YOM KIPPUR 5778

VOLUME 16, ISSUE 44

PARSHAH INSIGHTS obligated to return to fasting because he will not fulfill the mitzva anyway. On the other hand, if there is a separate mitzva to fast every moment of the twenty five hour period, there is a different Rebbi Akiva said, “Praised are you, Jewish people; to obligation every minute. Therefore, even if he wasn’t able to fast Whom do you purify yourselves and Who purifies you. for a few minutes while feeling weak, he would still be obligated Your Father in Heaven… and it says (Yirmiyahu 17) ‘The to continue fasting after he regained his strength because every mikvah of Bnai Yisroel is Hashem.’ Just as a minute is a new mitzva. purifies those who are impure, so too Hashem purifies A proof to the above question can be brought from the following you.” (Yoma 8, 9) Mishna. If a pregnant woman craves a certain food on and there is a concern that she or her fetus will be in Why does Rebbi Akiva need to compare Hashem’s purification danger, she is permitted to eat ‘until her desire is tamed.’ (Mishna of Bnai Yisroel to the purification of a Mikveh? Isn’t it possible Yoma 8,5) to understand the ability of Hashem to purify without associating it with a Mikveh? The Mikroei Kodesh (39) says that from the words of the Mishna “until her desire is tamed” it seems that after the pregnant Matisyohu Salamon shlita explained that the the following woman’s desire has been satiated, she is not permitted to eat. This halocho in the mikveh purification process sheds light on an is proof that Yom Kippur is a twenty five hour period in which a important aspect of Bnai Yisroel’s purification from Hashem. person is obligated to afflict himself every individual minute. “When one immerses in a mikveh, they must remove anything Therefore, even if a person is permitted to stop the affliction for that may be a barrier between their body and the water.” (Yore a short period of time, he is required to resume the suffering Deah 198) A barrier on one’s body during the purification process afterwards. is called a chatzitza and renders the purification null and void. The same holds true regarding purification from sin. In order for TABL E TALK a person to receive atonement, one must remove anything that separates him from Hashem. One who has repented on his sins

but hasn’t reconnected to Hashem will not achieve atonement, PARSHA DILEMMA

just like a mikveh doesn’t purify those whose bodies are not Hashem does not judge alone… However, He signs the decrees totally immersed in the waters of the mikveh. alone. (Yerushalmi 1:1)

During Aseres Yemai Teshuva, Hashem sits on His throne and … And you shall afflict yourselves on the ninth of the allows the Heavenly Angels to pass judgment on people. month in the evening – from evening to evening – you However, the angels cannot give atonement for sins that involve shall rest… (Emor 23, 32) the desecration of Hashem’s Honor.

One who feels weak during Yom Kippur is permitted to eat if he During Neilah, when Hashem sits alone and signs the decrees, has received a heter from his Rov. After he has regained his one can request that Hashem forgive him for desecrating His strength, must he return to fasting or may he continue to eat? Honor. At that time, Hashem alone is passing the sentences and The posuk states that ‘on Yom Kippur one should fast from can pardon a person on the sin of desecrating His honor. evening to evening’ which means that Yom Kippur is a twenty (Meshech Chochmo Vayelech) five hour fast. This can be understood in two ways. 1) Twenty five hours is the definition of a fast, which means that one who Moshe was not allowed to enter Eretz Yisroel because he had has fasted less than twenty five hours did not fast. 2) Every caused a desecration of Hashem’s Name at Mei Miriva (Rashi moment of fasting during the twenty five hour period is a separate mitzva. Chukas 20, 12). Why didn’t Moshe request forgiveness from Hashem during Neilah for this sin, which would have allowed The difference between these two explanations applies to a him to enter Eretz Yisroel? person who had a heter from his Rov to break his fast. If a fast less than twenty five hours is not considered a fast, then he is not

SPONSORED AS A ZECHUS REFUAH SHELAIMA FOR BRACHA BAS TOVA, HADDASA BAS MICHAL CHANA, AND CHAVA BAS MICHAL CHANA AND IN HONOR OF R’ YAAKOV BIENSTOCK ON BEING MESAYEM MASECHES ROSH HASHANA AND R’ DOVID DAVIDOWITZ ON HIS UPCOMING SIYUM HASHAS! felt uncomfortable going, fearing they would ruin something, and the wealthy chassid didn’t try to convince them otherwise. WHO AM I?

One day, the from that town invited the to visit them. 1 I am twenty four, yet twenty five He accepted the invitation and asked to be hosted at this chassid’s 2 I am similar to the lottery day home. As you can imagine, the wealthy chassid was overjoyed to 3 For me there are not three, rather five have the opportunity to host the Rebbe. 4 I make the quiet, loud When the Rebbe arrived, he looked around at all the splendor. He Last week’s clues I am three, yet I am four, I am double led the chassid to the window, pulled back the curtain and asked, Yehoshua’s father, Sometimes I am one day, sometimes two, I “What do you see?” The chassid answered, “A street filled with come from the below. people and carriages.” Closing the curtain, he then brought him to the framed mirror over the breakfront and asked, “Now what Answer: The blasts blown on Rosh Hashono. do you see?” “Myself” said the chassid. Congratulations to: Ronen Lowenthal “Now you can see clearly the power of a thin layer of silver” said the Rebbe. “No longer can one who looks at it see others; it causes WHO AM I ? him to only see himself”

1 I wave, but I don’t say hello “He’evinu means our outlook has become distorted,” explains 2 I may rattle or squawk Rav Galinsky. Yom Kippur is a time to try and straighten it out. 3 I am not a , but I go all around 4 I am in the stead BULLETI N B O A R D Last week’s clues: I represent crying, My number is for a mother, I do not drive you, I am an alarm clock. MAZEL TOV

Answer: and Mrs. Yitzi Boim on the bar mitzvah of Yeruchem

Congratulations to: Ehrlich family, Shauli Farkas, Mr. and Mrs. Harry M. Brown on the birth of a great grandson Ronen Lowenthal Rabbi and Mrs. Avrohom Chaim Gibber on the birth of a girl RIDDLE Mr. & Mrs. Shmuli Neuman on the bar mitzvah of Bentzi How is it possible that one may be permitted to eat on Yom Mr. and Mrs. Dovid Neuman Kippur even if his life is not in danger? CONDOLENCES Last week’s riddle and answer: How many blasts are blown between Rosh Chodesh Elul and The Geduld and Schabes families on the passing of Mr. Herbert Geduld

Yom Kippur? Mr. Yoel Moore on the passing of his father Answer: 297 blasts are blown between Rosh Chodesh Elul and Yom Kippur.

No Pirchei

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\ A GLIMPSE OF GREATNESS If you wish to have an announcement or event posted on the Kollel Bulletin Board or to sponsor an issue, In his explanation of “He’evinu,” Rav Yaakov Galinsky zt”l tells call 216-626-KYCM (5926) or email a story of a chassid who became very wealthy. His Rebbe heard [email protected]. about this from the chassidim who traveled to visit him. In the past, they used to stay with him on their journey to visit the Rebbe, but since he had become wealthy his home became more elegant and less inviting. Those who had stayed there in the past

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