Two Stories, Two Days, One Jackpot- Parshat Nitzavim/ Rosh Hashana 2019/ 5779-5780

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

September 27^th 2019 -Volume 9 Issue 51 27^th of Elul 5779

Nitzavim/ Rosh Hashana

Two Stories, Two Days, One Jackpot

(Make sure to check out my latest two compostions Lulay & Hashem Melech by the Youtube clips… It will make your whole Elul & Rosh Hashana even more inspiring! Learn them and sing them by your meals)

Two stories. The same but different. Yankel comes home. He has had a hard day. He’s tired. He was hiking all over the country. The tourists kids were crying. They were kvetchy. Lots of traffic. Rosh Hashana was around the corner and he was not feeling it yet. His migraine was swelling up again. He didn’t know how he was going to prepare his sermons. He put his head down on the couch to rest. It’s been a long day…

BOOM CRASH BANG SHATTER…. Uh oh. What was that? Yankel turns around and sees the shelf in the kitchen with the fine china collapsed on the floor. No… it can’t be.. That china is the one that my mother gave me for my wedding. She got it from her mother who got if from her mother. I think it was actually given to Chava in the garden of Eden at the time of the creation of the world. Who put it away last! Who put in that shelf! How can this happen. Yankel is incensed. He screams. He yells. He rants, he rages. Children are hiding under tables. His poor wife Yentl is trying to calm him down. It is not fun in the Schwartzstien house. Judgement day was here.

Story number two. It was a long hard day. Tourist kids kvetchy…yada yada… On the way home Yankel stops off at one of those Payis lottery booths. They have been around since the Garden of Eden. He waits on line behind some old Russians that seem to always be there, as well as some Israeli taxi drivers who have been smoking there as well since pre-historic times. Yankel had bought a ticket a few days ago and decided to check his numbers. Who knows? Maybe his day had finally come. He checks his numbers. 10, 12, 18, 21, 24, and 42. He thought they were the ages of his children and his wife. So he got one wrong, oh well… Birthdays were never his thing. He checks the winning numbers. His eyes pop out of his head. He checks them again and again and again. Can it be? Is this right? Did he really win? 50 million shekel!

Yankel doesn’t even get in his car. Her runs home. He flies home actually. He is on cloud 9. AS he bounds through the door he screams for his wife Yentl. “Honey I’m home… Come down here right now!” Now Yentl had not yet finished cleaning up the mess of the broken china dishes shelf. She was dreading Yankel’s explosion that she knew must be coming. This was his favorite dishes. They were from his mother. The children heard Abba come home. They hid under the beds.

Yankel screamed again “YENNNTTL! WHERE ARE YOU COME HERE NOW!” Yentl made her way down and began apologizing. “I don’t know what happened… They just fell…We just heard a bang…” Yankel cut her off. “What are you talking about… dishes? What dishes? Who cares about the dishes… we just won millions. We’re millionaires. Granted it’s shekalim and not real money J … But we’re rich! We’re loaded. Here, watch!” Yankel picks up the remaining dishes and starts throwing them around the room. The kids come down to the sight of Abba dancing amongst the broken dishes. They couldn’t believe it. They picked up some dishes and started to throw them around. It was Yom Tov, Happy New Year!

Welcome to Rosh Hashana. A day with two stories. Stories that are the same but different. My Rebbe Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro ZT”L would tell us how he one time spent a Rosh Hashana with his cousin the Brisker Rav. After the meal he sat down with the Rav who was learning and asked him if back in the day in Volozhin, where he studied, was Elul/Rosh Hashana/the High Holiday season was the same as it is today in yeshivos. Were Rabbis giving fire and brimstone sermons? Were people walking around with fear and trepidation. Did you feel Elul in the air?

