Insights and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
July 28th 2017 -Volume 7 Issue 38 5th
Av 5777
Parshat Devarim/ Chazon
Working from Home
So how’re
we doing so far? It’s been close to 70 years since Hashem returned us to our
own Jewish country. 50 years since we got back Yerushalayim. The Kotel. The
Temple Mount? I did think I remember hearing once that it was B’Yadeinu- in our
hands. But it seems I must have been mistaken. Or we must have had very
slippery hands. But anyways. We seemed to have built up in a large part a
growing Torah country as well. 10’s of thousands of Jews have returned to
Torah, mitzvos despite many of the early founders’ best efforts and trying to
create a new secular Sabra Jew and their certainty that traditional Torah
Judaism would disappear in this new/old country of ours. They also thought that
the world would finally respect, love, admire and support us once we got here.
Yeah… that didn’t really work out either.
The
truth is the return to Israel, the final and last coming that had been prophesied
from ancient times throughout our 2000 year exile and even in modern times
where both the Chafetz Chaim and Rav Chaim Volozhin suggested that America was
and will be the last stop before the final redemption, has been truly
miraculous. What this country has done, what our people have done and
accomplished in the mere 70 years that we have been back is more than extraordinary.
It is a testimony to the blessing Hashem showers upon the entire world when we
are back where we need to be. I tried to explain it to one of my tourists once.
I told him that you know how when you are on vacation and at the same time you
are trying to run your business. It's hard. You’re not in your office, you don’t
have your computer, your files, your staff isn’t getting the messages properly
and you’re phone keeps dropping calls because it’s not your usual service.
Forget about your data plan, that they told you would be just fine over here.
Uh Huh.. You’re not really sleeping well because you’re not in your own bed.
The food isn’t really agreeing with you. The water is doing funny things to
your stomach. My tourists all related and understood right away. So I continued
and explained. That experience is in fact the world and it’s functioning when
the Jews are not home. See we are meant to be the CO’s to the one big divine CEO
of this corporation called Earth. And when we’re away nothing is functioning
the way it should. Not us and not the rest of the world.
Now once
our tourists land back in the States. Right away things start to function
better. Even though they have not yet arrived in their office yet. Their cell
phone service is normal again. They are on the same time zone, the food, water
and even night’s sleep is even better. Already things start to pick up. Sure it
is not the same as when they actually get back into the office. But there is an
already dramatic and palpable difference in their productivity, in the
companies and thus all the other industries that they impact. I believe that
really best describes our experience here for the past 70 years. We have
returned to our airspace. We are functioning much higher and better than ever
before. At least those of us that have actually crossed the ocean and come home.
It seems that those that have extended their vacation seem to be suffering from
a lot of extra baggage issues and increasing disfunction, but that’s what
usually happens when you forget where you belong and start to think you should
stay on vacation forever and are a native in a place that will always know you’re
merely a tourist. But that’s because galut is not really a vacation. It’s
exile. And generally we realize that when we come and ultimately we realize it
when Hashem feels we have extended our stay. But in regards to our functioning and
productivity level the comparison is certainly the same.
But we
have not yet returned to our office yet. Yet we certainly our getting closer
and closer, and that can be seen in the evidence of all that we have
accomplished, that Hashem has granted us as we get closer and closer. This is
despite the hardships, the relentless wars, terror, intifadas and seemingly
never-ending obstacles the world keeps throwing at us to prevent us from
finally realizing that dream. That is not withstanding our own self-destructive
efforts to undermine and subvert the fruition of that final return. Our lashon
hara, our baseless hatred, our divisiveness, our petty fighting and our
distortion of our Torah values; looking to the world for their distorted ideals
of morality, societal values, and spirituality rather than shining our own
light out to them. Yes we have still persevered.
Netzah Yisrael Lo Yishaker. Ultimately the Jewish people, returned to
their land of Israel, as a whole will always persevere. Will always come out
complete on the other end. Our eternality is guaranteed. There is no other
choice or option. Ain Breira.
I was
speaking to a military expert once and he taught me an important lesson. He
asked me if I know how I know that Israel has won all of its wars. He said we
know that because we’re still around. Meaning that every war that we fought was
for existence. We’re not like the US where we are fighting battles and wars
around the world; Germany, Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan and the like. In Israel
all our wars were because our enemies wanted to wipe us off the face of the
earth. Into the sea. So if we are still around, it’s because we won all of our
wars. Then he continued and told me that the reason why we won the wars is because
of a secret Israeli code. It’s called Alef Beis. What is Alef Beis? It’s an
acronym he told me for ain breirah- we have no other choice. If
we didn’t we would be dead. And there you have it. Life runs differently when
you have no other choice. When you know that there is nothing else you can do.
