Insights
and Inspiration
from the
Holy Land
from
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
April 12th 2019 -Volume 9 Issue 28-7th
of Nissan 5779
Parshat
Metzora /Hagadol
The Light of Africa
I’m the last person in the world to really get excited about any place outside of Eretz Yisrael. Besides the fact, that it is my livelihood to sell our country, I really am not that impressed with most other places in the world. At least I wasn’t until I got to Africa. Someone told me before my trip that the Ponevezher Rav, Rav Kahanamen once said that Cape Town was the Garden of Eden on this world. I’ve never been to Gan Eden- unless you count the Machpela cave in Chevron which is supposed to be the entry to there, but if I ever imagined what paradise looked like, Cape Town was it. The incredible mountains, the blue sea, the magnificent gardens, the wildlife, the flowers, the houses, it was what my English friends would call “brilliant”. I never really understood them using that term that is meant to be an adjective to describe intellectual superiority when they use it for food. “The kugel was brilliant” or even nature. In Cape Town though I can tell you that I truly saw the ‘brilliant’ intelligent design of Hashem’s world. It seems I wasn’t the only one that felt that way, for as I went up the cable car (or funicular as they call it) through the clouds to the top of Table Mountain where we literally had a G-d’s eye view through the clouds- as if we were sitting on the wings of an airplane, as we looked down upon the city and ocean below us, we were greeted by a big sign that quoted King David in psalms
“O’ Lord how manifold are Your works. With wisdom You have made all of them. The earth is full of Your riches”
Absolutely brilliant, or as my seminary tourist bais Yaakov girls would say “TMR!”- Totally Ma Rabu.
Now besides the incredible terrain, perhaps even more beautiful were the people we met. South Africans are the nicest people in the world. It’s not just that I’m going from a country where people cut in front of the line regularly and where you need to yell at anyone to get any type of service or attention. It’s not even like London or Canada where people are proper and are apologizing all the time. {How do you get a Canadian to apologize? Step on his footJ} Rather the people there are warm, friendly, helpful. We bumped into a woman Shabbat morning who was more than happy to walk us around to a bunch of shuls so we could see the different communities. I went to three supermarkets and got rides both ways each times from people that just stopped and offered to take me. One of them even drove me around to find an open mikva to dip the grill grate and utensils I bought for our safari. Every restaurant and hotel we went to had a plethora of staff, waiters, greeters anxious to make our stay comfortable. I came to the airport and three people helped us with our luggage. One drove with me to return my rent-a car, filled up gas for me, helped with the paperwork and even carried my laptop as we walked 5 minutes back to the airport. It was really amazing to experience.
But to me perhaps the most inspiring were the Jews I met over Shabbos. See in America you have a very divided Jewish community, the majority of whom tragically don’t even affiliate Jewish anymore. There are a multitude of denominations. Reconstructionist, Reform, Conservative which each have their own technical ideologies, although I think that the majority of the participants are not ideologically motivated. Rather they choose their denomination based on their observance level; how much of the Torah and its commandments they want to keep, how prominent they want their expression of Judaism and tradition in their lives to be. Even Orthodoxy is categorized by its different groups. Modern, Ultra, Baalabatish, Yeshivish, Haymish, Chasidish. We like our “ish”es. In South Africa, from what I saw they are all one.
There are pretty much only Orthodox Shuls (According to wiki there is only one non-orthodox conservative one) in South Africa. Not everyone is observant, in fact probably most of them are notshomer Shabbos. But they all come to shul. They all daven traditionally the way we have been doing it for thousands of years. They all see the Torah and the way it’s been passed down since Sinai as being the true word of Hashem, being eternally binding and that the Rabbis that represent the Torah are the bearers of that tradition and the center of their spiritual lives. The intermarriage rate in South Africa is about 5% (as opposed to almost everywhere else besides Israel where it is way above 50% and in some places close to 80%.). The Jews there as well are all very staunchly connected to Israel. There are no Jews that feel that the plight of the "poor" Palestinians “Trumps” the need and essentiality of our Jewish homeland and its security. They eat Kosher, they make seders, they are Jewishly educated. It made me think of the alteh heim before all the fringe ideological breakoffs from traditional Judaism, when not everyone was observant in the shtetl, but they all davened together and understood that we only have one faith. It made me think about our first Shabbos together when we experienced it 3331 years ago.
