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Tishrei 5765 • October 2004 ·VOL XXXVII/NO. 8 THE JEWISH OBSERVER (ISSN) 0021- 6615 is published monthly except July and August by the Agudath Israel of America, 42 Broadway, New York, NY10004. Periodicals postage paid in New York, NY. Subscription $24.00 per year; two years, $44.00; three years, $60.00. Outside of the United States (US funds drawn on a US bank only) $12.00 surcharge per year. Single copy $3.50; foreign $4.50. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Jewish Observer, 42 Broadway, NY. NY 10004. Tel: 212-797-9000, Fax: 6 The Essence of Kabbalas 01 Malchus Shamayim, based on an 646-254-1600. Printed in the U.S.A. address by Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon l{"to""'1, RABBI NISSON WOLPIN, EDITOR prepared (or publication by Rabbi Avrohom Birnbaum EDITORIAL BOARD RABBI JOSEPH ELIAS Chairman SUKKOS INSPIRATION RABBI ABBA BRUDNV JOSEPH FRIEOENSON 9 Basking in the Clouds, Rabbi Yose( Levinson RABBI YISROEL MEIR KIRZNER RABBI NOSSON SCHERMAN 3 0 Eternal Fire, a poem by Shira LaLev PROF. 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Rabbi Matis VOLUME XXXVll/NO. 8 Based on an address by weighed down by a burdensome weight of itself, not a weight nor a hindrance. Rabbi Matisyahu Salomon strapped to one's back. It is rather a facilitator, which enables a W1"'nl, Mashgiach Ruchani This is not the case at all. Jew to perform his obligations with hap­ of Beth Medrash Govoha, OZ means yoke. It is decidedly not a piness and enthusiasm. Lakewood NJ, translated and massa, which denotes weight. It is rather Kabba/as ol Maleh us Shamayim is find­ adapted for publication by an instrument, a medium by which one ing the instrument, the incentive that Avrohom Birnbaum enables himself to easily perform Torah makes it more comfortable and more very time we recite Krias Shema, and mitzvos. enjoyable to bear and fully observe Torah we are mekabel oZ Malchus OZ MaZchus Shamayim, explains the u'mitzvos. EShamayim. The simple translation Zohar (cited in Nefesh Ha Chaim), is akin This definition of ol Malchus of these words is "accepting upon one­ to the standard oZ - the yoke of an ox. Shamayim as being the requisite, per­ self the yoke of the Kingdom of The yoke itself is not heavy at all. Rather, sonalized incentive of every Jew is Heaven:'Without ol Malchus Sham-ayim, it is something fashioned to conform to described by the Rambam in his mitzvos have no meaning, and one has the shape of the animal's shoulders and Commentary on Mishnayos. No one, the totally missed his calling as a Jew. The to fit comfortably, allowing it to pull a Rambam explains, learns Torah and per­ term al Maleh us Shamayim, however, is great load with ease and with a minimum forms mitzvos by natural instinct. When commonly misunderstood to mean a of strain. Ifthe load is attached by being a child begins to learn, he does not imme­ great burden, the crushing weight of strapped to the body of the animal with­ diately experience the sweetness of MaZchus Shamayim. This weight may be out a yoke, the animal can pull almost Torah. He needs incentives to motivate important, even critical, so the thinking nothing. With it, it can pull a great deal. him to learu ...." You promise him goes, but it is heavy and difficult to carry, OZ Malchus Shamayim is the same. It sweets and delicacies when he is young, nonetheless. is the means by which a person enables to motivate him to learn. As one gets In fact, we conjure up an image of a himself to use his natural strengths and older, the incentives are adjusted accord­ heavy, onerous load, visualizing being abilities in the service of the Creator, with ingly, first with new clothes, then money, a maximum of ease and a minimum of then honor, etc ... choosing the optimum Rabbi Birnbaum, an educator living in Lakewood. is a columnist for Hamodia and a fre~ difficulty. way to educate a child in Torah quent contributor to these pages. Thus, ol Malchus Shamayim is, in and (lechat'chila):' 6 The Jewish Observer, Oclober 2004 This, the Ran1bam explains, is what me a large inheritance. I never had the to learn Torah when he originally Chazal mean when they say, "Le'olam opportunity to learn and I would like approached Rav Yochanan. ya'asok adam beTorah ubemitzvos afilu to give the beautiful, expensive items Nevertheless, he - and Rav Yochanan - shelo lishma shemitoch shelo lishma ba and clothing to talmidei chachamim." recognized that he was a human being lishma-A person should always engage Rav Yochanan gave the entire fortune with human weaknesses who needed in Torah study, even if his motives aren't to his talmid, "Rav Yosi the Wealthy:' incentives, a "yoke" to make it easier for pure, for from this he will eventually From then on, he was called "Rav Yosi him, to properly bind the "load" of Torah study with pure motives." The empha­ hen Pazi (paz means gold):' and mitzvos to him, to make it enjoy­ sis is on the word le'olam - always, After Rav Yosi received the riches, able and pleasant.