A PROJECT OF THE פרשת פרשת בהר-וישב שבת בחוקותיחנוכה כ״וכ״ה איירכסלו תשפ״א At the 5781 DECEMBERMAY 8, 2021 12, 2020 ISSUE #40 Shabbos RABBI YITZCHOK WEEKLY INSPIRATION AND INSIGHT ADAPTED FROMTable CLASSIC ARTSCROLL TITLES HISIGER, EDITOR DEDICATED BY MENACHEM AND BINAH BRAUNSTEIN AND FAMILY DESIGN & LAYOUT: L’ILLUI NISHMAS RAV MOSHE BEN RAV YISSOCHOR BERISH AND MARAS YENTA BAS YISROEL CHAIM MRS. AVIVA KOHN Parashah WALKING IN TORAH Rav Wolbe on Chumash from Rav Shlomo Wolbe, written by Rabbi Yitzchok Caplan אִ ם בְּחֻ קֹּתַ י תֵּ לֵ כוּ. If you walk in My statutes (26:3). Rashi explains this pasuk as an exhortation into the Torah, all the while gaining to toil in the study of Torah. Why is Torah study greater perception of its infinite wisdom. referred to as “teileichu,” walking? Shouldn’t the A similar pasuk appears in Parashas Acharei Torah have written, “Im bechukosai tilmedu” — Mos (18:4): “And you shall guard My statutes to walk if you study My chukim? in them.” Rashi explains The study of Torah is THE MORE that a person should unique in that it is always WE APPLY not say, “I have already possible to delve deeper OURSELVES, studied the Torah and and deeper into the To- THE MORE therefore I will now go rah’s wisdom. The more WE WILL study the wisdom of one toils over a maamar SUCCEED. the nations.” If a person Chazal, the more insight- Rav Shlomo Wolbe constantly “walks” and ful it becomes. As a per- delves deeper into the son grows older, the very same statement that wisdom of the Torah, he will never claim that he he might have already studied in his youth can is finished with Torah study. Even with regard to take on a whole new meaning. As he continues chukim, the Torah writes that one should “walk” to age and become wiser, he will be amazed and toil. Although we cannot understand the when he once again studies the same passage full reason for these mitzvos, there are aspects and perceives newfound profundity within the that we can comprehend. The more we apply Torah’s timeless words. It is for this reason that ourselves, the more we will succeed in tapping Hashem termed the toil of Torah “walking.” A into the vast wisdom contained within each person can constantly stride deeper and deeper word of the Torah. Pirkei SENSITIVE TO OTHERS Avos Pirkei Avos – Generation to Generation by Rabbi Nosson Muller NOW IN NEW CONVENIENT וְהַּמַ לְ יןִ בּ ּפְ נֵי חֲ בֵ רֹו בָרַ ִ בּים. One who humiliates his fellow in public (Avos 3:15). SIZE! Rabbeinu Yonah quotes The question is: Even if one swers that since when one literal- Chazal, who explain that when a were to actually kill someone pur- ly kills someone, he is well aware person is embarrassed, his blood posely, he doesn’t lose his Olam of his action and cannot possibly rushes from his face and he liter- Haba and is only subject to death deny his wrongdoing, it is very ally becomes white (hence the in this world, so how can it be that probable that he will repent be- term malbin, whiten, is used). for embarrassing someone, the fore he dies (or is killed). How- Therefore, it is as if the person punishment is even greater? ever, concerning embarrassing doing the embarrassing has In Shaarei Teshuvah (3:148), another person, many times, killed his friend and he is pun- Rabbeinu Yonah himself ad- people are so insensitive to the ARTSCROLL MESORAH ARTSCROLL ished with the loss of Olam Haba. dresses this question and an- feelings of others continued on page 2 PUBLICATIONS To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 1 NEW! Inspiration IN HIS SHADOW The Prayer of Protection – Yosheiv Beseiser by Rabbi Yechiel Spero Tanna DeVei Eliyahu Rabbah (25) shares a novel interpreta- his new lodging quarters, Moshe approached the tion of the pasuk of “Yosheiv beseiser – Whoever sits in the refuge Rebbe and informed him of the “good news.” They of the Most High, he shall dwell in the shadow of the Almighty.” would now be “barracks mates.” The word seiser can also mean in secret. With this in mind, But the Klausenberger Rebbe was not so the Tanna Devei Eliyahu explains that protection is guaranteed enthusiastic when Moshe shared the news with him. He flatly for one who sits in private and learns Torah without fanfare stated, “If you think it’s going to do you any good, it won’t.” and without others knowing. Such a person is deemed a Moshe’s spirits could not be dampened. “Of course, it’s go- “yosheiv beseiser.” He is the one who is elyon, elevated, and he ing to help! Mir ken redden in lernen. We