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Berachot 5A When You Get up from the Sefer, Look for Something You Have Learned That You Can Live by (Igeret Ramban( NEWSLETTER - WEEK 7 - FEB 23-29, 2020

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Berachot 5A When You Get up from the Sefer, Look for Something You Have Learned That You Can Live by (Igeret Ramban( NEWSLETTER - WEEK 7 - FEB 23-29, 2020 BeRachot 5a When you get up from the sefer, look for something you have learned that you can live by (Igeret Ramban( NEWSLETTER - WEEK 7 - FEB 23-29, 2020 haLachot • Even a Talmid Hacham, who constantly reviews his learning in his mind, must recite at least one verse of merciful supplication before retiring at night, such as (Tehillim 31:6): In Your hand I entrust my spirit; You redeemed me, O Hashem, God of truth (Gemara; see Pesukim). • Shulhan Aruch states that upon retiring for the night one says Shema, a collection of various verses (including Tehillim ibid.) and Birkat HaMapil (see O.H. 239:1). • One who recites Keriat Shema upon his bed when retiring for the night is as if he holds a double-edged sword in his hand to ward of the demons (see Likute Amarim #7; and Kaf HaHaim ibid. #14). • One fulfills the bedtime requirement by saying the first paragraph of Shema (Shulhan Aruch ibid.). It is preferable, though, to recite all three paragraphs (Kaf HaHaim ibid. #1). • Women are included in this requirement just like men (Kaf HaHaim ibid. #3). • When one experiences suffering it is an opportunity to serve Hashem with love by accepting the suffering willingly (Orah Mesharim 1:18; cf. Maharsha, Taanit 8a). • A person who suffers also must analyze his deeds and attempt to determine what he did wrong to deserve this suffering and rectify his deeds (Gemara; see Mussar). inspiRation The Gemara teaches that Hashem visits suffering upon those whom He loves, in order to cleanse them from their sins and increase their reward in the World to Come (Rashi; cf. Moreh Nebuchim 3:24). However, a person’s suffering accomplishes these goals only when he accepts them willingly (see Mussar). The Gemara derives this from a comparison in Scripture between suffering and sacrificial offerings: Just as a sacrificial offering is valid and atones for its owner only if he brings it to the Temple and offers it willingly, so too suffering atones for the sufferer only if he accepts the suffering willingly. Rabbenu Nissim Gaon (here) cites the Gemara in Arachin 21a, which states that when a person is obligated to offer a sacrifice and he refuses to bring it, the court may actually beat him until he says, “I want to.” Once he expresses these words his offering can be accepted. But this is difficult to understand. For when one agrees to do something by coercion and under duress he is not really acting willingly, he is only being forced. Why do his mere words, “I want to,” suffice? Rambam explains (Hil. Gittin 2:20): Deep inside, every Jew really wants to do Hashem’s will. It is actually the Yeser HaRa who forces him, against his will, to neglect to do so. When the court coerces him to do what he is obligated to do, and he says, “I want to,” the court has succeeded in beating the Yeser HaRa and thereby helped the individual express his true inner desire. We can now be sure that the individual does what he is supposed to out of his own volition, and not because of the coercion. We therefore pray to Hashem and say: It is revealed and known before Your throne of glory that our will is to do your will. But what prevents us from doing so? The Yeser HaRa and overbearing governments. Please Hashem, remove these hindrances from us so that we may serve You wholeheartedly (Berachot 17a). BeRachot 5a When you get up from the sefer, look for something you have learned that you can live by (Igeret Ramban( stoRy “The Suffering of R’ Elazar the son of R’ Shimon” The Gemara (Bava Mesia 83b-84b) tells how R’ Elazar got involved in apprehending robbers for the government. R’ Elazar had a successful method of determining who the robbers were, using circumstantial evidence, and had the robbers he discovered arrested by the authorities. Other Rabbis, though, protested against R’ Elazar’s involvement in this field because they believed it was not his place to become Hashem’s “policeman.” R’ Elazar nevertheless continued his job. Once, someone was insolent to R’ Elazar and he had him arrested, taking his insolence as a sign that the man was truly evil. Later, R’ Elazar reconsidered his reliance upon the circumstantial evidence in this particular case and tried to save the arrested individual. But he failed and the man was hung. At first R’ Elazar was filled with remorse, thinking that he may have caused an innocent man’s death. Later, though, he was informed that this man was