Parashas Matos

בס"ד

PARASHAS MATOS

IN THE PATHWAYS OF FAITH Divrei Torah About Amen and Teﬁllah in the Parashah

Preparing a House for Hashem this parashahhah ((furtherfur 30:14): “Kol neder vechol Yisrael is in their mouth, as they daven to Hashem shevuas issar laanosl nefesh ishah yekimenu [“am nosha b’Hashem”], but there are times ”איש כי ידר נדר לה‘“ (ל, ג) The Be’er Moshe of Ozherov explains: v’ishah yeferenu, any vow or binding oath of self when the non-Jews deny this power by also using affliction [that a woman makes], her husband can it [“veyikachashu oyvecha lach”], therefore the “Ish ki yidor,” when a person builds a home for either uphold it or revoke it.” When the mitzvah passuk promises, “v’asher cherev gaavasecha,” in himself to live in, “neder l’Hashem,” he must is to “l’anos nefesh, to afflict ourselves” one must such a case you can use a sword against them and make sure to also make a “home” for Hashem, you are guaranteed that you will win them. whether by making a generous donation to a shul annul every promise and oath. or bais medrash, or by setting aside a room in his The sefer Ne’im Zemiros (Tehillim 20, 8) adds When Does Am Yisrael Alter Their Skill? a recommendation from the passuk in Tehillim ”ואת בלעם בן בעור הרגו בחרב“ (לא, ח) ,house for learning and davening, and holy things for Hashem. As the Zohar (Tazria, 50 a) says, one (20 8-9): “Some come with their chariots, others “He came upon Yisrael, and exchanged his skill come with their horses, and we have the Name of who builds a house must say with his mouth that with their skill: they are only saved through he is doing so for the purpose of serving Hashem, Hashem our G-d that we mention; they bowed and their mouths, through prayer and pleading, fell and we have risen and gained strength.” When and then his home will be bestowed with siyata and he came and took their skill and cursed diShmaya. the nations of the world fight us with chariots and with his mouth. They then came to him and horses, we have to mention the Name of Hashem A Person Must Act In changed their skill with that of the nations of in tefillah in order to fight them, but when they Accordance with His Prayers the world, who come with a sword, as it says use our power and fall to their knees in prayer to Bereishis 27:40): ‘And by your sword you shall Hashem, then we will rise up against them with) ”לא יחל דברו ככל היצא מפיו יעשה“ (ל, ג) Harav Zev Wolf of Zhitomir says: live.’” (Rashi) swords and spears. During davening, when we mention the greatness According to Rashi, the sefer Nachalas Ezriel (in Guarding the Tools and awe of HaKadosh Baruch Hu, we immediately The Chafetz Chaim explains: From Rashi we feel the extent of our lowliness compared to His understand that a Jew’s speech is his “tool of the greatness. A person must be very careful not to No One Was Missed trade” and if so, just like an artisan protects his tools with all his might, so that he should be able ”עבדיך נשאו את ראש אנשי המלחמה אשר בידנו ולא נפקד decline from this level after davening, but rather to ply his trade, so, too, every Jew must guard the ממנו איש“ (לא, מט) to behave for the rest of the day in accordance with his tefillah, so that he should not later become The Tanna Devei Eliyahu (Rabba 11) says: cleanliness of his speech so that his tefillos will arrogant. “In whose merit did Hashem punish the emerge from his mouth perfect and clean and thus This passuk hints to this concept: “Lo yachel nations of the world on behalf of Am Yisrael? will be accepted On High. devaro,” a person should not defile what his In the merit of people who rise early and go to Chafetz Chaim Al HaTorah mouth said while davening and behave differently the bais knesses and the bais medrash in the by following his yetzer hara and urges, but rather, morning and in the evening and reply amen, A Tikkun Through Teshuvah ”כל דבר אשר יבא באש תעבירו באש וטהר... וכל אשר לא יבא as what comes out of his mouth he should do,” and bless Hashem with amen, and of them“ באש תעבירו במים“ (לא, כג) he must always behave in accordance with his the passuk says (Tehillim 55:19) “Padah behavior when he utters the words of davening. beshalom nafshi mikrav li ki berabbim hayu The Ben Ish Chai explains: Ohr Hameir imadi.” “Everything that comes in fire pass through fire Hataras Nedarim During Yamim Noraim We can find a hint to this in the acronym of and it will be purified”: the sins that, during the velo nifkad mimenu ish” which is “amen”, times of the Bais HaMikdash, could be atoned“ ”לא יחל דברו ככל היצא מפיו יעשה“ (ל, ג) Harav Mordechai Cohen of Tzefas, author of showing us that Bnei Yisrael prevailed in for with a korban that was burned in fire, have a Sifsei Kohein, cites this passuk as the source of their wars in the merit of saying amen, as the rectification in our times as well, by reading the pesukim in the Torah, which is compared to fire. the custom of Hataras Nedarim on Erev Rosh Tanna Devei Eliyahu says. Hashanah: As the Gemara says (Menachos 110a): “Anyone Emunas Yitzchak, Matos who studies Toras Chatas it is as though he “Lo yachel devaro kechol:” the last letter of each sacrificed a chatas.” However, “anything that word is an acronym for Elul, teaching us that one does not come into fire,” for sins that cannot be must annul his vows in the month of Elul before Parashas Vezos Habrachah) explains the words of atoned by a korban, such as mockery, anger, lying Rosh Hashanah. the passuk (Devarim 33:29) “Fortunate are you, and suchlike, “pass through water,” there is no Another time when it is customary to annul vows Yisrael. Who is like you, a people whose salvation rectification in this day except regret and teshuvah is the eve of Yom Kippur, in the tefillah of Kol comes from Hashem, the Shield Who helps you, which is done from the depths of the soul and with Nidrei. The sefer Ohr Hachamah notes that your majestic Sword. Your enemies will deny it of copious tears. this custom, too, is hinted to in the words of you…” : The way of the world is that the power of Aderes Eliyahu

