NATIONAL TABLE OF CONTENTS COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL GREETINGS 3 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Rabbi David Warshaw

RABBI DAVID WARSHAW INTRODUCTION 4 YOUNG ISRAEL OF OCEANSIDE, PRESIDENT Rabbi Shmuel Ismach DAVID SCHULTZ Rabbi Sholom Axelrod YOUNG ISRAEL OF CENTURY CITY/LOS ANGELES CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD HOLYDAYS OR HOLIDAYS? 7 HAROLD ASPIS Rabbi Baruch Taub YOUNG ISRAEL OF SCARSDALE 1ST VICE PRESIDENT JOURNEY IN TESHUVA 8 CHARLES MILLER Rabbi Joshua Goller YOUNG ISRAEL OF WOODMERE 2ND VICE PRESIDENT AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVAH 10 ROBERT LEVI Rav Shalom Gold YOUNG ISRAEL OF SHOMRAI EMUNAH/ GREATER WASHINGTON, TREASURER VOICES 17 ARI PEARL Rabbi Elazar R. Muskin YOUNG ISRAEL HOLLYWOOD- FT. LAUDERDALE FINANCIAL SECRETARY : FRIENDSHIP DAVID GROSS YOUNG ISRAEL OF PLAINVIEW DAY 19 RECORDING SECRETARY Rabbi Yosef Weinstock JONATHAN ABBETT YOUNG ISRAEL OF BROOKLINE, ASSOCIATE VP THIRTEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES 23 Rabbi Chaim Wasserman ADAM P. COHEN YOUNG ISRAEL OF GREAT NECK, ASSOCIATE VP SUKKOT AND THE PURSUIT OF STEVE COHEN YOUNG ISRAEL OF OAK PARK, ASSOCIATE VP HAPPINESS 30 Rabbi Doron Perez ARYEH DAVIS YOUNG ISRAEL OF LAWRENCE/CEDARHURST Executive Chairman, World Mizrachi ASSOCIATE VP THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM 32 NAOMI KORN GOLD YOUNG ISRAEL OF SHARON, ASSOCIATE VP Rabbi Shay Schachter ANDY GROSS MOSHE’S BRACHAH TO REUVEN; YOUNG ISRAEL OF EAST BRUNSWICK, ASSOCIATE VP MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE 40 JANET HOD Rabbi Zev Goldberg YOUNG ISRAEL OF TEANECK, ASSOCIATE VP OWEN RUMELT HOW DO I KEEP SHEVI’IT WHEN YOUNG ISRAEL OF WEST HEMPSTEAD, ASSOCIATE VP VISITING ERETZ HAKODESH? 43 MARK SEMER Rabbi David Rue YOUNG ISRAEL OF NEW ROCHELLE, ASSOCIATE VP ELIMELECH TENENBAUM ADDENDUM 49 YOUNG ISRAEL AISH HATORAH LAS VEGAS ASSOCIATE VP MARK TRENCHER YOUNG ISRAEL OF WEST HARTFORD, ASSOCIATE VP Rabbi Chaim Wasserman, Editor JONATHAN WOGAN Rabbi Binyamin Hammer, YOUNG ISRAEL OF MEMPHIS, ASSOCIATE VP Director of Rabbinic Services, NCYI GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT

TISHREI 5782 Dear Friends, portant information to their memberships, I am honored to present the first in a through the weekly presentation of our 4 planned series of Torah Journals to be dis- Minutes of Torah videos, through Town Hall tributed by National Council of Young Isra- meetings with branch memberships and el, the Tishrei Torah Journal for 5782. an extremely well attended Delegates As- sembly, we have begun the process of re- The diversity of both our contributors and storing the feeling of Mishpacha for which the topics they have selected, reflect the Young Israel was always known. AFTER ALL, broad scope of our movement and those WE ARE FIRST AND FOREMOST A SHUL OR- who wish to connect with it. It is my hope GANIZATION, THE AIM OF WHICH IS TO SERVE that the thousands who will read these AND BENEFIT ITS CONSTITUENT BRANCHES Divrei Torah will benefit greatly and thus AND THEIR FAMILIES. enhance their spiritual experience during this crucial time period for each and every We are also working on expanding our Jew. presence in Eretz Yisrael through our Yis- rael Hatzair, which offers vitally important I would like to take this opportunity to services to hundreds of individuals and thank all of our sponsors, without whose works to coordinate the activities of our support this undertaking could never have 38 Young Israel branches in Israel. You will succeeded. I particularly want to thank be hearing much more about this devel- our many branches which joined togeth- opment in the coming weeks and months. er in a true spirit of Achdus by sponsoring and encouraging this project. Thanks also I realize that there is much hard work to Charles Miller, Chairman of our Syna- which lies ahead if we are to truly succeed gogue Services Committee for your ideas in restoring the role of National Council and suggestions. And a special thank you of Young Israel. Perhaps even more im- to our Director of Rabbinic Services, Rab- portantly, is the need to create the sense bi Binyamin Hammer, for coordinating of working together between the Coun- the actual production and printing of the cil and the branches, as well as among Journal. Yasher Koach for your efforts. the branches themselves. The success of these efforts will lead us towards the ac- As we enter the Yamim Noraim, the time complishment of our one shared goal, the during which we all engage in Cheshbon strengthening and further growth of Or- HaNefesh, it is a perfect opportunity to thodoxy in both the US and Israel. consider where our Young Israel Move- ment stands and the direction in which we I am confident that with continued perse- are headed. verance and the cooperation of our mem- bers, we can succeed in this mission and During the brief six months since the regain the status of a truly vibrant, affec- election of our administration, we have tive, and influential national organization. focused on revitalizing the spirit of coop- eration and unity which had seemed to My best wishers for a Shanah Tovah and a almost disappear over the past several Kesivah V’Chasimah Tovah to all. years. By establishing direct weekly com- munication with our branch presidents, Rabbi David Warshaw asking them to distribute useful and im- President, National Council of Young Israel

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 3 INTRODUCTION HOW TO JUDGE A ? RABBI SHMUEL ISMACH AND RABBI SHOLOM AXELROD INTERIM LEADERSHIP, YOUNG ISRAEL COUNCIL OF RABBIS

IT IS GENERALLY difficult to mean- week and count towards its arrival. ingfully appreciate momentous occa- Rav Samson Rephael Hirsch (1808- sions and significant moments in our 1888) explains that the word “re- lives as they pass so quickly, and then member” is used here as it usually is, life moves on. We are reminded of this to mean that we recall the past. How as we approach a most sacred day so? He explains that for every day of on our calendar, Yom Kippur. How are the next week, we should be recalling we to assess whether we have accom- the previous and that “we plished what we are meant to on that are to let the at its termina- special day, when before we know it, it tion reach over into the weekday, and has passed. in the blessing of the we again mention the importance of the שַׁ ּ ַ ב ת“ Perhaps, as Yom Kippur is the Sabbath as an institution that sancti- ”,שַׁבָּ תוֹן the “Sabbath of ,” fies our whole life, so that we take the (Vayikra 16:31) we can derive a lesson Sabbath spirit with us into the working from Shabbat itself. life of the weekdays.”

Regarding Shabbat, the Torah fa- To Rav Hirsch, the memory of Shabbat “זָכוֹר אֶ ת mously states (Shemot 20:7) must reverberate into the following יוֹם הַשַׁבָּ ת לְקַדְּשׁ וֹ,” “Remember the day of week and that the heightened spiri- Shabbat to make it holy.” What exact- tual awareness it offers and the time ly is it that we required to remember? for prayer and reflection it affords There are many interpretations of must not only impact that day but these words. To some, it refers to the must spill over into the following week obligation to make on Friday, as well. The successful Shabbat is one and to others, the requirement to re- that will be “remembered” well past member Shabbat every day of the the time when the Havdalah candle is

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 4 HOW TO JUDGE A YOM KIPPUR blown out. would wash his hands and feet. He wonders why the final washing, per- This might be what the Gemara means formed as he would remove his sacred when it says (Shabbat 118b): garments and ready himself to put ,on his ordinary clothing to go home אמר רבי יוחנן משום רבי שמעון בן יוחי: אלמלי -would require a formal washing be משמרין ישראל שתי שבתות כהלכתן - מיד נגאלים forehand. How was this part of the Rabbi Yochanan says in the name of Yom Kippur service? He explains that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: “Would the this is exactly what the symbolism of Jewish people keep only two Shab- the detailed service means to display: bats, they would removing the sa- be immediately cred garment to redeemed.” the memory of don his everyday clothing does in- Most commen- Shabbat...must deed constitute tators explain spill over into the avodah! that this is not to following week be understood He writes (Vay- as requiring two ikra 16:4): “The random weeks of meaning of all the Shabbat observance, but instead, two symbolic procedures performed in the consecutive ones. The after-effects of sanctuary is in the actual life outside a successful Shabbat, taken into its the Sanctuary; for ordinary life actu- next week and forming the basis for alizes the spirit that is drawn in Sanc- another successful Shabbat would tuary life. Indeed, the meaning of the create not only a repeated cycle but aspirations in bigdei kodesh is in the a narrowing spiral of closeness to and deeds performed in bigdei chol.” The awareness of G-d that would result in official service might end when the inevitable redemption. white vestments are removed, but the kohen’s inspired personal service So what of Yom Kippur, the “Shabbat must continue beyond any wardrobe Shabbaton?” If Shabbat is supposed change. to be a day that reverberates into our week, what should we expect of Again, we are reminded that the spe- the after-effects of the all-important cial day of Yom Kippur - like the day of day of Yom Kippur? Again, we turn to Shabbat - is not judged only by how Rav Hirsch. In his commentary to the that day transpired, but rather its suc- Avodah of the Kohen Gadol on Yom cess and the fulfillment of its purpose Kippur, he takes a close look at the is only seen in the days that follow. five times the Kohen Gadol would go Just as the successful Shabbat needs to the mikvah and the ten times he to impact our week, the successful

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 5 HOW TO JUDGE A YOM KIPPUR

Yom Kippur needs to impact the Ko- measured? The model of Shabbat and hen Gadol’s way past the time he’s Yom Kippur teach us that it will never changed back into his regular clothing be any one election, program or event when the pageantry of the day has that will be the determining factor. In ended. the coming months and years, only a sustained effort on the part of the The lessons National Council learned from the and its branch- Kohen Gadol ap- es to re-engage ply equally to us. we can “remember” to with each other in Our Yom Kippur meaningful ways isn’t truly over take our...Yom will lead to true when the shofar Kippur with us success. We hope blows. After that throughout our that one success sound diminish- year will build on an- es and we return other and with home to remove Hashem’s help, our Yom Kippur we will make a positive impact on the wardrobe, we are challenged to have thousands of Young Israel families and that special day inspire us on the days create a true kiddush Hashem for us. which follow. Have a G’mar Chatimah Tovah. Hopefully, we can “remember” to take our Shabbatot with us through our weeks, and our Yom Kippur with Rabbi Ismach is the mara d’atra, YI us throughout our year so that every Great Neck. Rabbi Axelrod is the mara week, and every year, builds on the d’atra , YI Woodmere one before. The Young Israel Council of Rabbis We believe this message to apply is the Rabbinic arm of the National equally to the mission of the Nation- Council of Young Israel. They can be al Council of Young Israel. As the NCYI reached at [email protected] embarks on a new chapter in its hal- lowed history, how will its success be

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 6 HOLYDAYS OR HOLIDAYS? RABBI BARUCH TAUB RABBI EMERITUS, THE BAYIT, TORONTO

I AM WRITING these words just after We of this COVID generation who for Tisha B’Av. 1 1/2 years have been experiencing an unprecedented period of anxiety I want to pose a question. know the answer. We know it because The 17 th of Tammuz, the three weeks we have basically been asking the (Bein Hametzarim), Tisha B’Av, a to- same question: what does the Al- tal of 21 days. Before we turn around mighty want from us? He wants to get Elul, Rosh Hashana, the Aseret Yemei our attention and He did! Teshuva and Yom Kippur a total of 40 Via the High Holyday season He truly days. wants us to enjoy life, celebrate Sim- Not to mention the mourning period chas, smile and be happy. But the To- of Sefirat Haomer, another 49 days. rah designed these 112 days in order to remind us that there is also a seri- Throw in Ta’anit Esther and the fast ous dimension to life which should not 10th of Tevet for good measure. diminish our Simcha but expand its meaning. Please do the math - a total of 102 days! That is almost 1/3 of our 354 lu- These 112 days are designed to “ get nar year or 365 solar year. our attention “ and to encourage us to focus on the TOTAL picture of “ ivdu et What exactly does the Almighty want HaShem BESIMCHA” (serve HaShem from us? with joy). These days are designed to Can’t we relax a little bit without all remind us of the bigger picture. this mourning and repentance (Teshu- We have been gifted by a loving G-d va)!? How about a Holiday instead of the ability to live a meaningful life a Holyday? with Torah and mitzvot. A life that

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 7 HOLYDAYS OR HOLIDAYS? provides the opportuni- JOURNEY ty of bettering ourselves spiritually as individuals, in our communities and as IN the entire enterprise of Am Yisrael, Torat Yisrael and TESHUVA Eretz Yisrael. Therefore from time to time we must RABBI JOSHUA GOLLER be reminded of what we as MARA D’ATRA, a people are missing such YOUNG ISRAEL OF WEST HEMPSTEAD as the Beit Hamikdash. (By the way in its absence we are lacking 270 of the 613 mitzvot) !

The challenge is to utilize these final 10 days from Rosh Hashana through Yom Kippur to thank Him ONE OF THE most oft recited tefillos of for this opportunity. A the Yomim Noraim is chapter 24 of Tehil- proper application of the lim. It makes its’ first cameo on the night meaning, message and of Rosh Hashanah. It returns once again to mitzvot of these days are cap off the Ma’ariv service on Yom Kippur. designed to recalibrate the It is recited in very melodious, deliberate real definition of living a and somber tones. While it is a beautiful joyous life. chapter of Tehillim, there are many others that might have had a tighter connec- Make no mistake about it tion to the Yomim Noraim. Why was this the Almighty wants us to specific chapter chosen and given such a be happy and enjoy life to prominent role in the tefillos of the Days the fullest. He just wants us of Awe? to realize that the joy and happiness will come by liv- The Satmar Rebbe, in his Divrei Yoel, ex- ing a rich spiritual life. plains that the Gemara (Shabbos 30a) is the key to understanding the center stage Ketiva Vechatima Tova. afforded to this chapter. It develops the Happy Holyday / Holiday! idea that this particular chapter is the one dedicated to the forgiveness of Dovid Hamelech. After the incident with Batshe-

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 8 JOURNEY IN TESHUVA va, Dovid did some serious introspec- ter. It is this encouragement that this tion and teshuvah, then asking for a chapter gives each and every one of sign that he was forgiven and absolved us. We can each introspect, reflect of all wrongdoing. Hashem responded and work on ourselves to achieve that the sign would not be given in his complete teshuvah. We can each own lifetime but rather in the lifetime erase the distance from Hashem that of his son, Shlomoh. Indeed, the fas- some of our mistakes have caused just cinating story of the gates in the Beis the same as Dovid Hamelech did. It is Hamikdash, the subject of this chap- for this reason that this chapter, in Te- ter, is the story of hillim, was given Dovid’s absolu- such crucial time tion. This chapter and space at this auspicious time Therefore, the serves to lay to of the year. Be- Satmar Rebbe rest both of those cause it is need- posits, if this is the misunderstandings. ed to encour- case, it needs to age each and be given such im- every individu- portance. There al in their own are two crucial ideas that are often odyssey. lost on people who are in the process of doing teshuvah. One is, that great Each of us has our very own journey people do not have to go through the in teshuvah. We have a unique smor- same rigorous process that the aver- gasbord of mistakes, challenges and age person has to endure. They don’t items to improve. It is important to have our challenges nor the laborious recognize that while each process process of returning to Hashem after a may differ, at the core, the process misstep. The other, that teshuvah is a and goal are the same for one and all. grand process that is only granted to special people. But the average per- Wishing all of you great success on son on ones own cannot embark on your unique journey. such an ambitious journey. May Hashem grant you a healthy, This chapter serves to lay to rest both happy, meaningful and successful of those misunderstandings. Here we year ahead. Warmest of wishes for a have a tzaddik like Dovid Hamelech kesivah v’chasimah tovah. who goes through the same process that the average person does. He does so as an individual. It is his story that we highlight by saying this chap-

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 9 AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVAH RAV SHALOM GOLD RABBI EMERITUS, YOUNG ISRAEL OF WEST HEMPSTEAD A SHABBAT SHUVAH MESSAGE

THE STORY IS TOLD of one of the Reb Zisha again responds:, “You can Chassidic greats, Rav Zisha of Anipoly, do teshuvah b`rashei teivos, as an ac- sitting at the Shalosh Seudot table on ronym, one letter at a time. Take the ”.letter by letter ,תשובה Shabbat Shuvah as the day was ebb- word ing away. He was talking about the תמים in teshuvah stands for ת’ importance and the significance of ‘“The the passuk in Torah - תהיה עם ה’ אלוקיך -doing teshuvah. Of course, the Chas sidim said “Rebbe, dos iz azoi schver – says man should be wholeheartedly teshuvah is a very difficult thing to do.” complete in a relation with your G-d. (Devarim 18:13) He responded: In Shemoneh Esrei we in teshuvah ש’ ask for refu`ah The שויתי ה’ sheleimah - com- stands for I place - לנגדי תמיד plete healing; You can do we also ask for t’shuvah b`rashei G-d before me ge`ulah shelei- teivos, one letter constantly. )Tehil- mah - complete lim 16:8) redemption, and at a time. stands for ו’ The in a berachah ואהבת לרעך כמוך right near there, - it says, Hashiveinu - bring us back to Love your friend like yourself. (Vayiqra you in teshuvah sheleimah Just as we 19:18) In all of your - ב’ - בכל דרכיך דעהו want refu’ah sheleiymah and we want “The ge’ulah sheleimah, it is our responsibil- ways, know Him [G-d]. (Mishlei 3:6) ity to try and do teshuvah sheleimah, Prepare ,- ה’ - הכון לקראת אלוקיך ישראל complete teshuvah. “The yourself O Yisrael before your G-d.” So they still insisted, “But Rebbe, it’s so (Amos 4:12) difficult.”