The Rav pulled out the nearest Rambam on his commentary on Mishna

Rosh Hashana (4:7) For Hallel(songs of praise traditionally sung on holidays) is not recited on Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur because these are days of 1) avoda-divine service, 2) hachna’ah- humility, 3) pachad- trepidation, 4) morah mey’Hashem- awe of God, 5) v’yira mimenu- and fear of Him, 6) u’mivrach u’manos eiluv-and a time of escape and refuge to Him, 7) u’teshuva- repentance, 8) tachanunim-supplication, 9) u’bakashat kapara- and a time of requesting atonement 10) u’selicha- and forgiveness. And in all of these things rejoicing and happy are inappropriate.

The Rav then turned to my Rebbe and told him we had the Rambam. We had this understanding that there were 10 different steps and variations of trepidation that were meant to bring us to teshuva- to return to Hashem. We didn’t need any fire and brimstone speeches.

But, my Rebbe who despite being a “Brisker” had a chasidishe heart and spirit, asked. What about the verse in Nechemia who describes to the assimilated Jewish people at the beginning of the return of the Jews to Israel by the second temple, when they were scared of their first Rosh Hashana after so many years intermarrying and distancing from God, from His torah, from His mitzvos.

Nechemia (8:10) Go, eat fat foods and drink sweet drinks and send portions to whoever has nothing prepared, for the day is holy to our Lord, and do not be sad, for the joy of the Hashem is your strength."

So isn’t it supposed to be a rejoicing. A Happy New Year?
The Rav responded. “Nu… For someone who the joy of Hashem is their strength, then it is different.”
It’s an incredible day Rosh Hashana. On the one hand it is a celebration of the Creation of the world and Man anew. At the same time it is the day of Judgement. We pass before Hashem like sheep under the shepherd’s staff. Who will live and who will die, Who by fire and who by water. Is it a day of fear and trepidation or is it a day of eating, drinking feasting and dancing? Well it depends if you feel you won the lottery or not.

See, it’s simple. One can have the what they assumed was the worst day ever. The worst year ever; sickness, crisis, challenge, bad chulent.  One can have a year or even a few years or a life that was distant from Hashem. One that might have been full of “religious experiences” “rituals” “observances” but no real connection. Or perhaps the opposite. You were raised with no connection, no no rituals, observances. But yet you always felt “spiritual”. There was something in your soul burning but you had nowhere to place that energy or that longing, no place to plug it in to or to take it home to. But then you win the lottery. You get a day when everything starts all over. It’s a reset. You have all of the possibilities of a brand new life. You have the King’s lottery winnings at your disposal. Hashem is your strength. Do you kvetch about the dishes still or do you jump up and down and rejoice?

We have two days of Rosh Hashana. The first we are told is a day of harsh judgement. It is when Hashem looks at the entire world. Yet even here in Eretz Yisrael, much to the joy of the Americans who can finally sneer and make fun of us Israel dwellers who usually only have a one day chag, we have a second day. Do you know what the second day is about? It’s no longer just about judgement. It’s not about all of those personal things that until today we may have thought were important. It’s the realization that there is a big picture. That we won the lottery. It is that day of joy. That is why it the day of chesed, kindness and mercy. Yes, it is still judgement, but the judge is our father, is our King, is our strength.

Did you ever want to be a tzadik? Well guess what, by the time Yom Kippur is over you can be written in that book. In fact, you will either be in that book with all of the great leaders of the Jewish people, all those people Artscroll wrote their books about. Or you will be in the wicked person book. The reshaim- the book with Hitler, Stalin, Amalek and Mahmoud Abbas. You will no longer be plain old Yankel. If you’re not sure what book you want to be in. Then you should be nervous. You should hide under the bed.  If you’re still thinking about Bubby’s dishes and the small things in life, then you are missing the Garden of Eden itself that the world is returning and rebooting from. The year can and will be a transformative Happy New Year, all we have to do is match our numbers up. To realize we have winning tickets in our pockets. May Hashem bless all of this year with us revealing the crockpot jackpot that we are all sitting on. And may we each be blessed with a Shana Tova Umetuka- A sweet New Year!

