YWN Coffee Room Nightly D’Var Torah

Nice! AS usual…. Your Good Pick! Thank you so much BaalHabooze!!!

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I heard a nice pshat yesterday, on 7 Adar, regarding Moshe Rabbeinu’s yartzeit. We know Haman was thrilled that his pur ,his lottery, that he cast, fell out in the month of Adar, because that was the month Moshe, the great Manhig of Klal Yisroel, was niftar. What he DIDN’T know is that Moshe was also BORN in Adar.

The question one must ask is, so what if he was born on that day, l’mayseh he died on that day? Rather the idea here is as follows. When a baby is born he comes into this world with clentched fists, symbolizing ‘ME’, everything belongs to ME, I’m only concerned about ME. And he lives his life with the Avodah of opening those hands and working on changing the ‘Ich’ to ‘Zich’, striving to becoming a selfless person. The last thing the chevra kadisha does to a meis is open up his hands, so that he shouldn’t leave the world with closed hands as he came into the world when he was born.

Moshe Rabbeinu was born to be an Eved Hashem and lived his whole life that way, and he still is omeid u’meshamesh l’maaloh. So therefore there’s no difference between the leidah and the petirah, because by moshe it’s not pshat his Avdus was bottul when he was niftar. Aderabbeh, his life was one long Avdus, and now that he went to the upper worlds, it’s just a hemshich and continuation of that Avdus. That’s what Haman didn’t realize, and as they say, the rest is history.

l’chaim!

One more on Purim, I’m typing real fast because I’m in a hurry so excuse any spelling mistakes.

Because purim is about getting in touch with our real essence. We are the neshama of hashem. So we cover the outside to bring out the inside.

Our job on purim is to look beneath the surface, and 1) see how directly involved Hashem is in our own personal lives, and 2) to get in touch with ourselves: our pure desire to do the will of hashem. With this we will be able to feel the inner beauty of mitzvos, just like the yidden felt in times of Mordechai.

L’chaim yidden. l’chaim!!! A good shabbos and a freilichin & listigin purim to all.

Vayakhel

Rabbi Eliyahu Hoffmann

(from torah.org)

The Jewish Mother – A Hair-Raising Responsibility

The construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was performed by the most skilled and wisest of men. However the women also had a role in its construction. “All the women whose hearts inspired them with wisdom spun the goat’s-hair. (35:26)” While no doubt the spinning of the goat’s- hair was a critical element of the Mishkan, why does the Torah imply that it required some special measure of wisdom? Skill and dexterity perhaps – but wisdom?

Rashi explains that an extraordinary level of craftsmanship was required to spin the goat’s-hair, because the women would spin their threads from the fleece on the backs of the goats before it was shorn – i.e. straight off the goat! Sforno explains that after fleece is shorn, the hair loses more of its lustre each time it is handled. By combing and spinning the fleece straight off the goats while it was still growing, they were able to preserve much of the lustre that would have otherwise been lost.

This explains the extra level of wisdom required in spinning the goat’s- hair, but it still doesn’t adequately resolve why this special craft could only be performed by women. Aside from this one anomaly, all other aspects of the Mishkan’s construction were performed by men. Surely there were men who were equally capable of performing the “extraordinary craft” of spinning the hair. Not that we begrudge the women their part in the building of the Tabernacle; it’s just that if the Torah dictates that one specific aspect of its construction was performed exclusively by women, there must be something more to it than just practical considerations.

The great and wise Shlomo Ha-melech (King Solomon) advises: “Listen, my child, to the rebuke of your father; and do not forsake the Torah of your mother. (Mishlei/Proverbs 1:8)” We all know the scenario: Father comes home from a long day at work; mother is standing by the door to greet him. The look on her face tells him he hasn’t come one moment too soon. Before even removing his galoshes, he’s already been briefed; little Shmueli has been sent to his room for fighting with his sister, and awaits father’s homecoming – in order to receive the thrashing with which he’s been threatened. Thus it comes as no surprise that the prophet associates “rebuke” with the father. But why does he connect Torah to the mother? Isn’t it the father’s mitzvah to teach his son Torah?