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 10 AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVA There may be even more than a ker- vah there must be something very nel of truth in what I am going to say, specific about it. This passuk is one of something that R` Zisha didn’t say at these general pesukim, that just says, all. “Keep My Statutes and My Mitzvot,” tand, as such, is not counted as one of What R` Zisha constructed here was the 613 mitzvot. the essentially the core of a religious personality as a mature member of a RaMBaN disagrees with the RaMBaM does תמים תהיה עם ה’ אלוקיך faith community. G-d is in front of me and says that constantly, in all of my ways I am to call for a specific act. know Him, love your friend like your- self, be complete and full, prepare “We are commanded that our hearts yourself for G-d. should be full and complete with Him. And what is the meaning of this com- Join all these ideas together and you mand? That our hearts look towards have the building blocks of the per- G-d alone. And we should believe that fected religious personality. He alone does everything. He is the only One who knows the truth about But it occurs to me that these five what will be in the future. And if we pessukim are five steps which may want to know (at a period of time very well describe five periods in time when there were prophets in Israel if beginning with the month of Elul, and we wanted to know what was to be in continuing on to Rosh HaShanah, Yom the future) we would go to His proph- Kippur, Sukkot, Hoshana Rabah and ets and his pious ones. We don’t follow Shemini Atzeret. the astrologers; we don’t look at all Let us consider here the first two pes- the nonsense that passes in the world sukim. for knowledge of the future. Rather, we should declare: “Everything is in the hands of Heaven”. And we don’t תמים תהיה עם What is the meaning of the words of the astrologers Be wholehearted with Your believe“ ה’ אלוקיך G-d”? RaMBaN (Nachmanides 1194- will come true because G-d is the only 1270) holds that this is a positive Torah One who has it in His ability to change commandment. He disagrees with - dramatically change - all of nature. RaMBaM who does not count this pa- He makes fools of the magicians and suk, as a mitzvat asei, a positive active those fools who use crystal balls to commandment. RaMBaM,(Maimon- tell us the future.“ (RaMBaN, Devarim ides 1138-1204) on the other hand, 18:13) sees this passuk as an overall descrip- tion of the totality of the Jew, but in So, there is something very specific It is now a .תמים תהיה עם ה’ אלוקיך and of itself does not require anything about specific. According to RaMBaM, for description of a relationship. We be- something to be counted as a mitz- lieve that everything comes from Him.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 11 AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVA

He is the One who holds the future - erything that is going to happen to our future - in His hands. He is the only me depends upon You. That is why I the Day of ,יום הדין One who can determine and dramat- turn to You before ically change whatever there is there Judgment, is going to come. in nature. In the month of Elul we have to devel- RaMBaN continues: op a relationship that can best be de- .תמים תהיה עם ה’ אלוקיך scribed by We are to believe that anything that is going to happen to us is in direct re- Unfortunately, there is the word ,”ער איז אַ תמים“ ,[as in ,תמים] lationship to the extent to which we in Yiddish are close to Him. Yirmiyahu indicat- sort of a denigration of a person, he is ed: Don’t learn the ways of the goy- naïve. That is not at all what the word means any תמים im and don’t be broken by the place in Tanach. signs and omens He is the only One Examples: that come from who can determine the heavens, as and dramatically - Noach is de- “איש ,the goyim are scribed as תמים היה בדורותיו“. broken by this…. change whatever it For G-d gave is there in nature. (Bereishis 2:9) you Eminence -What is Ribono over all the shel Olam going other people and placed His spirit (of פרשת to say to Avraham at the end of prophecy) only upon you…And this is a ”.התהלך לפני והיה תמים“ ?לך לך mitzvat asei, a positive mitzvah. (that (ibid 17:1) we be “whole” with G-d). (RaMBaN’s = How is Ya’akov Avinu characterized? (ibid 25:27) ”איש תם יושב אוהלים.“ -addenda, Sefer haMitzvot of RaM BaM, Asei 8) We are talking about people who had So, we are talking about a relationship a relationship of fullness, complete of absolute trust, of faith, a relation- dependence. I know that whatever is ship of dependence, a relationship going to happen depends on You, and that our whole future depends on Him. to the extent to which I am close to I ask you: Isn’t that the mood of the you. month of Elul? Isn’t that what we are That is precisely the mood that one supposed to think and feel during the is supposed to develop during the month of Elul - that our relationship is month of Elul. if I know that everything the closeness with Him? depends on Him, therefore, I am go- I am to my Beloved and ing to do teshuvah so that I can stand לדודי ודודי לי. אני my Beloved is to me. That’s Elul! Ev- before Him on Rosh HaShanah and be

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 12 AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVA

I like to watch the sun set over .יהודה .judged for good and from my living room I ;הרי יהודה the Interesting, as I said, RaMBaM says can watch both of them. It’s unbeliev- is not a specif- ably beautiful. I’ve told you that in the תמים תהיה עם ה’ אלוקיך that ic mitzvah, but rather, it represents a past I’ve asked my people, my friends what do they see when they ,חוץ לארץ total assertion of all of Torah. In oth- in er words, all of Torah is supposed to look out of their living room window? make a person into one whose rela- They see the house across the street. tionship with G-d is complete and full. Oy! )

MaLBiM (1809-1879) explains that We have the ability to see much fur- RaMBaN reads the entire passuk (in ther. If you look out of the living room one breath) as an imperative - a mitz- window you can see the rolling green vah, a command -. But RaMBaM, who .הרי יהודה hills and whispering brooks of does not see it as an imperative, reads So you are supposed to wake up תמים תהיה the passuk differently. -In the morning, not to have the morn- your relationship with G-d if you will ing wake up you. Rav Moshe Isserles, RaMa, adds his practical comments תהיה עם then as a result ,תמים תהיה be you will then be close to G-d, to this. Realizing that not everyone ה’ אלוקיך your G-d. Read this way and the mes- is “going to wake up the morning”, he sage is not an imperative, a mitzvah, says: “At very least a person should not but the passuk is describing how one is miss the time for davening when the to relate to G-d. community davens”. He continues with That is the message of Elul. a longer quotation from RaMBaM’s Moreh Nevochim (3:52) The next passuk in Reb Zisha’s te- “Placing G-d before me always” is a I - שוויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד shuvah acronym is fundamental rule of the Torah and in place G-d before me constantly. This the conduct of the righteous who walk describes before G-d. We do not sit, move and the mood of what Rosh haShanah occupy ourselves when we are alone should be. In order to describe this to and at home in the same manner as you, let me refer to the opening pas- we would do in the presence of a great sage of the Shulchan Aruch by Rav king. And our talk with the members of our family and relatives would not יתגבר כארי לעמוד :(Yosef Karo (1488-1575 A be the same when in the presence of“ – .בבוקר לעבודת בוראו, שיהא הוא מעורר השחר man should arise in the morning to do royalty. Therefore, when a person se- the service of his Creator by waking up riously considers that the great King the morning and not that the morning Hakdosh Baruch Hu whose presence should wake him up.” is fully in the entire world stands over you and sees what you do…immedi- הרי I like to watch the sun rise over the)

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 13 AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVA ately a person would be fearful and place and I don’t see him’? When a always be gripped with feelings of in- person ponders and thinks about that adequacies in His presence.” -‘I place G-d before me always,’ im- mediately, what will come upon him is ‘ He continues: “That passuk is a great fear and humility and a terror that he rule in Torah, and at the level that will be embarrassed before Him con- the righteous who go before G-d stantly.” achieve…” and now consider the de- scription of what is implied and what Consider this: How is this person sup- -posed to see himself on Rosh HaSha - שוויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד is said by nah? Isn’t the “…The way in entire theme of which a man Rosh HaShanah conducts himself, ...you are supposed ,מלכויות to wake up the about how he speaks, Kingship. This and what he does morning, not to is the day when at home with have the morning we crown G-d as the people of his wake up you. King of the world. house is far dif- ferent than the How does G-d be- way in which he is come a crowned going to conduct himself when he is in king? Because on that day man was אין מלך בלא, the presence a king… The way a man created. The wise men tell us .There is no king without a people - עם sits and the way he moves and the things he does are different when he It is on the Day of Creation, on Rosh is alone in his house such as his sitting HaShanah with the creation of man, and moving and involvements before that G-d becomes King. In fact, all of a great king - you conduct yourself the Rosh haShanah tefillos are about ה’) the Heavenly kingdom ,מלכות שמיים in a completely different way. He can .(מלך / מעשה אלוקינו / מלך עולמים speak nor open his mouth wide as he chooses when he is with the people of his house and those who are close to Chassidim call the first night of Rosh the Night of - ליל ההכתרה ,him. It is not the same when one is in HaShanah the presence of a king. The Coronation.

“All the same, when a man is going Having said this, the whole mood of שוויתי ה’ לנגדי to concentrate on the fact that The Rosh HaShanah is then as RaMBaM suggests is his Moreh תמיד Great King, The Holy One, Blessed is He whose honor and dignity fills the Nevuchim and as quoted by RaM”a. whole world, that he is standing over המלך הגדול him and watching what he is doing, as I see myself standing before it says, ‘Can a man hide himself any - The Great King. That’s what Rosh ha-

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 14 AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVA

Shanah is all about. Gemara says is: “Do you know how we ?יום הדין know that Rosh HaShanah is Interestingly enough, he very last com- We learn this from G-d’s relationship ment of RaMa at the end of Shulchan -Look carefully at this pas .ארץ ישראל to .טוב לב משתה תמיד Aruch Orach Chaim is to ארץ ישראל suk. Moshe is describing - For a person whose heart is good, life the Jewish People and he says, is always a party. אֶרֶץ אֲשֶׁ ר ה’ אֱלֹקֶֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ תָּמִ יד עֵינֵי ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ“ Do you know what RaMa is doing בָּהּ מֵרֵשִׁ ית הַשָּׁנָה וְעַ ד אַחֲרִ ית שָׁנָה.” )דברים פרק י”א here? He is balancing out the fear- פסוק י”ב( at the beginning of Shulchan תמיד ful at “[It is] A land with which G-d is involved תמיד Aruch Orach Chaim with the the end of Orach Chaim. in constantly; the eyes of G-d are on it from the beginning of the year until Life, ReMa teaches us, is supposed to the end of the year.” (Devarim 11:12) be a happy experience. Torah never מראשית השנה“ called upon a person to walk around The Gemara explains From the beginning of the year“ נידון...” on the face of this earth in a constant state of fear and depression. We are judgement comes forth,” and for what supposed to be happy with the real will be throughout the whole year until road to happiness between the first the end of the year. at the beginning of Orach Chaim תמיד -G-d is intimately involved with ev וטוב לב משתה תמיד and its halochos until the attitude of happiness at the end ery human being on the face of this of Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim. earth and with all of the nations in the world. We learn this from the way G-d constantly.T his is - ארץ ישראל Something else is apparent. Even relates to .שוויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד .which an enthralling passuk ,שוויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד more than we תמיד It is the ?תמיד presents for us the picture of The - When is that Great King who is standing before us learn f Rosh HaShanah. on Rosh HaShanah, how do we know the day The Gemara continues: Look carefully ,יום הדין that Rosh HaShanah is א’ is spelled here There is an מֵ ֵ ר שִׁ י ת on which G-d judges the Jewish Peo- how ple? It doesn’t say so in Torah. All we missing in the word. Now, If you take know from the Torah about Rosh Ha- the remaining letters and rearrange Shanah is that it is the first day of the them do you know what they are? .תשרי seventh month, which is the month of יום Tishrei and. we also know that it is From the beginning of the year in Tish- .a day of sounding the Shofar - תרועה rei, judgment takes place; but what ?יום הדין How do we come to know it is will happen at the end of the year? Among all the fascinating things the So, therefore, I think that I am not at

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 15 AN ACRONYM OF TESHUVA

is indeed the שוויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד all far off-base when I say the second feel, that passuk of the acronym of Reb Zisha of whole attitude and atmosphere, the .is also a de- entire perspective of Rosh HaShanah שוויתי ה’ לנגדי תמיד -,Anipoli the first passuk of , תמים תהיה עם scription of what takes place on Rosh Just as HaShanah. It is a description of how the acronym describing the relation- we are supposed to see G-d in the ship we are supposed to develop with world, it is a description of that G-d G-d during the month of Elul, then, who is going to the second pas- שוויתי ה’ לנגדי ,judge us on that suk -is the essen תמיד day, from that The Chasidim call passuk, from the night of tial captivating Tishrei, from the Rosh HaShanah, message of Rosh beginning of the haShanah. - ליל ההכתרה year until the end of the year. the Night of The Kesivah va-cha- Coronation. simah tovah to It is pretty clear, I all.

ים ה ברוכ באים

NCYI Welcomes into the family of Young Israel Branches the Young Israel of Scottsdale, Arizona “VOICES” BY RABBI ELAZAR R. MUSKIN MARA D’ATRA, YOUNG ISRAEL OF CENTURY CITY

DURING THE PAST months, terror, transmitted to us by a biased media trauma, tragedy, and evil triumphant and amplified by social media, it is dif- filled the air. In addition, Israel and ficult to imagine that there can even Jews worldwide were subjected to the be a soft inner voice of morality, hon- vilest outburst of anti-Semitism since esty, and justice. the 1940’s. The past chief rabbi of Israel, Rabbi After experiencing such violent explo- Yisrael Meir Lau, a survivor from Bu- sions, where can we find a glimmer of chenwald, was 8 years old when the hope for the year ahead? camp was liberated. He maintains friendships with many survivors. One, Perhaps an answer can be found in a very wealthy man, is also the thin- the laws for sounding the Shofar, the nest man the rabbi has ever seen. -primary symbol of the New Year fes רוכים הב tival. On one occasion his friend invited ב אים the rabbi to a delicious dinner, but The in Rosh Hashanah 27b the friend barely ate. He only nibbled states: “If one places a Shofar within at the food. Worrying that his friend a Shofar and blows, if the inner one is might be ill, the rabbi finally asked why heard, he fulfills the Mitzvah, but if the he wasn’t eating. The man replied, outer one, he does not.” “Every time I sit down to a beautiful How should we understand this law? meal, I hear a voice in my head. It is my Is it simply a legal concept, or does it twelve-year-old daughter who died of hold a moral lesson as well? starvation in Auschwitz. She comes to me and asks three words in Yiddish: In today’s climate, besieged by the “Father, please, bread.” In Auschwitz I voices of chaos, war, and hatred, couldn’t give her that bread, and now

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 17 VOICES when I want to eat, I hear the sound of Simon Wiesenthal relates that when her voice and I can’t eat.” he was imprisoned in concentration camp, he once saw a fellow inmate We all hear voices. One comes from risk his life to smuggle a into the harsh, cruel outside world. It is the camp. At first, Wiesenthal admired strong and powerful; it blasts our ears; this man. But then, the next day, to his it seems to conquer us. But then we horror, he saw that man rent out the hear a second voice, a quiet voice, an Siddur in exchange for pieces of bread. inner voice, urging us to have courage, to support our people, to stand by Is- Wiesenthal recounts, “I was angry with rael, to obliterate terror. this Jew. How could he take a holy Siddur and use it to take The Talmud, in dis- a person’s last piece of cussing the Shofar, bread.” From that mo- also makes anoth- Which sounds ment on, he vowed never er profound and shall we hear? to pray again. telling observa- tion. It states the After the liberation, he principle, “That explained his lack of two voices cannot be heard simulta- faith to Rabbi Eliezer Silver, the fa- neously.” But then the Talmud includes mous US Army Chaplain, who had an exception: “If it is beloved and dear, come to comfort survivors. In response, one concentrates and hears.” Rabbi Silver said, “Why do you look at the Jew who rented out his Siddur? We are constantly subjected to two Why don’t you look at the dozens who voices that compete for our attention. gave up their bread in order to use a Which sounds shall we hear—the loud Siddur? That’s faith! Thar’s the true clamor of the evil doers, the terrorists, power of the Siddur.” and their supporters? Or the still small voice of the heroes—the front-line Wiesenthal concluded, “When he said health providers and the rescue work- that I walked together with him to ers at a suicide bombing? pray.”