This Shabbos is called Shabbat Hagadol. It is the Shabbat before our Exodus from Egypt. It is the Shabbos when we commemorate how our ancestors took a sheep for their Pesach offering thereby declaring their faith in Hashem and their rejection of the idolatry in which they were enmeshed for centuries. This was not a simple act of an expression of our faith. Egypt worshiped the sheep. It would be like going into the Vatican and yanking that yiddeleh off the cross and destroying it. It would be going to Mecca with your yarmulke, tzitzis and pulling down their crescent, throwing out their Koran and flushing them down where all false documents and icons that reject the Torah belong. It would be like walking into the DNC with a MAGA hat. Yet inside of every Jew on that Shabbos we united to do exactly that. We were politically incorrect and religiously, for the first time as a nation, all on the same page. And how beautiful that was. It was the beauty of every Jew revealing that inner shared spark of Hashem, the spark that was first revealed and taught unabashedly to the world by our forefather Avraham. In fact, the Chidushei Ha’Rim suggests that it is called Shabbat Ha’Gadol- the great Shabbos, after our patriarch Avraham who the midrash tells us is referred to as the spiritual giant of giants- the gadol ha’anakim.
This year as well we read the Torah portion of Metzorah this week which as well includes a hint about this hidden spark. We are told that when we come to the land of Israel and we find a tzaraasspiritual blemish on our house the house needs to be destroyed. Rashi quotes the midrash of Rebbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who is the sage that always sees the pnimiyut, the deep hidden spark in all.
“They were given a good tiding when these blemishes come upon them, for the Emorites hid treasures of gold in the walls of their house all the 40 years they were in the wilderness and through the blemish the house would be taken apart and they would discover them.”
Amazing. Here we find that there is a blemish on the house. He goes to the Kohen and is informed that his house needs to be knocked down. There’s no hope. It’s gotta go. Kind of like what the Israeli Supreme Court, which considers itself the Kohanim of the Jewish people today, sadly does to the settlers that are trying to fulfill our biblically mandated mitzvah of living in our ancestral heritage. The only difference is that Supreme court ain’t the Kohanim and giving Jewish land to arabs that want to push us all into the sea ain’t a mitzvah. But I digress. The man comes home knocks down his house and Cha ching! He hit the lotto. Like a slot machine in Vegas the treasures come pouring out. How cool is that? Very. Except it never happened.
The Shvilei Pinchas notes that the Talmud in Sanhedrin points out that the conditions for a house to be halachically doomed for destruction are almost impossible to fulfill. Almost like an illegally built Arab or Bedouin house in Israel that never pays property taxes and never received permits based on the obvious divinely gifted wisdom of above mentioned Supreme Court.
Sanhedrin (71:) There was never a blemished house and there will never be one. So why is it mentioned. Drosh ‘vkabel schar- in order that you may study and delve into it and receive reward
.What does this mean that we should study and get reward. Is there a lack of Torah portions to study that Hashem had to give us one more case that will never happen to study? And what about Rebbi Shimon’s treasure, how do we get that? The answer he suggests is that the treasure, the gold that Rebbi Shimon is talking about is not material wealth. It’s spiritual wealth. The land of Israel, our homes have incredible spiritual fortunes right underneath our noses, right in the walls of our homes. They are in the land that we plant, the buildings we build, the fruits and shwarmas we eat. The Emorites tried to cover up and hide those sparks. They buried them in layers of layers of impurity. Of licentiousness, of idolatry, of shmutz. We need to study to reveal those sparks. We need to delve in and immerse ourselves in the holiness of the land. It may take a blemish on the outside to wake us up, but if we study and rip those walls downs we will find the holy treasures.
