Thoughts on day Klal Yisrael actually received / the . On Year 25 Moshe Rabenu came down from by Dayan Sinai with the second ‘Luchot

Habrit’ and began to teach Torah In Behar Pasuk 25:9 it says to Klal Yisrael. The ‘Mishna’ at ‘Vahaavartem ShofarTeruah the end of ‘Taanit’ says on the Bachodesh Hashevee Beasor Pasuk in ‘Shir Hashirim’, ‘Tzena Lachodesh Beyom HaKipurim Urenah .... Beyom Hatunato u Taaveru ...... Ukraatem Beyom Simchat Libo Beyom Dror Baaretz LeKol Yoshveah;’ hatunato ze Matan Torah; u You should blow the Shofar in all Beyom Simchat Libo ze Binyan the land on the 10th of the Beit Hamikdash; Go forth and seventh month, Yom Kippur, and gaze.... on His wedding day and announce freedom to all the on the day of His heart’s bliss.” inhabitants in the land. The fields ‘On His wedding day’, it refers to went back to its original owner the day of ‘Matan Torah’ and ‘On and even the Jewish slave who the day of His heart’s bliss’ refers had his ear pierced and preferred to the day of construction of the to remain a slave goes free on Beit Hamikdash. the ‘Yovel’. The question is why We see that the wedding of Yom Kippur and not Rosh Hashem with Klal Yisrael was at Hashana, the beginning of the Matan Torah referring to Yom New Year? Even though in fact Kippur when Moshe gave over the ‘Yovel’ was sanctified and the 2nd Luchot and began began on Rosh Hashana and the teaching Torah. So even though slaves stopped working but they we accepted the Torah on Sinai were not actually freed to leave and we heard the ‘Aserto until the Shofar was heard on Hadibrot’ on the 6th Sivan, which Yom Kippur, why? we celebrate on Shavuoth, but Yom Kippur besides being ‘Yom the Torah was actually given to Selicha u Mehilah’, was also the us on Yom Kippur hence it was a day of happiness. We can with superstition, afraid that explain that since an ‘Eved Ivri’ somehow if they mention them they who has sold himself as a slave would be affected by them. In fact or a ‘Nirtza’, one who has the Torah is telling us that things do prolonged his slavery, has not not happen by chance, disasters do not happen naturally but are brought recognised that a Jew became a upon us by G-d because of our slave to Hashem at Matan Torah misdeeds. The greatest harm we by taking on another master can do ourselves is to pass off which would inhabit somewhat tragedies that happen as misfortune his service of Hashem. So on or natural phenomenon, for then the Yom Kippur he was freed punishment is made even stronger completely to serve Hashem with to make us aware of our misdeeds. the Kol Shofar as on Sinai. This As the pasuk tells us ‘Ve’im telchu would be for him Matan Torah as imi keri ve’lo tovu lishmoah li it was for Klal Yisrael when veYasafti alechem makka sheva Moshe came down with the kechatotechem, and if you behave with me as if it was ‘kere’ from the second ‘Luchot’. On the Luchot word ‘mikre’ - chance, then I will were engraved the ten increase the punishment sevenfold. commandments as it says The first step towards remedy is to “charut” and the read it as recognise that something is being “cherut”, freedom, for only one made to happen to us and then by who learns Torah is truly free. whom and for what purpose. Yehudah Zadkah l”z explains . why the pasuk in Parashat Re’eh, GEMS begins with the word ‘Re’eh’ see, In Behukkotai, we are given the look, instead of hear; ‘Re’eh Anochi option, if you as a nation proceed in Noten lifnechem hayom beracha u the way of the Torah and mitzvot klalah’, ‘See, I give before you then the greatest and blessings and curses, so that we success will come upon you but if should look to see who is bringing it you turn away and despise My upon us. As a child who is roughly commandments, I will bring upon pushed down to the ground from you the severest punishment. It is behind, turns to see that it is his customary in some congregations to father who has done it to save him, read these warnings in a lowered and even though it hurts he tries to voice. The Chofetz Chaim did not understand that it must be for his agree with this custom, since a good. warning is to deter, it should be read The Rambam in the beginning of out loud and clear. People Hilchot Ta’anit says it is a positive misunderstand the concept of these commandment of the Torah to make ‘Tochachot’, rebukes, and treat public fasts and prayers for them as they would ‘Klalot’ curses, salvation from our troubles, like illness, famine and other dangers very good. He asked Ispan how that come upon us, so that people come it tastes so good, Ispan told should realise that it is being him I add some water to take away brought upon us for our misdeeds some of its sourness. Rabbi Sadka and this really will cause the Hussain told him you must tell the troubles to be removed. He adds buyers that you add some water that if we just attribute it to natural since they think they are buying causes then more troubles will be pure ‘leben’. He followed the added. But it is not enough for us to Rabbis directive and told people. just confess with words. As it says at Soon people stopped buying ‘leben’ the end of these Tochachot from him, he had lost his livelihood. 'VeHitvadu et avonam veEt avon He came to the Rabbi who advised avotam’, and they confessed their him to seek another parnassa. He and their father’s sins, yet it found an opening and worked as a adds, ‘Af Ani elech imam be’Kere’, roofer repairing tiles on the roofs and I will still go against them in from which he made a modest living. anger. For only when their hearts In there was a German are humbled and sincere will they be neighbourhood where wealthier non atoned ‘Oh az yecana leVavam Jewish people lived. While repairing ha’arel vaAz yirtzu avonam’. In the the roof of a house there, he found history of our people we have seen some gold and jewels hidden more tragedies than any other among the rafters, he called out to nation but we have survived for Am the owner who was standing outside Yisrael know the secret of the to tell him what he had found. The Tochachot to recognise that it owner answered him sarcastically “If comes from G-d as a response to there is anything there you can have our deeds so we can correct them. it!” That evening he went to Rabbi Hussain and told him the story.

