פרשת כי תבוא ט״ז אלול תש״פ BEFORE HE CAN TALK Emunah With Hearts Full of Love At the based on talks of Rav Matisyahu Salomon, adapted by Yaakov Yosef Reinman 5780 SEPTEMBER 5, 2020 Rav writes in a teshuvah (Yoreh De’ah the child is able to recognize his ISSUE #7 ShabbosTable RABBI YITZCHOK 3:76) that the most important part of chinuch is to teach a parents and differentiate between WEEKLY INSPIRATION AND INSIGHT ADAPTED FROM CLASSIC ARTSCROLL TITLES HISIGER, EDITOR DESIGN & LAYOUT: child emunah. He advises the parents to tell him consis- them, you can and should start THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER IS DEDICATED ANONYMOUSLY IN HONOR OF OUR AMAZING BOYS AND GIRLS BACK IN SCHOOL, MAKING KLAL YISROEL PROUD. AVIVA KOHN tently that everything he receives is a gift from the Ribo- talking to him about the Ribono

no Shel Olam and that they are only delivering it for Him. Shel Olam. You have to let him know that the Ribono When you give the child something good, you should Shel Olam lives in the home with the family, though we Parashah THEY WILL REACH YOU say to the child, “Do you why you’re getting this? Because cannot see Him. You have to tell him that the Ribono Rabbi Frand on the Parashah by Rabbi Yissocher Frand the Ribono Shel Olam gave this to me so that I should give Shel Olam is everywhere and that He takes care of the ּובָאּועָלֶ יָך לּכָ הַּבְרָ כֹות הָאֵ הּלֶ וְהִּׂשִ יגָֻך. it to you. Say thank you to the Ribono Shel Olam.” If you entire world. You have to tell him about the Ribono Shel And all these blessings will come upon you, and they will reach you. (28:2) do this, writes Rav Moshe, the child will develop a natu- Olam’s goodness and kindness and that everything we ral love for the Ribono Shel Olam and for you as well, be- have we get from Him. If you start when the child is The blessings of the Torah seem to do two what Hashem has done cause you are His messengers. Then his love will inspire very young, his knowledge of the Ribono Shel Olam and things. They come upon you, and they also for you. Only if they pen- him to do whatever the Ribono Shel Olam wants him to His middos will be as natural to his view of the world as reach you. Further along (28:15), we find simi- etrate, if “they reach you,” do, and you will rarely need to discipline him. the sun shining in the sky. When a child is brought up lar language regarding curses: “And all these will you be considered truly blessed. Then Rav Moshe writes something amazing. He this way, his chinuch in berachos will be really meaning- curses will come upon you, and they will reach The Beis Av applies this line of reasoning to says that although Chazal established a proper time ful. He will understand that he is thanking the Ribono you.” The commentators wonder what the To- curses, as well. What good does it do if Hash- for chinuch in each particular mitzvah, there is no time Shel Olam, Whom he has known from before his ear- rah adds by telling us that the blessings or the em sends a person hard-ships or difficulties to frame for chinuch in the mitzvah of emunah. It can start liest memories. He will feel as attached to the Ribono curses “will reach you.” How is this different gain his attention and the message goes right even before a child knows how to speak. As soon as Shel Olam as he is to his parents. from they “will come upon you”? by him? What if his car keeps breaking down The Torah tells us (Vayikra 26:5), “And you every other day and it never occurs to him that

continued from page 1 will eat your bread and be satisfied.” Rashi, Hashem is gently reminding him to do some life passes in front of your eyes at a real tight, if you know what I mean.” quoting the Toras Kohanim, explains that “you soul-searching? If he does not hear the mes- We’re like buddies. You see, here I time like that, but I was too scared to Rav Noach nodded gravely. will eat only a small piece of bread and it will be was riding down this mountain road notice. Hey, I was going to die! And “Terrific story, my friend,” he said. blessed within you.” That little piece of bread YOU WILL NOT BE on my Harley Davidson and this will provide an enormous amount of nourish- as I’m falling down the cliff, I see a “The Lord definitely put that tree monster truck comes around a hair- branch sticking out of the moun- ment. In this way, you will “be satisfied.” TRULY BLESSED IF YOU branch right there to save you. pin turn - in my lane! - heading right tainside. I grabbed it and hung on The Beis Av points out that the blessing is But tell me, who sent that monster ARE DISSATISFIED AND at me. I spun my bike to the left, and for dear life. My bike crashed all the “you will be satisfied”; you will appreciate the next thing you know, I was over the way down and exploded in a big ball truck that drove you off the road? blessing of the bread, and it will satisfy your DO NOT APPRECIATE cliff! There was nothing in front of of fire, but I walked away without a Maybe the