That is the good tiding of Rebbi Shimon and that is the end game for the Jewish people. We reveal our inner sparks. That pinteleh yid we all share. We get rid of all the false differences and ideologies that have kept us apart from one another. We become South African Jews that don’t see the differences between us but find that one spark of Torah, of Shabbos, of love Hashem our shared destiny together. And then we all come to the land and reveal the treasures that lie underneath the surface. Each person in their own field, their own home, their own olive tree, with their own tribe. That was the vision of Avraham. That is the way our exile culminated then and will once again.
When we pray each day we finish our first blessing of shmona esrei with the words magen avraham- the shield of Avraham. The Chidushei HaRim suggests that what we are praising Hashem for is that He will eternally preserve and protect that spark of Avraham that is in every Jew. In Egypt we are told before that Shabbat Ha’Gadol many Jews who were not able to break away from Egypt died in the plague of darkness, according to one opinion perhaps even 80%. Sadly, that is close to the percentage of Jews that have assimilated over the past 50 years alone in our Exile. But that was only in Egypt. The prophet tells us that in the final redemption there will not be one Jew left behind. Lo yidach mimenu nidach- there will not be one that will be pushed away. Hashem is guarding that spark that will come out. That will shine once again.
To end with a great Pesach story, the great Rebbi Reb Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev sat one Shabbos hagadol in shul and listened to a poor simple Jew reciting the Haggada, as is the custom on this Shabbos in order to prepare for the Seder. As he was reading, he got to the portion of the four sons and he read them rather strangely.
“Echaaaaaaaad Chacham, Echaaaaaaad Rasha, Echaaaaad Tam, Echaaaaa She’eino Yodea Li’shol- Oooooooone wise son, oooooone wicked son, oooooone simple son and oooooooone that doesn’t know how to ask”
When the Rebbi asked him why he was reciting it that way, the simple unlearned Jew told him that his father said that the law is that whenever one recites echad they should extend it and concentrate upon it. The others standing around snickered a bit, as that law is a reference to when one recites the Shema and says Hashem echad. It had nothing to do with the Pesach Seder. It was a mistake that perhaps one of those unlearned Jews that I davened with in Cape Town might have made. But the Rebbe corrected them as he raised up his hands to heaven
“Master of the world, who is like your nation Israel, the whole purpose of the seder is to come to the understanding and knowledge that Hashem is one. The great sages stayed up the entire night to achieve this level. They recited and delved into the story until their students came and told them that the time for the recitation of shema of Shacharit (the morning) has arrived. And here this simple Jew who started slow but already he has revealed the one-ness of Hashem, the echad in each and every Jew.”
He added that the word ShaChaRiT can be read as an acronym for the four sons. Sheino yodeah lishol, Chacham, Rasha and Tam. The time for kriyat shema of shacharit has come. The morning we are all waiting for is almost here. It is the sun that I saw rising from the African Coast. It is the light that emanates and has been revealed in our homes as we return to Eretz Yisrael. It is the era of the Yom Ha’gadol the great day, the day that will be Shabbos for the whole world.
Have a great, big, fantastic Shabbos
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
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SHABBOS SCHEDULE
SHABBOS PARSHAT METZORA / HAGADOL
CANDLELIGHTING-6:39 PM
MINCHA & KABBALAT SHABBAT- 6:55 PM
SHACHARIS- 8:30 AM
MINCHA 6:25 PM
MARIV- 7:55 PM (10 minutes after tzeis)
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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S
FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
“Got hot zikh bashafen a velt mit klaineh
veltelech...” God created a world
full of many little worlds.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF
THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
Q. The previous name of Kfar Tavor:
A. Mess’ha
B. Ja’uni
C. Sejera
D. Umm-Juni
RABBI SCHWARTZES COOL VIDEOS OF
THE WEEK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDTFtx3yFSk
– Capetown-
a Small taste of what we saw there…
https://youtu.be/9lWG00-8tEU
– I
can’t explain why this weird terrible parody interview show crockpot has
captured my attention maybe you can explain
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S “LOMDUS”
CONNECTION OF THE WEEK
Parshat Metzora– One of the important
excersises of a lamdan is to effectively categorize ideas or subjects. In
yeshivish-speak, the preffered language of lamdanim it is called being magdir
something. Finding the unique common denominator in seemingly random or
diverse items and by way of understanding what they all have in common, one can
reveal the ideas that our sages are trying to share with us.