At first you might think that the loud Which voice are we going to hear? The voice will win, and the soft voice will laws of the Shofar are there to guide definitely lose. The loud voice seems us, to tell us if we listen to the inner so powerful. It seems to conquer all. voice of our conscience, we will find But if the soft voice is the voice of G-d, the right path for the coming year. if it is beloved, it will be heard and ulti- RABBI ELAZAR MUSKIN IS SENIOR RABBI OF mately will be victorious. YOUNG ISRAEL OF CENTURY CITY IN LOS AN- GELES, CALIFORNIA

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 18 ROSH HASHANAH: FRIENDSHIP DAY RABBI YOSEF WEINSTOCK MARA D’ATRA, YOUNG ISRAEL OF HOLLYWOOD- FT. LAUDERDALE, FL

THERE are many things that I envy In an article entitled “Where Have All about my children: their carefree ex- the Men Gone?” Mark Svenvold (pro- istence, their insatiable curiosity; their fessor of creative writing, Seton Hall innocence. The fact that they laugh University) argues that adult men every day; and that they get tucked have an especially hard time making in by their mother with a song and a and keeping friends. He brings many kiss every night. I also envy the role sociological studies that indicate male that friends play in their lives. Children friendship has dropped off significant- make friends so easily. My family will ly in the past two decades, particular- be at the park for only a few minutes ly among educated, successful men and my children have already made between the ages of 30 and 60. He new friends whom they play with as if identifies a number of problems that they’ve known each other forever. hinder male friendship. The first prob- lem involves time constraints. For men, It is not so easy for adults to make and friendship consistently ranked behind keep friends. Friendship requires a seri- marriage and parenthood as a le- ous investment. It requires selflessness. gitimate claim on one’s time. Add to You must decide that someone else is this the fact that people are working important enough to take attention many more hours than they once did and time away from your own sched- so many men just don’t have time for ule and needs. And even if a person is friends. A second problem is that the willing to make room for friendship in image of manhood that most men their life, one must then be willing to inherit puts a high value on indepen- take a risk and deal with the vulnera- dence and self-reliance, like the Lone bilities inherent within friendship – the Ranger or Dirty Harry. possibility that a friend will hurt you, or the threat of losing that friend. Friendship is good for you. People with

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 19 ROSH HASHANAH: FRIENDSHIP DAY poor social ties are at a greater risk the United Nations named Winnie the of illness and premature death than Pooh as the world›s Ambassador of those with good social connections. Friendship. Studies have shown that friendship can protect a person from coronary Judaism may not have famous am- bassadors on par with Winnie the disease and the onset of Alzheimer’s. Friendship can also help a person Pooh. But we do have our own Day bounce back more quickly from illness. of Friendship : only it’s not at the be- ginning of August, it’s Rosh Hashanah. Friendship can also be good for your Yom Teruah. wallet. Even those who invest in The Torah calls to- friendships for the day Yom Teruah. Rosh Hashanah The term teruah is right reasons may is a Day of find those rela- ambiguous. Onke- tionships to be Friendship with los translates the career enhanc- Hashem. term as yevava, a ing and business crying sound. But – boosting. Some even the sound of the biggest deals are brokered of the teruah is up for debate: is it (a) between friends. For example, the shevarim, (b) is it a teruah, (c) is it all friendship that began between Bill of the above a shevarim-teruah com- Gates and Warren Buffet over cherry bined? cola and college football led to the Two more meanings of the word teru- greatest transfer of wealth - 31 billion ah emerge from a , a poem that dollars – to the Bill Gates Foundation. we read Rosh haShanah morning. In It is therefore not surprising that in Chazarat Hashatz of , right 1935, Congress proclaimed the first before “Zochreinu L’Chayim” we say: Sunday in August to be National “We shall appear in judgment with the Friendship Day. Since then, celebra- sound of the teruah, tion of National Friendship Day has become an annual event. Several Causing the earth and its inhabitants other countries have adopted the tra- to tremble dition of dedicating a day to friends. Teruah can mean to tremble, which (In America it seems to only be cel- may be a reference to the quality ebrated by Hallmark In order to sell of the sound, or more broadly to the Friendship Day cards. Friendship Day mood and approach to the entire hol- is enthusiastically celebrated in sever- iday. al countries across the world. In 1997,

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 20 ROSH HASHANAH: FRIENDSHIP DAY

But the piyyut continues: of Man. According to the Talmud, Eve was also created on Rosh Hashanah. “In the company of friends, I will enjoy That means that today is the anniver- His friendship.” sary of G-d’s declaration “Lo tov heyot Teruah is related to the root rei’ut- Adam l’vado” On this date in history friendship. This is the meaning of G-d stated, as fact, that humans are the word in Parshat Balak (Bemidbar not meant to live a lonely existence; 23:21). rather, we must seek out friendship re- lationships. explains there that Bilam was blessing the Jewish people that they Friendship is not only good for our should experience G-d’s love and physical well-being but for our souls as friendship. well. On Rosh Hashanah, the creation of the world was completed. King Da- So in addition to Rosh Hashanah be- vid writes in Psalms “Olam chessed ing a Day of Judgement and a Day yibaneh”. G-d predicated the exis- of Shofar Blowing it is also a Day of tence of the world on chessed, kind- Friendship. ness. Rav Eliyahu Dessler (1892 – 1953) explains that the essence of chessed Rav J.B. Soloveitchik z.l. (1903-1993) is to exercise one’s koach hanetinah, understood this line as teaching us The Power of Giving. We are supposed that Rosh Hashanah is a Day of Friend- to emulate this Divine trait. One way ship with Hashem. There are many of doing so is making friendship a pri- things that friendship can teach us ority. What are the action steps nec- about how to relate to G-d. For exam- essary to attain this goal? ple, the ahavat Hashem/ yirat Hash- em dichotomy can be understood in The key to friendship on this Yom Ter- terms of the investment and vulnera- uah is in the old adage: Think Global, bility necessary in all friendships. Love Act Local. and Fear are not just a continuum but are two factors simultaneously in play. We must commit ourselves to a culture Ahavat Hashem is expressed by mak- of caring. As Elie Weisel wrote: What ing room for G-d in our lives. At the does it mean to be a congregation? same time yirat Hashem may be ex- It means to care about each other. pressed in the fear of damaging or los- Pray? We can pray at home. We come ing that relationship with the Divine. together as a congregation in order to share in each other’s lives and in order But Rosh Hashanah is not only a day to share in the life of the Jewish peo- to explore our friendship with G-d but ple’s past, present, and future. with our fellow human beings as well. Today is the Anniversary of the creation Once, the Gerer Rebbe asked one of

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 21 ROSH HASHANAH: FRIENDSHIP DAY his chassidim: “How is Moshe Yaa- eficiary of the act, but perhaps even kov doing?” The disciple didn’t know. more so on the person doing the act. “What!” shouted the Rebbe. “You Ralph Waldo Emerson had it right don’t know? You pray under the same when he said, roof? You study the same book? You “It is one of the great compensations serve the same G-d? You dare tell me that you don’t know how Moshe Yaa- of life, kov is, whether that no man he needs help or can help an- advice or com- other without forting? How can On Rosh Hashanah, G-d forgets nobody also helping that be?” On himself.” Rosh Hashanah, during His judgment G-d forgets no- of the world. A smile. Being body during His Each person is the first to say judgment of the remembered and “Good morn- world. Each per- given attention. ing”. Letting son is remem- someone tell bered and given you a joke that attention. On you have heard this Day of Friendship we must resolve before. Helping a stranger in some to do no less. small way. Asking “How are you?” and really meaning it. One-Minute Mitzv- Once the commitment is there in our ot, as I’ve heard them called. Yet their worldview, we must act local- by ap- impact extends far beyond the time preciating the impact of everyday, and effort invested in them. small, seemingly ordinary acts of friendship. On this Yom Teruah let us value friend- ship in our lives and resolve to make Simple acts of friendship can have a it more of a priority – with man and profound impact, both on the ben- Hashem. Happy Friendship Day.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 22 THIRTEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES RABBI CHAM WASSERMAN RABBI EMERITUS, YOUNG ISRAEL OF PASSAIC-CLIFTON; EDITOR, THE RABBI’S LETTER, YOUNG ISRAEL COUNCIL OF RABBIS

THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE season As for the recitation of the Yud Gimel of the Yamim Noraim, our Days of Awe, Midot, on Yom Kippur these are re- we focus our distinct prayerful atten- peatedly invoked over-and-again tion on three dramatic tefillot which throughout the entire day in all of the are repeatedly incorporated within five tefillot with a chazzan leading the Yom Kippur . These are: the minyan (, Shacharit, Musaf, , Vidui, and a passage Minchah, Ne’ilah). As for the number from Shemot 34 which has come to of times in each tefillah the number Yud Gimel Mid- could vary depending on the nuach of) יג מידות be known as dot, henceforth YGM), the Thirteen the community. Attributes [of Hashem] signifying the manner by which Hashem’s ongoing It is especially noteworthy that Rabbi relationship with the humankind and Joseph B. Soloveichik z.l. established the entire world can be realized. the practice in his minyan to recite YGM seven times in every one of these Avinu Malkeinu is a much-expanded tefillot even though some standard version of a prayer originally uttered Yom Kippur machzorim may have a by Rabbi Akivah (Ta’anit 25b) lesser count. Some, for instance, omit entirely in Minchah, but for Vidui, the confessional supplication, can The Rav (and others) Yom Kippur was best be appreciated by recalling RaM- the day of invoking the Yud-Gimel Mi- BaM’s opening formulation tohis Hilchot dot - all day. Teshuvah: “If a person transgresses any of the mitzvot – when he repents…he In these shared lines the focus will be must confess (verbally) before G-d. This exclusively on the YGM. verbal confession is a positive mitzvah of Torah.” (BeMidbar 5:6-7)

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 23 ABOUT THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF YOUNG ISRAEL Since its establishment in 1912, the National Council of Young Isra- el has been deeply committed to supporting its branch synagogues and members, and dedicated to enhancing the vibrancy of Ortho- doxy and and supporting the State of Israel.

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THEY EXTEND WISHES FOR A .TO ALL כתיבה וחתימה טובה

KEDEM WINE A SHARON AND STEVE COHEN NAOMI AND ARYEH DAVIS A HOD FAMILY A DEBBIE AND EDDIE SIMPSER SANDY AND MARK TRENCHER RABBI CHAIM WASSERMAN IN HONOR OF RABBI BINYAMIN HAMMER BEATRIZ YANOVICH A HAROLD AND SHARON ASPIS OWEN RUMELT AND BETTY-ATLAS RUMELT AND FAMILY SIMONE RUDOFF SEMER AND MARK SEMER SUSAN AND RABBI DAVID WARSHAW THIRTEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES

A CHRONOLOGICAL TIME TABLE sin. G-d’s presence (shechinah) will not be with the Jews as was in the past.” (Eliezer Shulman, Seder haQorot Moshe then moves his own tent of baTanach, p.55-57; translated by dwelling away from the camp. From Sarah Lederhendler, The Sequence there he pleads with G-d that His glo- of Events in the Old Testament, p.55. rious presence return as in the past. Israel Ministry of Defense Publishing G-d agrees. (Shemot 34:13-23). House Now Moshe is instructed to fashion There is a dramatic chronology re- two second stone tablets and with corded in Shemot that ultimately re- them to ascend Har Sinai the next sulted in G-d imparting these YGM to morning. He informs the people: ”Yet, Moshe. I will now ascend to Hashem [once 40 DAYS after finally being freed from again], perhaps, I will be able to at- centuries of Egyptian servitude as the tain forgiveness for your sin.” [Shemot nation is camped around Mt Sinai 32:30; Devarim 9:18; Shemot 34: 1-2,4] (Shemot 19) Moshe Rabbeinu is sum- [3] Third 40-day ascent (30 Av/Rosh moned three times to ascend Mt. Si- Chodesh Elul – 10 Tishrei) On Rosh Ch- nai where he remained each time for odesh Elul Moshe ascends Har Sinai forty days and nights - without food or once again, prostrates himself before water (Devarim 9:9 and 9:18). Hashem and for forty days and nights [1] First 40-day ascent (7 Sivan – 17 Tam- “entreated G-d to grant Israel forgive- muz) The revelation of the Ten Com- ness for the sin of the Golden Calf”. mandments occurs here. When G-d was G-d’s forgiveness was then manifest finished speaking to Moshe, He gave through the introduction of His YGM Moshe two stone tablets inscribed with to Moshe. the words of the Ten Commandments. These, Hashem tells Moshe, are an ir- Moshe descends from the mountain revocable covenant between Hashem and as he approaches the camp he and His chosen people, a statement of sees what was occurring around a gold- how Hashem relates mercifully in the en calf. In a fit of justifiable anger, he world. hurled the two stone tablets to the ground smashing them at the foot of Moshe returns to the camp on 10 Tish- the mountain. (Shemot 24:18; 32:19) rei which henceforth would become the sanctified annual day of Yom Kip- [2] Second 40-day ascent (18 Tammuz pur. (Chassidim call Yom Kippur “Yom – 29 Av) Upon descending, again af- haKadosh”) When reciting the YGM on ter 40 days, Moshe proclaims to the Yom Kippur how appropriate it would nation: “You have committed a grave be to recall the chronology of this

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 28 THIRTEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES compelling original occurrence. tradition of chazal (much like 613 be- ing the unquestionable count of To- THE BIG QUESTION: IDENTIFYING THE rah’s mitzvot). But which exactly are THIRTEEN the Thirteen Attributes as recorded in the Torah is a dispute throughout the ויעבר ה’ על פניו ויקרא ה’/ ה’ / א-ל / רחום / .ages וחנון / ארך-אפים / ורב-חסד / ואמת / נוצר-חסד- לאלפים / נשא-עון / ופשע / וחטאה / ונקה /... Steinzaltz in his original edition of Rosh (Shemot 34:6- haShanah 17b presents a chart where 7 according to nine differ- Tosafot Rosh ha- ent versions of Shanah 17b) HaKadosh Baruch Hu the count of appeared to Moshe thirteen are How these attri- as if wrapped in a identified by butes were com- tallit, as a chazzan, some fifteen municated to and demonstrated to halachic au- Moshe is related thorities and in an enthrall- him the procedure of commenta- ing segment of how these Attributes tors. And there Gemara (Rosh should be recited are still others haShanah 17b) who deal with where we learn the matter in that [the voice of] Hashem passed over a very wide array of halahic literature. him (Moshe) and called out… the Thir- (See also Kasher, Torah Shleimah , Ki teen Attributes of Divine Mercy.“Rabbi Tisa endnotes, pp. 124-125; RaMBaM Yochanan taught: Were the follow- Moreh Nevochim 1:54) ing not expressly stated in a passuk we would not have been able to say CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING: that HaKadosh Baruch Hu appeared Does the first “Hashem” revert back to Moshe as if wrapped in a tallit, as to the word preceding it, “vayiqra teaching us that (ויקרא השם) ”a chazzan, and demonstrated to him, Hashem as it were, the procedure of how these it was Hashem Himself who called Attributes should be recited”. out what the thirteen Attributes were, A description of this scene was under- and in this way instructed Moshe as to stood to mean that this is the man- what they are? Or, together, are both ner by which this prophetic vision was “Hashems” distinctly two different de- perceived by Moshe. (RaMBaM Moreh pictions of these Attributes? Nevochim I:21 and others) RaSHI (1240-1105) in his Chumash The count of thirteen is an undisputed commentary quotes the opinion ex-

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 29 THIRTEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES pressed in Gemara (Rosh haShanah on her for having berated her brother. 17b) that the first Hashem refers to (Bemidbar 12:13) G-d’s mercy shown a person prior to him/her sinning Limitations on the length of this essay while the sec- do not allow for a description of ond is Divine mercy following elaborate poetic the other YGM the sin. introductory pieces were composed RECITED REPEAT- Rabbeinu Asher EDLY ON YOM to introduce each KIPPUR (Rosh) (c. 1250- time the YGM are 1327) asks “Why Since the YGM is it necessary proclaimed. This, together with the were revealed for Hashem to to Moshe on the show mercy be- YGM is what we call day that be- fore a person Selichot came the origi- does anything nal Yom Kippur, wrong? He ex- the day when plains that Hashem knows that a per- G-d forgave His people for their de- son is going to sin, He nevertheless pravity of fashioning the golden calf, it treats that person with mercy.” is entirely understandable, therefore, RaMBaM (1138-1204) explains that that our own seeking forgiveness from this Hashem recited twice is similar G-d is why we repeat the YGM many to a repeated biblical style as we see times throughout the day. with “Avraham Avraham” (Bereishit Throughout the ages beginning espe- 22:11) and “Moshe Moshe”(Shemot cially in Talmudic (220-500) and Ge- 3:4) onic (609-1040) times and continuing The (1720-1797) suggests into the Middle Ages, elaborate poetic that neither of the “Hashems” are part introductory pieces were composed to of the YGM; according to his count, introduce each time the YGM are pro- the first Attribute is “keil”, right after claimed. This, together with the YGM the both names of Hashem. is what we call Selichot.

Keil is an Attribute denoting G-d’s Selichot are recited in every one of absolute mercy. It was this Attribute the five sections of tefillah through- uttered by Moshe, in the first prayer out Yom Kippur. YGM are one ma- recorded in all of Torah, when he en- jor focus of Yom Kippur liturgy, (the treated G-d, to heal his sister Miriam Avodah of the Kohein Gadol recited from the Divine chastisement inflicted in Musaf being another). Communities

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 30 THIRTEEN DIVINE ATTRIBUTES throughout the ages adopted differ- occasions: fast days; daily weekdays ent poetic versions () for their before (nusach Sephard society. There are thirteen known dif- and, in Israel nusach Ashkenaz also); ferent communal versions of Selichot, when removing the from with three, these days in Ashkenaz- the Aron haKodesh on a weekday yom ic nusach (rite), being the dominant tov (although there are some places ones – Lita, Poland, and the version where it is recited on Shabbat also). in England, France and Germany. (see Daniel Goldschmidt, Machzor le-Yom A CONCLUDING SUGGESTION Kippur p.13) With the Days of Awe upon us you may want to devote some time to learn TB YGM AT OTHER TIMES Rosh haShanah 16 – 18 and, with com- While originally intended for Yom mentaries of your choice, YGM in She- Kippur, the YGM have been inserted mot 34. throughout davening on several other

in Israel ישראל הצעיר Young Israel

Our Young Israel office in Israel is excited to announce that we are renewing its position as the active Young Israel presence in Israel. Our focus in our office is on Torah and programming. We currently run four different programs: Judaic Heritage Program for Deaf, Get-Refusal Prevention Project, Mental Health Pro- grams, and Support for the IDF. If you need anything while in Israel, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would like to wish you and your family a Shana Tova U’metukah.

