Pinchas 5771 July 16, 2011 A Taste of Torah Stories For The Soul War and Peace Faith and Fate By Rabbi Mordechai E. Fleisher Sometimes, says R’ Aharon, war is the truest peace. Take Avraham Avinu and Noa was a young lady who, with Peace is a very popular cause these Lot, for instance. Avraham and Lot had great courage and conviction, moved days. Just check a batch of bumper some differences. Instead of trying to to Israel from San Diego. She was stickers and you’ll see that lots of people resolve their differences, Avraham told living in Tzfat, which she loved, think that all our problems will be Lot that they must go their separate struggling to make ends meet, all solved if we’d just stop fighting with our ways. Avraham realized that staying with the while praying to meet her bashert enemies. Let’s have a look at what the Lot would only lead to more trouble, and begin a Jewish family. But she Torah has to say about peace. not to ultimate reconciliation. The best couldn’t manage financially and was At the close of last week’s parsha, way to avoid further discord, he decided, faced with possibility of having to Pinchas kills Zimri, who was engaged in was to separate. leave Israel. She consulted a Rabbi a sinful act, thus bringing an end to a Here, as well, Pinchas wasn’t a who advised her to stay in Tzfat. With devastating plague that claimed the lives person looking for opportunities of great faith, she accepted that advice of 24,000 Jews. Zimri was no small fry. zealotry. On the contrary, Pinchas even though on the surface, it didn’t In fact, he was a nasi, a prince of the wanted nothing more than peace. But he seem to make sense. tribe of Shimon. Pinchas’ spontaneous realized that peace would only come to Yosef was living in Ashdod, zealousness earned him the ire of many the Jewish People when the root of their working and devoting himself to daily Jews, who felt he hadn’t the right to problem was destroyed and eradicated. Torah study. He was at a crossroads, attack such a prestigious member of the “Peacemaking” in its classical sense not sure what path to take in terms Jewish People. would not bring an end to the plague. of his future. He consulted a Rabbi H-shem, however, said otherwise. Only the swift execution of Zimri would who told him to return to Tzfat where And, as a reward for Pinchas’ actions, yield the desired results. Nonetheless, his family lived. Everyone thought it H-shem declared that he is making a after peace was restored, some people was crazy; Ashdod had a booming covenant with Pinchas – a covenant of questioned Pinchas’ motives. Who did economy, while Tzfat had little to peace. A rather strange reward for zealot. he think he was, killing a prince of Bnai offer. But the Rabbi said go to Tzfat, A necessary act of zealotry it was, to be Yisroel? They thought he had stepped so off to Tzfat he went. sure, motivated purely by a desire to do out-of-bounds. A zealot looking for After Yosef arrived in Tzfat, his mother mentioned a wonderful girl what’s right and proper. But why reward trouble, some said. But H-shem had named Noa, whom she had met a one who is devoted to zealotry for G-d’s the final word. By granting Pinchas a year ago but had lost touch with. If sake with a covenant of peace? covenant of peace, He clearly displayed only she could find her again. There are a number of explanations to all that Pinchas’ intentions were for That same day Noa went to the for this conundrum, but I’d like to peace – true peace, not illusory peace. famous gravesite of Shem V’Ever share Rabbi Aharon Kotler’s approach. and prayed to Hashem for a shidduch. There was a big Torah lecture being given that night, so she went straight Ask the Rabbi from the gravesite to the lecture. The Kaddish Without a Minyan hall was crowded and there were not Gary from NYC wrote: to synagogue on Rosh Hashana and Yom many seats. Noa found a seat but then Kippur. My children were bar-mitzvahed saw her good friend Gila on the other Dear Rabbi, and I have a deep feeling of Jewish side of the hall. She went to join Gila, My mother died three months ago. identity. I have been saying kaddish for when she heard a voice calling her. I am not affiliated with a synagogue. I go my mother in the morning and evening It was Yosef’s mother, Miriam, who Continued on back Continued on back Kollel Happenings Interpersonal Issues Making it Work Part II CHERRY CREEK MUNCH AND LEARN, MON., JULY 25 The obligation of bal tolin (paying on goods, such as a car or tables, and time) applies to the wages of any worker, according to many authorities, even to The next Cherry Creek Munch be he a salaried employee, a service rentals of real estate. and Learn for men, led by Rabbi provider, or charges as a craftsman. Yehuda Amsel, will be held on It can apply to one who was hired for Adapted with permission from “The Mon., July 25 at 12:30 p.m. an hour, a day, or a single task. Halachos of Other People’s Money” by Rabbi at Colorado Capital Bank, 55 It can apply to rentals of movable Pinchas Bodner (Feldheim Publishers) Madison Ave. The class focuses on Pirkei Avos. For information, contact Rabbi Amsel at 303-820- 2855 or at rya@denverkollel Ask the Rabbi continued from front gather ten such people at your home alone in my house. Recently, some Torah- or work-place? If so, then you can say observant colleagues have explained to kaddish without going to synagogue. me that kaddish should be said in the On the days that you can’t say presence of a minyan and I understand kaddish with a minyan, you should ask the reason for that. However, I am not someone who attends a minyan to say it TUESDAY NIGHT TORAH AT AISH able to make the commitment to go to instead of you. You should tell him your KODESH IN BOULDER synagogue every day for a year, and feel mother’s Hebrew name. Join the Kollel for a dynamic one- awkward and uncomfortable walking Saying kaddish for a parent is a on-one and small groups Torah into a synagogue as a stranger. Therefore fulfillment of the commandment encounter. Maariv will be held I intend to continue to say kaddish for “Honor your father and your mother.” my mother in my house. My question is The soul of the parent is rewarded for at 8:15 followed by Torah study at 8:30. Program will be held at this: Is saying kaddish without a minyan, having reared a son or daughter who Aish Kodesh, 1805 Balsam Ave. meaningless? Thank you. continues in the proper path. Other For information, contact Rabbi commandments, too, are a merit for Moshe Heyman at 303-820-2855 Dear Gary, the departed parent. So rather than or [email protected] or Kaddish is the public sanctification recite kaddish in private, do a mitzvah; Charles Fried at 917-499-4307 or of G-d’s Name. If kaddish is said in for example, say the daily Shema, give [email protected]. private, then by definition it is not charity or do acts of kindness in her kaddish. name. These will serve as a merit for You say you are unable to attend your departed mother’s soul. May the synagogue every day for a year. Can you Almighty One comfort you among the go every other day? There is great value mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. to kaddish even if it is not said every DERECH HASHEM SERIES MON. day. You also mentioned that you have Reprinted with permission of Ohr NIGHTS Torah-observant colleagues. Can you Somayach, Jerusalem, www.ohr.edu Join Rabbi Mordechai Fleisher for “Derech Hashem: Understanding Stories for the Soul continued from front happened precisely as they did - Yosef G-d’s World”, a series for women took the opportunity to tell Noa all about and Noa never would have met. based on Derech Hashem by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato. The her son. It wasn’t long before Yosef and When something is meant to be, classes will be held on Mondays Noa met, and they soon married. Hashem will move heaven and earth to at 7:45 p.m., locations to vary. Had Noa not stayed in Tzfat, had make it happen. For info, call 303-257-1089 or Yosef not gone to Tzfat, had Noa not email [email protected] noticed Gila, and had Miriam not Adapted with permission from ShulWeek noticed Noa - had so many things not by Rabbi Boruch Lederman. The Torah Weekly is made possible through a generous grant from the Harry H. Beren Foundation of Lakewood, NJ, in memory of Harry H. Beren, z”l. 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