That to a large degree is the Divine secret of our existence.
In this week’s
Torah portion which is the beginning of Moshe Rabbeinu’s final lecture and
rebuke to the Jewish people he shares that secret with us. He reminds this
generation whose parents had all died in the 40 year sojourn in the wilderness
of all of the mistakes, sins and follies that their parents made. So that they
should not make them as well. He transmits to them the skills, the outlooks and
primarily the essentials of faith that they will need to conquer and more
importantly to settle and develop this holy land which is meant to be the
center of the Universe and the bridge between heaven and earth. At one point in
this speech he recalls to them the sin that led to their parent’s demise; the
sin of the spies and their faithless report and the mourning that took place on
Tisha B’Av that led to it always being a day of mourning of the opportunities
lost for our people.
Devarim (1:29) Then I said to
you ‘do not break down and do not fear them’. Hashem, your God, Who goes before
you. He shall do battle for you, like everything He did for you in Egypt before
your eyes. And in the wilderness as you have seen that Hashem you God carried
you as a man carries his son, on the entire way that you traveled, until you
arrived in this place.
Think
about it, Moshe tells them. What is more difficult to conquer this foreign land
of Canaan or to destroy the entire world empire of Egypt? Contemplate how for
forty years in the wilderness without food, without water, Hashem provided
everything you need. You had clouds of glory, you had pillars of fire. You’ve
got the greatest nuclear weapon in your arsenal. Yet with all of that Moshe
sadly concludes
Ibid (1:32) Yet in this
matter you did not believe in Hashem, your God
And
Rashi ruefully notes
“Yet in this matter- That He promises to
bring you to this land, you do not believe in Him.
We, they
failed in that we did not have faith and believe that we would actually ever be
able to do it.
This
lack of faith is not in the fact that we went sent out the spies in the first place.
In fact Moshe himself a few verses before states that he thought it was a good
idea. The failure that we had is because we believed that the victory, the
coming to the land of Israel was in our hands. If it is up to us, then it
certainly can and will fail.
I
believe that it is precisely that which Moshe is pointing out to them. You know
what the difference between Egypt and the spies were? In Egypt we stood by the
Red Sea. We knew we couldn’t do anything. What are we going to send out spies
to see how high the waves were? Or to quote a disgraced comedian once on his
routine on Noah- “How long we can tread water for?” So we believed in Hashem
and His servant Moshe. Hashem fought for us and we were silent. Ain Breira.
When we were in the wilderness. There is no food. There is not water. We are a
few million people. There is no physical or natural way we could ever survive. Ain
Breiera. We turn to Hashem and like a father carrying his invalid child who
can’t walk, Hashem carried us. This is the lesson and message Moshe imparts to
our nation. The most important message when we come to a land where there is no
visible clouds of glory or pillars of fire. Where the manna is certainly not
falling from the heaven. Where we have to work, we have farm, we have to pick
up swords, guns, and tanks and fight and defend. We have to appreciate and
internalize that it is all alef beis. It is the only option we have because
it is the place and home that Hashem has commanded us and structured the entire
universe upon us settling and shining His light forth from.
We are
not back in the office yet. There are still many of us that think that we have
other breirot- other choices or options. Some that want to stay on ‘vacation’
in America or other places-seemingly oblivious to how the Jewish exiles is
closing up shop and ending in other places around the world; Europe, Africa,
South America and the former Soviet Union. There are some that feel we can land
in the right country and create a “Jewish” country that is bereft of God and
the Torah. The right place, but just an office-less existence. There are even
those that think that we can tele-commute or manage our business without even
having the main office and headquarters for the actual business to take place.
We can live here, we can learn we can do mitzvos. Who needs the home office?
Who needs the Beit Hamikdash? We can’t get it or own it anyways. We have a
choice.
U’Badavar Hazeh Einchem Ma’aminim
Ba’Hashem- Yet in this matter you do not believe in Hashem.
That
Hashem promises us that we can and will. We just need to realize ein breira.
Alef beis it’s as easy as that.