Have an amazing last Shabbos of the year and a Shana Tova,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“A dokter tor men nit vintshn a gut yor”- Never wish a doctor a good year.       

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/hashem-melech-r-ephraim-fina   – And this is another great brand new composition of mine (sung and arranged by Dovid Lowy) that is fun and upbeat and certainly encaptures the entire Rosh Hashana spirit. Hashem is the King. Learn the song and sing it by your Rosh Hashana table- it will be a good siman for the new year... I guarantee it!

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/lulay-heamanti-kavey   – (My newest composition!)You have not experienced the essence of Elul until you hear this incredible, beautiful, magnificent brand new composition hot from the studio of mine Lulay He’amanti- Kavey El Hashem from the l’Dovid you recite daily in this season. Listen like share… Its truly one of my nicest compsotions. Thank You Dovid Lowy for your arrangements and incredible hartzig voice!

https://youtu.be/sCJh9YcrL3k -Shuli Rand and Amir Dadon fascinating new song Bein Chodesh L’chol. I found it captivating what did you think?

https://youtu.be/mpdIyxJ_En8  – A million dollar story in honor of Rosh Hashana from Rabbi Majesky

https://youtu.be/hUL6MTxH9C8 - A very cool Uman Roh Hashana Vlog from beginning to end. It gives me cheishek… how bout you?

https://youtu.be/BJnJA_bSjfs - Meir Kay’s first time in Uman last year… I dunno maybe I should try it…

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q  An inscription mentioning a list of the “priestly divisions”( Mishmarot haKehuna) was found in:
A) Safed (Tsfat)
B) Rehov
C) Caesarea
D) Jerusalem

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S “LOMDUS” CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Rosh Hashana– The High Holiday season is a period of time when we spend alot of time in shul. We have machzorim/ prayer books that are hundreds of pages long that we have to go through. For those people that like davening and talking to Hashem a lot, it is a dream come true. For others, like myself, the day and the service can seem endless. How many more pages since the last time you counted? If you are a lamdan, though there is something else that you can and should do during these services. Stop and ponder, think and question some of the words and phrases that you are saying. Why does it say this word twice? Why is this term used instead of that term? What was the person who wrote this poem trying to convey? Is there a law that he is trying to explain or referencing behind the prose? This is not only something to pass the time, it can truly lead to a more meaningful service and High Holiday season. The ideas and thoughts that you uncover can give you inspiration throughout these days and perhaps even awaken the sparks you need to ignite for this coming year.

One of the key verses that we recite is from tehillim where it describes the holiday of Rosh Hashana

Psalms (81:4-5) Tiku B’aChodesh Shofar -Blow the shofar at the new month, at the full moon for our feast-day.

Ki chok l’yisrael hu- for it is a decree for Yisrael

Mishpat l’elokey Yaakov- a judgement of the God of Yaakov.

So here you have a classic example. What is the chok/decree and why is that for Yisrael and what is the judgement/mishpat and why is that for the God of Yaakov and not just Yaakov?

So the son of the Gaon of Vilna- Reb Avraham suggests that the two descriptions of refer to the two days of Rosh Hashana when we blow shofar. The first day is called a decree as it the harsher judgement. The second day is judgement and is the day of mercy. Reb Ephraim Kashash suggests based on that distinction that decrees are generally one way from the King and down. Judgement on the other hand is between two parties.