“A chassid fasted over the length of the During these days, we all raise galus, and it was revealed to him in a our eyes and plead for the dream: ‘How can the Geulah come if the Redemption. world does not take care to reply amen on the brachah of Geulah, ‘Hamachazir Let us strengthen ourselves Shechinaso leTzion’ (because of the in responding amen, and recital of Modim Derabbanan right after with that we will merit to see the fulfillment of it) and “Hapores sukkas shalom…v’al The Reason Yerushalayim’ (because of the recital of the Geulah Is “Vesechezenah eineinu Veshamru right after it.)” Delayed beshuvcha leTzion (Sefer Hagan Vederech Moshe Day 11) berachamim…” Amen. shay עיצובים thoughts sothathis hordes offorceswillreturnto If hespeaks,his until after speak betweenthese “Therefore, onemustbeverycarefulnotto called that surroundtheroseattop. That iswhyit the evilelements,similartopruningallthorns this, wepurifythe “ and praisetheKingof World, andwesay, connect ourselveswiththeangelstothankthem Beshalach Similarly, the de introduction to The reasonforreciting that onewhorecites (cited in literally speakstotheKing,asChazal have beveis megurai The zemiros the wayandIhadfears(fromevilforces), referring tothoseplaceswhereIwasafraidon songs inthehouseofmywanderings.”Heis he meant, and recites the forces harmthemontheway…Whenaperson he doesnothaveamerit,someofthedestructive if hehasamerit,theywillnotbeharmed…and pass betweentheseforcesandrisetotheHeavens; harmful andthatbringbad…A person’s are, lowerdown,afewforcesthatareimpureand some ofthemarepure, it isallfullwithmassesandhordes[offorces], “From theearthtoskythereisnoemptyplace; ( before daveningisexplainedby Another reasonforreciting fi “Rabi Yosi said:Mylotshouldbewiththosewho because these word withmore people takecaretorecitethe out thatonRoshHashanahand Yom Kippur many The ( hooks”. And ofthisDavidHamelechsaid called ‘ The disappear.” Samloi ( the careful withthispartof In truth,theMaggidsays,wehaveto be very so fully. Dezimra the inspirationtheyneedtodavenfrom each year. People assumethattheywillnotderive it is“old”andtheyhavesaidhundredsoftimes too muchattentionto For thesamereason,mostpeopledonotdevote the like. avoid becomingdistractedbyastraythoughtand saying themproperly. They makeeveryeffort to therefore, theirheartsandmindsarefocusedon bamazmeros it says( always say into and joyofthemitzvah,asthoughheisdelving lightheadedness andmirth,butwithsolemnity Rabbanan Tosafos then shoulddaven.” Amud Ha’avodah Tehillim Hallelu esHashemminHashamayim nish fl His Voice CutOfftheEvilOnes ect his Pesukei Dezimra Keys tothePalaceofKing megadef Amidah divrei Torah Maggid ofMezeritsch, Mateh Moshe Mateh Moshe Hallel Pesukei Dezimra Prayer ofFaith furtherexplains( fi cutthemdown.” zemiros’ Machzor 119:54): “ rst takecareofhispraiseHashemand Avodah Zarah Yeshayah in anycase,andthusdonotconcentrate ): “Onedoesnotdavenfrom Pesukei Dezimra ): “Whenwesay te Shemoneh Esrei zemiros Kolo Zimer Aritzim isthemainpart,whenaperson eachday. Isthatso?Didwenotlearn , hecutoff thetendrilswithpruning- fi —curser andreviler!But[by llos te Meor Vashemesh , Your statutesweretomelike te fi from‘ kavanah , andtherefore,itiscustomaryto kavanah llos .”

