Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi

Volume 3 Number 44 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Parshat Shemot: Fundamentals of Hashem’s Chesed Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Hershel Reichman The midrash says that at the time of the basis. Otherwise it’s misplaced. The Jewish When Moshe asked Paro to release the Jews, exodus, the Jewish people were at the 49th people were at the 49th level of impurity. Yet at he increased their suffering. Moshe level of impurity. They didn’t deserve to be their deepest core, they were still holy. complained to Hashem, “Why did you send redeemed. Yet Hashem appeared to Moshe Hashem understood that this inner spark me?” Hashem responded enigmatically, “Now and said He would take them out of the land. would emerge after the redemption. In exile, you will see that Paro will send them out and I Rabbe Yochanan maintains that the angel they were spiritually and physically enslaved. will redeem them.” Why did He send Moshe on Michael was the angel who delivered G-d’s All they could think about was surviving. a failed mission? message because he represents chesed Therefore, Hashem sent the angel Gavriel who (kindness). Rabbe Chanina disagrees and symbolized strict justice to punish the When Moshe first came, the Jews’ hopes were says it was the angel Gavriel who signifies din Egyptians. When the Jews could finally raised. They began to think that perhaps they (judgment). breathe freely, their latent holiness rose to the would be redeemed. But when Paro rejected surface. Moshe’s request, they reverted back to their The Shem Mishmuel explains that the Jewish old ways. There was a seeming accusation in people were in fact redeemed with both Hashem created the world with a combination heaven. Perhaps the Jews weren’t worthy to chesed and din. They didn’t deserve to be of din and chesed. At first there was din. be redeemed. When Moshe said, “You are saved. Hashem acted beyond logic with Hashem put limits upon himself (tzimzum) to preventing the nation from serving Hashem,” beneficence, much like a father’s instinctual make space for the world to come into Paro countered, “Who is Hashem that I should love for his son. Although the angels didn’t existence. Then he poured forth his chesed. listen to him?” Then the mission changed from protest during the exodus, they did put up an Similarly, the exodus was a kind of creation redeeming the Jews to defending the honor of argument at the Red Sea. At that time, ex-nihilo. A holy nation arose from a band of Hashem’s name. This was the basis of chesed transformed into din. The angels shattered slaves. Chesed, Hashem’s generos- Hashem’s chesed. objected, “Both the Jews and the Eyptians ity, took us out of the 49th level and brought us worship idols, why are you preferring the to Sinai. This will also be the foundation of the future Jews?” The Jews needed to be worthy of the redemption. It may very well be that the Jews miracles, and indeed Hashem waited until The Shem Mishumel notes that the exodus will won’t deserve to be redeemed, but Hashem they jumped into the sea before he split the be a model for the future redemption. It too will will perform miracles for the sake of His name. waters. Once they deserved the miracles, the be a melding of chesed and din. Hashem waits At the end of Avinu Malkeinu, we say “Asei attribute of din was activated in their favor. for us to be worthy. When we repent, we will imanu tzedaka va’chesed.” Please perform for be redeemed immediately. us justice and kindness. Even chesed has to have some reasonable Hilchot Shabbat: Havdalah Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Shimon Isaacson

There is a disagreement among the Rishonim is d'rabbanan, women are still obligated The Biur Halacha questions whether a woman whether havdalah is d’orayta or d’rabbanan. because it was meant by the sages to be a should say the blessing of Bori meorei haish The majority of Rishonim rule that it is part of the mitzvah of kiddush. The Mishna since it is essentially a mitzvah of motzai d’orayta. Are woman obligated in havdalah? Is Berura cites the Bach who asks, if the Orchot Shabbat which women aren’t obligated in. havdalah a mitzvah of Shabbat or of motzai Chaim is correct and woman aren’t obligated Therefore, it may be an interruption between Shabbat? why can’t they make Havdalah anyway? In fact Borei Pri Hagefen and Havdalah. The common the Magen Avraham and the Bach rule that practice is that women do say Borei meorei Since women are obligated in the negative women can make havdalah. How then do we haish. commandments of shamor, they are also understand the Rama? obligated in the positive commandments of There’s a Kabbalistic source that mentions that zachor. According to the Rambam, havdalah With havdalah there’s no maaseh (action). The women shouldn’t drink the wine of havdalah. is part of the mitzvah of Kiddush and women blessing itself is the mitzvah. Therefore the Rav Meltzer explains that Borei meorei ha’aish are obligated. According to the Orchot Chaim, Rama rules that women shouldn’t say it. may qualify as an interruption before Borei pri women are only obligated in kiddush. Preferably, a man should intend to recite it for hagefen. Therefore, a woman shouldn’t drink Havdalah is a time bound mitzvah of motzai a woman when he says havdala for himself. the wine. However, the custom is that if she Shabbat from which woman are exempt. The man should not say havdalah earlier makes Havdalah for herself, she does drink Based on this, the Rama rules that women because if in fact a woman isn’t obligated, he from it. should not make Havdalah for themselves. may be reciting it in vain. In principle, a woman is obligated and therefore if there’s no man the Some Rishonim argue that although havdalah woman should say it herself.

