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A PROJECT OF THE פרשת וישב שבת פרשת ראהחנוכה כ״ו כ״ט אבכסלו תשפ״א At the 5781 DECEMBERJULY 7, 2021 12, 2020 ISSUE #53 Shabbos RABBI YITZCHOK WEEKLY INSPIRATION AND INSIGHT ADAPTED FROMTable CLASSIC ARTSCROLL TITLES HISIGER, EDITOR DEDICATED BY MENACHEM AND BINAH BRAUNSTEIN AND FAMILY DESIGN & LAYOUT: L’ILLUI NISHMAS RAV MOSHE BEN RAV YISSOCHOR BERISH AND MARAS YENTA BAS YISROEL CHAIM MRS. AVIVA KOHN

Parashah LOVE AND FEAR The Torah Treasury by Rabbi Moshe M. Lieber

Moshe Rabbeinu warned the Bnei Yisra- (world convention) of Agudath el about the spiritual trap of idolatry. He then Israel, the Chafetz Chaim met spoke about the prohibitions concerning false the Imrei Emes, Rav Avraham prophets and the necessity to maintain loyalty Mordechai of Ger, and asked to Hashem: him this very question. The Gerrer Rebbe re- plied, “Allow me to give his honor a Chassidic יאַחֲרֵ ה' אֱֹלקֵ יכֶ ם תֵּ לֵ כוּ וְ אֹתוֹ תִירָ אוּ. After Hashem, your God, you shall go and Him answer to this question. One who sees himself you shall fear (13:5). as being close to Hashem after, is actually far away from , אַ חֲ רֵ י The word implies distance; the re- Him, while one who re- implies alizes how distant he is אַ חַ ר lated term proximity (see Rashi to from Hashem is actual- Bereishis 15:1). Why does ly quite close. One can the Torah command us The Imrei Emes The Chofetz Chaim cleave to Hashem only if אַ חֲ רֵ י to follow Hashem with he views himself as -which implies WE MUST MAKE THE (removed).” As David Hamel , אַ חֲ רֵ י the term distance? It should have em- EFFORT TO COME ech said, “Hashem is close to which CLOSE EVEN IF WE the brokenhearted; and those , אַ חַ ר ployed the term would have demanded that FEEL REMOVED. crushed in spirit, He saves” (Te- we maintain a close spiritual hillim 34:1 9). and emotional proximity to Him. According to Rav Shmuel Rozovsky, this The Chafetz Chaim explains that the Torah verse tells us that we must combine love and fear is encouraging us to make the effort to come in our service of Hashem. While serving Hash- close to Hashem even if we feel removed from em out of love is certainly the optimal path, if it distant is not tempered by fear, it can easily lead to the , אַ חֲ רֵ י Him. Even if one sees himself as from Hashem, one should still put all his ener- familiarity that breeds contempt. In order for gies into seeking His closeness. His efforts will one to properly maintain his love for Hashem, — אַ חֲ רֵ י be rewarded. one must maintain a spiritual posture of While traveling to the first Knessiah Gedolah close yet removed. THE VERY CLOSENESS WE SEEK Daf Yomi The Schottenstein Edition Ein Yaakov – Tractates Yoma/Succah

In this week’s Daf Yomi, the wine, and his master dashes ron-Givat Gemara says (Succah 29a) that the water into his face. Rain Mordechai when rain precludes a person on Succos is a clear indication in Yerusha- from dwelling in the succah, that Hashem is not interested layim, won- it is comparable to a servant in our mitzvah. ders why who comes with a pitcher Rav Dovid Cohen, rosh the sages teach us this lesson ARTSCROLL MESORAH ARTSCROLL

of water to mix his master’s yeshivah of Yeshivas Chev- regarding the continued on page 3 PUBLICATIONS To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 1 BERACHAH FROM THE TAXI DRIVER Inspiration Reaching to Heaven – The elevating life, stories, and teachings of Rav Yaakov Edelstein by Yedidya Meir and Sivan Rahav-Meir