Rabbi Hussein told him even though STORIES OF TZADDIKIM he is a non-Jew you must take it back to him, it belongs to him since Rabbi Eliyahu z”l said the house is his maybe it belonged over this story. He was close to to his ancestors. He took them back Rabbi Sadka Hussain Hazaken who to the owner and told him my Rabbi was great in Torah and very holy. says I have to give it back to you. He was a talmid of the Ben Ish Hai For some unexplainable reason the in Baghdad before he came to Eretz owner told him “You can keep it.” Yisrael. There was a G-d fearing (maybe he was impressed by his man called “Ispan” who would honesty and respect for his Rabbi). attend the shiur of the Rabbi, he He came back to Rabbi Hussein and made ‘leben’ yoghurt and sold it to told him what the owner had said. earn a living. One day he brought Rabbi Hussein said “Now you can some to Rabbi Sadka Hussain. The keep it, G-d has rewarded you for Rabbi was impressed as it tasted being so honest and giving up your first livelihood of making ‘leben’.” cleverer and more able then the He was able to live comfortably from son’s tuition comes first. Anyhow his new found wealth. the father is obliged to study himself as best he can.

Shabbat Shalom This parsha sheet is dedicated HALACHOT l’ilui nishmat Sion ben Menashe Sadik z’l’ TORAH Yahrseit 21st Iyar 1) The Rambam in Hilchot Talmud And Torah writes, there are two positive Shaul ben Yosef Haim mitzvoth concerning Talmud Torah. Yahrzeit 26th Iyar A to study the Torah and to teach it to others; ‘Veshinantam

LeBanecha ve debarta bam’. Do not forget to count sefirat Another to honour the Chachamim ha’omer after nightfall every day of our Torah; ‘Mipeneh Sebah Takum’ 2) Every Jew is obliged to study the Torah whether he is poor or rich, fit We have started last to say and well or suffering with pain, Pirkei Avot every Shabbat. We are young or old and weak, single or now in the fifth perek. married with children or even one so poor he has to go around begging. SHABBAT TIMES All are obliged to fix time to study Shabbat commences 8:31 pm Torah during the day and at night. We should not light candles before 3) We are obliged to study not only 7:09 pm the Written Law and the Oral Law Shabbat terminates 10:02 pm but also to spend time to delve into Shabbat :Latest Shema the depths of the Torah to Magen Avraham 8:25 am understand ‘Davar mitoch davar’. Shabbat Latest Shema Gra 9:01 am 4) We are obliged to teach, not only our children and grandchildren to be fluent in the Torah, but even others if we have the ability, but of course first our children then grandchildren PLEASE FOLLOW ALL THE in that order and then others. GUIDELINES AND WARNINGS 5) It is a mitzvat Asey for a father to CONCERNING COVID-19 PANDEMIC teach his son Torah and if the father VUSHMARTEM MEOD does not then son is obliged to teach LE’NAFSHOTECHEM himself. 6) If the father cannot afford a VEAHAVTA L’REACHA KAMOCHA teacher for both himself and his son, he comes first but if the son is