He Knows Better- Parshat Va'eshanan- Nachamu 2020/ 5780

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

July 31^st  2020 -Volume 10 Issue 40 10^th Av 5780

 Parshat Va'eschanan / Nachamu

He Knows Better

We thought that when we opened up the door for Eliyahu Hanavi by our Pesach Seder that he would be there telling us the geula had arrived. He wasn't… We thought maybe by the 7^th day of Pesach when the Jews miraculously crossed through the Red Sea and left Egypt, that we would also leave our locked rooms and houses and sing and dance to our redemption…We didn't. Maybe it was going to happen on Lag Ba'Omer. Maybe Reb Shimon Bar Yochai who was locked away in a cave for 12 years would bring the hidden light of Mashiach out with him from our mini-bonfires we made on our BBQ grills. But it was still dark. The geula hadn't come.

 

It didn't come on Shavuos either when Hashem revealed Himself to our nation and told us that we were His chosen nation. Forever. His precious child. His beloved. We're still in mourning. We're still in charon af- His disappointed bitter wrath is still upon us. Galus is still here. They are still killing us, His Temple Mount is still defiled. His nation is on the floor. Alone. Eicha yashva badad this year has even more significance. We are forlorn. Isolated. Quarantined, with hopes shattered again and again.

 

The world is going crazy. Cities burning, rioting, the anti-Semites coming out of the woodworks and Israel is seen by more and more people as being the root of all evil. Perhaps most painfully, by so many of our own so distanced and alienated brothers and sisters. We are a la'ag v'akeles ba'goyim- scorned and derided by the nations of the world.

 

For many people kinos is a moving exercise in mourning. The poetry, the lamentations that we recite, do the trick of conjuring up the horrors and atrocities. They bring tears to their eyes. I need more. I read stories of the Holocaust, testimonies, I watch the films and the footage, it's impossible for me to wrap my head around the evil and the horror from just words. It's unfathomable. It's like appreciating the glory of Israel from  just a weekly E-Mail from an unemployed tour guide. You need at least a video and pictures to even get a bit of a taste.  And so I watch them. And I have nightmares and I weep.

 

The Holocaust was just the most recent period of that evil where we have footage and films. But there hasn't been a century where even greater atrocities haven't taken place. It has been an endless cycle of starvation, torture, abuse, murder, annihilation. Old people, young children, young couples tzadikim, simple yidden it's a non-stop horror show with a few islands of peace and prosperity only to see that all come crashing down again. U'vchol zos shimcha lo shachachnu- and we still have not forgotten Your Name.

 

I remember watching a Holocaust movie, I think it was called the "Last Train to Auschwitz.". I will never forget the scene of this cute little child in her mother's arms crammed into this cattle car to the Auschwitz- mamash like we say in tachanun- ka'tzon la'tevach yuval- as sheep being transported to the slaughter. Her father was trying to calm and sooth the frightened girl and he asked her do you know what we say whenever we are afraid? Do you remember what we taught you?

 

Now being a good American boy raised on Hollywood Movies I was awaiting a rendition of Mary Poppins "spoonful of sugar " or a Sound of Music "favorite things" type of song. You can stop humming them now… After all these were totally assimilated secular German Jews with no visible connection or even knowledge of the faith of our ancestors. But that wasn't the case. I was wrong. There is no such thing as a non-connected Jew. He turned to his daughter and tearfully they repeated word for word.

Shema…Yisrael… Hashem… Elokeinu… Hashem… Echad… Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuso L'Olam Va'ed. "That is what we Jews recite when we are afraid mein liebschaft. Never forget it."

 

Take that Julie Andrews. We remind ourselves that we have a Father in heaven. That we have a mitzva to love Him even if he takes our neshoma. To love Him with all of our heart. We read this wek Parshas Va'eschanan, which is always Shabbos Nachamu- the Shabbos of consolation to remind us that things will never work out the way that we think they shall, but they all come from a Father in heaven who has our best interests in mind.

 

The parsha begins with Moshe Rabbeinu pleading before Hashem to enter the land. But yet, he does not get his wish. It's not going to work the way you Moshe, the greatest and closest of all men, think it's going to work. Lo machshavosai-machshivoseichem.- My thoughts and ways are not yours- Hashem says. You're not God. Don't try to figure it out. Just love Me and know I love you.