ﬁ Bnei Emunim POB102 BneiBrak FAX 08-9746102 |email: [email protected] | Thisnewletter is available weekly through email Vitri 53),whosays: 18:5):‘ llah , thenthosedestructiveforces Olam concludeswithawarning: te Hallel arenotrecitedregularly, and and Zemiros hayulichukecha continues: “Andtheyare ﬁ zemiros 40)fromthewordsofRabi islearnedbythe Pesukei Dezimra llos .” te baalei chessed 7b):“A personshould mezamer’ thantherestofyear,

Pesukei Dezimra candissipateandthose Brachos Ashrei Hayetzirah ﬁ eachdayisa donotgetinterrupted. Pesukei Dezimra llah andtohavetheright .” ( Pesukei Dezimra Vecharas hazalzalim [ Shabbos zy”a , becausealthough Pesukei Dezimra writes( Pesukei Dezimra Amidah priorto 31a,beginning , tocutoff, as ﬁ Mateh , wouldpoint ght warand , andcutoff - .” Through , andthere 118b) De wordfor Parashas , because mecharef te Gaonim

Pesukei Hallel fi te Moshe asan zi llah fi , we llos mr New Website with Huge Selection of Material on Àmen' :www.bneyemunim.co.il .” ] ] A GlanceattheSederHate

disappears.” ahead andsomeofthembehind,itimmediately the worshippersreciting Hashem willgrowinyoursoul.” your of eachword. The greater the concentrationon each wordandatleasttounderstandthemeaning and youshouldsubmityoursoultoslowlyrecite to singandpraise,elevateextolHashem, person shouldprepareallhissensesandstrengths the Shechinahcomestoa The you aredisruptingandruiningtheorder.” right order, andifyousaytheearlierpartslater, Tzibbur The Mahar”i Algazi writesinhis love. ( z”l found intheresponsamanuscriptofRadba”z, And “alltheordersof parts earlierandthen late hastodaveninapatchwork,saythelater right place,andinorder, becauseonewhocomes shul sothathecouldrecite warned himtoriseearlyeachmorningcome The Maggid,inhisstudieswiththeBais Yosef, appeased bysuchathing?! their ownneeds;wouldanykingwhobe they cutshortthepraiseofKingKingsfor tzibbur we willmerittohaveour with great te cut off alltheforcesthatde Dezimra We havetounderstandthegreatpower the courtyardenterhouse?! How canapersonwhodoesnothavethekeysto already askedelsewhere,butonthesamesubject: vasikin Esrei Someone whodavened Pesukei Dezimra every action.( emunah and Hisleadershipoftheworldstrengthens introspecting intothegreatnessofHashem than apowerful noted thatthishadnolessofaneffect onaperson Pesukei Dezimra such, heneverbeganreciting Dezimra of Ponovezh,wasverycarefultosay Harav Yechezkel Levinstein,theMashgiach order tobeabledaven the recitalof The Chana all, thereneedstobe Dezimra to daveningitisbettercutshortthe asked theMashgiachifondaysthathecomes late his Moreover, RavChatzkelwouldrecommendto ( for twenty minutesnormallyallocatedin with everyoneelse.Hewouldoftensaythatthe aside fortwicewhenhehadnochoicebuttostart when everyoneelsedid;healwaysbeganearlier, people whorecite The is countingcoins.” them, butrathershouldrecitethemasthoughhe should notskipoverasinglewordorswallow Shulchan Aruch calmly,” andthe “One doesnotsaythe Dezimra –Introduction Mofess Hador fi Twenty Minutes Are NotEnough llos. , whocitedthe talmidim Pesukei Dezimra Kolbo ontimeatthe sefer OlasTamid te poskim Likutim Yekarim , p.45) isanenhancementof . They arenotdoingsomething goodwhen fi (endofthelaws withinaperson,andassuch,affects his Therefore onemusttakecaretosaythem llos haseverydayoftheyear, tosubdueand slowlyandwithgreatconcentration. As inordertobeabledaven howcantherebe The Virtues ofReciting Slowlywith (6)cites kavanah , themorejoyandawelovefor attributespecialsigni to beveryscrupulousaboutreciting Birchas Avraham-TorahUte 1:11) Pesukei Dezimra mussar shmuess instructs( ) wordforword,slowly, and Be’er Heitev , withfearandawe,thus neitz. Pesukei Dezimra Rabbeinu Nosson Midrash Hane’elam te werenotenoughforhim. fi 134). te fi ll intheearlierpartslater. (Chapter17)says:“A llah fi Shemoneh Esrei The Mashgiachreplied, zemiros zemiros llah vasikin Pesukei Dezimra bais knesses Kavanah te , andwithout Birchos HaTorah Orach Chaim fi fl arearrangedinthe te llos te ect anddelayour thereadds:“He Pesukei Dezimra fi . That isbecause fi regularlyonce slowly, asthe rapidly, rather, llah , someofthem llah acceptedwith sefer Shalmei fi , but quicklyin llah ?! ( : There are : There fi Shemoneh andsees cance to withthe yeshivos : When Pesukei Pesukei Pesukei Pesukei 51:8): Te fi inthe fi rst of fi llah, ): “I llas

