754_Beis Moshiach 15/08/2010 6:56 PM Page 3 contents VACATION TIME: WHAT PARENTS NEED B”H. 10 Elul 5770 | 20 August 2010 | Number 754 | Price: $5.00 | Part 1 of 2 8 TO KNOW… AND DO Chinuch | Sholom Ber Crombie _ CHASSIDUS AND MUSAR 14 Insight | By Yisroel Yehuda ESTABLISHING YESHIVAS TOMCHEI 20 T’MIMIM IN AMERICA ^ 15 Elul | Shneur Zalman Berger TRANSITIONING FROM ELEMENTARY 30 TO HIGH SCHOOL GREEN CHEESE ESTABLISHING CHASSIDUS AND MUSAR Moshiach & Science YESHIVAS TOMCHEI How should we regard Musar? Chinuch | Sholom Ber Crombie T’MIMIM IN AMERICA OUR ASERES HA’DIBROS 34 Thought USA 744 Eastern Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409 Tel: (718) 778-8000 Fax: (718) 778-0800 GREEN CHEESE [email protected] 36 Moshiach & Science | Dr. Aryeh Gotfryd, PhD www.beismoshiach.org EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: M.M. Hendel ENGLISH EDITOR: Boruch Merkur ON THE HOME FRONT OF TOMCHEI HEBREW EDITOR: 38 T’MIMIM Rabbi Sholom Yaakov Chazan Feature | Dafna Chaim [email protected] Beis Moshiach (USPS 012-542) ISSN 1082- 0272 is published weekly, except Jewish holidays (only once in April and October) for $160.00 in Crown Heights, Brooklyn and in all other places for $180.00 per year (45 issues), by Beis Moshiach, 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, NY and additional offices. Postmaster: send address changes to Beis Moshiach 744 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11213-3409. Copyright 2010 by Beis Moshiach, Inc. Beis Moshiach is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. 754_Beis Moshiach 15/08/2010 6:56 PM Page 4 d’var torah careful attention to how he becomes “shivyo” — “his captive.” One should thus place great emphasis on VDIBARTA BAM: capturing and taking control, i.e. eliminating the weaknesses upon which the yeitzer hara preys. Alternatively, the yeitzer hara KI TEITZEI works with excitement and alacrity, never tiring or giving up. The moment a person is off guard, the “yeitzer” captures him and he falls Sichos In English into his net and becomes “shivyo” — “his captive.” The way to counter his attack is by using his methods “When you will go out to war — you will surely be victorious (namely excitement and alacrity) in against your enemies, and G-d, because Hashem will hand him over the performance of mitzvot, fulfilling your G-d, will deliver them into to you. Hashem’s will with dedication and your hand.” (21:10) zeal. Thus, “by capturing” — i.e. QUESTION: Instead of “ki Alternatively, the Zohar using for Hashem — the methods teitzei lamilchamah” — “when you (Bamidbar 243:a), compares the through which the yeitzer hara will go out to war” — it should have inner struggle in man during prayer makes you “shivyo” — “his captive” said “ki tilcham im oyevecha” — to a time of war. “Your enemy,” the — you will ultimately capture him “when you will be at war with your yeitzer hara tries in every way to and rule over him. enemy”? distract the person and disturb his ANSWER: This parshah is read kavanah, and man endeavors very “And you will see among its during the month of Elul, the hard to overcome him. captivity a woman who is of optimal time for doing teshuvah; it is Therefore, Torah advises: The beautiful form, and you will desire not only discussing a physical war, ideal solution is “ki teitzei” — to “go her and you may take her for but is also alluding to man’s spiritual out” — i.e. one should leave his yourself for a wife.” (21:11) battle. Man has a yeitzer tov — good home and go to shul to daven with a QUESTION: Rashi writes, “lo inclination — and a yeitzer hara — minyan. There, one will eliminate dibrah Torah ela keneged yeitzer evil inclination. Each one fights to many distractions one encounters hara” — “The Torah spoke only in control man’s direction, and it is while praying at home, and the battle response to the evil inclination.” extremely difficult for man to with the yeitzer hara will be won What does Rashi want to exclude, by overcome his powerful yeitzer hara. easily. using the word “ela” — “only”? However, our sages (Shabbat 104a) ANSWER: The Gemara have declared that “haba letaheir “When you will go out to war (Yevamot 63a) states that although mesai’im oto” — “the one who against your enemies, and G-d, Rabbi Chiya’s wife mistreated him, wants to purify himself (improve his your G-d, will deliver them into he would bring her presents. In ways) is assisted from Heaven.” your hand and you will capture its puzzlement, Rav asked, “But she Similarly the Midrash Rabbah (Song captivity.” (21:10) causes agony to our teacher?” To of Songs 5:2) states that Hashem QUESTION: The word “shivyo” which Rabbi Chiya replied, “It is says to the Jewish people, “Make a — “its captivity” — literally means sufficient that she raises our