Rabbi Nevo Zuckerman ישראל הצעיר Young Israel Executive Director Israel Branch 058.678.1117 SUKKOT AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS RABBI DORON PEREZ EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, WORLD MIZRACHI

ONE OF THE remarkable ironies of core values the more happiness finds life is this - the more one pursues hap- us. The moment we detach ourselves piness, the more one is destined never from living life and begin to search for to find it. happiness as an end in and of itself, the more it evades us. Happiness is a This is a central theme in culture critic natural result of living life the way it Ruth Whippman’s book, America The should be lived –of being the people Anxious-How Pursuit of happiness is we ought to be. Happiness cannot be 1 creating a nation of nervous wrecks. a destination but is rather a result of She quotes a study of Psychologists the journey of an inspired life process. from the University of California, Berkeley who show that paradoxical- It is this very state of being, says Rav ly the more people valued and were Shimshon Rafael Hirsch that we ul- encouraged to value happiness as a timately hope to be blessed with on separate life goal, the less happy they Sukkot.2 After all, only this holiday is were. defined in our prayers as “Zman Sim- chateinu”-the time of our happiness.3 Why is this the case? Why is the quest Additionally, it is the only holiday for happiness for the very sign that we where we find the unusual expression You should be“ והיית אך שמח -won’t find it? The answer is that happi- of Simcha ness is not something we find when we only happy” implying a type of com- search for it but a by-product of living plete or ultimate happiness. life in the correct way. What emerges clearly is that happiness is not a tran- What is the meaning of this phrase? sient emotion or a destination to be Rav Hirsch explains that it refers to a pursued but rather a state of being. state of being, a mindset that we hope The more one lives in sync with one’s to achieve having been celebrating in

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 32 SUKKOT AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

G-d’s presence in the Temple precinct sense of being Jewish. Israel is the for the entire seven days. only country that G-d promised to the Jewish people and no other nation Happiness can be transformed into has so long and deep a connection to character trait, a permanent quality a land like the Jewish people and no that accompanies us throughout our other nation has so long and deep a lives. It is this state of being that we connection to Eretz Yisrael. Is it some- hope to take with us into long, rainy how linked to the essence of Jewish winter months. Indeed it can only be life. Journeying to our Land like Abra- this mindset that will successfully see ham, walking the same streets as us through the “winter periods” of life, Samuel and fighting like King David to the difficult and dark times. defend the same country gives those Perhaps this explains why Israel is con- living in Israel a unique sense of con- tinually rated amongst the happiest nection to Jewish destiny. A spiritual countries in world. At least according synchronicity, a type of X-factor plug- to the UN World Happiness Report ging one into a deep state of align- conducted annually over the last 10 ment with Jewish destiny and hence a years ranking 160 countries by how state of happiness. happy their citizens perceive them- Sukkot, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat selves to be, according to six variables: Torah are unique opportunities to tap GDP per capita, social support, life ex- in the sense of simcha. To celebrate pectancy, freedom from corruption Jewish life, the mitzvot of the day and generosity. Israel is consistently in and to stand in the presence of G-d. the top 15. When we are living in synch with our What is striking about these findings deepest values, we merit the resul- is that Israel ranks ahead of dozens of tant happiness as a state of being. We countries who don’t face the ongoing hope and pray that it accompanies us challenges of aggressive bordering throughout our lives. Terror States, the threat of nuclear The butterfly will sit extinction by Iran, ongoing Palestin- constantly on our ian terror attacks and the need for shoulders. mandatory military draft. Incredibly, despite these unique threats in one of ______the toughest regions in the world, Isra- 1 St. Martin’s Press 2016 el scores high very time. 2 Rav Hirsch’s commentary in Deuteronomy 16:15 How can this be explained? It seems 3 Of the three times in Torah that Simcha (joy) to me that living in Israel despite all is mentioned in connection with a holiday, the challenges comes with the great two are about Sukkot

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 33 THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM RABBI SHAY SCHACHTER ROSH BAIS MEDRASH, YOUNG ISRAEL OF WOODMERE

bracha. THE MEANING OF THE DALET MINIM Although some say that women One of the beloved mitzvot of the shouldn’t do the shaking of the lulav month of Tishrei season is that of the in the six directions, most poskim dis- Dalet minim, the four species that agree and hold that woman may and the Torah commanded us to take on should shake the lulav in all of the di- Sukkos. The Dalet minim, are a sign rections. of thanksgiving to Hashem as well as a symbol in the teshuva process. CHILDREN At the time of our happiness we are commanded to take the Dalet minim, The obligation for training (chinuch) whose beauty naturally inspires joy, to children begins at the age when they attribute that happiness to Hashem. can shake the lulav on their own. When On the other hand, the lulav resembles a child reaches that age, his father a spear that we have emerged victori- has an obligation to buy him a kosher ous in battle against the claims of the set of Dalet minim that will be his own. prosecutors on Yom Kippur. Lastly, the This year the first day falls out on variety in the Dalet minim, some hav- Shabbos and so technically it isn’t ing taste and smell while others have necessary to buy a child his own since neither, epitomizes the unity of the it is possible to give his set to the child Jewish nation. after fulfilling his obligation on the second day. Nonetheless, ideally the WOMEN father should buy one for his child so Women are exempt from taking the that he could shake it during the Dalet minim because it is a time- when the congregation is reciting it. bound positive mitzvah. Ashkenazic women are permitted and encour- One who follows the to just let aged to perform the mitzvah with a the child one’s child borrow his lulav has what to rely upon.

”.You’ll have to paint it yellow“ | THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 34 Rav Hershel Schachter – THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM

HOW TO ARRANGE THE DALET MINIM A person should make sure that he is holding the Dalet minim directly with- ARRANGEMENT out anything in between his hands The minhag is to place the hadasim to and the Dalet minim. Therefore, it is the right of the lulav and the aravos important to remove one’s ring before to the left. This is also true for a lefty. shaking the lulav. One can leave on a bandage that can’t be removed. The hadasim should be tied so that the HOW TO TAKE THE LULAV hadasim are higher than the aravot. AND RECITE THE BRACHA The spine of the lulav should be fac- ing towards the person shaking it. SEIZE THE MOMENT: GET THE BRACHA IN BEFORE THE MITZVAH TYING THE MINIM On the first day of Sukkos prior to There is a mitzvah to tie up the Dalet shaking the lulav, we recite the bracha minim together. The minhag is to use of the lulav and add shehechiyanu. the woven holder (keishikel) made On the remaining days we don’t say of lulav leaves that has holes for the shehechiyanu unless the first day was three minim, in addition to the three Shabbos like this year, in which case ties. we would say it on the second day. If one forgot to tie the three minim Since we are supposed to make the before Yom Tov it is permitted to bind bracha before doing the mitzva (over them with a pre-made lulav ring. How- liasiyatan) and since we fulfill the ever, it is forbidden to tie a lulav ring mitzva of Dalet minim by simply lifting on Yom Tov. them together, it is preferable to fol- If one doesn’t have any pre-made lulav low one of these methods: rings or the woven holder one should The minhag is to take the lulav in wrap them up with a string and tuck in one’s right hand, and esrog in one’s the end of the string at the end. left hand while the esrog is upside HOLDING THE DALET MINIM down. After reciting the bracha, one should flip the esrog and shake The lulav, hadasim, and aravos all four together. are bound up and held in the right hand, while the Esrog is not tied to- Alternatively, one could take the gether and held in the left hand. lulav, hadasim, and aravot in one’s A lefty should switch and hold the right hand, leave the esrog on the lulav in his left hand and esrog in his table out of the box. After reciting right. the bracha, one would lift the esrog and shake all four together. Based on it is proper to hold the Dalet minim touching one another Take the lulav and esrog in their with one’s two hands together. upright positions and have in mind not to fulfill the mitzvah until one

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 35 THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM

made the bracha. minhag to shake the lulav with the bracha in the sukkah before going After the fact if one took all four to shul.1 Others prefer that the bra- species before making the bracha, cha be made right before the hal- one may still make the bracha as lel so that there isn’t an interrup- long as one didn’t shake it yet. tion between the bracha and the SHAKING THE LULAV shaking the lulav in the hallel, one of the primary mitzvot of the lulav.2 Ideally, the bracha and mitzvah of Alternatively, some argue that based holding and shaking the lulav should on the principle of tadir kodem, giv- be done while standing. ing precedence to the common mitz- Ashkenazim shake the lulav in the or- vah, one must daven Shacharit before 3 der of east, south, west, north, up, and shaking the lulav. Therefore, many 4 then down. Face forward and shake do not shake the lulav in the sukkah. clockwise. One does not have to turn In some communities they try to ac- one’s body to face that direction. commodate both concerns and take a break before hallel for people to shake Chasidim and those of Chasidic de- the lulav in the sukkah and return. scent follow the order of the Arizal to shake in the order of south, north, ACQUIRING AND DISCARDING THE east, up, down, west. DALET MINIM

If in the same shul there is a mix of BORROWING THE DALET MINIM minhagim, many poskim recommend As Rabbi Dr. Aaron Glatt noted in or- that everyone follow the minhag of der to ensure safety this year, anytime the shul to avoid lo titG-dedu, not one must borrow a lulav and esrog deviating from a communal practice. from someone outside their family unit Some poskim aren’t as concerned for they should wash their hands before lo titG-dedu in this scenario. and after shaking the lulav and esrog.

One should refrain from shaking while One may borrow a lulav and esrog mentioning the name of Hashem lest without asking permission. Since it is he become distracted while saying His a mitzvah and the risk of damage is name. low, we can assume that the owner BENCHING LULAV IN THE SUKKAH would allow it. However, if one knows that the owner is meticulous about Based on Kabbalah, some have the his, or circumstances dictate that he

1 Mishna Brurah 652:4. This was the practice of Rav Chaim Volozhin (Keter Rosh 109) and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo ch. 11 fnt. 73). 2 Nefesh Harav p. 217, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank in Mikraei Kodesh 2:16 3 Igrot Moshe OC 4:99. Teshuvot Vehanagot 5:216 notes that this was the practice of the Rav Velve Soloveitchik. 4 Rav Soloveitchik’s practice (oral report from Rav Hershel Schachter)

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 36 THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM probably is such as if it is meticulously IS IT BETTER TO CHECK ONESELF FOR wrapped or put away in a private lock- QUALITY DALET MINIM OR BUY THE er, one should not use it without per- PRE-INSPECTED ONES? mission. This refers to the later days of While it is praiseworthy to learn the Sukkos. However, on the first two days laws of the Dalet minim and pick them one does not fulfill his obligation with out oneself to ensure that they are top a borrowed lulav, even if it is with per- quality and look nice, it is perfectly ac- mission.5 ceptable to buy a package of hada- One can “borrow” sim or any of a lulav to fulfill the the Dalet min- mitzvah on the The Dalet minim, im that were al- first two days if are a sign of ready inspect- the person gives ed by rabbinic it as a gift on con- thanksgiving to authorities. On dition that it be Hashem as well as the one hand, returned. Even if a symbol in the selecting the the lender speci- teshuva process. Dalet minim fies that it should oneself enables be a gift, it can be more personal assumed that it was given with thes involvement and inspires learning the intention that it is a gift so that the halachos. Additionally, certain aspects borrower can fulfill the mitzvah.6 of the beauty of the Dalet minim de- pends on personal preferences. How- DISCARDING THE DALET MINIM ever, due to the intricacies of the laws it The Dalet minim don’t retain their ho- is preferable to rely on the pre-inspect- liness after Sukkos and can be thrown ed and get a more preferable result.9 out within a separate bag or a clean This year in particular for safety Rabbi gDaletge, but it still should not be treat- Glatt is recommending buying a set ed disrespectfully by being thrown into that is pre-examined and not going the gDaletge with everything else.7 to the Dalet minim stores. Some have the minhag to save the lu- LULAV lav to burn it with the chametz before Pesach.8 AUTHENTIC One should buy a lulav with a hechsh- er in order to be sure that it came from

5 Rama 649:5, Shulchan Aruch 649:2, Halachos of Other People’s Money p. 67 6 Shulchan Aruch 658:3-5 7 Mishna Brurah 21:6-7 8 Rama 664:9 9 Rav Chaim Jachter (Parshat Ki Tavo Vol.13 Num. 2)

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 37 THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM a date palm tree and not a Canary lav is acceptable as long as the leaves palm. 10 are not drooping downwards.15

BENT LULAV LENGTH Ideally, one should have a completely The lulav’s spine must be at least 4 te- straight lulav. If the spine of the lulav fachim (14.2 inches).16 is bent it is still acceptable unless it is as bent as a sickle. One should avoid ESROG using a lulav where most of the top QUALITIES leaves are bent like a reed. 11 Ideal qualities to look for in an es- MIDDLE LEAF SPLIT rog include: bumpy, symmetrical, thick on bottom and thin on top17 If most of the middle leaf is split the and not spherical18 or cylindrical.19 lulav is invalid.12 It is preferable to get a lulav that is completely closed.13 Besides for the qualities that the poskim specified, the niceness of an LEAVES SEPARATED FROM SPINE esrog includes its subjective beauty. 20 The lulav must have leaves that cover HOLE the spine.14 It is preferable to buy a lu- lav with leaves that are not separated A hole of any size invalidates the es- from the spine. If the leaves are some- rog. Many poskim hold that it is not an what separated from the spine the lu- issue if only a piece of the outermost

10 Rav Moshe Feinstein (Igrot Moshe O.C. 4:123) invalidates it, while Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (cited in Halichot Shlomo 10:9), allows it. Rav Hershel Schachter (“Halachos of Dalet Minim,” min. 15) favors the former approach. 11 Shulchan Aruch 645:8-9. Mishna Brurah 645:40 12 Mishna Brurah 6454:16. Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo 10:1) allows a double tiyomet, where there are two equally tallest leaves. The Maamar Mordechai 645:4 writes that one should not check the middle leaf too forcefully, as it may split in the process; if it does not look split upon glancing at it, it is valid. 13 Rama 645:3 writes that it is preferable to get a lulav that is completely closed. Mishna Brurah 645:16 cites the Gra that one doesn’t need to be strict at all if only the minority of the middle leaf is split. 14 Shulchan Aruch 645:4. After the fact, see Beiur Halacha 645:1 s.v. v’adayin Chazon Ish 146:21. 15 Rama 645:1, Mishna Brurah 645:3 16 Rama 650:1. The length of the etzbah is a great dispute: Rav Avraham Chaim Na’eh holds it is 0.8 inches, Rav Moshe Feinstein holds it is 0.9 inches, and the Chazon Ish holds it is 1 inch. Gen- erally, Rav Hershel Schachter uses the measurements of Rav Moshe. 17 Tiferet Yisrael (Mishnayot Sukka 3:6) 18 Shulchan Aruch 648:18 19 Kaf Hachaim 648:113 20 Rabbi Mordechai Willig, shlita (quoted by Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg “A Practical Guide to Purchasing Dalet Minim”. min. 44-6) would ask his wife to pick the nicest-looking esrog from amongst the valid esrogim. | THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 38 THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM peel is removed, while some say that begins to slope towards the top (cho- it is acceptable even if a piece of the tam), while others deem it valid.25 thin yellow peel is removed.21 GREEN PITOM FELL OFF An esrog that is completely green is If the pitom falls off or the stem on invalid. If, however, if it started to be- the bottom of the esrog is complete- come yellow, it is valid.26 ly removed, the esrog is invalid on the SIZE first two days. If just the shoshanta, the flower-shaped protrusion off the An esrog must be at least the size of stem on top, falls off it is better not an egg.27 to use it if one has another option.22 An esrog that grew with- GRAFTED 23 out a pitom is perfectly kosher. It is important to buy an esrog that Starting Chol Hamoed if just the has a reliable hechsher to ensure that shoshanta or even the pitom fell off it is not grafted.28 and the body of the esrog is intact it is valid unless a better option is avail- HADASIM 24 able. SIZE BLACK DOT One should use three hadasim for Some poskim invalidate an esrog that the mitzvah. Each hadas should be has black dots found on the part that at least 3 tefachim (10.7 inches) in length.29

21 Shulchan Aruch 648:2, Mishna Brurah 648:24 is lenient only if part of the outermost peel is removed. Chazon Ish 147:1 is lenient even if some of the think yellow peel. The Rama is lenient if a hole was made while the esrog was growing but the flesh and peel subsequently grew over it. 22 Shulchan Aruch and 648:7-8, Mishna Brurah 648:31 23 Rama 648:7, Mishna Brurah 648:32 24 Mishna Brurah 648:30-1, 649:36 25 Shulchan Aruch 648:12 invalidates an esrog with a discoloration of any size on the chotam, the area of where the esrog begins to slope to the top. Therefore, Halachos of the Four Species (p. 22) writes that a black dot on the upper part of the esrog invalidates it. Rabbi Zvi Sobolofsky (“The Laws of the Dalet Minim,” min 4-5), however, explained that most of the esrogim we have do not have any issue with discoloration; the little black dots are just specks of dirt. Similarly, Rabbi Eliakim Koenigsberg (“A Practical Guide to Purchasing Dalet Minim,” min. 32-3) quotes Rav Hershel Schachter as saying that black dots invalidate the esrog only if they develop be- cause of rotting, which is not usually the case 26 Shulchan Aruch 648:21. Rabbi Hershel Schachter, shlita (“The Halachos of the Dalet Minim,” min. 33-5) cited the Mishkenot Yaakov’s opinion that the esrog is invalid even if it started to yellow. 27 Shulchan Aruch 648:22 28 Rama (Responsa 226), Mishna Brurah 648:65 29 Shulchan Aruch 650:1, 651:1

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 39 THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM

THREE PER ROW they lose their green color, the ha- das is invalid. If, however, three moist The hadas should have rows of three green leaves in a row at the top of the leaves (meshulashim) spanning the hadas remain, the hadas is still valid.33 length of the branch. One can check whether the leaves are aligned with ARAVOS three in each row at arm’s length. LENGTH Even if they the leaves in a row aren’t at the same exact same height it is One should use two aravos branches acceptable.30 for the mitzvah. Each aravah should be at least 3 tefachim in length.50 LEAVES FELL OFF QUALITIES If leaves fell off such that rows of three leaves cover only 1.6 tefachim The leaves of the aravah should prefer- (5.3 inches) of the branch, the hadas ably be long and narrow with smooth is acceptable.31 In an extenuating cir- edges. If the edges of the leaves have cumstance if only two leaves remain in small serrations, the aravah is none- each row for a majority of the hadas it theless valid. If, however, the stem is is nonetheless kosher.32 white, the leaves are rounded, or the edges of the leaves have large serra- LEAVES DRIED tions, the aravah is invalid.34 If the leaves become dry to the point LEAVES DRIED where they easily wither away when one presses a fingernail to them and If most of the leaves of an aravah dried out to the extent that they lost