If that is the case, then it makes sense the two different terms of the Jewish people that are used. Decrees are for Israel, which the superior term of the Jewish people. It comes from when Yaakov overpowered the angel of Esau. It is when we are following the commandments. It is then that we are on the level of receiving the harsh judgement. For harsh judgement means that it is exacting and can only be implemented when the recipient is free of sin. Judgement on the other hand is finding the middle way between two opposing forces. It’s why it is between two parties. Thus when the verse talks about judgement it is between the God of Yaakov. Yaakov is the “heel” it is when Israel is not in the best spiritual condition. Thus decrees can’t take place. It is a judgement and finding of the medium between Hashem, the God of Yaakov. That is the second day of Rosh Hashana. It is the day of judgement when we can have the mercy of Hashem. The day that we need it. And it is the day when our God, the god of Yaakov, the Jewish people at its lowest level will hear the shofar and find us a path in judgement. Find us and write us in the book of Life. And that my friends, is a lomdushe insight into our upcoming days.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Gideon Ben Yoash 1084 BC –It is hard to reconcile what our sages tell us about understanding how the previous generations are meant to be viewed as angels. On the one hand we know that these were a nation that merited miracles and Hashem revealing himself almost openly to the people. The leaders and prophets had conversations with the Almighty Himself. On the other hand, we read stories about rampant idolatry, murder and a general lack of observance. Even in the leaders of the Jewish people we find what seems to be a very non-typical style, certainly one that would not be in any Artscroll biography books. Thank God Hashem doesn’t work for Artscroll or we may never get these great stories and important lessons

Gideon Ben Yoash is perhaps the first of these series of leaders of whom the Midrash itself refers to as the kal she’bikalim- the lightest of the light weights. The Medrash Tanchuma and Yalkut Shimoni even refer to him as a reyk- someone who was empty of knowledge or what chazal refer to as an am ha’aretz. Yet this was the person that merited prophecy, encounters with angels, leading the Jewish people, and having incredible miraculous victories. How did he merit this? The Navi tells us that his first encounter was on Chol Hamoed Pesach morning as he was gathering in the threshing of the wheat for his father. Normally this would be something forbidden on the intermediate days of Pesach, but times were rough and they had to be hidden and finished before the marauding Midianites came. And angel appeared to him and greeted him with the statement that Hashem is with him. Gideon responded skeptically. If Hashem is with us then where are all the miracles he preforms for us that we read about at our seder. It seems the Jewish people have been rejected by Hashem.

That was all it took. Gideon believed in Hashem. He stood up for the Jewish people. He pleaded their case and it was in that merit he was chosen. Other commentaries note that perhaps it was because he exemplified honoring his father, working there so his father would not be in danger. There is an incredible lesson I believe in this. That in the eyes of Hashem perhaps the willingness to sacrifice and put yourselves on the line for the Jewish people is all that is really necessary to rise to the level of prophecy and leadership.

The angel tells Gideon that he will lead the people in battle and wipe out Midyan. Gideon asks for a sign and he places some good goat steak, some matza and soup on a rock for the angel and it gets eaten up by a heavenly fire. Yup… it’s the real deal. Gideon then is given his first job which is fascinatingly enough not to rebuke or to inspire the Jewish people it’s to destroy their altar and asheira tree and sacrifice the cows they had been saving for their Baal worship to God. Gideon gathers ten men and does this in the middle of the night. He does this then so that he knows he can finish the job. Again fascinatingly enough he is violating multiple commandments in the process. He is sacrificing on an altar outside of the tabernacle. He is not a Kohen. He is using animals that were dedicated to idolatry. But these are extenuating times, and the Jewish people needed to be kicked out of this idolatry concept quick.

The next morning everyone obviously freaked out. They called for Gideon’s head. But his father who seemingly was inspired by Gideon made the argument that it wouldn’t befit the people to fight the Baal’s fight for him. Let the idol avenge himself. The argument worked Gideon was spared. And even given a new name Yeru-baal Let the Baal fight with him. And thus the status of Gideon as a leader of the people began.