No
matter the year this is the Torah portion that we read the Shabbat before Tisha
B’Av. Each year we sit on the floor, we mourn, we cry, we recall all of the
times and places that our illusory ‘choices’ have left us. We ask ourselves how
are we doing so far, and it is the one day that we are meant to come to the
ultimate conclusion that we’re still not doing that well. Not that well at all.
We’re not functioning. Our business is really not accomplishing the mission
statement that we have set for ourselves. There is no breira. We need
our Home. We need our office. We need that bridge to bring Hashem’s glory back
to the world. The pain must stop, the suffering and hatred must end. Every
single one of our brothers and sisters need to be part of the company. The time
has finally come when we realize there is no other option, just as there wasn’t
by the Red Sea and there wasn’t for our forty years in the wilderness. Ain
Breira.
May this
year Tisha B’Av be the holiday that our prophets foretold would be a day of
rejoicing and feasting. There really is no other options.
Have a inspiring
Shabbos and hopefully a celebratory Ninth of Av,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
*********************************************
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S
FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
“Er draytzik arum vi a shoichet in di nayn
teg” He wanders around like
a butcher in the nine days”
RABBI SCHWARTZ COOL VIDEOS OF THE WEEK
https://youtu.be/tAZ8zdMCiuQ – Happy
Ninth of Av?
https://youtu.be/ForS09KA29o – My Avinu Malkeinu composition in memory of
the Kedoshim that were murdered last Shabbos in Chalamish and all of the
martyrs murdered by the animals that roam the streets and that occupy Hashem’s
holiest place. May Hashem avenge their blood.
https://vimeo.com/214051105
- Words once spoken Tisha B’av for children Chafetz Chayim trailer
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
Q. A time of day that a Muslim does not
pray:
a. Dawn
b. Mid-day
c. Sunrise
d. All of the above
a. Dawn
b. Mid-day
c. Sunrise
d. All of the above
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ILLUMINATING RASHI OF THE
WEEK
Devarim- There is nothing extraneous in Rashi. If he mentions something
that seems like an elaboration on what he’s explaining in the pshat but doesn’t
seem relevant. Read it again. Think about it. It’s relevant. You might even see
a nice insight that can explain an obscure Jewish behavior like the Chidushie
HaRim does in this week’s Torah portion.
In Moshe’s rebuke to the people this week when
gets to the story of the spies Moshe tells them
Devarim
(1:23) “You approached me, all of you, and said ‘Let us send men ahead of us
and let them spy out the land…”
Rashi seemingly noting the extra description
of “all of you” writes
“As
a rabble, but further on it says ‘And you approached me, all the heads of
your tribes and your elders’ And you said ‘Behold Hashem has shown us…’.
That approach was proper the young honored the elders and sent then ahead of
them. And the elders honored the heads to go ahead of them. But here “you
approached me all of you” as a rabble, the young pushing the elders and the
elders pushing the heads.
The question is why did Rashi have to mention
and contrast the entire story of the spies with the response of the Jewish
people upon receiving the Torah where they came ‘properly’ and said that it was
too much to hear the Torah directly from Hashem. It’s a nice contrast. But it
really isn’t necessary in explaining the pshat here, in the fact that
they came a rabble. Which he seemingly does already.
The Chidushei Ha’Rim of Ger, thus notes that Moshe
in his rebuke over here that they came as a rabble, is also rebuking them with
the contrast in how they came properly was also wrong. Meaning that when they
came to hear the words of the Torah, the word of Hashem all of a sudden they
became all proper. Suddenly they didn’t feel the need to push to get into
“shiur” to hear the words of Hashem. They were very proper. No rush, no
pressure, no thirst… no passion… But when it came to their agenda of
spending spies all of a sudden its pushing and shoving time; like getting into
a ball game or black Friday into Walmarts. But when it comes to sitting by the
“Rebbe’s tish” or going to a Torah event…ahhh I don’t like the pushing and
shoving….WRONG! Moshe’s telling the Jewish people that if you are pushing and
shoving for your won agenda then the Torah should be certainly no less. And the
opposite if you are all prim and proper when don’t like crowds when it comes to
Torah then just remember that the next time you go to a concert, ball game or
other event.
So you going to Tish this Friday night?
Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rothenberg –Chidushei
HaRim (1799-1866) – Rabbi Yitzchak Meir was
the founder and first rebbe of the Ger dynasty, which at one time counted more
than 100,000 Chasidim, and to this day remains one of the
largest Chasidic groups. He was a child prodigy who was sought after
by all the great Polish Hasidic leaders. The Rim’s mother Chaya Sara, was an
orphan who was raised by the Koznitzer Maggid, and the Maggid played a great
role in Yitzchak Meir’s early development. The Rim became a disciple of Rabbi
Simcha Bunem of Pshischa and Rabbi Mendel of Kotzk. He once said that “according
to Pshischa Chasidus a person does nothing with his external limbs, the main
thing is the inner self, from which one is inspired to act.”
