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Amen, Until the Final Breath

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Amen, Until the Final Breath בס"ד PARASHAS VAYIKRA IN THE PATHWAYS OF FAITH Divrei Torah About Amen and Tefillah in the Parashah One Who Refrains from Davening with mitzvah off netilasnetilas yadayim, washing ones hands, Teshuvah for Individuals and the Klal a Tzibbur is Punished Measure for Measure which can atone ffor the “ani bedaas, the poor man ”אם הכהן המשיח יחטא לאשמת העם“ (ד, ג) in wisdom” as a Minchah. An allusion to this can be found in the words of the brachah: “al netilas The Avodas Hagershuni, a commentary on Shir ”אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה‘“ (שם) In his sefer Derech Moshe (Day 9) the early yadayim is an acronym for “ani”, a poor man. Hashirim (3,4) brings a beautiful allusion in this mochiach Rabbi Moshe Kahana of Gibitisch Chochmas Shlomo, Orach Chaim 158 1 passuk in the name of his father Rabi Avraham, relates: the brother of the Vilna Gaon: In Maseches I once came to a town and stayed at the home of Avodah Zarah (4b) Chazal said that because of the parnas of the city, who was also a shochet. A Truly Perfect Korban their elevated status, Bnei Yisrael really should not .have transgressed with the sin of the cheit ha’egel ”דבר אל בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם אדם כי יקריב מכם When I rose in the morning and wanted to go They did so only so that future generations should קרבן לה‘“ (ב, ב) out to daven with the minyan in shul, I saw him busy slaughtering an animal. When he finished, I The Sifsei Kohein al HaTorah says: “Mikem” learn that many who sin together can repent. asked him to join me to go daven in shul, but he is numerically equivalent to 100, to teach us David Hamelech was also not worthy of sinning demurred, saying that he had to first hurry to check that anyone who says one hundred brachos with Batsheva, and did so only in order to convey the animal so that its meat could be used of that each day is considered to have sacrificed a night’s meal. He would then daven at home. to the future generations that an individual who korban. sins can repent. I told him: Know that if you check the animal at Furthermore, we can add: Because replying An allusion to the words of the Gemara can be the time when the tzibbur is davening, you will amen is part of the brachah, and it makes the find it treif and we will not be able to eat from it found in this passuk: “Im hakohein” – Aharon brachah more important (Rema Orach Chaim Hakohein, who made the eigel, and “HamashiAch” this evening. But the man refused to believe me 167 2, Mishnah Berurah, ibid 20), therefore and remained at home. When I returned from shul, we have to make sure that the korban of the David Hamelech, “yechta”, will sin, then know he told me regretfully, that indeed, the animal was brachos should be perfected by replying that it is only because of “ashmas ha’am” – so that treif, as I had said. He asked how I knew this, and the nation, individuals and the klal, should learn I explained: amen after it. The passuk alludes to this with an acronym as well: “El Bnei Yisrael that there is a way back from sin. Tefillah was established in place of korbanos, and v’amarta aleiheim adam ki yakriv mikem” is just like when one sacrifices a korban outside numerically equivalent to amen. LaKel Asher Shavas Mikol Hamaasim the Bais HaMikdash, his korban is passul like Sefer Hagematrios 101 ”מכל אשר יעשה לאשמה בה“ (ה, כו) a treif animal, so, too, when one intentionally refrains from going to daven in shul, his tefillah Harav Menachem Mendel of Riminov says: is considered treif, so to speak. He is punished Hashomer Shabbos…Keminchah al Machavas In early days, it was customary that when the measure for measure. Just like he caused his baal korei finished Parashas Vayikra with the passuk: “Mikol asher yaaseh l’ashmah bah” the ”ואם מנחה על המחבת קרבנך“ (ב, ה) tefillah to be treif, his animals become treif. An allusion to this can be inferred from the passuk: In the piyut of Baruch Kel Elyon that we recite on tzibbur would rise to its feet and read aloud the “Adam ki yakriv mikem,” - mikem, from you, Shabbos morning, we say: “Hashomer Shabbos beginning of the well known tefillah: “LaKel is an acronym for middah kenegged middah, haben im habas, laKel yeratzu keminchah al asher shavas mikol hamaasim beyom hashevi’i” measure for measure. machavas.” The question is asked: why did the poet choose the words “minchah al machavas”; is whose acronym is “l’ashmah bah.” [They did this Washing Hands as a Minchas Ani it only because it rhymes best with the line before in order to fulfill the ruling of the Rema (Orach it, “haben im habas”? Chaim 138 1) that one must conclude the reading .