can talk in learning.” will bask “betzeil Shakai,” in the shadow of the Almighty. The Rebbe was still not convinced. “Bachur’l, you are in When Moshe Weiss arrived in Auschwitz-Birkenau on Auschwitz and you want to talk in learning?” Shavuos, 1944, he was with his parents and his family. Tragi- Moshe defiantly proclaimed, “Rebbe, if we don’t talk in cally, however, that was the last time he saw his father, moth- learning, how will we ever prevail? How will we ever make it er, and five of his siblings. Soon, they were no longer among out of this Gehinnom?” the living; only Moshe and two brothers survived. The Rebbe was very moved and he hugged Moshe. For the After being sent by Mengele, also known as the angel of next 12 months, they were inseparable. They went from Birke- death, to the right, to life, Moshe and his few remaining family nau to Warsaw to clear away the rubble, and then to Dachau, members were disinfected, sent to retrieve clothing, and then and finally to Mehldorf, where they were liberated. Throughout pushed to have their number branded on their arms. that time, they talked in learning — beseiser — so that the Nazis The following day, the second day of Shavuos, the Klau- would not hear or see. When the war was over, Moshe spent the senberger Rebbe, Ray Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam, arrived. next long while finding bodies and burying them properly. When By the end of the war, the Rebbe had lost his wife and 11 chil- he finally finished his holy work, he asked the Rebbe for a bera- dren. It is difficult to comprehend such a tragedy, but the Reb- chah that his children should become talmidei chachamim and be carried on, doing his best to encourage those around him. illuminate the world with their Torah learning. As fate would have it, Moshe’s barracks was adjacent to the Reb- This story was shared by Rav Asher Weiss, Reb Moshe be’s barracks. Though it was prohibited, Moshe desperately wanted Weiss’s son, a rosh kollel, dayan, and one of the premier to make his way into the Rebbe’s quarters and stay there; he wanted poskim in the world today. so badly to get to know the holy Rebbe and become close to him. The Rebbe and Reb Moshe were yosheiv be’seiser. “For That night, under the cover of darkness, he managed to switch without it, how will we ever prevail?” And prevail they places with one of the inmates in the Rebbe’s barracks. Pleased at did. Betzeil Shakai yislonan. SENSITIVE TO OTHERS continued from page 1 of hot tea in order to ease his sore throat. container out on the counter and real- that they don’t even know what they Erroneously, the student mistook the ized what happened, came frantically did wrong and will never repent. salt for the sugar and put two heaping running to the shiur room and mo- What a terrifying thought! Hurt- spoons of salt in the tea instead of sugar! tioned to her husband to exit the shiur. “Did you drink the tea? There was ing someone’s feelings can put a WOULD A person in a worse predicament salt in it!” she exclaimed. PERSON “How could I not?” was Rav Yehosh- than actually killing someone! EVER THINK Would a person ever think of OF KILLING ua Leib’s answer. killing someone? Of course not! SOMEONE? “What do you mean?” his wife said. Then how can we not be sensi- “Your health is in danger!” tive to the feelings of others? The rav answered, “It might be Due to health reasons, Rav Ye- Rav Yehoshua Leib detrimental to my health, but my not drank the tea as if noth- drinking that cup of tea would have hoshua Leib Diskin was not allowed Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin to have any salt in his food. Even a ing was wrong despite been an embarrassment to that boy little salt could have a catastrophic effect the horrible taste and who made the tea. That would be like on his wellbeing. One day during shiur, danger to his health. A few minutes killing him, and that I could not do, re- he asked a student to bring him a glass later, his wife, who had noticed the salt gardless of my health!” To have your shul receive copies of this newsletter every week for free, please send your shul name and address info to: [email protected]. 2 Emunah EVERYONE CAN SEE Living Emunah for Teens 2 by Rabbi David Ashear, adapted by Chana Nestlebaum Did anyone ever tell you some- couples, children at risk, people in in London, who was thing nice about your parents or need of medical or mental health taking a Jewish man NEW! siblings and you realize that it’s advice, and so much more.