 

The parsha continues with the prohibition to add or detract from the words of the Torah. We have lost so many who felt that they knew better. The times are different. We don't have to keep all of the laws. It's a new world. Hashem was talking to a nation in the wilderness, not to our "advanced" civilization in the 21^st century. Or the 17^th century 18^th century 19^th  or 20^th as those "enlightened" people have claimed throughout the generations. Their descendants have disappeared. Their "adjustments" led to obliteration as our ancient book said it would. Don't detract. Don't play God.

 

The other side of that coin is probably just as significant. Don't add to the Torah. We are permitted and even obligated to make fences around the Torah. We have Rabbinic commandments and decrees that have kept our people and our faith holy and the Torah teaches us to abide by them. Yet, we must never present them as Torah commandments. We need to know the difference between chumras- stringencies, adaptions that we implement to strengthen our Torah laws and experiences and what is the word of Hashem and the Torah. We have lost many who were taught that these were equal. Once they have fallen in a side stringency that became too challenging for them, they threw out the rest as well. This goes back to Chava in the Garden of Eden who told the snake that she wasn't allowed to touch the tree when in fact that was just an added "fence" around that tree. The prohibition was only to eat. But the baby got thrown out with the holy bathwater.

 

There are some that would apply what I'm saying to going to minyan or other rabbinic customs in times of Corona where the primary obligation is to guard one's life. I'm not saying that or referring to that, although we did have a Kinnot-less Tisha B'Av morning service this morning. But that's because I needed to watch my holocaust movie…Sorry, about that-it just came out of my computer. But I think you do understand what I'm talking about. We've lost too many precious souls from the sin of lo sosif- adding on to "Torah Laws" without the appreciation of the worlds and levels of difference, just as we have from the lo sigri'u. the detractors of the Torah. Lesson and mitzva? Don't play Hashem. Just love Him and appreciate His holy words and holy ways are perfect the way they are. They are what gives us life. There is no need to second-guess them.

 

Which of course brings us to the Ten Commandments. There are so many mitzvos. Yet these ten contain them all. They are our obligations between us and Hashem and our fellow man. 5 and 5. They are equal. One can't be a holy Jew if he only focuses his life on one side of those tablets. You can be the kindest most generous, most honest, and most moral person in the world, but if you ignore the mitzva of Shabbos, the mitzva of having Hashem and his mitzvos, his holidays, his awe and honor guiding us than you're not doing what you're supposed to. Don't think you are. You're wrong. You're not Hashem and you didn't give only 5 commandments on 5 tablets. There are 10. At the same time one can be holy, and learn all day, and fear God and study Torah, but if one doesn't have respect for their friends. If we don't love every Jew and see them as a child of Hashem. If we are dishonest, if we speak gossip, if we look down on others. If we think we are holier than thou because we keep the first five commandments really really well. Then once again we are playing God. We are thinking that His ways are ours. That the second set of tablets were just written because Hashem wanted to be politically correct. He wasn't and isn't. In fact He hates politics.

 

The Parsha then gets to that Shema and it continues with that mitzva to love Hashem and His love for us for the rest of the parsha. Tisha B'av is that day when we experience the worst horrors. We relive 3 millennia of all that our nation has endured and yet we are recognizing that it all comes from our sins. It is all Hashem's plan. He loves us and our only wish is to have Him return to us. Is that crazy? After all Hashem has done to us… After all we have suffered? It would be crazy, if not for the fact that this has been going on for so long and we yet we still keep coming back to that same place. Shimcha lo shachahcnu- we haven't forgotten Your Name. We come to Hashem with broken wings, downtrodden, hurt and bruised because we know that He is with us in our pain. He shares it and he loves us more than we can imagine. We feel that so we keep coming back and reciting that Shema. We don't understand Him. But we have total faith in Him. We know He is the truth. And that He loves us.

 

The parsha ends off with Hashem telling us what is perhaps what has kept us going.