[(with a good thing (Pardes Yosef in this parashah ”ונפש כי יקריב קרבן מנחה“ (ב, א) The Mashgiach, Harav Eliyahu Lopian, Harav Shlom Kluger explained: In Maseches The words of Rav Menachem mended are cited in Menachos (91a), Chazal say that at a time when explains: there is no Bais HaMikdash, a person’s table The Minchas Machavas was made of a hard, dry the Maor Vashemesh (Parashas Hachodesh), and atones for him in place of the korbanos. dough (Rashi, here), and therefore we ask: Just he added an explanation for the relation between like the Minchas Machavas is willing accepted this tefillah and our parashah: This parashah As the Torah established the Korban Minchah for speaks about the laws of the korbanos, and just the poor who cannot afford to purchase an animal, Above, like the other menachos, so, too, when one in our time, as well, it was necessary to establish keeps Shabbos, even if he does it in a “dry” way, like the korbanos atone for Yisrael, so, too, a korban for one who is “weak in knowledge,” without much emotion or thought, Hashem should Shabbos atones for them, as Chazal said (Shabbos meaning he is not wise enough to have in mind accept his Shabbos observance like a Minchah al 118b): “Anyone who observes Shabbos according that his eating should ascend as a korban of Machavas. to halachah, even one who serves idols like the atonement. Therefore, Chazal established the Lev Eliyahu, Bereishis, p. 205 generation of Enosh is forgiven.” On 5 Nissan (5755) is the yahrtzeit of the tzaddik from Netivot, Amen, Harav Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz, zt”l. His brother-in-law, Harav Gershon Edelstein, shlita, in his hesped, spoke about the last few Until moments of his life: the “His mesirus nefesh for avodas Hashem in tefillah…a few minutes before his soul departed, he asked to hear Birchos Final Hashachar, and made the effort to answer amen, until the Breath end of the brachos. With each brachah, his voice grew weaker…” (Nitzotzei Eish, p. 185) “Anyone who answers amen with all his might, the gates of Gan Eden are opened to him.” (Shabbos 119b) A Glance at the A Weekly Story About Prayer of Faith Seder Hatefillah A Story of Faith Amen and Tefillah Birchashas YotzerYotzer Ohr (3) Hashem Is Close to All Those Who Call Him Hameromam Levado Mei’az theh curtain of materialism lifted from It was early afternoon at the Kosel for a new loan that he was about to take. Plaza. The blazing sun had driven the As we continue the brahchah of our eyes, and that the creation should As he waited at the entrance, Rabbi G. not look to us like mere trees and few worshippers who were at the Kosel noticed out of the corner of his eye that Yotzer Ohr, after detailing the into the shaded areas. Outside, just two glory of creation, we continue with stones that have no substance. Rather on the table at the entrance were several let us merit to understand and learn small groups of tourists remained, taking forms from a certain Gemach, from the words of praise to Hashem. pictures against the backdrop of the First we need to precede by saying that mussar from every detail in Creation which the man of the house apparently and to recognize through it the ancient stones. There were also a handful planned to ask for a loan. although far be it from us to express of people who, for one reason or another, His greatness, compared to what the greatness of Hashem. If that happens, then the honor of His Kingship will be chose to remain outside to daven. He couldn’t explain why, but something Heavenly armies of holy angels praise, about the scene in front of him caused but this is what Hashem wanted. He revealed to every living being, and we Sitting next to the mechitzah on a chair will merit to be close to Hashem with his emotions to rise to the surface. The wishes that the primary praise of His was Rabbi G., the director of a successful question he had been trying to suppress greatness and glory should come all our being. (Daas Torah, Vol. VI, p. cheder in a chareidi cities; he was 174) for so many years suddenly rose in his specifically from human beings. weeping copiously. He buried his head mind: That is what we express by saying: between the pages of the Tehillim, hoping Asking for Good from a King that none of the parents of his students How is it possible that those Jews who “HaMelech Hameroman levado Signifies His Greatness me’aiz” – even before Creation, would happen to be there and notice his are so close to Hashem are the ones who He was already “meromam” as we Another explanation is offered in wretched appearance.
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