Lord was trying to tell mind. That is the ultimate blessing - to receive WHAT HASHEM HAS the benefit and be aware of it. Sometimes, me but empty space. I was looking scratch. That’s how I know,” he con- you something. Maybe He was Hashem showers a person with all manner DONE FOR YOU. at death, man. They say your whole cluded, “that me and the Lord are sending you a message.” of blessing – health, a fine family, abundant wealth – and still the person is not satisfied. sage, Hashem may need to send him a more Watch a fascinating interview with What good are these blessings to him if they explicit one, such as illness in the family. It is do not satisfy him? Rashi writes (Avos 4:1) that a much better if “they reach him” right away. bestselling author and speaker person can be the richest of the rich, but if he is Rav Noach Weinberg once met a longhaired dissatisfied, he is no better off than the poorest Jewish boy and invited him to his yeshivah. Rabbi Paysach Krohn of the poor. On the other hand, a person can “I don’t need a yeshivah,” the boy said. “The at artscroll.com/insideartscroll have just a little bit, but if he is satisfied with it, Lord and I are real tight. Like this!” He twisted he is blessed. his index and middle fingers together. Also available: Interviews with This is what the Torah means by the words “How do you know that you and the Lord Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz/Rabbi Yisroel Besser, Rabbi Meyer “they will reach you.” Even if all the blessings are like this,’ as you say?” asked Rav Noach. Yedid, Rabbi David Sutton, and Rabbi Yaakov Feitman “come upon you,” you will not be truly bless- “Hey, it’s clear as the day. The Lord loves me ed if you are dissatisfied and do not appreciate and takes care of me.

© ARTSCROLL MESORAH PUBLICATIONS • 1-800-MESORAH • WWW.ARTSCROLL.COM MESORAH ARTSCROLL continued on page 4 PUBLICATIONS 4 To receive the weekly ArtScroll Shabbos Newsletter, visit www.artscroll.com/newsletter 1 AN END UNTO ITSELF Chinuch Faith A Life of Bitachon by Rabbi Yitzchak Dwek THIS NEEDS TO BE SAID Corner From the bestselling biography of Rabbi Dovid Trenk, Just Love Them, by Rabbi Yisroel Besser Many people say that they want to learn about and To the next one he said, “I’ll bring you Rabbi Dovid Trenk attended everyone around you, your gutz- telling him have . But what they really want is what they bitachon back a nice toy,” and this child, too, was the bar mitzvah of a boy who was keit… I don’t understand why they how he gain as a result of having bitachon. calmed. The next daughter was already known to be mischievous, some- didn’t ask me to speak, Chaim…” would have Those who think bitachon is a means to an end are a bit older, so he told her, “I’ll get you a what challenging at home and Rabbi Trenk would often get to rise up greatly mistaken. beautiful dress from America.” At this, in school. The speakers at the bar up to speak at simchos unasked, to the oc- There’s no question that is the source of all bitachon the girl began to smile. Finally, he told his oldest daughter, mitzvah spoke only about potential, feeling that no one had paid casion and kinds of abundance and blessing from Heaven, but bi- “I’ll bring you back whatever you want. Just tell me what it pointing to the success of his old- proper tribute to the baalei sim- continue in his father’s way. Un- is much more than that. tachon is.” His words seemed not to have any effect on the girl, who er brothers — model students, all chah. “No one asked me to speak,” asked, Rabbi Trenk jumped up means living with Hashem. Bitachon continued crying. “Abba,” she said, “I just want you. I don’t of them — as proof. The bar mitz- his voice would ring out, and he after one hesped and gave a der- One may not say that he keeps because he Shabbos want anything else!” vah boy, pained by their inability might jump on a chair or bench, ashah of his own. wants a day of rest, although it is true that it’s a restful The in says, “ Mishnah Avos Al tihiyu ka’avadim hame- to find a single nice thing to say “but this needs to be said…” In his “The niftar had a zechus. What a ּ day. Rather, we keep Shabbos because it’s a mitzvah, and shamshin es harav al menas lekabel p’ras - Do not be like about him, slipped off the dais and own family as well, when speak- special young man he left behind! by abstaining from work, we are attesting that Hashem servants who work only to receive a reward.” One who went to play in the lobby with his ing, he would mention the bar What a great boy! I know how he created the world. friends. Rabbi Trenk noticed and mitzvah boy’s siblings, celebrating learns, how he davens… His father Imagine that a man goes to buy a diamond from Tiffa- WE SHOULD NOT BE TRYING followed him outside. each one before climaxing with was so proud of him, and he is so ny’s for $100,000. Of course, they give him a beautiful box TO ATTAIN BITACHON AS Standing in the middle of the the bar mitzvah bachur, making