consumed by holiness andpurity, andwhenhewouldspeakforthoseclosetohim,seemedbe man. ItwasnotfornaughtthatheknownastheSaraf;hiseveryactionpersoni impossible tostandinhispresence.Hissoulwasso he wasdavening.Duringthehourseachdaythatdedicatedto If that’s howhewaswhenlearningandteaching,muchmoresothecase Harav UriofStrelisk, When ItHurts—You Scream! But the money rightnow!” stood rightherefacingeachotherandthepacketofmoneychangedhands.Giveme my gabbai “Liar! HowdareyouclaimthatIdidn’t leavethemoneyhere,”guestlashedout atthe remember nosuchthing;Idon’t knowwhatyouaretalkingabout,sir.” began hisvisitbydaveningalengthy One ErevShabbos,awealthyJewfromGermanyarrivedinStrelisk.He * off thegroundashepacedbackandforthfromonesideof radiated heat;hisvoiceroseandmadethosearoundhimtremble,feetwerelifted “Reb Yid,”the in hiseyes:“You scoundrel!!!Givemebackmymoneynow!” gabbai The guestcouldnotrestrainhimselfanymore,andhelostitcompletely. Hegraspedthe someone wholookedlikehim. know anythingaboutthemoneyandthatguestmustsurelybemixinghimup with he sawforthe trained tosuppresshisenthusiasmanddaveninarespectful,retrainedfashion,now Rav Uri’s behaviorwasstrangeinthevisitor’s eyes.Fromayoungage,hehad been scream!’ Nowtakeyourmoneyandgo inpeace.Ineverintendedtobene shoulder andcalmedhim:“Nowyouhave seenforyourselfthat‘whenithurts,you here? Myheartisa I’m abouttoloseallmymoney?HowshouldInotgowildwhenfutureisat stake “Calmly???” theguestsnapped,furiousalloveragain.“HowcanIspeakcalmly when “Why screamandshoutlikeawoundedanimal?Speakcalmly, likeahumanbeing!” understand thesigni his questionsandhehadonegoal:topresentdoubtstheRebbe After davening,themanwenttoRebbe’s house.Hecouldnotcontain “Indeed,” the slightest. Ijustwantedtoteachyouthatwhen theheartison Suddenly, asmilespreadacross the Again the curiosity gavehimnorestandheonceagainknockedatthepeelingdoor. The gabbai The manknockedattheRebbe’s doorbutwasdisappointedwhenitopenedbythe scream abouttheirmoneyandtherearethose whoscreamabouttheir The so manyothergoodJewsdaven?” not daveninacalmstate,withoutscreaming,likeIdo,mycommunitydoesand But thereisonethingIcannotunderstand: Why doeshescreamwhendavens?Can please, IknowthattheRebbeisaholymanandallhispracticesarebasedonholiness. and theholyRebbeispartoflattergroup.” door, and askedthe trustworthy, wiseman,andthushereturnedknockedyetathirdtime ontheRebbe’s Rebbe. The Rebbewasnot in townbutthe sum ofmoneythatheintendedtouseforbusiness,andwanteddeposititwiththe but suddenlyherecalledthattherehadbeenanotherpurposetothevisit:Healarge The guestturnedtogobackthestreet,anddoorwasaboutcloseasecondtime, Shabbos andthus,whatwilltheyeatonShabbos?