Ger emphasized the centrality
of Torah and self-development, the externals of Chasidus were
minimized or disdained. Though Pshischa and Kotzk were elitist, Rabbi Yitzchak
Meir showed how their principles could be embraced by all Jews. From Pshischa
and Kotzk Ger absorbed a healthy skepticism of human motivation and the demands
of the ego.
Rabbi Yitzchak Meir was a true
leader and was deeply involved in all political events affecting his flock.
His halachic writings are characterized by scintillating brilliance
and his non-halachic thought by great depth and warmth. The custom to
make siyyumim during the nine days was seen by Rabbi Yitzchak Meir as
motivated by a desire to bring Jews together in a harmonious spirit and thus
rectify the sin of sinas chinam which had caused the destruction of
the Temple.
Rabbi Yitzchak Meir’s personal life
was filled with tragedy. Many of his thirteen children died in his lifetime.
When he finally consented to assume leadership after the death of the Kotzker
he remarked: “I am not a rebbe. I do not want money. I do not care for honor.
All I want is to spend my years bringing the children of Israel nearer to their
Father in Heaven”.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TYPES OF JEWS IN ISRAEL OF
THE WEEK
Funeral Arangement and Chevra
Kadisha Guys I live in Karmiel so I
don’t have to meet or deal with these guys. But if your in any religious
neighborhood certainly Chariedi neighborhood you will regularly throughout the
day and many times in the early morning or late night hear a car driving
through the streets blasting information about the tragic passing of Yankel
Chaim son of Moshe And Chani Shmerelsberg at the young age of 105. All of Israel mourns this great calamity. The
funeral will be held on Mount of Olives at 10:00 PM. Shiva will be by the home
of his 15 children and the mourning widow. And again and again. I don’t know
who started this thing. But it’s been going on for a long time. As well there are those guys that literally
hours after someone is dead have people on the streets plastering them with
signs. I wonder if they pre-print them. In fact the joke was that the walls of
Meah Shearim are actually held together by these pahskivilim/posters. You of
course have your chevra Kadisha guys as well that are truly heroes many of them
working on a volunteer basis to be on call at all times to prepare someone for
burial. See unlike in America, where burials and cemeteries have to work with
non-Jewish business hours and teams and many times burial is delayed. In
Israel, out of concern for the pan that the soul endures as long as it is not
buried we bury as soon as possible many times a few hours after someone passes,
he can already be interred, even if it is in middle of the night. But perhaps
the most incredible are members of Zaaka that are involved in the way too many
tragedies that insure that every bit of blood or body parts that was part of
the person would be collected and brought to burial. Tragically death is a big
part of life in Israel as paradoxical as that sounds. But these guys are there
to always to remind us that adage of our sages “to remember the day of our
death”. May we merit the day when Hashem will wipe all death and mourning from
the world.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S JOKES OF THE WEEK
It’s the 9 days this week. sorry no jokes!
**************
Answer
is D– I once had someone in my shul that undergoing conversion
and the Beit Din asked him why he wanted to convert. He responded that Judaism
connected him by God at all times, he prayed three times a day, he made
blessings before he ate, after, throughout the year, even when he went to the
bathroom. They told him if he liked prayer so much he should just convert to
Islam as they do it 5 times a day…. The truth is although one of their five
“mitzvos” (as opposed to our 613) is salah-which is a very similar word to our
Aramaic of tzalaach which means prayer. But their entire prayer which is
recited 5 times a day consists of basically one sentence and a sura or two that
Allah is great and that murdering psychopathic delusional false prophet
Muhammed is “his” prophet. The five times for prayer are 1) Dawn to sunrise, 2)
noon until about a half hour to sunset, 3) from after the 2nd prayer
until sunset, 4) after sunset until nightfall, nightfall until midnight or
dawn. Now there are “machlokesim”/ differences of opinions between Sunni,
Shi’ites and all the other breakoffs. But that’s the basic idea. I don’t mind
their prayer so much, but why do they feel they need to blast it out from their
minarets all the time. We know your “frum” just bow down on your carpet and be
down with it already. OK!