30 The Gemara understands that the Torah’s description of hadas demands that it have rows of three leaves (meshulashim). The Gemara Sukkah 32b considers a hadas with rows of two leaves and one leaf on top to be an abnormal hadas (hadas shoteh). Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Halichot Shlomo p. 198) rules that the determining factor for meshulashim is the location of the stems of the leaves. Additionally, he explains that a row of leaves is considered meshulash if the three stems are in proximity such that it would be possible to draw a horizontal circumference of the branch that would intersect with all three stems (see diagram above). Rav Yigal Ariel (Techumin 11:177) understands that it is enough if the leaves are roughly in rows of three and do not blatantly deviate from rows. Rav Chaim Jachter (Parshat Ki Tavo Vol.13 Num. 2) notes that the common practice of some gedolim was to analyze the hadas at arm’s length to make this determination. 31 Shulchan Aruch 646:5 rules that one ideally should have the leaves be in rows of three for the entire length of the hadas; nevertheless, one fulfills his obligation if the leaves are in rows of three for the majority of the branch. Mishna Brurah 646:18 states that this majority refers to a majority of the minimum size of a hadas branch. Thus, since the hadas should be 12 etzba’ot, a majority would only require no more than 6 etzba’ot, even if the hadas is larger than its neces- sary 12 etzba’ot. 32 Mishna Brurah 646:18 33 Shulchan Aruch 646:7-8, Mishna Brurah 646:20-1 34 Shulchan Aruch 647:1, Mishna Brurah 647:2, Aruch Hashulchan 647:4

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 40 THE MITZVAH OF DALET MINIM their green color, the aravah is invalid. checking the Dalet minim and cer- If, however, the leaves only withered tainly if the Dalet minim were found to and did not completely dry out, the be invalid, a huge fight would erupt. aravah may still be used.35 Rav Dovid Cohen of Gvul Yavetz in Brooklyn answered that to avoid any LEAVES FELL OFF familial discord it wasn’t necessary If the majority of the leaves fall off the considering that the majority of Dalet aravah within the 3 minimum tefa- minim sold are kosher.38 chim it is invalid.36

GREW NEAR WATER Halachipedia is focused on creating a useful, Although most aravos grow by the easy-to-read, and searchable encyclopedia of practical halacha in English. The content in this water, an aravah is valid no matter packet and on the website (www.halachipedia. where it grew. Some say that it is pref- com) is edited by Rabbi Ike Sultan, a student erable to use aravos that grew by a of Rav Hershel Schachter Shlit”a and Rav Mor- river, whereas others say that there is dechai Willig Shlit”a, both of whom have ex- no such preference.37 pressed support for the project. Rav Willig has graciously reviewed many of the articles print- CASE TO PONDER ed through Halachipedia. With over 800 pages and 20,000 sources, the content continues to In a certain out of town community, expand online at Halachipedia.com. If you have there was a family whose grandfa- any questions, please email ask@halachipedia. ther would visit every year and pur- com. chase the Dalet minim for each mem- ber of the family. The issue was that although the grandfather was ob- servant, he was not familiar with the complexities of the halachos of the Dalet minim and bought them himself not through a shul. The question was whether the grandchildren were obli- gated to check the Dalet minim. If the grandchildren would be discovered

35 Shulchan Aruch 647:2, Mishna Brurah 647:7, Shaar Hatziyun 647:6 36 Shulchan Aruch 647:2, Mishna Brurah 647:9 37 Shulchan Aruch 647:1, Mishna Brurah 647:3 38 Rabbi Chaim Jachter

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 41 MOSHE’S BRACHAH TO REUVEN; MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE RABBI ZEV GOLDBERG MARA D’ATRA, YOUNG ISRAEL OF FT. LEE

SHEMINI ATZERET and Simchat not die, and may his people be count- Torah are joyous days for the Jewish ed in the number (Devarim 33:6).” Did People. It is a busy time, filled with Moshe simply wish to convey that the beautiful davening, inspiring shiurim tribe lives on? Did Moshe intend that and joyous hakafot. As a result, it can the families of Reuven live for eternity be difficult to find the time to prop- and never die? What is the deeper sig- erly study the final parashahh in the nificance of these words? Torah, V’zot HaBrachahh. The chal- lenge is compounded by the fact that RaMBaN (1194-1270) exlains that in the text of the parashah is comprised order to understand the implication almost entirely of Moshe’s final bless- of Moshe’s words we need to recall ings to the shevatim (tribes), which that Reuven has chosen to dwell on are complex, multilayered and often the eastern side of the Jordan river. As cryptic. It is unfortunate that we do we know from parashat Matot, Moshe not spend more time studying this only agrees to this arrangement on parashah. Each passuk is a gem filled the condition that the tribe of Reuven with meaningful insights and lessons (and Gad) lead the battle to conquer to learn. the land of Israel. As such, the tribe of Reuven was in a precarious situation. What follows is a short study of Moshe’s They would be the first into battle and brachah to Reuven, the first blessing their lives would be at stake. he bestows upon the tribes. May“ ,”יְחִ י רְאוּבֵ ן וְאַ ל יָמֹת“ ,Moshe’s blessing At first glance, Moshe’s brachah to Reuven live and not die”, was in fact a heartfelt prayer on Moshe’s part that “יְחִ י רְאוּבֵ ן וְאַ ל .Reuven is underwhelming -May Reuven live and Reuven be successful on the battle“ יָמֹת וִיהִ י מְתָ יו מִסְפָּ ר.”

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 42 MOSHE’S BRACHAH TO REUVEN; MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE field. The second phrase in Moshe’s spite choosing to live east of the Jor- .and may his dan River“ ,”וִיהִ י מְתָ יו מִסְפָּ ר“ ,brachah people be counted in the number,” should be understood in this context Additionally, we know from earlier on as well. Moshe was praying that the in Sefer Devarim that one of the bene- fits of living in Israel is the potential for number of soldiers from Reuven that למען“ set out for battle should be the same long life, as the Torah teaches us, ”,ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה number that safely return from battle. “so that your days and the days of your children In this light, Moshe’s prophetic prayer be lengthened on this land. (Devarim was a passionate 11:25)” Moshe plea to Hash- was concerned em to protect that the tribe the soldiers who a passionate plea to of Reuven living would be risking Hashem to protect outside of Israel their lives for the the soldiers who would not enjoy Jewish People. would be risking a similar blessing ְ ו אַ ל“ ,What an inspir- their lives for the so he adds may Reuven ,”יָמֹת .ing brachah! Jewish People “not die.” Rav Ovadia Sfor- no (circ. 1475- Rabbi Chaim Ibn 1550) offers an interpretation, that Attar (1698-1743), in his commentary, likewise focuses on Reuven’s decision Or HaChaim, offers a very creative to dwell east of the Jordan. Sforno suggestion. He explains that when notes that Reuven’s choice to live out- Moshe said, “May Reuven live and not side of Israel could come with poten- die”, Moshe was referring to the lead- tially terrible consequences. When a ers of the tribe of Reuven that were en- Jew lives in Israel, they are closer to snarled in Korach’s rebellion. Accord- Hashem and therefore likely to receive ing to the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah a larger portion in the next world. 18), the majority of the 250 men who When a Jew chooses to live outside of died along with Korach were leaders Israel, they risk receiving a smaller por- from the tribe of Reuven. Although tion in the next world. Korach’s attack was aimed directly at Moshe, in an act of incredible humility Moshe’s blesses the tribe of Reuven and graciousness, Moshe pleads that with intentions to offset the disadvan- those who joined with Korach should tages of living outside of Israel. When be forgiven and granted life in the ,”יְחִ י רְאוּבֵ ן“ Moshe said, “May Reuven next world. What a powerful lesson to live”, he intended to bless the tribe of learn – although we may be wronged, Reuven to “live” in the next world, de-

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 43 MOSHE’S BRACHAH TO REUVEN; MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE we ought to forgive and rebuild rela- would be on equal footing among tionships. their brethren.

Lastly, Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch Rav Hirsch’s insight has a particularly (1808-1888) notes that Reuven is the strong resonance on Simchat Torah. only tribe (besides Shimon who re- Simchat Torah is a day designated to ceives no blessing) that is not blessed celebrate our holy Torah. One of the with a specific attribute or strength. central components of this joy is the Furthermore, unlike many of the oth- belief that each and every Jew has er blessings that are connected to equal access to encountering Hashem the tribe’s ancestral through . lands in Israel, Reu- No matter one’s tribe, ven’s brachah makes everyone is no matter one’s sta- no reference to the able to tus, everyone is able nature of his trib- to become a Torah al land. As such, Rav become a scholar. Dancing with Hirsch suggests that Torah scholar the Sifrei Torah on Reuven’s blessing re- Simchat Torah is sym- fers to the eternal life bolic of this idea. The that one receives from learning Torah. dancing is not restricted to the talmi- Understood in this light, Moshe’s bless- dei chachamim, all are invited to join, ing, “May Reuven live and not die” is a as Torah is accessible to all! reference to blessings that come from Torah study. May Reuven’s tribe enjoy No matter which interpretation you the eternal benefits that come from prefer, Moshe’s brachah to the tribe deep immersion in the waters of Torah! of Reuven is laden with meaningful and inspiring lessons. I encourage you Rav Hirsch explains that the second to take the time and study Parashat half of Moshe’s blessing should be un- V’Zot HaBrachah carefully and enjoy derstood in this fashion as well. When the richness and beauty found in ev- Moshe said, “and may his people be ery passuk. counted in the number,” he was refer- ring to the fact that Torah is the great Chag Sameach. equalizer! Although the tribe of Reu- ven would not be defined by a unique quality, if they studied Torah, they

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 44 HOW DO I KEEP SHEVI’IT WHEN VISITING ERETZ HAKODESH? RABBI DAVID RUE AV BET DIN, LOS ANGELES BEIT DIN

SO YOU ARE coming to Israel this insurmountable obstacle. In fact, it is year. It’s a Shmittah year! What do a sacred opportunity. Every mitzvah you have to know? What food is sanc- we do, every act of chessed, brings tified with the holiness of Shmittah? us closer to HaShem. Why would we Let’s start with a basic rule: All food want to forgo the chance to not only grown by Jews in the Holy Land, and become more insightful but also be flowers (if they are either edible or closer to G-d? have a pleasant fragrance), have Ke- dushat Shevi’it. These are the different sources for fruits and vegetables found in Isra- The laws of Shevi’it are complicated el during the Sabbatical year. Each but do not have to be burdensome. source has to be identified before pur- There are great rewards to keeping chase and use. the Sabbatical year. It is well known Food imported from outside of Israel * אוירא דארץ ישראל that the Talmud says .the very air of the Land of Isra- does not have Kedushat Shavi’it ,מחכים el makes one wise. Many Poskim have * Hydroponically grown vegetables in learned from this that even more so, Israel do not have Kedushat Shevi’it. eating the produce of the Shmittah year makes one wise. * Food from Heter Mechirah (leasing the land to a gentile) is without kedu- For many people who have not lived shah. Rav Kook maintained that even in Israel during a Shmittah year abid- so, one should treat these fruits as if ing by the restrictions seem like an they did have Kedushat Shevi’it.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 45 HOW DO I KEEP SHEVI’IT WHEN VISITING ERETZ HAKODESH?

* The Mabit says produce grown by Otzar Beit Din or Arab produce, con- .in Eretz Yisrael none- tact them directly (יבול נכרי) gentiles theless has Kedushat Shevi’it, while Beit Yosef says it does not. The old * If you use produce with Kedushat minhag in Yerushalayim is to be le- Shevi’it, then you have to be careful not to waste any. Because it is kadosh, nient and treat the produce of a gen- tile as not having Kedushat Shevi’it. In it should not be disposed of in a dis- Bnai Brak, however, they are strict in respectful manner. (Just like a talis is this matter. not thrown in the garbage when it is no longer useable.) * Otzar Beit Din (from the Tosefta), was in fact recommended by Rav For instance, when cutting up a bell Kook and the Chazon Ish. This system pepper you should cut as close as pos- is that the Beit Din would hire workers sible to the stem so that there is no (usually the very farmers themselves) edible pepper left that is attached and pay them to harvest the food and to it. If there is edible pepper still at- bring it into the city where the Beit Din tached to the stem, then it needs to would appoint agents to distribute be properly disposed of. (see below) the food, and recover the costs of the * You should plan to prepare the harvest and distribution. According amount of food you will be eating, to all opinions this food has Kedushat avoiding having leftovers that would Shevi’it. go to waste. Yet it is inevitable that * All Kosher supervisions in Israel ad- there will be leftover food. This food dress the issues of Shmittah. There are should be set aside until it is no longer Gedolim who support each of these edible, and then it may be wrapped methods of keeping Shmittah. in a plastic bag and disposed of in the garbage. Flowers should be left until - Mehadrin hashgachot based in they are no longer fresh but wilting Yerushalayim use either Arab or im- and are no longer attractive; they also ported produce. can then be wrapped in a plastic bag and thrown out. - Those based in Bnai Brak use Ot- zar Beit Din. For your further information: If you want an in-depth English book on - Regular hashgachot rely on Heter Shmittah, the best I have seen is Rav Mechirah. Yosef Zvi Rimon’s “Shmittah: From the Many products indicate the source of Sources to Practical Halacha”, Magid the produce. If they do not specify the Books, a division of Koren publishing. source, and you want to know if it is

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 46 NCYI wishes a Kesivah V’Chasimah Tovah to all.

ADDENDUM

UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS RABBI GERSHON SCHAFFEL MARA D’ATRA YOUNG ISRAEL OF SKOKIE

HOSHANOS we walk around the bimah developed in the era of the Gaonim. Sefer Sed- In the time of the Bais HaMikdash the er HaYom explains that Hoshanos are kohanim took aravah branches and a supplication that Hashem should as they encircled the mizbeach they save us from all distress and from אנא ה’ הושיעה נא אנא ה’ הצליחה נא would say hands of our enemies and nullify the (Sukkah 4:5). The Midrash (Yalkut Shi- evil schemes of those who seek our moni 703) teaches that in the absence demise. The Arizal notes that there of a Bais HaMikdash and mizbeach a are three elements of the practice .אדם leader of the shul stands like a Heav- and mnemonic for this is the word the person himself ,אדם represents א enly angel holding a Sefer Torah and stands ד the people encircle him. One differ- who encircles the bimah. The which are the tefilos that we ,דיבור ence between the practice of the Bais for HaMIkdash and our current practice is recite. The last element is the action מ represented by the letter ,מעשה – that we walk around holding our lulav and esrog. which is the action of holding the lulav The practice of reciting Hoshanos as and esrog as we encircle the bimah.

הושע נא

is a contraction of the Bereishis 4:4) and we ask Hashem to הושענא The word -There are two turn towards our prayers and to be at .נא and הושע two words .One tentive towards them .הושע explanations of the word explanation is that it is related to the נא -salvation and it is prayer The word also has multiple expla – ישועה word for salvation. The second explanation nations. One explanation is that it is that it relates to the word turn (See means now. In this context it means

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 49 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

…please save us – הושע נא .that Hashem should save us, now. Al- planations save us now. This is similar to – הושע נא ternatively, the word means, please and in this context, it means, “Please, Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayer for Miriam -repeat ,קל נא רפא נא לה save us.” Some commentators contend when he prayed A final explanation of .נא that both explanations apply, and the ing the word is rooted in its numerical נא meaning is “Please, save us now.” Oth- the word ers explain that the reason we repeat value. We ask Hashem to save us and ,before and after accept our pleas during the 51 days הושע נא the words each phrase is to incorporate both ex- beginning from Rosh Chodesh Elul.