Devarim (7:7-9) It is not because you are the most numerous of peoples that Hashem set His heart on you and chose you—indeed, you are the smallest of peoples;

but it was because Hashem loved you and kept the oath He made to your fathers that Hashem freed you with a mighty hand and rescued you from the house of bondage, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.  Know, therefore, that only Hashem your God is God, the steadfast God who keeps His covenant faithfully to the thousandth generation of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

 

Reb Shloimeleh of Zvhill writes that Moshe was the most humble of all men, despite the fact that he was the greatest of all men and who even went up to heaven and spoke to Hashem "face to face" in order to bring us down His Torah. For it was precisely because he went up to shamayim and he saw and experienced how much love Hashem has for every Jew, how precious each one is before him, how important every single one of us is before Him that therefore humbled him before every Jew he met. For he understood how great they all were. How loved we all are. It was his honor and privilege to be standing before and to be called to serve such an incredible and loved people.

 

We are still awaiting that geulah. We know it must be close. But we do not want the redemption because of how difficult things are. After all we read on Tisha B'Av we know that there were worse times than the blessed lives we are living, despite our facemasks, and the rising hatred we are experiencing. We want the redemption, because we want a world that knows Hashem as we do. That knows the love that He has for all mankind. We want His palace back where it belongs. We want all Jews to feel that special love and the special privilege they have of being His nation on this world. We want the entire world to throw away their false gods, their hypocritical and violent ideologies. We want leaders, we want Mashiach. We want a world finally fixed. Rosh Hashana is not far away. May His kingship finally reign on the world forever and the shofar that we will blow will coronate the King that we do not need to understand; Hashem that we love.

Have a comforting Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

 " Kainer vaist nit vemes morgen es vet zein.."- No one knows what the morrow will bring.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

38) A special tax imposed on Jews under the rule of Islam:

A.  Jizya

B.  Tabu

C.. Dhimmi

 D. Jiftlik

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

  https://youtu.be/lojbNaK7pkc  - Tisha B'Av 2020 by the Kotel like you've never seen it before.

 https://youtu.be/um5o5RkUETE – Yaakov Shwekey heartwrenching Shema Yisrael in memory of Jewish children perished in holocaust

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dptj7zzIig   - Shabbos Nachamu needs to have Reb Shlomo's Nachamu everyone has to know all the words of his speech…Yeshaya Hanavi- the holy prophet Isaiah….

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLNecwP94KA- And of course the classic Tzlil V'Zemer nachamu version with young Shloimie Dachs Moishe Mendlowitz

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZP6ZN_rlKc4- And Shlomo Yehudah Rechnitzes Nachamu with Moishie Mendlowitz

 RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/MITZVA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

 Parshat Devarim – Lo siechanem–Do not show favor to "them"–As Moshe command the nation to conquer the land of Israel and to destroy the 7 nations that have been "babysitting" our land until we come back, he tells us Hashem's command to wipe them out. All of them. We should not strike peace treaties as they will come back to haunt us- and they did. They always do… And we should not show them any favor. The Talmud in Tractate Avoda Zara (20.) derives three specific laws from this vague mitzva. The first is that we are prohibited to allow them to own land in Israel. 2) we shouldn't show them "favor" 3) we shouldn't give them presents for free. I'll elaborate on each one of them.

 But before we do so, I'm sure many of you are thinking well this is only the 7 nations and the times of Yehoshua when we conquered the land. But that's not the case. The Rambam, Chinuch and Tosafos all understand that this prohibition of lo sichaneim is upon all idolatrous nations. And yes Christianity is considered idolatry. The first principle though of selling and possibly even renting land to non-Jews in Israel though is applicable to all non-Jews even non-idolaters as that falls under the category of us being prohibited to let others settle in our land. We are never occupiers of this land promised to us by God. We are just taking what is our Divine heritage, allowing others to dwell there is denying the authenticity of our claim. As well that prohibition, the Torah tells us is for fear that we may come to learn from our neighbor's ways. That logic applies to any non-Jew that does not observe the Torah.

 The prohibition to give or sell gentiles land in Israel plays out in modern times in a few spheres. The first is of course in any peace agreement or land swap the government makes is it prohibited? Chacham Ovadia Yosef ruled that if military experts feel that this would save lives then it would be permitted as any mitzva is violated for pikuach nefesh. As well, since many of the Arabs already own land we are not giving them new land.