Rav Yaakov Edelstein, beloved who looked like he had just left the ingfully, ‘He and venerated rav of Ramat Ha- beach. loved his home, Sharon, was unique in his time The sight was so incongruous he loved his for the respect he showed to every that several minutes afterward, the land, he loved single person, young and old, reli- driver was surrounded by neigh- his wife.’ gious or not. bors who came to him asking for a “I remember that one time a One Friday, Rav Edelstein trav- berachah as well. “If Rav Edelstein Jew who never came to shul except eled to Bnei Brak for Shabbos. The asked you for a berachah,” they for Yom Kippur and Yizkor passed taxi driver who arrived to drive said, “we want one, too.” away. Rav Edelstein eulogized him him from his house in Ramat with the words, ‘He always HaSharon was shirtless and “HE TAUGHT US mentioned his parents wearing shorts. Rav Edelstein THAT YOU CAN when he came to shul...’ didn’t say a word. When they FIND SOMETHING “At another funeral, he arrived at their destination in POSITIVE, UNIQUE, found another good sto- Bnei Brak, in the neighbor- ry: ‘There was a Jew who AND EVEN HOLY hood of Ne’ot Yosef, where came once during Shemit- he had been appointed the ABOUT EVERY tah to arrange a pruzbul, a community rav, the driver PERSON.” Rav Yaakov Edelstein contract that would allow helped Rav Edelstein carry the person to collect debts his things up the stairs to the apart- • • • • • after the Shemittah year.’ It was ment where he would be staying. When Rav Edelstein delivered a conventional halachic practice, Afterward, they went back down- eulogies for deceased residents of and it required a regular beis din stairs and Rav Edelstein turned to Ramat HaSharon, he always found consisting of three judges. Yet Rav the driver and asked, in front of the something unique to say about Edelstein went on to say, ‘The de- surprised gazes of passersby and each one. ceased joined the beis din right here neighbors, that the driver give him One Ramat HaSharon resident in Ramat HaSharon!’ a berachah before Shabbos. It was a relates: “The praises he said and “These eulogies taught me how sight to see. the honor he showed to the de- you can find something positive, There, in the heart of Bnei Brak, ceased were a real lesson. Even if unique, and even holy about every stood the elderly, prominent rav, the person wasn’t exactly from his person. Hearing him give a eulogy his head bent under the hands of a community, the rav’s eulogy was to- made an impression, and it was all taxi driver from Ramat HaSharon tally heartfelt. He would say mean- absolutely true.”

TAKE RABBI PAYSACH KROHN WITH YOU DURING THE MOST IMPORTANT DAYS OF THE YEAR! YAMIM NORAIM WITH THE MAGGID ELEVATING STORIES AND INSIGHTS FROM ELUL THROUGH YOM KIPPUR

n Yamim Noraim with the Maggid, Rabbi Krohn, the famed “American Maggid,” shares brief but pow- Ierful ideas culled from a large variety of Torah sources. And, of course, he brings those ideas to life through stories and parables told in his inimitable style. Yamim Noraim with the Maggid includes fascinating insights into the month of Elul, Selichos, Rosh Hashanah, Tzom Gedaliah, Aseres Yemei Teshuvah and Yom Kippur, as well as commentary on select portions of the Machzor.

To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 2 Chinuch WARM THE NOVOCAIN! Living and Parenting by Rabbi Yakov Horowitz

Renowned author and lecturer Reb Avi Shulman comfort when the room-tempera- once delivered an in-service workshop titled “Effec- ture Novocain is injected in their tive Classroom Discipline.” During his presentation, 98.6 degree bodies. He therefore he vividly described how impressed he was by the warms the Novocain in his hands sensitivity of his dentist. When Mr. Shulman was hav- before injecting it. ing a cavity filled, he was informed by his dentist What a powerful that a shot of Novocain WE MUST KEEP message to educators would be given to him to IN MIND THE and parents! We have dull the pain of the drill- IMPORTANCE OF a sacred obligation to ing and filling. guide and direct our PROJECTING WARMTH Mr. Shulman relat- children. At the same ed how he watched with AND PROTECTING time, we must keep in interest as his dentist THE DIGNITY OF OUR mind the importance held the vial of Novocain CHILDREN. of projecting warmth Reb Avi Shulman cupped in both his hands and protecting the for a few moments before injecting it into Mr. Shul- dignity of our children when we deliver these im- man’s mouth. He explained to Mr. Shulman that in portant messages. Warm the Novocain. Warm the addition to the sting of the shot, patients often feel dis- Novocain!