למענך וכו’

When we are in exile Hashem’s Name is desecrated and thus we אלקינו ask Hashem to redeem us so that His Name will be glorified. The purpose of creation is the Jewish People so that they can sing בוראנו Hashem’s praises. Therefore, we pray to Hashem to save us so that we can fulfill the purpose of creation. When Hashem redeemed us from Egypt, we were not worthy of redemption since we were idolators, the same as the Egyptians. גואלנו Accordingly, we ask Hashem to redeem us now, even though we are not deserving of redemption. We ask Hashem to save us because it is for Your sake that we seek דורשנו You. Since Hashem has promised that if we seek out Hashem, He will redeem and save us, we can turn to Him with confidence.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 50 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

לְמַעַן אֲמִתָּךְ

and address them independently. This (למענך אלקינו The introductory stanza -calls Hashem to save us hoshanah also corresponds to Avro למענך בוראנו וכו’( for the sake of His name. In this hosha- hom Avinu who was the first to rec- nah, we call upon Hashem to save for ognize Hashem’s greatness and the the sake of His character traits. Al- praises of Hashem in this hoshanah though Hashem and His traits are one are descriptions of Hashem’s great- and are not separate from His exis- ness. tence, we anthropomorphize His traits

A. To fulfill your promise to our forefathers; B. To keep Your word and to be truthful you merci- לְמַעַן אֲמִתָּךְ fully forgave Adam HaRishon, even though he was For the sake of Your judged for death, so too You should act kindly and truth save us; C. For Yaakov who personified truth. A. We pray that Hashem save us for the sake of His covenant that He established with Avrohom Avinu that He would not annihilate the Jewish People; לְמַעַן בְּרִיתָךְ ,.B. We ask for salvation for the many covenants, e.g bris milah, the covenant established when we re- For the sake of Your ceived the Torah, the covenant with Dovid HaMel- covenant ech; C. For Yitzchok since Hashem promised to fulfill His covenant with Yitzchok. A. Your Greatness should be recognized since our salvation will magnify His Name; לְ מַ עַ ן גָּ דְ לָ ךְ וְ תִ פְ אַ רְ תָּ ךְ B. Some maintain that it refers to tzadikim through For the sake of Your whom Hashem’s Name is magnified; greatness and beauty C. For Avrohom who magnified and sanctified Hashem’s Name in this world. A. For Your Torah which was studied and observed לְמַעַן דָּתָךְ by our forefathers even before it was given; For the sake of Your B. Upon salvation, the fulfillment of Your laws will be Laws properly restored.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 51 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

לְמַעַ ן הוֹדָךְ ;refers to the Divine Presence הודך .A B. Your Glory and Splendor will be manifest to all For the sake of Your upon our salvation. Glory refers to the Bais HaMikdash and we pray ועודך .A that our private conversation with Hashem should לְמַעַן וִעוּדָךְ be restored to what it once was; For the sake of Your refers to the shevatim who constituted an ועודך .B Meeting House and would gather (עדה שלמה) entire congregation together in the Bais HaMikdash with a unified heart refers to the meaning of the Name זכרך A. The term of Hashem as it is pronounced, i.e., He is the Master לְמַעַן זִכְרָךְ of all; For the sake of Your B. We refer to the righteous who remember Hash- Mention em’s sacred Name even in circumstances in which they are not able to speak. A. You should save us out of Your Kindness and not due to our righteousness; לְמַעַן חַסְדָּךְ B. We should be saved in the merit of Avrohom For the sake of Your Avinu who personified the trait of kindness; Kindness C. You should go beyond strict judgment and kind- ness should overpower justice. A. Salvation is not for our sake, it is for Your sake לְמַעַן טוּבָךְ since You are Good and Forgiving; For the sake of Your B. For the sake of the Bais HaMikdash that is called Goodness “good.” לְמַעַן יִחוּדָךְ We should be saved since we unify Your name For the sake of Your through the recitation of Shema. Unity A. We should be saved but not for our sake or due to לְמַעַן כְּ בוֹדָךְ our proper ways, rather so that Your Name should not be desecrated; For the sake of Your B. The term refers to the Divine Presence that resid- Honor ed in the Bais HaMikdash. A. A reference to the Bais HaMikdash where Torah לְ מַ עַ ן לִ מּ וּ דָ ךְ was studied; For the sake of Your B. A look towards the future when we will learn To- Teaching rah directly from Hashem and will not forget it.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 52 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

A. For the Jewish People who coronate Hashem; לְמַעַן מַלְכוּתָךְ B. Hashem, who is the true King will be merciful for For the sake of Your the sake of His Kingdom rather than leave us in the Kingship hands of earthly kings. A. For the sake of Your Name which is eternal; לְמַעַן נִצְחָךְ that allow us to ( )למנצח B. A reference to our tefilos For the sake of Your be victorious over Hashem by praying and nullifying Eternity/ Triumph His decrees. לְמַעַ ן סוֹדָךְ ;A. For the sake of those who fear Hashem B. It is a reference to prophecy as we pray for the For the sake of Your restoration of prophecy. Counsel לְמַעַן עֻזָךְ ;A. For the sake of Your Power B. A reference to Torah or the Ark of the Covenant – For the sake of Your aron habris. Power A. , either ours or Hashem’s that contains לְמַעַן פְּאֵרָךְ terms of endearment towards Klal Yisroel and thus we are deserving of compassion; For the sake of Your B. If we are saved it will generate praise and Glory Beauty for His Name. לְמַעַן צִדְקָתָךְ ;A. Your are righteous and love righteousness B. Your righteousness will become evident to the For the sake of Your world when You save the Jewish People. righteousness A. Hashem’s Name is sanctified through us and thus we pray that we should be redeemed from exile לְמַעַן קְדֻשָּׁתָךְ and the Bais HaMikdash rebuilt to sanctify Your For the sake of Your Name; Sanctity B. Hashem’s Name should be magnified and Sanc- tified לְמַעַן רַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּ ים Even though we sin and are not deserving of Your mercy, one of Your traits is to be merciful and we For the sake of Your plead to You to utilize that trait. Abundant Mercy We seek for Your crown to be restored, for the Bais לְמַעַן שְׁכִינָתָךְ HaMikdash to be rebuilt and for Your Divine Pres- For the sake of Your ence to return so that Your Name will be sanctified Divine Presence in the eyes of the nations.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 53 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

לְמַעַן תְּהִלָתָךְ A. We pray that You should respond to our praises for which You sit and anticipate; For the sake of Your B. So that we can retell Your praises praise

אֶבֶן שְׁתִ יָּה

In this hoshanah we daven that Hash- will be rebuilt in the merit of the first em will rebuild the Bais HaMikdash day of Sukkos. The Maharal explains and thus we use many different names that the Bais HaMikdash is Hashem’s and references to the Bais HaMikdash. sukkah and thus when Klal Yisroel sits This hoshanah also has numerous ref- in the sukkah on the first day of Suk- erences to the Yerushalayim since the kos, Hashem bestows his Divine Pres- greatness and praise of Yerushalayim ence on the Bais HaMikdash. was due to the presence of the Bais HaMikdash. Lastly, this hoshanah, which is often recited on the second day of Sukkos, We daven for the rebuilding of the Bais relates to Yitzchok Avinu who was HaMikdash on Sukkos since Kabbalis- the first to identify the sanctity of the tically the third Bais HaMikdash will be place that would become the Bais Ha- built on Sukkos. Additionally, the Mid- Mikdash. rash writes that the Bais HaMikdash

A. Even Shesiyah is a name for the Bais Hamikdash which is a reference to the foundation stone from which אֶבֶן שְׁתִ יָּה the world was created and upon which rests the kodesh hokodoshim; Foundation stone B. The stone upon which Yaakov rested his head and subsequently made into an altar. A. The Bais HaMikdash where Hashem chose for His Di- בֵּית הַבְּחִירָה ;vine Presence to reside B. The chosen people, in the chosen land, in the cho- The chosen tem- sen city, in the chosen place (Tzion) for the purpose of ple avodah – service of Hashem. גוֹרֶן אָרְנָן Dovid HaMelech purchased Arnon’s threshing house at full price and built there the altar and offered korbanos Arnon’s threshing which Shlomo ultimately used for the Bais HaMikdash. house

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 54 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

is a term for the Bais HaMikdash since it is the דביר .A place from which communication with Moshe emanat- ed or where punishment begins for those who do not דְּבִיר הַמוּצְנָע follow the Torah. Hidden place / -refers to the place the is concealed, i.e., the ko המוצנע object desh hokodoshim; B. A reference to the aron habris which is concealed in the kodesh hokodoshim. The place of the akeidah and the Bais HaMikdash. The הַר הַ מוֹרִיָּה place where rulings are issued for the Jewish People or Mount Moriah the origin of awe for the nations of the world. A. The place Hashem showed Moshe where the Divine Presence will reside and where he will offer korbanos; וְהַר יֵרָאֶ ה B. The place where Hashem sees Yitzchok’s virtual ashes Mount and forgives the Jewish People; Yaira’eh C. Part of the name of Yerushalayim which is a contrac- .שלם and יראה tion of is a reference to the Bais HaMikdash as well as one זבול זְבוּל תִּפְאַרְתֶּךָ -of the levels of Heaven that contains a parallel Bais Ha Mikdash where Michael offers korbanos. Residence of The Divine Presence in the Bais HaMikdash is referred to splendor .תפארת as חָנָה דָוִד A reference to the altar, the heichal, Bais HaMikdash or -since Dovid procured it Where Dovid re חנה דוד Yerushalayim and is called and dwelled there. sided refers to the Bais לבנון refers to the Yerushalayim and טוב טוֹב הַלְּבָ נוֹן HaMikdash or the kodesh hakodoshim. The Bais Ha- Goodness of Leb- since it “whitens” the sins of the לבנון Mikdash is called anon Jewish People. meaning, bride נמפי is related to the Greek word נוף .A so that we rejoice with Yerushalayim like a new bride. יְפֵ ה נוֹף מְשׂוֹשׂ כָּל הָאָרֶץ Also, Hashem cherishes the Bais HaMikdash as a groom Beautiful bride, cherishes his bride. joy of the land B. Yerushalayim brought joy to the world since sinners had a place to go to achieve atonement for their sins. Everyone praised Yerushalayim as possessing great כְּלִילַ ת יֹפִ י beauty as opposed to other cities where only its citizens Perfect in beauty refer to it as beautiful.

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A. In Yerushalayim righteousness was constant; לִינַת הַצֶּדֶ ק B. No one went to sleep in Yerushalayim with sins since The place where the korbanos atoned for their sins; righteousness C. One who offered a was obligated to spend resided the night in Yerushalayim. מָ כוֹן לְשִׁבְתֶּךָ A reference to the Bais HaMikdash which corresponds The foundation of .to the Bais HaMikdash in the Heavens ( מְ כֻ ּ ָו ן) Your dwelling A. Yerushalayim is a place of tranquility. As long as your נָ וֶ ה שַׁ אֲ נָ ן ;abode exists, the Jewish People dwell in tranquility B. Yerushalayim is considered tranquil since there was A tranquil abode never a fight related to finding a place to sleep. סֻכַּת שָׁלֵ ם is a reference to the Bais HaMikdash. We ask for סוכה salvation for the sake of the Bais HaMikdash built in the Tabernacle of city Shalem. Shalem A. The 12 tribes would ascend to Yerushalayim that would contain them all which would thereby serve as testimony that Hashem chose them; B. Dovid HaMelech collected from all of the tribes to עֲלִיַּת שְׁבָטִ ים purchase Yerushalayim; Pilgrimage of the C. The Bais HaMikdash should be rebuilt and we should tribes merit to ascend to Yerushalayim; D. The Divine Presence dwelled in Yerushalayim primar- ily because the tribes gathered as one person with one heart. A. The valuable cornerstone which can be seen from all פִּנַת יִקְרַת sides. A reference to the beauty of the Bais HaMikdash; The valuable cor- B. The even shesiyah from which the world was created nerstone and the location of the kodesh hakodoshim. צִ יוֹן הַמְצֻיֶּנֶת The Bais HaMikdash which is distinguished in mitzvos Distinguished and korbanos. Tzion קֹ ֶ ד שׁ ַ ה ֳ ק ָ ד ִ שׁ י ם The place of the aron hakodesh which contains all the Kodesh sanctity of the world. HaKodoshim

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רָצוּף אַהֲבָ ה ;A. It contains utensils that express love B. Hashem concentrates His Divine Presence between Decorated with the poles of the aron to demonstrate His love. love שְׁכִינָת כְּ בוֹדֶיךָ A. The place for the Divine Presence to dwell; The place for Your B. The Divine Presence resides between the two keruvim. Honor to dwell A. The Bais HaMikdash that is beautifully built at which תֵּל תַּלְפִּ יוֹת ;everyone gazes B. The kodesh hakodoshim which is the direction to- Hill of Talpiyos wards which everyone davens.

אֶעֱרֹךְ שׁ וּעִ י

In most years this hoshanah is recit- and thus there are many references to ed on the third day of Sukkos, the first teshuvah, our prayer that Hashem ac- day of , in chutz la’aretz. cept our sincere repentance and our It falls on the same day of the week yearning to be free from the yetzer that Yom Kippur fell the week before hora.

אֶעֱרֹךְ שׁ וּעִ י I arrange my prayers… I shall arrange my prayer בְּבֵית שַׁוְעִ י in the shul where we pray every day. In the house of my prayer גִּלִּיתִי בַצּ וֹם פִּשְׁעִ י I revealed and confessed for my sins on Yom I revealed my sins, on the Kippur. fast day דְּרַשְׁתִּיךָ בּ וֹ לְ הוֹשִׁיעִ י I sought out salvation in prayer, when You were available (during the 10 days from Rosh HaSha- I sought You, in prayer, on nah to Yom Kippur) that day to save me הַקְשִׁיבָה לְ קוֹל שַׁוְעִ י Listen to the voice of my prayers and make Heed the voice of my them acceptable. prayer וְקוּמָה וְהוֹשִׁיעִ י Arise from the attribute of justice and save me from my distress. Arise and save me A. Remember and be merciful to bring my sav- זְכוֹר וְרַחֵ ם מוֹשִׁיעִ י ior, Moshiach ben Dovid. Remember and be merci- B. Remember and be merciful, You Hashem, ful, my Savior who is the Savior of the Jewish People

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A. We should live under Your dominion, and we חַי כֵּן תְּשַׁעְשְׁעִ י should rejoice, therein. Living G-d, let me delight B. Living G-d, grant us happiness and joy. טוֹב בְּאֶנֶק שְׁעִ י -Good one, on account of my prayer, be favor able towards me. Good one, hear my groan A. Hasten the time of the redemption and save יוּחַשׁ מוֹשִׁיעִ י .me B. My Savior should hasten to destroy those Hasten my savior who tempt me to sin (see next phrase) A. Destroy my Yetzer Hora that tempts me, so כַּלֵּה מַרְשִׁיעִ י that he will not continue to make me evil (see next phrase) Destroy the one who B. A prayer that Hashem should destroy the tempts me to sin wicked nations that exercise dominion over us A. We want the yetzer horo destroyed so that לְבַ ל עוֹד תַּרְשִׁיעִ י we refrain from further sin B. The wicked nation should be destroyed so So that he not continue to that they do not cause us to sin and become make me evil evil מַהֵר אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעִ י Hasten, Hashem, the G-d of my salvation, be- Hasten, G-d of my salva- fore the attribute of Judgement arrives tion A. My salvation and victory should be eternal נֶצַח לְ הוֹשִׁיעִ י B. The victory over the nations, expressed by Make eternal my salvation holding the lulav and esrog should be eternal שָׂא נָא עֲוֹן רִשְׁעִ י Forgive their wicked sins, i.e., those done inten- Forgive the iniquity of my tionally – b’meizid (see next phrase) wickedness עֲבוֹר עַל פִּשְׁעִ י Forgive their rebellious sins, i.e., intentional sins for which one does not derive benefit Overlook my sin פְּנֵה נָא לְ הוֹשִׁיעִ י Turn to accept my prayers and save me Please turn to save me צוּר צַדִּ יק מוֹשִׁיעִ י -Righteous Rock, save me (the nation that be lieves in Your salvation) Righteous Rock, my savior קַבֵּל נָא שַׁוְעִ י Allow my prayers to enter in front of Your throne Please receive my prayer

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רוֹמֵם קֶרֶן יִשְׁעִ י Raise the pride of my salvation by sending Raise the pride of my sal- Moshiach vation A. Sha-kai, who is with us in our distress should שַׁדַּ י מוֹשִׁיעִ י .destroy those who violate His will B. Sha-kai, disrupt the framework of the heav- Almighty, my Savior ens and save us A. Reveal Yourself and grant us a complete תּוֹפִ יעַ וְתוֹשִׁ יעִ י salvation B. Revel Yourself with the light of Sha-kai and Appear and save me repair the world under the dominion of Sha-kai

אֵ-ל לְ מוֹשָׁ עוֹת

The opening phrase and theme of this G-d who has given us salvation and hoshanah is based on the pasuk in we pray for salvation from our current Tehillim (68:21) wherein Hashem is re- circumstance. the mighty ,קל למושעות ferred to as the

Hashem, provide us with salvation from this ex- אֵ-ל לְ מוֹשָׁ עוֹת ile, as You promised with the four oaths (see next G-d of salvations phrase) A. In consideration of the four oaths that Hashem adjured us to follow and have to endure during this difficult exile, save us from the harsh treatment of בְּאַרְבַּע שְׁבוּעוֹת the nations of the world; With four oaths B. We ask Hashem to save us and judge us favor- ably during the four weeks of the month of Tishrei when the world is judged. We cry to Hashem in loud prayer to be saved from גָּשִׁים בְּשַׁוְעוֹת the heavy burden we suffer from the nations of the We draw close in pleas world. דּ וֹפְקֵי עֶרֶך שׁוּעוֹת We knock on the doors of the bais haknesses, Who come knocking to where we arrange our prayers. arrange our prayer הוֹגֵי שַׁעֲשֻׁ עוֹת We meditate on Your Torah (the written law) that is Meditate on Your called “delight.” [words of] delight

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וְחִ ידוֹתָם מִשְׁתַּעְשְׁ עוֹת After mentioning the written law, we also mention Who revel in their the oral law. riddles (the Oral law) זוֹעֲקִים לְהַשְׁ עוֹת -A. We cry in prayer so that we will be acknowl edged and You will accept our prayers; They cry to be heard B. We cry in prayer for salvation. (i.e. for attention) חוֹכֵי יְשוּעוֹת We yearn for Your salvation. They yearn for salvation A. The Jewish People who cling to You, trust in You טְ פוּלִים בָּךְ שְׁ עוֹת rather than in other powers; Listen to those who B. We yearn for Your salvation so that we can cling Rosh Hashanah cling to You to You. is a Day of A. The Jewish People understand the times that יוֹדְעֵי בִין שָׁ עוֹת Friendship with are most propitious for prayer; They understand Your B. The Jewish People know howHashem. to calculate the times time of the future redemption. כּוֹרְעֶ יךָ בְּשַׁ וְעוֹת We pray in a bowed position on Rosh HaShanah They bow to You and and Yom Kippur. plead לְהָבֽין שְׁמוּעוֹת We toil in our Torah study to understand Your hala- To understand the chos, lessons מִפִּיךָ נִשְׁמָ עוֹת That were heard directly from Your mouth. Which were heard from your mouth נוֹתֵ ן תְּשׁ וּעוֹת You, Hashem, who gives salvation, Giver of salvations A. Should gather together the Jewish People who סְ פוּרוֹת מַשְׁמָ עוֹת .are small in number B. Just as the bulls, offered as korbanos, dimin- Gather the counters ish each day of Sukkos, so too, the nations should (the sages) decrease עֵדוּת מַשְׁמִ יעוֹת We study and teach the torah, called testimony That teach the testi- mony פּוֹעֵ ל יְשׁ וּעוֹת Hashem is the force behind all salvation and therefore, Doer of salvations

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צַדִּ יק נוֹשָׁ עוֹת (He) Should send us Moshiach who will provide us Send the righteous with salvation. one (Moshiach) for the saved קִרְיַת תְּשׁוּעוֹת A reference to the city of Yerushalayim. For the city of salva- tions ֶ ר ֶג שׁ ְּ ת שׁ ּו א וֹ ת In the future when Yerushalayim is redeemed, it will be filled with people as it once was. With emotional cheers A. A reference to the three-hour battle of Gog and Magog which according to tradition will occur on Sukkos; B. A reference to the shalosh regalim when we שָׁ לֹש שָׁ עוֹת would ascend to the Bais Hamikdash and witness In three hours overt miracles; C. We should merit to return to Yerushalayim with throngs of people and daven for three hours a day, one hour per tefilah. תָּחִיש לִתְשׁוּעוֹת Hashem should hasten all of our salvations. Hasten our salvation

אֹם נְצוּרָה כְּבָבַ ת

Although all opinions agree that we This is evidenced from the fact that in שומר do not take the lulav and esrog and maariv during the week we say emphasizing the need ,עמו ישראל לעד ,walk around the bimah on Shabbos there is a difference in customs wheth- for protection, whereas on Shabbos er to recite hoshanos on Shabbos. Our we do not conclude the 2nd berachah custom accords with the opinion that after shema with a reference to Hash- recites hoshanos on Shabbos. em’s protection. The reason is that our Shabbos observance protects us. The foundation of this hoshanah is Throughout this hoshanah we empha- rooted in the fact that Shabbos ob- size different aspects of our Shabbos servance protects the Jewish People. observance and invoke it to protect us.

