Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi

Volume 5 Number 18 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Surmounting Sinat Chinam Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles The Sifsei Chaim writes that mourning the and Tisha b’av is a time to do a cheshbon ships? Rav Dessler explains the concept of churban isn’t enough. We have to work on hanefesh (introspection). How much are we netila (taking) and nesina (giving). One who fixing what led to it. What were the causes of living in the external world and how much are constantly takes is really driven by his ego and exile and how can we rectify them? Sinat we ignoring our penimiyut (internal self)? desires. His central question is always, what chinam means unjustified hatred. It’s despis- Obviously the physical world helps us reach can I gain? In contrast, a giver looks ing another person because he has more spirituality but what is our end goal? objectively, how can I best give? Our challenge resources or talent than you do. A person who in life is to become a giver. A person can take thinks this way is lacking faith. Because if he How did chesed and sinat chinam coexist in order to give or give in order to take. For was a true baal bitachon he would during bayit sheini? The Matnas Chaim example, he can have lots of guests over for understand clearly that every person is given explains that true chesed entails having a Shabbos because he wants compliments and exactly what he needs to fulfill his unique good eye and looking to see what the other honor. That’s really giving in order to take. On mission. The sinat chinam during bayit sheini person really needs. It’s not just assuaging the other hand, taking in order to allow was this lack of awareness of Hashem’s hand one’s guilt, but seeing the inner reality of the someone to give is really giving. When a in our world. situation. However if one’s chesed is just person focuses entirely on himself, while external, then sinat chinam can set in. The Hashem is missing or at best somewhere on During bayit rishon their hearts were Gemara says that Jerusalem was destroyed the periphery, there’s something internally connected to Hashem while their outer because of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza. The lacking. It’s not really serving Hashem, but actions were lacking. In contrast, during bayit Maharal explains that Kamtza comes from the oneself. This impacts all the mitzvot a person sheini, their Torah and mitzvot were in place root word kemetzia-a portion. Kamtza does. We can now understand what Hillel while their inner relationship with Hashem connotes argument. Bar Kamtza implies the meant. Giving is the entire Torah and the rest was lacking. Rav Yisrael Salanter explains master of dissension. The second beit is commentary. that there are two forces that try to trip up a hamikdash was built on unity and when that person. The first is an internal force which are was destroyed, its foundation crumbled. Tisha b’av is a time for inner reflection. Do we the negative middot of a person. The second do mitzvot in order to create a greater is an external force that tries to trap a person The Sifsei Chaim suggests one way we can sanctification of Hashem’s name or because by challenging his faith. During the first beit rectify the sin of divisiveness. The greatest gift we want more checks in the next world? Are hamikdash they were connected inside. It was you can give a person is your heart. Make a we raising our kids in the hope that one day essentially an external struggle. When they concerted effort to greet every person with they will pay us back or are we doing it out of worshipped idols, it wasn’t something they genuine warmth and caring. Today more than altruistic love? Are we so externally based that wanted to do. It was something they got ever we live in a world of externality. It is very we’re driven just for what we can get out of caught up in. And because they sinned on an strange and ironic how technology bridges things? When we sit alone on Tisha b’av we external level it was easier for them to repent. gaps and creates connection between people have to ask ourselves, how have we reached But during the second beit hamikdash, across oceans while creating miles and miles this level? Perhaps it was because we pushed although on the outside everything looked of distance between those only a couple of Hashem out of the circle and made ourselves great, deep inside their relationship with feet away. Let’s work to give the people close the center. The sefarim say that on Tisha b’av Hashem was missing. to us the attention they need. one can reach unbelievable heights greater than Neilah. It’s a time of deep recognition, a Today too, we’re living in a world of plenty, but When the convert asked Hillel to tell him the time to rediscover the passion and yearning for there’s such emptiness because we’re busy whole Torah on one foot he said, “What is Hashem, a time to surrender to the One Above filling ourselves with materialism while our hateful to you do not do onto others.” How can and to make Him the center of our world once inner world remains dormant. The nine days the whole Torah be predicated on relation- again. Kinnot-Poems for Jerusalem: The Lessons of Jewish History Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Avishai David This class examines the central themes of kedusha discussed in sefer Vayikra, such as relationship to us as above the laws of nature. kinah tet. The kinah, written by Rav Elazar the sacrifices, holidays, and the concept of He extends this further to Eretz Yisrael. Hakalir, is based on verses found at the end kedoshim tiyheu (acting in a sanctified way), Hashem’s providence is most powerfully felt in of sefer Vayikra, particularly the tochacha reflect the distinctive connection and bond the holy land. (rebuke) at the end of parshat Bechukotai. It between Hashem and klal Yisrael. The nations describes how klal Yisrael abandoned of the world operate under hashgacha klalit, an Eretz Yisrael was not acquired through normal Hashem and as a result the blessings overall divine providence. But klal Yisrael enjoy channels but rather through a very unique and promised to them could no longer be fulfilled. hashgacha pratit, where Hashem personally distinctive kind of kinyan (acquisition). Hashem directs His providence among us. The told Avraham, “Kum hishalech b’aretz” ( Rise The Rambam reveals that all the aspects of Ramban in Bechukosai details Hashem’s and walk through the land).”Avraham Continued on page 2 Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com 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 5 Number 18 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Kinnot-Poems for Jerusalem: The Lessons of Jewish History Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Avishai David Continued from Page 1 traversed the length and breadth of Israel. The Rambam has a famous comment in the -satisfied and lose sight of the proper perspec- The covenant that Hashem consummated beginning of Hilchot Taanit. If a calamity tive. Hashem is then forced once again to with him was founded unreservedly on the comes upon us, we must recognize that it’s a banish us to another land. Is there hope for a special relationship we have with Him, a result of our actions and that it is from Jew in galut? Can there be kedusha amidst connection that is dependent on kedusha. If Hashem. We must cry out to Him. This a part churban and destruction? The Gemara says we denies this, we forfeit our right to Eretz of the process of repentance and will cause yes. If we recognize what has befallen us and Yisrael, to Yerushalayim, and to the temple the misfortune to dissipate. However if we seek to rectify its cause, there’s hope for mount. This is the condition of “Im bechukosai blame it all on natural causes, this is derech redemption. teileichu.” If we comply with Hashem’s achzaruyut, a cruel way of dealing with it. And directives then the Torah says, “Vishalachti Hashem says, “I will leave you to the The kinah discusses how we did not keep the b’sosechem (I will walk among you).” Rashi constraints of nature.” condition of “Im bekuchasai.” We ascribed explains, “Atayil emachem b’gan eden.” what had happened to us to natural phenom- Hashem says, “I will walk with you in Gan The upshot of halicha b’keri is exile. Rav ena and ignored Hashem’s divine messages. Eden.” But if we abandon our ties with Him Simcha Hakohen M’dvinsk, in his famous Sin has a double impact. It creates distance and see ourselves as a nation like all the essay on Bechukosai notes that our history and it contaminates. But we are the children of others, we will be exiled and lost among them. follows a pattern. We sin. Hashem banishes Hashem and He will never abandon us. We The Rambam calls this halicha b’keri, seeing us from the land and we suffer the harsh may seem cut off, but it’s temporary. By the world through the prospective of the realities of galut. Exile’s primary purpose is to uncovering the divine hand hidden within our foreign nations. All that happens follows the redirect us to do teshuva. There’s a subse- lives, by constantly working to connect with our laws of nature and is a consequence of cause quent development of the Jewish communities Creator we can transcend the natural boundar- and effect. both from a ruchniyut and a gashmiyut ies of our finite world and hasten the redemp- standpoint. We became smug and self tion.