proud of him, and he will be so in which to keep his diamond. Someone sees him carrying lobby, his loud voice echoing off sure that no one was made to feel proud of him.” the box and asks, “How much did that box cost?” He replies, A WAY TO ACHIEVE A the walls, Rabbi Trenk called out, good at the expense of another. Rabbi Trenk hugged the new “It was $100,000.” But that’s not true. The box didn’t cost STRESS-FREE LIFE. “Chaim, Chaim, why didn’t they And it wasn’t only at simchos. orphan and sat down, his message $100,000. The diamond did. ask me to speak about you? I could A young Lakewood father complete. The main thing is not what we receive from Hash- have told them about your gesh- passed away suddenly, and Rabbi Trenk understood the power em; that’s like the box. Rather, the diamond is our bond works on to achieve a life of serenity through bitachon mak for life, your varmkeit and the levayah was painful and of the spoken word. We must always with Hashem. faith is, in truth, serving , in order al menas lekabel p’ras strength… I would have spoken heart-wrenching. Speaker af- be sure that we are using our speech to receive a reward. Rabbi Nissim Yagen zt”l would illustrate this concept about how loyal you are to your ter speaker addressed the son of to raise people up, encouraging them, We should not be performing the as a way with a personal story: Rabbi Yagen would travel to America mitzvos friends and how you take care of the niftar, a struggling teenager, and inspiring them. for a month at a time to raise funds for his yeshivah and for to earn reward from Hashem. We should not be trying his kiruv network. One time, as he was preparing to depart, to attain bitachon as a way to achieve a stress-free life. his children began to cry: “Abba, we don’t want you to leave.” Rather, we should work on bitachon because we long THE KOSHER MEAL They understood that he would be away for a while and it for closeness with Hashem. In Tehillim (73:28), it states, Sensitivity Rav Gifter by Rabbi Yechiel Spero was painful for them to see him go. Rabbi Yagen tried his “Kirvas Elokim li tov – G-d’s nearness is my good.” We best to calm them. He told the youngest child, “I’ll get you a want a kesher, a relationship with Hashem. Bitachon is Rav was once traveling to Cleveland asked me to give you his meal!” special candy from America,” and the little girl was happy. actually an end and a purpose in itself. with his rebbetzin. Rav Gifter was waiting for his flight at The young man was stunned. LaGuardia Airport in New York City when he noticed Rav Gifter had noticed him? that there was a bachur who wanted to board the plane, And thought about him? He Gratitude THE BEST HOTEL but he did not have a confirmed reservation. Only if there went over to the rosh yeshivah “Let There Be Rain” by Rabbi Shimon Finkelman and Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein was a seat available after everyone had boarded would he and thanked him profusely for be able to board as a “standby” passenger. his gesture. Collecting his thoughts, he said, “The rosh The late Kossover Rebbe of home and suffered from a variety of [i.e., this world] Fortunately for the young man, there was a seat yeshivah doesn’t have to give up his supper because of Yerushalayim was renowned for painful maladies.I would visit him for some eighty available and he boarded the plane. A meal would be me. I will be okay; it’s a short flight to Cleveland.” his hachnasas orchim and other from time to time and always found years and the served on the flight, but the young man had not made Rav Gifter’s answer was classic. He began in his in- acts of kindness. He related the him smiling and appearing quite Innkeeper has a reservation, so there was no kosher meal for him. imitable firm voice, “Yungerman, I am going home to following: content. never charged Nevertheless, midway through the flight, the flight at- Cleveland with my rebbetzin. No matter how late we get “I knew an elderly Jew whose life “Once, when he was hospitalized me rent. He pro- tendant brought him a kosher meal. He was surprised back, she will make sure that I do not go to sleep with- story was exceedingly sad. He was due to illness, I could not help but vides me with all my needs. The and said, “I am not really entitled to this meal; it must out supper. But you, by the time you get to the yeshivah, childless, his wife had passed away, comment that I was impressed by one thing that I can give Him in re- be someone else’s. I did not order a kosher meal, as I supper will have been served long ago and you will be he had no extended family, and in his cheerful demeanor. He respond- turn is to smile and show that I am was not even sure I would be on this flight.” without food for the night. I did not want that to hap- his last years he lived in a nursing ed: ‘You know, I’ve lived in this hotel satisfied with the service!’” “Oh, that’s okay,” she replied. “The rabbi up front pen, so ess gezunterheit.” 2 3