This
week’s Torah portion teaches us the laws of metzora, the person who
finds a blemish resembling leprosy that comes as a result of a spiritual
failing that is identified by the Kohen. The metzora is sent out of the
camps of Israel where he remains alone until he becomes pure again.
Our
Sages tell us that a metzora is one of four people that are chashuv
k’meis- considered as if they are dead. They are a blind person, a poor
person, someone without a children and a metzora. What do these have in common?
What are our sages trying to tell us. Reb Chaim Shmuelevitz, notes that it is
not just people that are down and out. For there are a lot of tragic
situtations. There are people that are deaf, that are sick, that are
imprisoned, or that are slaves. Why are these four considered “walking dead”? And what is the point in labeling these
people. Shouldn’t we be trying to boost people up rather than tell them that
they are no better than a corpse.
He
suggests that the geder that chazal are trying to teach us is
that these four individuals all lack the most essential aspect of what makes us
living humans. Our sages are telling us this in order that we can focus on that
aspect and become the best that we can. The essence of us all is our ability to
develop relationships and move beyond ourselves by giving and lifting up others
thereby connecting the world to its Creator. Perhaps the most basic expression
of that is with one’s children. There one gives unconditionally and has the
ability to bring life children that will continue that legacy and light. As
well a blind person is unable to see others and is therefore challenged in
being able to give and connect. Similarly, a poor person does not have the
financial wherewithal to help others in need. And of course our metzora
who is isolated from the rest of the camp is obviously in no position to impact
and raise up others.
Each
one of these four have a different impediment to fulfilling that meaningful
purpose of us being alive. The blind man can never truly see the suffering and
empathize with others. The childless person, can have all the money in the
world, but without children to give it over to and to carry that vision
forward, he is like one who is dead. A poor person can see and can empathize
but he is limited in being able to help. The Metzora, all alone away from
everyone is perhaps the worst of all. He is an island unto himself and there is
no greater death than that.
The
lesson our sages are telling us that we who have all of these blessings should
realize what our mandate is. How we can express our lives through impacting the
world by sharing those blessings. For someone who can see, who lives in a
community, has been gifted with eyesight to see the needs and challenges that
are around him and has children that he can inspire and give to and doesn’t
utilize them, is choosing death. Is kamikazi’ing that life and squandering that
blessing he has been given. Isn’t life so much more meaningful once you’re magdir
what you’re here for?
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S
AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Division of the Land Eastern Jordan Reuvein and
Gad 1265 BC – OK so let’s start with the two tribes that are
currently in “Occupied” Jordanian territory. Reuvein and Gad. They were the two
tribes that were the “golani” brigade of Israel’s army. They were the first in
battle and they were the last to return to their chosen land that they had
negotiated with Moshe before he died. They chose to live in the other side of
the Jordan River because they had lots of cattle and there was good shepherding
land there. Rav Yonasan Eibishutz notes that they had more cattle because they
were Manna-terians. They only ate the manna as opposed to the other tribes that
ate their steaks and shwarmas. As well seemingly they didn’t want to get into
fights with the other tribes who would be farmers as the promised land on the
other side of the Jordan was primarily meant for agriculture and the 7 species.
So where are we supposed
to one day still liberate? The tribe of Reuvein interestingly enough doesn’t
even really border the river that much. Most of their western border is the
Dead Sea with a bit above that connects to the Jordan river. Their portion
starts from Nachal Arnon in Jordan today known as Wadi Mujib. It goes north to
the city in Jordan that till today retains the biblical name of Madaba ( and
where they found a cool byzantine map of Eretz Yisrael that you can see in the
Cardo in Jerusalem). It would seem that their border even extended East almost
until the midbar by Jordan and Saudi Arabia border.
