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TORAH TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld September 2015 • Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776

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TORAH TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld September 2015 • Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future THE BENJAMIN AND ROSE BERGER TORAH TO-GO® Established by Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld September 2015 • Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776 Dedicated in loving memory of Dr. Harlan Daman by Carole, Gila and Avi Daman Featuring Divrei Torah from Rabbi Elchanan Adler Rabbi Ezra Frazer Rabbi Dovid Hirsch A Project of Yeshiva Universty’s Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi Joe Hirsch Shira Heller Shira Loewenstein Chaim Nissel, Psy.D. Rabbi Richard Weiss, M.D. We thank the following synagogues who have pledged to be Pillars of the Torah To-Go® project Congregation Ahavath Torah The Jewish Center Englewood, NJ New York, NY Congregation Young Israel of Shaarei Tefillah New Hyde Park Newton Centre, MA New Hyde Park, NY Richard M. Joel, President and Bravmann Family University Professor, Yeshiva University Rabbi Kenneth Brander, Vice President for University and Community Life, Yeshiva University Rabbi Yaakov Glasser, David Mitzner Dean, Center for the Jewish Future Rabbi Menachem Penner, Max and Marion Grill Dean, Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary Rabbi Robert Shur, Series Editor Rabbi Joshua Flug, General Editor Rabbi Michael Dubitsky, Content Editor Andrea Kahn, Copy Editor Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved by Yeshiva University Yeshiva University Center for the Jewish Future 500 West 185th Street, Suite 419, New York, NY 10033 • [email protected] • 212.960.0074 This publication contains words of Torah. Please treat it with appropriate respect. For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Paul Glasser at 212.960.5852 or [email protected]. 2 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776 Table of Contents Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 2015/5776 Dedicated in loving memory of Dr. Harlan Daman by Carole, Gila and Avi Daman Introduction Rabbi Yaakov Glasser ....................................................................... Page 4 Salvation of Man and Beast: Noach, Shofar and the Ultimate Mercy Rabbi Elchanan Adler ....................................................................... Page 5 Did Yonah Teach Nineveh to Repent? Rabbi Ezra Frazer ........................................................................... Page 13 Rosh Hashana as the Beginning of the Teshuva Process Rabbi Dovid Hirsch ......................................................................... Page 17 Does God Want You To Work At Zappos? Malchuyot Reclaimed Rabbi Joe Hirsch ............................................................................. Page 20 Two Gifts to Give Your Children this Rosh Hashana Shira Heller and Shira Loewenstein ........................................................ Page 23 Strive for Perfection but don’t be a Perfectionist Chaim Nissel, Psy.D. ......................................................................... Page 26 Fulfilling A Mitzvah When It Isn’t a Mitzvah Rabbi Richard Weiss, M.D. .................................................................. Page 31 3 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776 Introduction שבעת ימים קודם יום הכפורים מפרישין כהן גדול מביתו ללשכת פרהדרין. Rabbi Yaakov Glasser מש’, יומא ב. Seven days preceding Yom Kippur, David Mitzner Dean, YU Center for the Jewish Future we separate the Kohein Gadol from Rabbi, Young Israel of Passaic-Clifton his family, and sequester him in the Parhedrin Chamber. What is the nature of Rabbi Yehuda’s to all the eternal message of ahavas The Lishkas Parhedrin becomes the concern? Why would anyone assume HaShem, love of God, as the defining home of the Kohein Gadol for the the Kohein Gadol is incarcerated, character of the religious experience. week preceding his service on Yom and how does placing a mezuzah on We find ourselves raising and Kippur. It is in this chamber that he the door mitigate this concern? will prepare himself intellectually, teaching a generation that emotionally, and spiritually to The answer to this question increasingly views the lifestyle represent the Jewish people on Yom reveals how the entire Yom Kippur of Torah and mitzvos as a “beis Kippur. One can only imagine the experience truly strikes at the heart ha’asurim” — a restrictive mixed emotions of apprehension of our fundamental challenge in environment comprised mostly and anticipation as the reality of perpetuating our Torah values of expectations and demands that his awesome responsibility set in to the next generation. To the undermine our natural ambition throughout the Aseres Yemei Teshuva. outsider, uninitiated