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visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 1 Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi

Volume 3 Number 44 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Ihe Women of Egypt and the Desert #10 Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller The Gemara and the Midrashim call Paro’s Miriam couldn’t understand this because her epitome of an evil wife. daughter, Batya, meaning the daughter of level of prophecy was different than his. The Hashem. The yud and the heh at the end of conclusion Miriam reached wasn’t that In contrast, On ben Pelet’s wife didn’t argue her name spell the name of Hashem. With Moshe’s prophecy was unique, but that there with her husband. She didn’t disparage his this name, He reveals Himself as above all was something inherently lacking in his dreams and desires. Instead she said, “Either reality but still within this world. relationship. Consequently, she was stricken way, whether Moshe or Korach leads, you with tzaraat, a skin illness. Skin, the largest won’t come out on top anyway.” It was clear to What inspired her to extend her hand when organ of the body, creates a separation him that his wife was acting with his best the basket holding baby Moshe was clearly between one person and another. When a interests in mind. He went inside the tent and beyond her reach? She couldn’t bear to see person sees another in a diminished way, he she sat in the doorway blocking the entrance. his suffering. She is an example of someone becomes in a certain sense lifeless or That is how she saved him. who exerted super human efforts and was unimportant. helped from above. We learn from this Man is compared to dough. The soul is water episode that if we try our best, we often Although Miriam clearly meant what she said and the body is flour. The body is the wife of receive far more than anticipated. for Moshe’s benefit, she was punished the soul. Our yearning self which is called severely. Tzaddikim are penalized for ruach is meant to rule the nefesh, the part of Miriam was the leader of the Jewish women. infractions as fine as a single hair. Tzadikim us that’s connected to this world. A good body Rashi says she taught the women Torah just desire closeness and an intense relationship takes what the soul offers, builds with it, and as Moshe taught the men. Women have a with Hashem that isn’t blocked by any faults. turn it into something. The soul says, “I want different way of understanding and grasping Suffering purifies their flaws. connection.” The body actualizes it by Torah, hence they needed a woman to teach performing mitzvot. The body is meant to uplift them. In the Zohar it says that parallel to the In the desert narrative, we read about Korach’s the soul, to give it credence and credibility, not heavenly Torah academy for men, women will wife. Korach had enormous potential. He could to disparage it. learn Torah from Miriam and Batya. have been the Levi Gadol. The Levites had to go through a unique ritual which involved We’ve looked at three paradigms of great Miriam had enormous spiritual depth and shaving off all their body hair in order to give women. The woman who is known for what vision. She waged battle against evil, which is them a feeling of being one unit. Korach’s wife her husband becomes, the woman who is what her name connotes. When she left Egypt told her husband, “You’re a nobody, you’re just known for what her children become, and the there was so little time, yet she made sure to a number, there’s no difference between you woman who is known for what she herself pack her instruments. Her faith was so strong and the next Levi. Look how Moshe turned you becomes. that she was sure they would need it. into nothing. He did it to keep his own position. Why are you putting up with this?” She egged The influence of careerism is touching the Tzipora was Moshe’s wife. Tzipora means a him on which ultimately led to their doom. observant community. In today’s society, bird. Her nature was to soar above the self-actualization is idealized. It’s wrong to say, mundane. She was the perfect wife for In marriage, a husband provides and the wife “Who I am to my family has nothing to do with Moshe. They were both people of great must take what he gives and turn it into my true self.” From the Torah’s perspective, spiritual transcendence similar to each other something greater. When the wife sees her these three women are in fact one. Your and dissimilar to other people. Moshe husband trying to provide, she feels beloved. imprint, who you are, shines through in how elevated himself to the point that he was in a When he sees his will actualized in the highest you succeed in affecting others. state of continued readiness to receive sense, he feels respected. This is how a prophecy. He had to separate from his wife. marriage grows. Korach’s wife corrupted her husband’s desire to be something. She is the Rebbetzin’s Perspective I: Class #7 Excerpted from Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller’s Question and Answer series on Naaleh.com

Question: Answer: during this time is make davening more appeal- My ten year old daughter finds davening If your daughter is not extraordinarily spiritual, ing and inspiring by teaching her the tunes to boring. I can't think of ways to inspire her like most ten year olds, she will not like davening. some of the tefilot and helping her understand except to tell her that Hashem is waiting to Accept this as appropriate for her stage of what the words mean. Sometimes communal listen to her tefilot (prayers) and that she can development. davening with other people helps too. ask for anything she wants, like new shoes or clothes. Can you help me with more Babies start out completely materialistic and as Obviously she’ll need a lot of affirmation and ideas? their spirits grow, they become more spiritually appreciation, but ten year olds in general don’t attuned. It’ll take a good two years for her to daven with kavanah (intention), so don’t have become more sensitized to prayer. All you can do unrealistic expectations.

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