THE VERY CLOSENESS rect protection. Thus, dwelling in insight from the Vilna Gaon (Dvar WE SEEK continued from page 1 the succah is not simply fulfilling Eliyhau; Yahel Or, Likut, Parashas succah in particular. Presumably, a Torah command. It is being wel- Pinchas 256b; Kol Eliyahu §85). any time Divine Providence inter- comed into God’s Presence. When The High Holy Days are a time of feres with our fulfillment of a mitz- Hashem permits us entry into the judgment, when Hashem careful- vah, it is a sign of Hash- ly weighs and reviews our every em’s displeasure, of His HE CONVEYS deed. Succos, by contrast, rep- rejection of our mitzvah. TO US THAT HE resents Hashem’s love for Klal Why is it specifically rain Yisrael. The mitzvos of the succah on Succos that evokes such WANTS OUR and the Four Species mitigate powerful imagery — of a COMPANY. Hashem’s justice, evoking instead displeased master, harsh- Rav Dovid Cohen His divine mercy for His nation. ly rejecting his servant’s succah, He conveys This is why our Mishnah illustrates service, and his very presence? to us that He wants our company. with a person who attempts to en- Rav Cohen explains based on We deserve a close and loving rela- ter as a servant to dilute his master’s cup of wine. Strong, undiluted ,כוס the Zohar (Vol. 3, 103a), which de- tionship with Him. When He does scribes dwelling in the succah as not permit us entry, it is not mere- wine represents Hashem’s strict taking refuge beneath Hashem’s ly a rejection of our mitzvah. It is a and undiluted justice. [Additional- is the same as כוס tzila demehemnusa — shelter of rejection of the very closeness we ly, the gematria of“ the Name of Hashem ,אלקים faithfulness,” as well as dwelling seek with Him (Zeman Simchaseinu, that of with the righteous under the wings Maamar 5 §1-2,4). that denotes strict justice.] On Suc- of the Shechinah (103b). Similarly, Rav Cohen expands on this. cos, we come to temper it, like water the Gemara (Succah 11b) describes Why does the Mishnah state that softens the sharpness of unmixed the succah as a commemoration the servant comes to mix his mas- wine. If Hashem rejects our efforts of the Clouds of Glory of the Wil- ter’s cup, instead of saying simply and banishes us from the succah, derness, in which the Bnei Yisrael that he comes to hand it to him? His strict justice remains unmiti- lived securely under Hashem’s di- Rav Cohen cites a fascinating gated.

To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 3 Parashah for Children פרשת ראה !NEW The Big Secret hat’s our holiest city? Yerushalayim. What’s our holiest place? The Beis HaMikdash. W Where are these holy places mentioned in the Torah? Nowhere! Where are they hinted at? In this parashah. Moshe tells the Jews about a place that Hashem will choose. In that place the Jews and their families will come together with great joy. There — and only there — will they bring all their korbanos to Hashem. Where is this place that Hashem will choose? When Moshe gave the mitzvah, no one knew. It was a secret. The location Hashem chose was revealed to David HaMelech through Gad HaNavi. That was the place where the Beis HaMikdash was built. Today, we still know Hashem’s chosen place. It is Har HaMoriah, in Yerushalayim. This is where Akeidas Yitzchak happened. It’s where Yaakov had his dream of angels going up and down a ladder. On that holy mountain, Shlomo HaMelech built the Beis HaMikdash. Until today, Jews gather as close as they can get to the place of the Beis HaMikdash — the Kosel HaMaaravi, the Western Wall, where Hashem’s Shechinah still rests.

WIN A $36 ARTSCROLL GIFT CARD! THE WEEKLYQuestion for Parashas Re’eh: QUESTION How can one break every law in the Torah by committing only one sin? Kids, please ask your parents to email the answer to [email protected] by this Wednesday to be entered into a weekly raffle to win a $36 ARTSCROLL GIFT CARD! Be sure to include your full name, city, and contact info. Names of winners will appear in a future edition. HINT: The answer can be found in The Jaffa Family Edition Weekly Parashah. The winner of the Parashas Devarim question is: MALKA PFEFFER, Pittsburgh, PA The question was: In how many languages did Moshe explain the Torah? The answer is: 70.