children small opening (of teshuvah) like the “his captive.” Should not the pasuk and she saves us from sin” opening of a needle, and I will open have said, “shivyecha” — “your (“thoughts of immorality” — for you entrances through which captive” — or “shevi” — “a Rashi). caravans can pass.” captive”? Regarding the “yefat to’ar” — In encouraging man to do ANSWER: In wartime generals “woman of beautiful form” — the teshuvah, the Torah is assuring us try to determine the strategy of the Torah predicts that ultimately the that “ki teitzei lamilchamah” — if enemy and plan their defense child born from this marriage will you will only resolve to go out and accordingly. Similarly, in the battle end up being a “ben sorer umoreh” wage war “al oyevecha” — “against with the yeitzer hara — the evil — “a wayward and rebellious son.” the enemy” — i.e. the yeitzer hara inclination — a person should pay Thus, while all wives provide at least 4 10 Elul 5770 BEIS MOSHIACH 754_Beis Moshiach 15/08/2010 6:56 PM Page 5 two benefits to their husbands one is preparing a document of the beloved “al penei” — “over the (raising the children and saving him “geirushin” — “divorce” — the term face of” — the hated one. Since the from sin), in this case, however, the used for month is “yerech.” forehead (which is the part of the husband may be spared improper Although the Torah permits face above the eyes) of the son of the thoughts caused by the evil bringing home a captive woman, it is hated one emerged first, he is inclination, but he will not derive not happy about it and hopes that lawfully the firstborn and entitled to through her the benefit of having his the captor’s desire will ultimately a double portion. children raised properly. evaporate and he will send her away. Hence, Rashi writes that the Hence, the Torah prescribes that “Then it shall be that on the day Torah permitted marrying her “ela when he brings home his captive that he causes his sons to inherit keneged yeitzer hara” — only for the woman, she must make herself that which he possesses.” (21:16) assistance she can offer in one’s unattractive and sit in mourning for QUESTION: battle with the yeitzer hara. The “yerech yamim” — a full month. The 1, The word “vehayah” indicates other benefit, however, which man term “yerech,” which is commonly a simchah — joy (Vayikra Rabbah expects to receive from a marriage, used in a divorce document, is used 11:7); what joy is the Torah alluding raising good children, does not apply here as an indication that ultimately to? in this case. he will divorce himself from her and 2. The words “et asher yiheyeh send her away. lo” — “that which he possesses”— “But it shall be that if you do seem extra; obviously his children not desire her, then you shall send “If a man will have two wives, can inherit only that which he has? her on her own.” (21:14) one beloved and one hated, and ANSWER: There are many QUESTION: Rashi writes, they bear him sons, the beloved one parents who pride themselves for “Scripture informs you that and the hated one, and the having given their children much eventually you will hate her.” Where firstborn son is the hated one’s — more than they had. They reminisce is the evidence for this in the he cannot give the right of the about their arrival in America, when parshah? firstborn to the son of the beloved they struggled to make a living, and ANSWER: When a man marries one ahead of the son of the hated they congratulate themselves for a woman, he gives her a ketubah — one, the firstborn.” (21:15, 16) providing their children with a a marriage contract. If he develops a QUESTION: The word “penei” comfortable lifestyle and the higher hatred for her, he gives her a get — — “ahead of” (literally “the face education that they lacked. a divorce. In each document the date of”) — seems superfluous. Could While it is good to give our is essential. In a ketubah the wording not the pasuk have said, “al ben children things we did not have, it is is; “so many days lechodesh — to hasenuah habechor” — “over the crucial not to forget to give our the month of....” In a get the firstborn son of the hated one”? children what we did have. Just as wording is; “so many days leyerach ANSWER: The Rambam our parents inculcated in us a love — to the month of....” The reason (Nachalot 2:2) rules that if one has for Torah and mitzvot, and inspired for the different names for “month” two wives who are giving birth at the us to be shomrei Torah u’mitzvot, it is as follows: The word “chodesh” is same time, and the forehead of one is incumbent upon us to instill in our related to the word “chadash” — baby emerges but delays in coming children the same dedication and “new,” and since when speaking of out, and in the interim the second devotion.