Mefarshim (commentators) explain that while it is indeed the father’s role to educate his child in the study of Torah and its laws and ordinances, it is the mother who creates the atmosphere that permeates the very walls of the Jewish home. It is her duty to see to it that the atmosphere be one of Torah, kedushah, and shalom – an environment which encourages love of Torah and dedication to mitzvos.

In many families, the father spends the majority of his time away from home; it is the mother who ultimately bears the burden of ensuring that her children, who spend far more time with her, constantly experience a life brimming with the love for Torah and mitzvos that they will later be taught by their fathers and teachers. Observing the attitudes and reactions of a parent to the daily hustle and bustle of a Jewish home is a far more powerful and influential source of education than any lesson learned from a book, and it is this “Torah of your mother” to which King Shlomo refers.

A Russian oleh (immigrant) to Israel approached a Beis-Din (Jewish court) with concern: He knew that his mother was Jewish, but he had no recollection of ever being told whether he was a Kohen, a Levi, or a Yisrael. His nondescript family name gave no clue as to his tribal origin.

Perhaps, asked the Beis Din, he had some memories of his childhood in Russia which would offer a glimpse into his lineage? He remembered very little; but – yes – there was one thing that stood out in his mind. On the eve of every Yom Tov, his mother would take the children to a local dry-goods store to buy a brand new pair of socks for their father. He still remembered the special look on his mother’s face when she would buy the socks; it almost glowed. Later, they would go home, and wrap up the socks, and wait for his father to come home. When he did, they would all gather around, and his mother would excitedly present him with his new socks. “I never understood why she always chose to buy him socks – you would have thought she might have bought socks one Yom Tov, a shirt for the next, and maybe pants or shoes after that. We never questioned her, though; she always bought socks, and the glow on her face was always the same. I remember it as if it were just yesterday.”

Without hesitation, the Beis Din ruled that the man was a Kohen. While in Israel the Kohanim offer the priestly blessings (Birkas Kohanim) daily, in the Diaspora they do so only on the Yamim Tovim. One of the requirements of Birkas Kohanim is that the Kohen take off his shoes while he blesses the congregation. No doubt, Beis Din reasoned, his mother wanted to make sure that this special mitzvah was performed in a special way, so she made sure that each Yom Tov her husband, a Kohen, should have new socks to wear as he stood and blessed the congregation.

How remarkable. The man, it seems, had no memory of his father performing the priestly blessings, although he surely must have accompanied him to shul. But he vividly remembered the anticipation of his mother as she went out of her way on a busy Erev Yom Tov to honour a mitzvah in her own special way.

Perhaps this is why the women were charged with the craft of spinning the fleece directly off the backs of the goats. All other aspects of the Mishkan’s construction involved taking raw materials – gold, silver, copper, wool, etc. – and using them as the building blocks for the Tabernacle and its holy vessels. The men were given these tasks, just as it is their responsibility to take a child – the raw material – and make him holy by educating him in the laws and lessons of the Torah.

The spinning of the goat’s-hair was the only task that required the materials to be formed, moulded and infused with holiness at their very source – straight off the backs of the goats. The mother of the house is referred to in the Holy Tongue as the “Akeres Ha-bayis – the source of the household,” for it is she who brings a aura of kedusha, love for Torah, and respect for mitzvos into the very foundation of the Jewish home. Only the women could take responsibility for such an essential and critical task, which, when performed with wisdom, preserves the lustre of the Jewish soul.

Tzav

—-

heard by Rabbi Frand

Double Entendre In the Word “Hoda’ah”

Among the sacrifices mentioned in this week’s parsha is the Thanksgiving Offering. The Medrash says that in the future, all the sacrifices will be nullified, except the Thanksgiving Offering — for there is always need to give thanks.

Rav Yitzchok Hutner z”tl, makes a very interesting point. “Todah” [thanks] comes from the word “Hoda’ah”, meaning giving thanks. However, the word “Hoda’ah” also means to admit (as in the expression Hoda’as ba’al din k’meah edim dami [An admission of a litigant is like one hundred witnesses]).

Rav Hutner says that it is no coincidence that the word for thanking and the word for admitting are one and the same. In order for a person to give thanks, he must be able to admit that he needed help. The first step in being grateful to someone for doing something for you is the admission that you needed help and that you are not all powerful. Therefore, the Hebrew word for thanks and for admission are the same.