Megilat Eicha: Hope and Grief Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller In Megilat Eicha, the Jewish people are called weakened. There was no mercy because that The world of ruchniyut can be grasped more Bat Zion. Zion means distinct or distinguished. would’ve kept us where we were. Suffering through song than words, because words are We betrayed Zion by the wrong choices we stripped away our layers of external conscious- limited by the human mind which is limited by made and by our lack of response to what we ness, the arrogance, the desire, and the evil our observational powers. The songs of the could have been. During the first temple there vices, until we were left to face our inner nations are their soul. The ruchniyut of our were twice as many prophets as those who selves. songs which were already destroyed from left Egypt. A prophet can pull down the natural within was captured by the enemy so that their barriers that conceal the presence of There were two things that were the focus of song was heard in the Beit Hamikdash. Hashem. We were held accountable for living Hashem’s anger as is described in the verses. Hashem gave us time. Repentance could’ve with such spiritual grandeur and ignoring it The first were all of our physical fortifications. changed things. He stretched the line. He and Hashem punished us by sending us We thought we could protect ourselves. The wanted us to return. He didn’t want to destroy darkness. And in fact, we never returned to second was the government itself. The us. But in the end he could not hold his hand the level we had been. sources of strength that the Jewish people back. All the lines were crossed and the relied on were torn away. They had to realize borders had to fall. The Beit Hamikdash was called hadom that they were too invested in human power. raglov- the resting place of Hashem’s feet. The battle over Jerusalem was supernatural. Our outer tragedy was a reflection of our inner Feet come in direct contact with the earth and Hashem responded according to our actions. brokenness. On Tisha b’av, we weep for all the take a person from place to place. Hashem’s He fought on the side of the enemy. They were lost expectations, for failing to return, and for feet is His midat hamalchut (attribute of like a rod in His hand. Our evil middot had to succumbing to the evil vices of the yetzer hara. kingship), the way he brings His malchut be forcibly ripped away from us so that we We must ask for mercy for ourselves and our shamayim (divine rulership) into this world would mourn what we had become. children’s souls. We must peel away all the and the way his thought is translated to negative middot and all the barriers blocking speech and deed. The beit hamikdash was The outpouring of joy and the celebrity song of us from Hashem. And in doing so, may we the place of malchut shamayim. The forces of the enemies sounded like our Hallel on Yom merit the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash evil enticed us to sin and we were spiritually Tov. Song rests in a higher place than words. speedily in our days.

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visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 2