Parshas Vayakhel March 1, 2019 A Taste of Torah Stories for the Soul No Day of Rage by Rabbi Chaim Yeshia Freeman That’s the Ticket This week’s parsha begins with the Shabbos. This is the deeper meaning Rabbi Uri Zohar is a noted concept of Shabbos, as the Torah of not kindling a fire on Shabbos. Israeli ba’al teshuva who had states that one should work for six However, we must wonder why the been a popular secular comedian days and rest on the seventh. However, Torah stressed anger management on before deciding to commit to the Torah does not provide the Shabbos over other negative traits. observance of Torah and mitzvos. parameters for how one is supposed Let us examine and understand When he left the entertainment to rest. Our Sages teach us that the the reason people become angry. world, his non-religious friends different types of labor performed in The sefarim (books of Jewish law or asked him if he could tell them the construction and creation of the thought) explain that the root of Mishkan (Tabernacle) are prohibited one last joke. He replied with the this character trait emanates from following story: on Shabbos. This is derived from the haughtiness. When someone is placement of the laws of Shabbos overly focused on his own self, he will One day a secular Israeli police alongside the discussion of the become angry if people don’t follow officer noticed a religious yeshiva building of the Mishkan. Based on his requests or don’t live up to his student driving a moped. The this, the Mishna in Shabbos (7:2) lists expectations. officer, who had a bias against the thirty-nine forbidden melachos religious people, followed him, (acts of labor) of Shabbos, which were The verse states (Shemos 31:16), looking for a pretense to issue all performed in the creation of the “And the Children of Israel shall the driver a ticket. To his chagrin, keep the Shabbos, to make the Mishkan. the driver stopped at every stop Shabbos an eternal covenant for their Strangely enough, there is one melacha sign, adhered to the speed limit, generations.” The Zohar comments which is stated explicitly in the parsha and drove courteously. - the prohibition of lighting a fire on that the Hebrew word “dorosam,” Shabbos. Why is this prohibition “their generations,” can also be read After a half-hour, the cop gave singled out from all of the thirty- as “dirasam,” “their dwellings.” The up. He pulled the moped driver nine melachos? Rashi (35:3) cites two verse can thus be interpreted as saying and said to him, “I don’t get reasons. The first opinion is that that the Jewish People must make it. I couldn’t catch you doing the Torah specified lighting a fire to their dwellings a fitting place for the anything wrong!” The yeshiva downgrade the punishment for this sanctity of Shabbos to reside. This student replied curtly, “That’s act from the death penalty to a regular teaches that Shabbos is an auspicious because G-d is with me.” The negative commandment, subject only time when the presence of Hashem cop jumped up, “Aha! I’m going to lashes. A second opinion is that resides amongst us on a higher level. to give you a ticket. You have two the verse is teaching that one who The explanation of the riding on a motorcycle!” inadvertently performed multiple aforementioned passage in the Zohar The Mishkan (Tabernacle) was melachos on Shabbos thinking can now be understood. The Talmud meant to serve as a place where they were permitted is liable to a (Sotah 5a) states that Hashem says Hashem’s presence could reside separate sin-offering for each melacha that He cannot dwell together with among the Jewish People. Just as performed. (The means of deriving a haughty person. Since Hashem is important is for a Jew to make this are beyond the scope of this much more present in our lives on sure that there is a place in article.) Shabbos, we have to make sure we himself for Hashem’s presence The Zohar has a different are not haughty, as that would push to reside. interpretation of this verse. The Zohar away His presence. Anger, which is a teaches that the Torah is warning manifestation of haughtiness, must against losing one’s temper on therefore be avoided on Shabbos! Kollel Happenings Increase Your Jewish IQ INTERPRETING CONTRACTS By Rabbi Yaakov Zions AT NEXT T4T Last week we asked: When can one The Mishna Berurah (60:9) quotes knowingly recite Birchas Hamazon the Taz that one who is teaching Join Ron Lev, Appeals Analyst (Grace after meals) after eating a children their blessings, even if he for the Office of Natural meal, not omit a single word, and yet or she has also eaten and is required Resources Revenue and Rabbi have to repeat it again? to recite Birchas Hamazon, would not Shmuel Halpern, Kollel Scholar A: There is a halacha that a mitzvah satisfy the obligation with this recital for the Denver Community performed without intent should be unless he or she specifically intended Kollel, as they seek to clarify repeated. This is due to a halachic to do so! the challenges of contract controversy of whether mitzvah This week’s question: Two friends interpretation. March 6, 12- performance requires intent. All started their third Shabbos meal 1:15 p.m. at the East Side agree, however, that if one performed together and recite Birchas Hamazon Kosher Del i. Cost: $25. RSVP a mitzvah with contrary intent (intent together. One is required to insert [email protected]. not to fulfill the mitzvha or intent to Retzei (the Shabbos addition) and one accomplish something other than the is not. How can this be? ST KOLLEL 21 ANNIVERSARY mitzvah), the mitzvah is unfulfilled. To submit an answer to Rabbi Zions, email [email protected]. CELEBRATION MARCH 17 The Kollel will hold its 21st Anniversary Celebration, Lives of Our Torah Leaders Storied, on Sunday, March 17, Rabbi Aryeh Leib Hakohein Heller, the Ketzos Hachoshen and 6:30 pm at Aish Denver. Neil Rabbi Yaakov Lorberbaum, the Nesivos Hamishpat Part V and Vicki Bluma Olesky will be The next day, Rabbi Heller went to made Rabbi Heller famous. He later honored for their dedication the local synagogue and saw a sign wrote a second, similar work on the to the growth of Torah in announcing that there would be a Even Ha’ezer section of Shulchan Aruch Denver. Reservations and hachnasas sefer Torah, a celebration of (which deals with the laws of marriage ads can be placed at www. the completion and inauguration of a and divorce) titled Avnei Mi’luim. This denverkollel.org, by emailing new Torah scroll, that day in the town. work was published in two parts, [email protected], or Rabbi Heller decided he would approximately ten years apart. It by calling 303-820-2855. participate in this significant event seems that the second half may have been published posthumously by THE LETTERS OF THE LAW: in the town, and he made his way to the hachnasas sefer Torah. As the Rabbi Heller’s son-in-law, Judah Loeb THE MELACHOS OF SHABBOS townspeople danced and celebrated, Rapoport (discussed in a previous Rabbi Shmuel Halpern Rabbi Heller made his way to the week). Avnei Milu’im also became received semicha (ordination) chuppah, the canopy under which the quite popular in the Torah world. from Beth Medrash Govoha in new Torah scroll was being danced with Ketzos Hachoshen, though, remains 2016 and has spent the past as the focal point of the celebration. As Rabbi Heller’s most famous and widely-studied work, and he is often four years receiving shimush he drew near, he saw that there was no referred to simply as “the Ketzos.” (training in practical halacha) Torah scroll at all! Rabbi Boshka was from Rabbi Micha Cohn of dancing with the very manuscript he There are those who speculate as to Lakewood. Rabbi Halpern had given him the previous evening! why Avnei Milu’im did not achieve the now shares his halachic Rabbi Boshka explained that he same level of stupendous success that expertise in this weekly class had been so impressed by this new Ketzos did. Some have theorized that that will help familarize you work of Torah that he felt it required Rabbi Heller wrote Avnei Milu’im after with the laws of Shabbos. recognition equal to that given when he had become famous and was thus Monday evenings 8-9 pm at a new Torah scroll is written. Needless more financially secure, while Ketzos Hachoshen was written with far greater the Southeast Kollel Torah to say, Rabbi Heller was given a personal sacrifice (as discussed in a Center, 4902 S. Xenia St. glowing approbation by Rabbi Boshka. Ketzos Hachoshen quickly gained wide previous week’s column). Therefore, acclaim across the Jewish world and Heaven did not see fit to grant the same level of success to Avnei Milu’im. 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 Denver Community Kollel 1395 Wolff Street, Denver, CO 80204 303-820-2855 [email protected] www.denverkollel.org To receive Torah Weekly by email, email to [email protected].