indeed truly wicked. R’ Elazar then exclaimed: “Rejoice, my insides, rejoice! If your doubtful judgments are proven to be correct, how much more so your certain judgments.” Even so, R’ Elazar underwent a surgical procedure to prove his righteousness. He had his fat removed and left in the sun. When it sat there for a while and did not rot, he proclaimed: “Even my flesh will rest in confidence.” Despite this, R’ Elazar was worried about the harm he had caused to others, even though he believed he was obliged to do so, and he therefore accepted suffering upon himself as atonement. He became afflicted with terrible skin sores. Each night he would address his aches and pains and say: “My brothers and friends, come and afflict me.” In the morning he would tell them: “Leave me,” in order that they not disrupt his Torah study (as discussed in our Gemara; see also Maharsha there). muSSar “The Purpose of Suffering” When one suffers, he must analyze his deeds and recognize that his wrong choices are what brought this suffering upon him. He will then repent and find mercy from Hashem. This is one of the great kindnesses of Hashem, that He accepts repentance even if it comes only as a result of one’s suffering. But if one ignores his suffering, and does not reflect upon his deeds, he increases his sin and might .חס ושלום suffer even more The suffering visited upon a person serves two purposes: The first is that it atones for his sins and cleanses him from its “stains.” The suffering, thus, heals the spiritual maladies of his soul. The second purpose is to serve as a reminder for him to repent from his sins and turn over a new leaf – to start fresh again. When a person recognizes that his suffering has meaning and that it serves these lofty purposes, he will be able to accept it with love; he will even thank Hashem for his suffering (Shaare Teshuvah 3:2-4). take away message The Gemara teaches that one must constantly “anger” his Yeser Tov against his Yeser HaRa in order to withstand the Yeser HaRa’s seductions. How does one do this? He addresses the Yeser HaRa, raises his voice, and shouts: You, who are called Evil, Wicked, Despised, Loathed, Despicable, etc. (all the Yeser HaRa’s names given in the Gemara, Kiddushin 30b and Succah 52a), how long will you stand in the way of the Endless Light of the Almighty, Who fills the world and surrounds the world, past present and future! You despicable one! You attempt to confuse man into denying this truth, which can be seen so clearly, there is nothing that truly exists but Hashem alone! By degrading the Yeser HaRa in this way, and identifying him for who he really is, one succeeds in dragging him down and weakening his influence, just as light dissipates the darkness (Likute Amarim #29). Whenever a person is faced by temptation, he must awaken his spirit and remember to fear Hashem, who sees everything and knows everything and rewards and punishes accordingly (Hinuch, cited in Biur Halachah 1:1). BeRachot 5a When you get up from the sefer, look for something you have learned that you can live by (Igeret Ramban( Rabbis Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish [Part One] R’ Shimon ben Lakish (known in Bavli as Resh Lakish), ten years younger than his contemporary, R’ Yohanan, was born and raised in Siporee, in the southern Galilee in Eres Yisrael. He and R’ Yohanan claimed that their greatness in Torah was achieved because they had merited to see Rebbi’s fingers protruding from his sleeves (Yerushalmi Besah 5:2). At some time in Resh Lakish’s youth, he fell in with the wrong crowd and joined a group of bandits. The Gemara tells how he sold himself to cannibals as a slave and ultimately escaped with his life (see Gittin 47a). The Gemara also tells how he met R’ Yohanan, who offered him his sister as a wife and drew him back into the fold (see Bava Mesia 84a). Later, as R’ Yohanan’s study partner (and brother-in-law), Resh Lakish would review the text of the Mishnah forty times before he appeared before R’ Yohanan to study with him (Taanit 8a). Resh Lakish also studied under many of the greatest Amoraim of his time, including R’ Hanina, R’ Yanai, Bar Kapara, R’ Afeis, and R’ Oshaya. When R’ Yohanan started his yeshiva in Teveryah, Resh Lakish joined him there, assisting him in all matters. He would review R’ Yohanan’s class with the students and sometimes substitute for R’ Yohanan. Resh Lakish was not interested in in his own personal glory. Rather, he desired that there should be one central Torah academy with R’ Yohanan at its head. R’ Yohanan and Resh Lakish are found together in the Gemara countless times, sometimes in agreement, sometimes in dispute. They were known as “two of the great people of the world” (Yerushalmi Berachot 8:6).
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