and unfamiliar for individuality and freedom. It is The Gemara,Yoma 10a-10b, relates with Kohein Gadol’s preparatory our responsibility to affix mezuzos an interesting halachic anomaly journey, the sequestering of this on the doorways of our religious regarding this chamber relative to the great leader, indeed appears as a form experience and inspire our children other rooms of the Beis HaMikdash: of incarceration. Cut off from his to recognize the deep meaning and family and friends, he is constrained purpose that Torah and mitzvos and limited to function exclusively provide to our lives. The month תנו רבנן: כל הלשכות שהיו במקדש לא היו within the narrow parameters of of Tishrei is a unique opportunity להן מזוזה, חוץ מלשכת פרהדרין שהיה בה the Parhedrin chamber. However, in this regard. One can view these בית דירה לכהן גדול. אמר רבי יהודה: והלא in reality, this environment weeks as a “beis ha’asurim,” with כמה לשכות היו במקדש שהיה להן בית דירה, provides the Kohein Gadol with an endless set of expectations and ולא היה להן מזוזה. אלא, לשכת פרהדרין the foundation to encounter the demands. Alternatively, one can view גזירה היתה. מאי טעמא דרבי יהודה ... שלא .most profound moment of Divine the month as one of opportunity יאמרו כהן גדול חבוש בבית האסורין. Our rabbis taught: all of the chambers connection imaginable. One who The chance to project the veahavta“ in the Temple did not have a mezuzah is intimately familiar with the inner es HaShem Elokecha” dimension to except for the Parhedrin chamber, which workings of the Temple world, can our religious life. To recognize how served as living quarters for the Kohein appreciate the solemnity and sanctity the Yamim Noraim, and chagim Gadol. Rabbi Yehuda said: Weren’t of the experience. Chazal were which follow, are an eternal gift that there other living quarters in the Temple deeply concerned that people not provide our lives with reflection, that did not have a mezuzah? Rather, characterize a religious experience of transformation, and celebration. this was a specific institution for the meaning and purpose as a confining Wishing you and your family a Shana Parhedrin chamber. What is the reason suppression of opportunity and Tova for Rabbi Yehuda? … so that they freedom. Therefore, they mandated should not say that the Kohein Gadol a mezuzah to be placed upon the is locked in prison. door of this chamber, proclaiming 4 Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary • The Benjamin and Rose Berger CJF Torah To-Go Series • Rosh Hashanah-Yom Kippur 5776 Salvation of Man and Beast: Noach, Shofar and the Ultimate Mercy he Rosh Hashana liturgy is a window into the character of this extraordinary day. Rabbi Elchanan Adler TOften, a familiar theme is given vivid Rosh Yeshiva, RIETS expression via the Machzor’s rich and poetic language. Occasionally, the message only emerges through a careful analysis of the text and its flood waters to destroy all flesh because Israel’s covenantal relationship with linguistic nuances. of their evil deeds. Therefore, his memory Hashem; it is, after all, the Jews who are comes before You, G-d our Lord, to make commanded to affirm His Kingship, Vayizkor Elokim Es Noach: his descendants like the dust of the earth and who fervently seek favorable The Lead Reference of the and his progeny like the sand of the sea. mention in the merit of the Patriarchs. Zichronos Blessing As it states in Your Torah “And G-d How puzzling then that of all the verses remembered Noach and all of the beasts cited to affirm G-d’s omniscience, it is A passage from Zichronos — one of and the cattle that were with him in the the one that seemingly lacks any Jewish the three core blessings of the Musaf ark, and G-d caused a wind to blow over connection that is accorded the greatest Amida — exemplifies the latter the land and the water calmed.” prominence! phenomenon. Mussaf for Rosh Hashana After affirming G-d’s omniscience, the It is interesting that the remembrance The Remembrance of Noach: prayer segues into a string of scriptural referenced here lacks an overt Jewish A Symbol of Jewish Survival proof texts. The lead reference states connection. On the one hand, this is that Hashem remembered Noach understandable given that universal These linguistic clues would suggest along with the beasts and animals that motifs overlap comfortably with the that, notwithstanding its universal were his companions in the teiva; He central themes of Rosh Hashana and overtones, this verse carries powerful caused a wind to pass over the earth find expression within its liturgy.1 On symbolic significance for the Jewish and the waters subsided. The Machzor the other hand, there are indications people. introduces this verse as follows: that something more profound is at This finds support in Yeshayahu’s play with regard to this particular verse. prophecy, which links Hashem’s וגם את נח באהבה זכרת
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