Just like an eye needs protection even from אֹם נְצוּרָה כְּבָבַ ת something soft, so too, the Jewish People require A nation protected like Divine protection from foreign influences that the pupil of Your eye would prove harmful to it.

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A. The Jewish People study the Torah that re- בּ וֹנֶנֶת בְּדָת נֶפֶשׁ־מְשִׁיבַ ת stores the soul; She studies (lit. B. The reason Hashem “protects like the pupil understands) the laws of of Your eye” is because we study the Torah and Shabbos study the laws of Shabbos (see next phrase). גּ וֹמֶרֶת הִלְ כוֹת שַׁבָּ ת Moshe Rabbeinu enacted that we should study She studies the laws of the laws of Shabbos on Shabbos. Shabbos A. The Jewish People observe even the restriction דּ וֹרֶשֶׁת מַשְׂאַת שַׁבָּ ת against transporting objects on Shabbos which is Explains the rules of ;(מלאכה גרועה) a minor prohibition transporting objects on B. We follow Hashem’s command to publicly teach Shabbos the laws of Shabbos. הַקּ וֹבַעַת אַלְפַּ יִם תְּ חוּם שַׁבָּ ת Although there is a debate whether the two-thousand amos, techum restriction is Biblical Who establish the or Rabbinic, hints to the restriction can be found two-thousand (amos) in pesukim. boundary of Shabbos וּמְשִׁיבַת רֶגֶל מִשַּׁבָּ ת The author praises one who was travelling and upon the arrival of Shabbos ceases his journey in She keeps her feet from honor of Shabbos. breaking the Shabbos Shabbos by reciting (זכירה) A. We remember it by refraining from (שמירה) kiddush and guard זָכוֹר וְשָׁ מוֹר מְקַיֶּמֶת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת melachah; שמור and זכור She keeps B. The Midrash explains that these words instruct on Shabbos us to add to Shabbos at the beginning and end of Shabbos (see upcoming phrases). חָשָׁה לְמַהֵר בִּיאַת שַׁבָּ ת The Jewish People hasten to accept Shabbos early as well as rush to prepare what is needed for Rushes to hasten in the Shabbos. Shabbos A. When something delicious is obtained, it is טוֹרַחַ ת כֹּל מִשִּׁשָׁה לַשַּׁבָּ ת saved for Shabbos; Who for six days work for B. One who toils on erev Shabbos will have food to Shabbos eat on Shabbos (Avodah Zarah 3a). A. The Jewish People push off the conclusion of יוֹשֶׁבֶת וּמַמְתֶּנֶת עַד־כְּ לוֹת שַׁבָּ ת Shabbos; She sits and patiently B. The Jewish People observe Shabbos with pa- waits until the end of tience and in a relaxed state until the conclusion Shabbos of Shabbos.

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כָּ בוֹד וָעֹנֶג קוֹרְאָה לַשַּׁבָּ ת We honor and find delight in Shabbos as enumer- She calls Shabbos an ated in the upcoming phrases. honor and delight לְבוּש וּכְסוּת מְחַלֶּפֶת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת ;A. We honor Shabbos by wearing Shabbos clothes Who changes their ,לשבת B. According to some versions it should say meaning that we change to Shabbos clothes in clothes and dress for the advance of the arrival of Shabbos. Shabbos מַאֲכָל וּמִשְׁתֶּה מְכִינָה לַשַּׁבָּ ת ;A. We prepare food and drinks for Shabbos B. Even one with many servants should personally She prepares food and be involved in preparing food Shabbos. drink for Shabbos נֹעַם מְגָדִים מַנְעֶמֶת לַשַּׁבָּ ת A. She saves sweet and delicious fruits to enjoy on Shabbos; She partakes of sweet B. Sweet and delicious fruit is eaten on Shabbos and delicious fruits on so that one can recite 100 berachos. Shabbos סְ עוּדוֹת שָׁלשׁ מְקַיֶּמת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת She has three meals on Shabbos in fulfillment of She has three meals on the Rabbinic enactment. Shabbos עַל־שְׁתֵּי כִכָּ רוֹת בּ וֹצַעַת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת She uses two loaves, like the double portion of She breaks bread manna that fell on erev Shabbos. on two loaves on Shab- bos פוֹרֶטֶת אַרְבַּע רְשֻׁיּוֹת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת Chazal identify four different domains, relevant Distinguishes 4 for Shabbos. domains on Shabbos צִוּוּי הַדְלָקַת נֵר מַדְלֶקֶת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת -A. We kindle Shabbos lights since the first Shab bos of creation was not dark; She fulfills the command to kindle .שמור and the second is for זכור B. One candle is for The candles give honor to the Shabbos meal Shabbos lights קִדּוּשׁ הַיּוֹם מְקַדֶּשֶׁת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת We sanctify the day by reciting kiddush with a She recites kiddush on cup of wine. Shabbos A. We don’t daven the regular since רֶנֶן שֶׁבַע מְפַלֶּלֶת בַּשַּׁבָּ ת Shabbos is a time for pleasure and enjoyment rather than for pain by davening for what we She prays the seven be- don’t have. rachos of the B. The Amidah is comprised of praises rather than amidah on Shabbos requests.

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שִׁבְעָה בַדָּת קֽ וֹרְאָה בַּשַּׁבָּֽ ת Chazal mandated that seven people read from She reads seven portions the Torah on Shabbos. of the Torah on Shabbos תַּנְחִילֶנָּה לְ יוֹם שֶׁכֻּלּ וֹ שַׁבָּ ת In the merit of her fulfillment of the laws of Shab- Causes her to inherit the bos, she should inherit a portion in the world that day that is completely is completely Shabbos (World-to-Come). Shabbos

אָ דוֹן הַמּוֹשִׁ יעַ

In most years this hoshanah is re- A sub-theme of this hoshanah is Yesh- cited on the sixth day of Sukkos, the ua – salvation. This is based on Chazal’s day before Hoshanah Rabbah. During numerous statements that connect the previous five days, none of the the falling of rain and salvation (Taan- hoshanos mentioned rain since rain is 7b). The connection is also found in ושאבתם מים בששון ממעיני הישועה on Sukkos is a sign of curse and that the pasuk Hashem is rejecting our service of Him. – The water libation on the mizbeach However, on day six, the Torah already is done so that the year’s rain will be hints to rain (See Taanis 2b) and thus, blessed and both water and salvation the theme of this hoshanah revolves are mentioned in the pasuk. around rain.

A. Hashem is the Master who saves the Jewish אָ דוֹן הַמּוֹשִׁ יעַ ;People B. Usually servants protect their master but Hash- Master who saves em is the Master who saves His people. A. You alone have the power to save; בִּלְתְּךָ אֵין לְ הוֹשִׁיעַ B. The gemara in Taanis relates that Hashem pos- There is no savior other sesses the key to rain which is the subject of this than You hoshana. A. Sefer Ikarim notes that mankind’s power involves גִּבּ וֹר וְרַב לְ הוֹשִׁיעַ taking life, whereas Hashem’s power is to grant life. Mighty, with great B. Rain is an expression of Hashem’s power to power to save grant life A. We are impoverished in terms of mitzvos but דַּ לֹּתִ י וְלִי יְהוֹשִׁיעַ Hashem still saves us; I was brought low and B. We are low by virtue of the exile and are in need He saved me of salvation. הָאֵל הַמּ וֹשִׁיעַ Hashem is a G-d who saves, in contrast to idols who are gods that do not have the power to save. G-d who saves

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 64 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

-is one who saves a poor person in his mo מציל A וּמַצִּיל וּמוֹשִׁיעַ provides long term מושיע ment of distress whereas a He rescues and saves and lasting salvation. זֽוֹעֲקֶ יךָ תּוֹשִׁ יעַ We cry out to Hashem who then saves us. This is mentioned as we daven for rain because rain falls Save those who cry out only after we daven numerous tefilos. to You חוֹכֶיךָ הוֹשִׁיעַ ,Save the nation that hopes for Your salvation even when we do not verbalize our yearning for Save those who wait for salvation. You טְלָאֶיךָ תַּשְׂבִּיעַ Provide nourishing rain for the Jewish People who are called Your lambs. Nourish Your lambs יְבוּל לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ Cause the grain in the field to Cause an abundance of increase and multiply. crops כל־שִׂיחַ תַּדְשֵׁא וְתוֹשִׁיעַ The trees and herbs that grow in the field should Trees and vegetation increase and provide salvation. should grow and bring salvation לְגֵיא בַּל־תַּרְשִׁיעַ The land should not be held accountable for the sins of the people and withhold needed Do not do bad to the vegetation. valley A. The fruit should be sweetened by the rain and מְגָדִים תַּמְתִּ יק וְתוֹשִׁיעַ ;provide salvation B. Fruit which lost its sweetness when the Bais Sweeten the good fruits Hamikdash was destroyed should be restored to its and save us original sweet taste. נְשִׂיאִים לְהַסִּיעַ Hashem should bring clouds that will provide rain, Bring clouds that thereby causing the grass and herbs to grow. contain rain שְׂעִירִים לְהָנִיעַ Hashem should bring large and thick clouds so Move the clouds so that that an abundance of rain will fall. the rain can fall Hashem should not withhold clouds from the עֲנָנִים מִלְּהַמְנִיעַ is ענן world. The Midrash explains that the term because during times of abundance Do not restrain the עניו related to people act humbly and generously share with one clouds another.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 65 UNDERSTANDING HOSHANOS

פוֹתֵחַ יָד וּמַשְׂבִּיעַ Hashem should open His hand and provide rain so You, who open the that we should be satiated. hand and satiate A. Satisfy those who are thirsty with צְמֵאֶיךָ תַּשְׂבִּיעַ ;an abundance of rainwater B. Hashem should satisfy the Jewish People who Satisfy Your thirsty ones thirst for closeness with Hashem. קֽ וֹרְאֶ יךָ תּוֹשִׁ יעַ Save those who call out to You in prayer. Save those who call to You רְחוּמֶיךָ תּ וֹשִׁיעַ Save the Jewish People who are called Your beloved. Save Your beloved שׁוֹחֲרֶ יךָ הוֹשִׁ יעַ ;A. Save the Jewish People who seek Your presence B. Hashem, who seeks good for the Jewish People, Save those who seek should save them. You in prayer A. Save the Jewish People who are תְּמִימֶיךָ תּ וֹשִׁיעַ Your wholesome ones; Save Your wholesome is a reference to the תמימיך B. The term ones .איש תם descendants of Yaakov who was called

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 66 PROGRESSIVE... AND PROUD OF IT! RABBI HERSHEL BECKER MARA D’ATRA YOUNG ISRAEL OF KENDALL, FL

RECENTLY, A DECISION was made be regulated. Yet, masks headed the to mandate the wearing of masks in list of societal concerns. our Shul in Miami due to the uptick of Covid. How do I feel about it? Ob- When Covid first struck, people won- viously, there is the concern for the dered why it was happening. Clearly, health and well-being of everyone, in I could not explain the decisions from our community and beyond. Addition- Above. However, I did not understand ally, there is a sinking feeling about the puzzlement. The Great Flood the inconveniences associated with wiped out a civilization steeped in im- taking precautions. Moreover, there is morality and lawlessness. Take a look once again the idea that no one really around. It seems that the world as a knows what is happening. Regardless whole has become more degenerate. of the mask policy, I feel we are being What distinguishes our society from given another chance to step up and theirs? address our response to this pandem- Additionally, we all experienced levels ic. of isolation that were unprecedent- The entire world had been overcome ed. We were separated, not only from with contagious disease. Rather than friends and colleagues, but also from address any matters in society that close family. One would think that un- needed to be changed and improved, der those circumstances, we would the focal point remained, “Mask or come to value people more than ever. no mask?” I frequently cited the To- Regretfully, we witnessed the escala- rah, “Do not make for yourself a god tion of discord, disregard, and disdain. of maseichah, masks,” don’t let your Hate, rather than the merit of issues, focus be misdirected. Of course, pre- has been the guiding force in politics. cautions and safety measures had to This mode of behavior has creeped into society at large. Rather than | THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 67 PROGRESSIVE... AND PROUD OF IT! sharing ideas and being open to con- Rashi presents an explanation that sider another’s position many people expands on the literal meaning of refuse to even lend an ear or give the one stumbling upon another, with the time of day to someone who doesn’t concept, Kol Yisrael arevim zeh lazeh, subscribe to the same political script. all of Israel are responsible one for the other. This means that the fate suf- With the lessening of Covid restric- fered does not reflect on the individ- tions, as the world began to open its uals whose lives were taken. Indeed, in doors, we as a people have endured Meron there were obvious tzaddikim an unusual series of calamities result- whose lives were lost. Rather, since ing in the loss everyone is re- of lives: on Lag sponsible for all, Ba’Omer in Mer- It is tragic to see the affliction is on, Shavuos at viewed as af- the Karlin-Stolin that Jews have come forth shamelessly fecting the en- Beis Midrash in tire nation. Israel, and short- to condemn their ly thereafter in brothers and sisters. Moshe Rabbe- Surfside, Flori- inu sought to da. In all three understand why disasters, people fell on top of each our nation suffers more than any oth- other. Each subsequent catastrophe er. Once he saw that that there was was an escalation of terror. In Meron, someone in Klal Yisrael who would it was only people. In Karlin-Stolin, it malign him, he expressed that he was people and bleachers. In Surfside, knew the answer! In this day and age it was people along with concrete and when we have witnessed an uptick in steel. anti-Semitism, it is tragic to see that Jews, whether in politics or in their The Torah warns of what can take businesses, have come forth shame- place to a society that refuses to ad- lessly to condemn their brothers and here to the direction of Hashem. It sisters. states, “v’kashlu ish ba’achiv, they will stumble one upon the other.” The Klei I don’t think people would consider Yakar notes that, at a time of exile, the founders of Ben and Jerry’s to be you would expect people to be united, experts in Jewish history and the ori- especially compassionate, and caring gins of our connection to Eretz Yisrael. for each other. In sharp reprimand, he Yet, they brazenly have taken action notes that rather than reflecting that to harm our people, declaring that mindset during times of travail, Klal their positions are consistent with their Yisrael has amongst them those who progressive associations. seek to harm and destroy their own.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 68 PROGRESSIVE... AND PROUD OF IT!

A person once came to an elderly Rav, one people. claiming that his ways were antiquat- ed. The Rav responded, “At the Sed- The observation of Moshe years ear- er we declare, ‘At first our ancestors lier that a people would be subject were idol-worshippers.’ Afterwards we to anti-Semitism if they were so lowly that they could turn against each oth- received the Torah at Mt. Sinai. You have it wrong,” said the Rav, “You are er, was addressed and remedied. the one who is antiquated! I’m the one Indeed, one of the merits of our peo- who is the Progressive!” ple that led to our redemption from The month of Elul is a time for intro- Egypt was that there was no slander spection. The fact that this month of Jew against Jew. Now we seem to coincides with a rebound of Covid be facing this same issue once again. concerns should be taken as anoth- The Talmud states that when calamity er chance to right the wrongs in the befalls the world, Klal Yisrael especial- world. We must be strong in our con- ly must take heed. We face this New victions and not fall victim to those Year with a new version of an old issue. who demand progress while they are Let us face this challenge with the de- actually regressing to ancient ways of termination that when life turns a cor- immorality and lawlessness. We are ner we will not revert to the “normal.” responsible for each other! We must Rather, let us begin now to face life redouble our efforts to reach those with a new perspective, an advanced who have not yet learned to appre- level of appreciation for one another, ciate the blessings of a Torah life. We and a determination to be a proud must feel in our hearts and demon- Progressive source of Torah light for strate by our actions that we are truly the entire world.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 69 THE ANATOMY OF A LUNAR ECLIPSE RABBI BARUCH DOV BRAUN MARA D’ATRA, YOUNG ISRAEL OF AVENUE J

ASTRONOMERS RECOGNIZE three These three degrees of lunar obscura- kinds of lunar eclipses: tion have a parallel in the Jewish cal- endar every year when Rosh Hasha- The first type occurs when the moon nah and Rosh Chodesh overlap on the passes, not directly behind the earth, first day of the month of Tishrei. but through an outer, faint shadow cast by the earth. The effect is quite The defining feature of Rosh Ha- subtle and virtually unnoticeable to shanah, the Day of Judgment, is the an amateur. sounding of the shofar. This central obligation is first expressed in Bam- The second, what is known as a partial idbar where the Torah gives Rosh Ha- eclipse, occurs when the moon pass- shanah the moniker, “A Day of Shofar es partially through the earth’s inner, Blasts,”1 and is later reiterated in Te- more distinct shadow. From earth, in hillim, “Blow the shofar at the moon's mid-eclipse, one can see that a piece renewal (ba’chodesh), at the time ap- of the moon is darkened and obscured pointed (ba’keseh) for our festive day.”2 by the earth’s shadow. This translation of the verse in Tehillim The third type is a total lunar eclipse, follows the opinion of Rabbeinu Tam. whereby the entire moon passes di- (Yaakov ben Meir, 1100-1171) However, rectly behind the earth, through its Rabbeinu Meshulam (Meshulam ben inner shadow. The reddening of the Yaakov d.1170) dissents and translates moon during this event cannot be the word keseh as “concealment”: missed even by the most casual ob- “Sound the shofar on our festive day server. (Rosh Hashanah) that conceals the holiday of the renewal of the month