How do we know whether the word “Hoda’ah” means admission or thanks? Rav Hutner says that we need to look at the preposition that comes after the word. The word “Hoda’ah” — meaning admission — is always followed by the Hebrew preposition ‘”sheh…” (that). The word “Hoda’ah” — meaning thanks — is always followed by the Hebrew word “al …” (for).

We daven [pray] a Blessing of Modim in Shmoneh Esrei, called the Blessing of “Hoda’ah”. How does it read? “Modim anachnu lach sheh…” This indicates, that the first thing we must do is not thank G-d, but admit to G-d that we are dependent on Him. Once we come to that understanding, then we can come to the end of the blessing where we say “Nodeh lecha… …al…” — We thank You for… Birkas HaHoda’ah is thus a two-stage blessing. It is a Hoda’ah of admission at the beginning which climaxes with a Hoda’ah of thanking at the end.

We Can’t Appoint an Agent to Say ‘Thank-You’

I recently saw a beautiful insight in the Avudraham. When the Chazan says Modim, the congregation recites a prayer known as “The Rabbis’ Modim”. Why is that? The Avudraham says that for all blessings in the Shmoneh Esrei, we can have an agent. For ‘Heal Us’, for ‘Bless Us with a Good Year’, and so forth we can have a messenger — the Shliach Tzibbur [the agent of the congregation (chazzan)] can say the blessing for us. However, there is one thing that no else one can say for us. We must say it for ourselves. That one thing is “Thank You”. Hoda’ah must come from ourselves. No one can be our agent to say ‘Thank You’.

Parshas Mitzora: from Revach.net

Rav Moshe Feinstein – Because We Don’t Know As Much As We Think

“V’tziva HaKohen V’Lakach LaMitaher; The Kohen commands the one who is becoming Tahor.” (Mitzora 14:4) Rav Moshe Feinstein says that it seems from here that the Mitaher must be commanded each step of the process by the Kohen. “Where do we find such a thing,” asks Rav Moshe, “where the Torah specifically includes in the process that the person be told by someone else to do something?”

Rav Moshe answers that there are certain mitzvos whose exact details are perceived by people to be outside the realm of dictated halacha and are left to a person’s logical discretion. In those cases, the person acts on his own feelings and not the dictates of the Torah. For example, when giving tzedaka people feel it is their right to use their own judgement, even though there are halachos as to where your tzedaka should go. Similarly, parenting is something that people do without consulting halacha and use their own “good sense”.

One of the reasons for Tzoraas is not lending your possessions to others. This is because a person feels that lending is at his own discretion. As part of his tikun, the Torah teaches him that he cannot make a single move that is not firmly rooted in halacha. Therefore, when going through the tahara process, he has a Kohen alongside of him guiding him on his every move.

I only read the first post…dont the mods kerp such a project going? It looked like 72 was in charge…what happened?

Parshas Korach: Chasam Sofer – Dasan or Aviram’s Debt of Gratitude To Moshe

“Vlo Harai’osi Es Achad Mayhem”, neither have I wronged one of them (Korach 16:15). The words Es Achad Mayhem, “one of them” seems extra. He could have simply said , “Vlo Hariosi Lahem” – “I did not wrong them”?

The Chasam Sofer answers, when Moshe visited his brothers in the fields of Mitzrayim, he noticed 2 Jews, Dasan and Aviram , fighting amongst themselves. When one lifted a hand against the other, he exclaimed, “Rasha, why do you strike your brother?” Moshe broke up the fight this sparing the other a beating.

When Korach came to argue with Moshe, he was joined by the infamous rebels, Dasan and Aviram. Moshe was shocked to see them and said in amazement, “the one I stopped from beating up his friend may have reason to be angry with me , but “Vlo Hariosi Es Achad Mayhem” – to one of them I did no evil – in fact I rescued him – why does he join my enemies?

from revach.net

Parshas Korach: Rav Elyashiv – Korach Connects With The Masses

The Medrash tells us that there were three Nevi’im in the time leading up to the Churban HaBayis, Yirmiya who spoke in the marketplace, Tzefania who spoke in Shuls, and Chulda who spoke to the women.

Why did they need three Nevi’im? Rav Elyashiv explains that if they would have invited everyone to come hear the nevuah they’d be standing there without an audience. The Nevi’im needed to go out to the people and each one had their own target venue.