( to stoptheirargument unlesstheywantedtobeamongthosewhodonottoilonErev outside thehouseremindedthemboththatShabboswasdrawingcloserandtheyhad This argument couldhavecontinuedforhours,butthehustleandbustleonstreet that wasnotthecase. does,” the “If youdon’t scream,thatisasignyourheartdoesnotburnthewayRebbe’s Rebbe—yet wedon’t scream!” or theheartsofeveryoneelseinmycommunityburnswithanylessintensitythan But theguestwasnotconvinced,andheaskedpersistently:“Idon’t thinkthatmyheart where hescreams.” conversation withhisCreator, thataweburstsforthwithevenmoreintensity, tothepoint soul isalwaysburningwithfearofHashem,andduringdavening,whenhedeepin well, heoffered ananswerthathewasusedtogiving:“Look,Reb Yid, theholyRebbe’s the sky, hehurriedtotheRebbe’s hometoaskthe Shabbos wasverypeacefulandupliftingfortheguest,when * The will beoutoftheroomforlonghoursduringShabbos.” “I’m afraidtoleavemymoneyinthehotelroom,”guestexplained,“especiallyasI that IdepositedmymoneywithyoujustbeforeShabbos?”Butthe “What doyoumeanwhichmoney?”theguestwasstunned.“Don’t youremember else!” “Money? What moneyareyoutalkingabout? You mustbemixingmeupwithsomeone He wasstunnedwhenthe The A StoryofFaith gabbai gabbai gabbai inawaythatwasveryuncharacteristicofhisGermanrestraineddemeanor. “We bythecollarandshookhimviolentlybegantoscreamhysterically, withtears , whoinformedhimthat“TheRebbehastraveledtothenearbytownforShabbos.” Te gabbai fi gabbai gabbai wasabouttoclosethedoor, butthewealthymanwasinnohurrytoleave;his agreedandthepacketofmoneychangedhands. wasunruf llah fi gabbai fi gabbai wasunmovedandhecontinuedtoclaiminacalmtonethatdidnot re. rst time,averydifferent kindof openedthedoorand Yid hurriedlythrewhisquestion.“Tell me chided.Butthemandidnotcapitulatesoquicklyandinsistedagain that Yielded FruitsSixty Years Later fi gabbai re withfuryandfear!” saidinavoicesolowitwasalmostwhisper, “there arethosewho saidinacalmtoneasever, whichmadetheguestloosenhisgrip. fl zy”a ed bythequestion;hewasusedtosuchinquiries. This time,as fi cance ofhisremarkablebehaviorduringdavening. gabbai ifhecouldwatchhispreciouswalletuntilMotzaiShabbos. From theMaggid,RavShabsai Yudelevitz, , knownastheSarafofStrelisk,wastrulyaholyandG-dly putonaninnocentfaceandspreadhishands,asking, gabbai’s Amen andTe A Weekly StoryAbout Shacharis gabbai face.Heputawarmhandontheguest’s te gabbai fi Avodah Zarah llah hadalsomadetheimpressionasa fi attheRebbe’s towhathewasusedto. red upinhisboythatitliterally toreturnhismoney. fi llah fi re—you scream.” bais medrash te 3a) fi fi llah rst starsappearedin gabbai Siach Yosef Yiras Shamayim , itwasvirtually fi bais t fromitinthe totheother. insisted,“I

medrash , p.89 ﬁ ed . ,