Now Gad was primarily
the entire Jordan River Valley region up until the Kinneret. Gad seemingly had
more cattle than Reuvein and came up with this whole idea in the first place of
settling this part of the land and incorporating it into Eretz Yisrael. The
accounts in Bamidbar and Yehoshua are slightly different and the commentaries
suggest based on the sizes or practicalities of settling land swaps were
incorporated into the process. Interestingly enough here it is mentioned that
Mt. Nevo where Moshe is buried we are told is across from Beit. Pe’or which is
in the tribe of Reuvein. Yet, we know that Moshe is buried in the portion of
Gad. So it certainly seems that there borders went up and down into one
another.
None of these two tribes
portions are currently in Israel. Petra would be in Gads portion. The grave of
Aharon would be further south than Reuvein on the Jabal Arnon and wouldn’t even
be in the portion. In the business world they have a terminology first in last
out. So I guess these two tribes were the first to get the portion, but yet
they were the first to be exiled and ultimately I guess they will be the last
to return. May we see it soon!
RABBI
SCHWARTZ’S ISRAEL CURRENT EVENTS JOKES OF
THE WEEK
Israel first country to crash a
rocket onto the moon. All I’ve got to say is crazy Israeli drivers….
Why are you surprised that the
rocket crashed.. .that’s what happens when your too busy taking selfies while
you’re in motion….
Get ready for the newest UN
resolution condemning Israel for littering on the moon…
This week the Israeli Rocket ship crash landed on the moon, at the same
time Benny Gantz and Yair Lapid crashed down to Earth.
The day before the election Benny Gantz rescued a man that was in hit by
a car and ressucicated him. When he asked him if he would vote him for the man
responded “ I fell on my backside not on my head!”
Benny Gantz- Prime Minster of Israel April 9th 10:30 PM – 10:42
PM
Gantz explained that the reason he had not called Bibi to congratulate
him on his victory for the Prime Ministership is because Bibi did not call him
to congratulate him on his victory for the five minutes he was Prime Minister.
In the pre-arranged coalition agreement
Benny Gantz served as Prime Minister from 10:30 until 10:37 and Yair Lapid took
over from 10:38-10:42
Feiglin demanded that elections be recounted as many of his voters were
so high that they thought the elections were tomorrow.
Feiglin is opening a new party it is called Zehu…
Aryeh Deri stated that he will only sit with Bibi. The police
investigators are looking into that option.
We are the fourth country to land on the moon, but we still don’t know
how to count election envelopes
Answer is A– Wow, see what one week out of Israel
can do to me. I got this one totally wrong. Totally wrong as opposed to
partially wrong means that it wasn’t even my second or third choice. Totally
wrong in that I thought I had the right answer and even when I googled and saw
I was wrong, my next guesses were also wrong. Oh well. See I thought the answer
was sejera. I thought so because I went T-Muling ( a type of electric cart) in
the area all the time and I spoke about sejera. What I forgot was that sejera
was Ilaniya the place we did the carting not Kfar Tavor that we passed. I was
pretty sure that Um Junni was Rosh Pina, so I went with Ja’unni which turns out
was Rosh Pinna. Sooo then I said Ok it must be Um Junni which sounded familiar,
except that it was Degania. So the correct answer was Mess’ah which to be
honest, I don’t remember and I probably deleted it from my memory, as I think I
have only toured Kfar Tavor once or twice. They have a nice Marzipan factory
there, the winery is nice and the old yishuv museum where the Shomer started is
also fair. May be I need to tour it more. So I have no reached the maximum
allowed wrong that I could have skipped and still got a 100 score. From here on
it counts. So game on. So the score is Schwartz 18 and 5 for MOT (Ministry
of Tourism) on this exam so far.
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