“Yet, on the other hand,” points out Rav Elyashiv, “when Korach spoke, ‘Yayakhel Aleihem Korach Es Kol HaEidah; Korach snapped his fingers and they all came running: men women, and children.”

The sad testament here is that when it comes to hearing the Dvar Hashem no one will come. The message needs to be taken to the people, each one with their own twist. Yet, when it comes to bashing Torah, one size fits all, and the crowds you can amass without going anywhere are standing room only.

From Revach.net

baalhabooze, you got anymore nice ones?

Wow, very nice!

Who is the Degel Machaneh Ephrayim?

Yeshivaguy

Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Sudilkov, which was in Ukraine.

from torah.org

Parshas Noach

VaYacheil Noach Ish Hoadamah

After going through the serious avodah of an Elul, an inspiring Rosh Hashana, a heilig Yom Kippur, and a joyful Sukkos and simchas torah, we tend to come out with a refreshing feeling and a “high” from the kedusha we just experienced. However, as things tend to run, and as life continues in all its harsh realities, unfortunately those feelinsg don’t stay around as long nor as easily as we would like.

‘Vayacheil Noach’, when parshas Noach comes, ‘Ish Hoadamah’, unfortunately we get caught up once again with our work/careers/earthly pursuits.

Let’s try to hold on to those wonderful moments as long as we can to be who we were meant to become.

B’hatzlachah!

Parshas Yisro

We could speculate and suggest that this, the torah, and indeed all of yiddishkeit, is about forming a relationship. The 10 Dibros, in one way, is THE secret that teaches us the principles and fundamentals for people forming a bond with each other, and people connecting with the Master of the Universe. How is this done? How do we approach Hashem, relate to Him, dare we say, come CLOSE to Him?

Well, there are 2 sides of the Aseres Hadibros. Five and Five. We are taught that each commandment on one tablet is keneged a commandment on the other tablet. 1-6, 2-7, 3-8, 4-9, and 5-10. The first five are mitzvos that are Bein Odom LaMokom, and the second five are mitzvos Bein Odom LaChaveiroy. So with this idea, we can suggest that we were presented at Har Sinai five fundamental principles of a relationship. Five rules, 10 commandments. Because one cannot form a relationship with the Creator of the World without knowing the basic rules of having a relationship with another human being.

Rule #2 – Loyalty- Irreplaceable:

So with all this, we can now use the Aseres Hadibros to unlock the secret to form a solid relationship for both man and man, and man and G-d, which is the ultimate purpose of Torah and Judaism. As such it certainly deserved and warranted a spectacular event in order to instill in us a recognition of the seriousness, goodness and preciousness of G-d and His Torah.

Anyone want to volunteer a dvar torah?

Maybe posters can take on a day of the week to post one, like in the old days…

In can be a dvar torah on this week’s parsha, or parshas shekolim, Adar, Purim, or on anything topic! Would be nice to get this thread bursting with torah once again

ballhabooze we could do this together every other night one of us posts

thanks ballhabooze and haztlacha to you

Q:should a yeshiva bochur learn niflaos habore? A:let him learn chovos halavavos or shar habichena and he will surley know he must learn niflaos habore.

Q: what is the torah attitude towards vegetarians. A:Its common sense that if he believes in it as principal than he is lacking emmunah the torah says openly its permitted to eat meat ,basar vachalev.

Q:the mesillas yeshorim says the purpose of life is to withstand nisoyons.How can one fortify himself for the trial of being tested? A:learning the mesillas yeshorim is a very good way to strengthen your character and good sechal for the nisoyons

This is a really nice thread, I very much enjoyed going through it and reading all the divrei torah. Thank you to all the contributors.

“I’d like to put this back where it belongs…”
In Adar?

To CHACHAM in Post # _2309 about why we clop by Mordechai in Bobov 48, and by Medina in Satmar. In Lubavitch we don’t clop by Haman, because he will do teshuva. Mibney bonov shel Haman lomdu Torah Bibnei B’rak. Therefore, in Lubavitch they say “Yismach Yisroel B’eisov”
A friliche Purim everybody.
P S What do you call the period between Purim Katan and regular Purim?
CHOL HAMOED PURIM!

and In BMG they clop by every Gimmel