1 Bamidbar 29:1; see also Vayikra 21:24. 2 Tehillim 81:4.

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(Rosh Chodesh).” How so? The usual on Rosh Hashanah, the new month will sin-offering brought monthly on every be obscured. Still, other commentators Rosh Chodesh is not offered on Rosh detect an even more subtle conceal- Hashanah, the first day of the month ment of Rosh Chodesh on Rosh Ha- of Tishrei. shanah. Ritually speaking, nothing is omitted from the usual Rosh Chodesh According to Rabbeinu Meshulam, observance. Rather, the concealment the verse in Tehillim echoes what is alluded to in the Torah and spelled out suggestive in the Torah when it out- in Tehillim anticipates a sociological lines the annual sacrifices offered on occurrence: engrossed with the great- Rosh Hashanah. Every Rosh Chodesh er day of Rosh Hashanah, it will not is marked with a burnt-offering and even dawn on the minds of the Jewish 3 a sin-offering. Yet, when the Torah People that it is Rosh Chodesh, too. All lists the additional offerings that are our preoccupations and preparations brought to celebrate Rosh Hashanah, will be exclusively dedicated to the it notes that these additional offerings Day of Judgment.7 are brought “besides the burnt offer- ing of the new month,”4 which implies Like a lunar eclipse, which occurs when that indeed the sin-offering of Rosh the sun, earth, and moon align, Rosh Chodesh is replaced by the special Chodesh, the celebration of the new sin-offering of Rosh Hashanah.5 moon, is eclipsed on Rosh Hashanah when they annually align. Why? The Other classic commentators notice question is more compelling for those this implication, but do not draw such who believe that on Rosh Hashanah dramatic conclusions. Instead, they either the Rosh Chodesh sin-offering posit that the omission of the sin-of- is omitted from the sacrificial service fering of the new month reflects, not or that we ignore the new month in any sacrificial change, but a liturgical our tefillos in shul. Yet, even accord- one. On Rosh Hashanah, we should ing to the position that the eclipsing make no mention of the fact that it is of Rosh Chodesh is most subtle and also Rosh Chodesh in our daily prayers merely sociological, the phenomenon 6 and blessings. This, too, is the mean- is apparently significant enough to be ing of the verse in Tehillim when it captured in Tehillim. states that when we sound the shofar

3 Bamidbar 29:11, 15. 4 Ibid. 29:6. 5 BT Rosh Hashanah 8b; see Tosafos ibid., d”h She’ha’chodesh; BT Eruvin 40a, d”h Zikaron, BT Beitzah 16a, d”h Ba’keseh. 6 Eruvin 3:9. 7 Ritva, BT Rosh Hashanah ibid.

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A clue as to why Rosh Hashanah ob- apart, orienting them to not only a scures Rosh Chodesh can be found in different pattern of time but a com- the following midrash, which express- pletely different belief system and es the idea that the moon symbolizes lifestyle. In other words, the Jewish various aspects of the Jewish People: People's unique relationship with the moon represents their particular iden- Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yosi tity and destiny, which is affirmed -ev bar Ilai said: “It is appropriate that ery Rosh Chodesh. the bigger one count according to the bigger and the smaller one to count The themes of Rosh Hashanah, how- according to the smaller. Eisav counts ever, are not specific to the Jewish according to the sun, which is bigger, People. Although its formal obser- and Yaakov counts according to the vance is exclusively commemorated moon, which is smaller.” by the Jewish People, the judgment that is rendered and the coronation Rabbi Nachman said, “this is a good of Hashem as King through the sound- sign that Eisav follows the sun [solar ing of the shofar have universal im- calendar], which is great. For just like plications. On this day, all peoples of the sun rules at day but not at night, the world are judged: “On Rosh Ha- so too, Eisav has a portion in this shanah, all human beings pass be- world but none in the World to Come. fore Him like young sheep, as it is said: Whereas Yaakov follows the moon ‘From heaven, Hashem looks down; [lunar calendar], which is small. Just He sees all mankind. From His dwell- like the moon rules at night but also ing place He gazes on all the inhab- at day, so too Yaakov has a portion in itants of the earth. He Who fashions 8 this world and in the World to Come.” the hearts of them all, who discerns all 9 The Jewish People’s association with their doings.’” Likewise, all citizens of the moon is reflected in the fact that the world are expected to recognize the very first mitzvah given to the their true King. The liturgy on Rosh Ha- Jewish People as a nation, on the eve shanah is replete with this hope. For of their emancipation from Egypt, was example, we fervently pray on both the mitzvah to sanctify the new moon days: “Let everything that has been and order its yearly calendar accord- made know that You are its Maker, let ing to the lunar cycle. Unlike the rest everything that has been molded un- of the nations of the world that base derstand that You are its Molder, and their year on the solar calendar, this let everything with a life’s breath in its mitzvah would set the Jewish People nostril proclaim: Hashem, the G-d of Israel, is King, and His Kingship rules 8 Bereishis Rabbah 6:3. 9 Tehillim 33:12–15; Rosh Hashanah 1:2.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 72 THE ANATOMY OF A LUNAR ECLIPSE over everything.” that is recited in the tefillos of Rosh Hashanah that concludes with a ref- Unlike the holidays of Pesach, Shavuot, erence to “The Day of Remembrance,” and Sukkot, which commemorate the includes both Rosh Hashanah and Jewish People’s particular historical Rosh Chodesh, as both are referred to experience, frame the country’s agri- in the Torah with the phrase “remem- cultural success in religious terms, and brance.”10 How are we to explain these perpetuate a value system unique dramatically different approaches to to the nation, Rosh Hashanah has a the treatment of Rosh Chodesh on broader purview, with relevance be- Rosh Hashanah? yond our ter- ritorial borders In our tradition, and cultur- In Tishrei, in the there are two al boundar- future the Jewish basic schools of ies. Since on People will be thought concern- Rosh Hasha- ing the orienta- nah universal redeemed in the tion of Judaism interests are final redemption toward other na- predominant, with the coming of tions of the world. it follows that the Mashiach. Does the Torah its observance embody a univer- should eclipse, sal message or is to some degree, Rosh Chodesh, which it only addressed to the Jewish Peo- celebrates Jewish particularity. ple? Is Judaism only concerned with its own destiny or that of all mankind? Rabbeinu Tam, however, avoided this These questions are at the heart of conclusion entirely, insisting that Te- the debate between Rabbi Eliezer hillim does not speak of concealment and Rabbi Yehoshua regarding when whatsoever on Rosh Hashanah. Re- the world was created and when the call that, according to him, the proper Jewish People will be redeemed: translation of the verse is: “Blow the shofar at the moon's renewal (ba’cho- Rabbi Eliezer says: In Tishrei the world desh), at the time appointed (ba’kes- was created; in Nissan the Jewish Peo- eh) for our festive day.” In fact, Rab- ple were redeemed from Egypt; and in beinu Tam inserted into his text of Tishrei, in the future the Jewish People the Rosh Hashanah liturgy an explicit will be redeemed in the final redemp- reference to the Rosh Chodesh sin-of- tion with the coming of the Mashiach. fering brought on Rosh Hashanah. Similarly, in his opinion, the blessing Rabbi Yehoshua says: In Nissan, the world was created; in Nissan, the

10 Eruvin 40a.

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Jewish People were redeemed from that all of world history has been ar- Egypt; and in Nissan, in the future the ranged for the sole benefit of the Jew- Jewish People will be redeemed in the ish People. Consequently, both the final redemption with the coming of creation of the world and its ultimate the Mashiach.11 redemption take place in Nissan.

Certainly, these sages are not argu- These two schools of thought rever- ing about facts — about when these berate in the debate between Rab- events actually occurred or will oc- beinu Meshulam and Rabbeinu Tam cur. Rather, their difference of opin- regarding the relationship between ion hinges on how Rosh Hashanah to conceptualize and Rosh Cho- these events. Nis- The Torah intends desh: san and Tishrei are not actual to transform all of Like Rabbi Eliezer, dates but code humanity. Rabbeinu Meshu- words expressing lam believes that whether a given the Torah’s scope event has particular or universal signif- transcends the particularism of the icance, respectively. Since both sages Jewish nation. The Torah intends to define the Jewish People’s emancipa- transform all of humanity. To achieve tion from enslavement in Egypt as a this ambitious goal, the Jewish People 12 moment that is primarily meaningful are called upon to be God’s “firstborn” 13 only to the Jewish People, they agree and “a light unto the nations.” There- that it took place in Nissan. They di- fore, the universal themes of Rosh Ha- verge, however, when it comes to shanah, which are the objectives of “dating” the beginning and end of creation, are fundamentally indepen- time: dent of the Jewish nation’s particular heritage. Not to lose sight of these According to Rabbi Eliezer, the signif- universal aims, Rosh Hashanah con- icance of the creation of the world ceals aspects of Rosh Chodesh. and its ultimate redemption is not limited to the Jewish People but to all Like Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbeinu Tam of mankind. Hence, these events take asserts that the nations of the world place in Tishrei. are the background to the Jewish People's center stage. The Torah is a Rabbi Yehoshua dissents, believing blueprint not for mankind, but only for

11 BT Rosh Hashanah 10b–11a. 12 Shemos 4:22. 13 Yeshayahu 49:6.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 74 THE ANATOMY OF A LUNAR ECLIPSE the ideal society to be created by the Once the light of the bigger one fades, Jewish People alone. Even the themes the light of the smaller one becomes of Rosh Hashanah, which are univer- visible. So long as the light of Eisav sally relevant, are only there to create exists, Yaakov’s light is not visible. But a proper working framework within once Eisav’s light fades, Yaakov’s light which the Jewish nation can thrive. In becomes visible.”14 other words, the universal is truly sub- ordinate to the particular. As a result, Whether Judaism is a universalistic Rosh Chodesh can never be obscured or particularistic enterprise may be a by Rosh Hashanah. matter of interpretation. One thing, however, is incontrovertible: although The midrash mentioned above that throughout history the Jewish na- compares the Jewish People to the tion has been periodically eclipsed, moon extends the simile and con- with the darkness sometimes lasting cludes: for ages, its light will shine bright yet again. Rabbi Nachman said further: “As long as the light of the bigger one exists, the light of the smaller one isn’t visible.

14 Bereishis Rabbah 6:3.

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 75 THE CONTROVERSIAL YOMIM NORAIM SEATING CHART RABBI EPHRAIM GLATT ASSISTANT RABBI, YOUNG ISRAEL OF KEW GARDENS HILLS

THE CONTROVERSIAL YOMIM clear that a woman does not have NORAIM SEATING CHART any obligation or requirement to dav- en with a minyan. Question: Shuls often need to be cre- ative with seating arrangements on The Shvus Yaakov (R’ Yaakov Reisher, the Yomim Noraim, as the shul is usu- d.1733) has a fascinating teshuva on ally filled to capacity. This is especially this topic. A person had a set long- true this year, where some shuls are standing minyan in his house. One still practicing some form of social dis- room was for the men, and one room tancing. May a shul convert part of its for the women. After the person got women’s section into a men’s section upset and one of the “congregants” and respectfully request that women and his wife, he wanted to forbid them stay home? from attending his house minyan. The Shvus Yaakov ruled that he was not Short Answer: Last year, R’ Zilberstein allowed to forbid the man from at- shlita wrote a teshuvah ruling that a tending, as the house was “muchzak” shul in general may politely request (established) as a shul even by the that women cede their spots to men. previous owner and thus is viewed as However, the shul may not ask the communal property. However, he can women to cede their spots for the Yo- forbid the woman, even though she mim Noraim. is also obligated to daven, because Explanation: she is not obligated to daven with a minyan. Indeed, she does not count I. WOMAN’S OBLIGATION towards the ten required to create a IN MINYAN minyan. [See also Piskei Teshuvos (O”C 90:8) who cites the Teshuvah M’aha- As an initial matter, the poskim are vah as holding that women have no

| THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 76 THE CONTROVERSIAL YOMIM NORAIM SEATING CHART obligation to daven with a minyan. In- Meir Oz (150:1) leaves this question un- deed, the Teshuvah M’ahavah writes answered. vehemently against women even at- tending minyan based on the ]. The Vilna Goan (in a letter to his family, “Alim L’trufah”) writes that it is indeed There are numerous ramifications preferable for his wife/daughters not that result from a woman’s lack of ob- to attend shul, as seeing other women ligation to daven with a minyan. The in fancy clothes will lead to jealousy Ishei Yisroel (12:21:48), citing the Avnei and lashon hara. Yashfe in the name of R’ Shlomo Zal- man Auerbach, rules that, as opposed There is also the added factor, rele- to a man, a woman who comes late to vant primarily in chassidishe circles, shul should not skip pesukei d’zimrah for women to stay home and not at- in order to say shemoneh esrei togeth- tend shul because of tznius issues for er with the tzibbur because she has no the men in shul. See Nishmas Shabbos obligation to daven with a minyan. (2:240). [Notably, the Ishei Yisroel (ibid) cites R’ II. A SPECIAL ZECHUS Chaim Kanievsky shlita who disagrees, that since she is in shul already, she Despite a woman’s lack of an obli- must follow the rules of davening with gation to daven with a minyan, it is a minyan. However, R’ Chaim is not a special zechus for her to do so. In- suggesting that she has a separate deed, the sefer Halichas Bas Yisroel obligation to come to shul to daven (2:26) notes this special zechus for a with a minyan]. woman. The source (as cited therein in the footnotes) is from a Yalkut Shi- Additionally, the Avnei Yashfe (5:42) moni (Eikev 879) where a holy woman writes that it is much better for a wom- who used to daven daily with a min- an to daven at optimal times than yan was able to thwart off death. Only with a minyan. Although this rule is when she missed three days of minya- not always true by a man (i.e. nim did she succumb to her death. ketana vs. mincha gedolah), a woman is different, as she is not obligated to Indeed, the Chessed L’Alaphim (R’ daven with a minyan. Eliezer Papo, d. 1828, Siman 104) writes that it is preferable that wom- Another potential ramification con- en go to shul to daven with a minyan. cerns shul dues and building funds. If While he does not appear to be saying a woman is not obligated to daven she is obligated to do so, he certain- with a minyan, is she (for example, a ly stresses the advantages of her at- single woman or widow), obligated to tending shul. donate to the shul building fund? The Moreover, the sefer Halichos Beisah

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(6:13) notes that the source of “schar at private house minyanim that were halichah” (reward for walking to shul) created to help stop the spread -- to is actually learned from a Gemara space out their seating to avoid con- regarding a woman who walked to a tagion. R’ Zilberstein says that you see farther shul and remarked to R’ Yo- that R’ Akiva Eiger preferred house chanan that she did not attend the minyanim than men davening in the closer shul because she wanted the ezras nashim and asking women to special reward for walking a longer daven at home without a minyan. distance to shul. However, R’ Zilberstein then cites a sto- Finally, the Avnei Yashfe (ibid) writes in ry with R’ Shach zt”l that he proposes the name of R’ Y.S. Elyshiv zt”l that a proves otherwise. One Yomim Noraim woman gets special reward for daven- when Ponovizh Yeshiva needed extra ing with a minyan. This fits nicely with space for the bachurim to daven, R’ the minhag of Rebbetzin Kanievsky, Shach was unwilling to split the ezras aleha hashalom (cited in B’nesivos nashim in half and thereby remove H’halachah, p.28) that she davened half the women’s seats and give them with a minyan whenever possible. to the bachurim, as he felt that there is a special zechus in the brokenhearted III. WHO TAKES PRECEDENCE? women (who would likely have been In light of the above, it would appear excluded) davening with the Yeshiva clear that if there is not enough room minyan. However, R’ Zilberstein writes for men in the men’s section (and that these brokenhearted women there is no option of making multiple only provide this special zechus on the minyanim), the shul should convert the Yomim Noraim, where there is a spe- women’s section into a men’s section, cial koach hat’filah. Throughout the as men take precedence, as they have year, on the other hand, it would have an obligation/mitzvah to daven with been preferable to replace the ezras a minyan. Only if there is enough room nashim and fill it with male bachurim. for everyone, do we open up the shul R’ Zilberstein subsequently retracts for women as well. this opinion based on the Bris Yaa- However, last year, R’ Yitzchak Zilber- kov (R’ Boruch Mordechai Lipschitz, a stein, shlita (Pninei Chashukei Chemed, contemporary of R’ Yitzchak Elchanon Vol. 3, p.12) wrote a teshuvah on this Spector, late 1800s), who ruled that a very topic in connection to Covid-19. shul must have a women’s section, as First, he suggests that perhaps we women are also obligated to daven should not prevent women from at- and we find numerous references in tending shul, as R’ Akiva Eiger, writing the Gemara where women davened during the Cholera epidemic, advised in a shul. R’ Zilberstein notes that this the men & women -- both in shul and is not necessarily the case nowadays, | THE MONTH OF GREATNESS 78 THE CONTROVERSIAL YOMIM NORAIM SEATING CHART when women otherwise would daven However, R’ Zilberstein is clear that the at home, not like in the time of the Bris Yomim Noraim are different. Based on Yaakov. the story with R’ Shach, a shul may not make this request of women for R’ Zilberstein thus concludes that be- the Yomim Noraim. A shul thus cannot cause men are obligated in minyan, use its women’s section for men on the and women are not, a shul can gen- Yomim Noraim, unless there is enough tly request that the women cede their room for all women as well. spots and thus use the ezras nashim for men. Interestingly, he adds that Rabbi Ephraim Glatt, Esq. is Assistant Rab- the women should agree, as they bi at the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills and a practicing litigation attorney. Ques- take care of their husbands’ well-be- tions? Comments? Email EphraimGlatt@ ing, and want to ensure that he has a gmail.com place to sit in shul.

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