899), author of ShU”T Yerios Shlomo.

Rav Nachum Tzvi (ben Kalman Avraham) Goldberg (1922-2006). Born to the Rav of Vasilkov, he moved with the family to America in 1926. As a bachur, he learned with Rav Shlomo Heiman for 5 years, then moved to

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