I really don’t get much chance to share this story. As the biblical city of Ofra where he lived is not really agreed upon archeologically. There are a few different opinions. It is certainly in the portion of Menashe which starts North of Shechem and includes the Gilboa Mountain Range and Jezre’el lower valley. One thing is certain the yishuv of Ofra today that is in Binyamin is not where it is. Rather that’s the city Ofra mentioned in the Book of Melachim. We’ll get to that. Interestingly enough though there is an arab city there called Teibah and there is one in the North as well and there are some archeologists that suggest that the Arabs changed the name from Ofra to Teibeh as Oh Feh and Reish in Arabic is the name of some demon and Teibeh is like the word tov- good. So they believe that biblical Ofra of Gideon is in fact connected to the same name village. The problem is there are two more Teibehs. One in the Sharon near Kochav Yaakov and one in Emek Jezre’el. There are other archeologists that place Ofra where the city of Afula is and others place in Wadi Ara by Highway 65 near um al Fachum- there is a ruins there called Hirbat a Teibeh. Who knows. What’s interesting is the Navi tells us that the altar is there “till this very day”  I wonder how much longer past the Navis day it actually was there…

As I said this is not a story that I talk about at a specific location. It is a discussion though I do have when we talk about charachterizing the traits for Jewish leadership and an appreciation of the holiness and sacrifice of those who may not be as observant or Torah knowledgeable as the others of us or those we imagine to be our leaders. But yet it seems in biblical times the dedication and commitment to the Jewish people and the land of Israel seems to have an extraordinary holy role. And that’s a conversation we can have anywhere in this country.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S LOTTERY JOKES OF THE WEEK

What's the difference between a man arguing with his wife and a man with a lottery ticket? The man with a lottery ticket actually has a chance to win.

The quickest way to double your money playing the lottery is to fold it in half and put it back in your pocket.

 Poor people don't believe in anything except the lord and the lottery.

The chances of you dying on the way to get a lottery ticket is greater than you actually winning it.

Yankel wanted to win the lotto so he prayed to Hashem, and he lost. Next week he prayed to Hashem again, and lost. The week after he prayed to Hashem, and he lost. He said to Hashem, why won’t you let me win? Hashem actually replied, “How about buying a ticket first?”

A woman calls the Rabbi. "I was just notified my husband won the 250 million lottery. I am afraid he will faint when he hears the news. What to do?"
"Send him to me first," says the rabbi.
The man comes to the Rabbi.
"Abe, what would you do if you won the lottery"?
"Ha Rabbi, me? Never! I don't have mazal.
"But who knows maybe you will win. What would you do?"
"Rabbi, stop making jokes with me, it is not happening."
"Abe, let's talk theoretically. If you would win what would you do?"
Rabbi! If I won the lottery, I swear to you, I would give you half!
And the Rabbi fainted!...

 Moishe was a miser. In fact, in his town he was called Moisheleh the Miser. One day someone convinced Moisheleh to buy a couple of lottery tickets. And sure enough he won! But after he won the prize money he didn't seem happy.

"What's wrong Moisheleh?" his friend asked. "You just became a millionaire!"

"I know," Moisheleh the Miser groaned, "But why did I have to buy that second ticket!"

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Answer is C–  Well there you go… the last question of the Hebrew year and I got it wrong.  Truth is I always feel there’s something special about the way these questions work out. It’s nice learning about the ancient Kohanim “watches” or shifts that there were in the Temple from all parts of Israel, this time of the year as we prepare for the High Holidays and focus on having the temple restored to us once again. There were 24 of them.  So I got this one wrong. I never knew that it was in Casarea. I knew there is a famous inscription in Rechov which showed the borders and cities for the Teruma and Maasrot. I assumed that the Kohanim inscription accompanied that, which is what I’m sure they planned for me to assume. And Iwas wrong. Turns out they found that Kohanim inscription in Casarea in the 1960’s  and in Ashkelon in the 1920’s in the shuls there. But the coolest list by far is in Yemen in a mosque there is a pillar that was from the 4^th century that they used there that has a partial list as well. May we see them restored again! So the score is Schwartz 36 and 9 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam so far.