 As well this issue became and still is one of the central issues in regards to the question of "selling land" to the non-Jews for the Shemitta year in order to be able to use the fruits that grow here during that year without the sanctity of shemitta. In the words of the Netziv, those that do so and permit it are violating a Torah prohibition of lo sichaneim, in order to prevent the rabbinic commandment of eating Shemitta (at a time when the majority of Jews don't live in Israel, it is only a Rabbinic prohibition.) The Rabbis that permit it base their leniency on the fact that it is only a temporary sale. It is for the purpose of us settling the land. It is a matter of pikuach nefesh. Whether those leniencies still apply is certainly a major discussion today as well.

 The other prohibitions of lo sichaneim in regards to giving them presents. Once again this for fear of us becoming too close to idolaters and learning their ways. However, this law seems to be more lenient as the prohibition to give them presents is only when I'm not getting something out of it. So to give raises or bonuses or presents to your employees, or your children's teachers or your postman- do they even have those anymore- would be fine because when is receiving the benefit of good relations and the hope that they will be grateful and provide better service in turn. As well we are told that it is permitted to do so whenever there is a question that the non-Jew will hate you if you don't, as it is an accepted custom, or even mipney darkey shalom- just to increase peace would be permitted. So you can bring some Pizzas over to our men in blue to show your support no problem. The prohibition is really if we are trying to butter up and flatter them in order to develop a close relationship with them because of a sense of admiration for them. That is where it is problematic. Biblically.

 Finally, we have the prohibition of praising non-Jews. Again this is prohibition is based on the idea that by praising someone we are connecting to them and putting them on a pedestal. This is a dangerous thing. So to say what a great ball player they are, or what a brilliant scientist they are, or how beautiful they are would seem to be a problem. That's not to say they aren't all of the above. It's just something we should not be emphasizing as something worthy of praise and admiration. That being said the authorities all note that if one remembers Hashem in that praise then there would not be a problem. So for example to say that Michael Jordan is an awesome athlete is a biblical prohibition. But to say Hashem is amazing for creating Michael Jordan and giving him such superhuman skills to throw a ball in a basket from very far away, would be fine. As well noting that Leonardo Da Vinci, or Picasso or Beethoven are incredible artists would be a problem But to recognize the depth of wisdom of Hashem in the works that they produced that were granted to them from His inspiration would be praiseworthy. Interestingly enough we find that there are various gentiles praised in the Talmud by our sages. There are some that see in that it is to teach us lessons from them. Rav Moshe Shternbuch learns up that the prohibition in fact may only be upon Non-Jew one knows personally for the specific purpose of buddying up to them. Which would then pretty much permit much of the praise.

 Perhaps one of the greatest tragedies is that more often than not we are much quicker to find praise and beauty in our gentile neighbors than in one another. This is certainly one of the messages we need to do. It is a good exercise as well for us. If one sees something they feel is magnificent in a gentile. Try to find a fellow Jew to praise at the same time. That will certainly be a tikkun for our people.

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

 The Amalek debacle-878 BC –Shaul was king for just two years. In that shor time the Navi tells us he won wars against most of Israel's enemies. Ammon (Jordan). Edom (The Negev area), Tzova (Syria) and the Philistines (Gaza and the Southern coastline). If you think about these wars all in 2 years it's mind boggling. It's like our war of independence all over again. However unlike in 1948 where we won by the skin of our teeth and with great losses, Shaul Hamelech and that Jewish army shmoddered every one. It was now time for the final battle, against our first archenemy and Hashem's nemesis; Amalek.

 The obligation of a King of Israel is of course to establish his kingdom, to defend us from all our enemies and to set up a government and justice system. He then has two more obligations. The first is to wipe out Amalek, the second to build the Temple. The time for Shaul had arrived to take care of task A. Now Amalek is a nation that attacked us first as we left Egypt. They had no skin in our game. They were there because they wanted to battle against God. They saw in the revelation of the great miracles of our Exodus a threat to their lifestyle. It was the revealed hand of Hashem and that would "inflict a conscience upon the world. They attacked us again before we entered Israel. They are in an eternal battle with Hashem and more than any nation Hashem has ordered us to wipe them and any memory of them off the face of the world without any mercy. Shmuel gives the order and Shaul sets out to battle with his army of 210,000 men Things are looking good. Until they don’t.

 Amalek it seems is in the South Negev part of Israel more likely in the Sinai desert region in a place called Quesima. There Shaul wiped out Amalek, killing all the men women and children and destroying anything they possessed. Except… And that's where the problem starts. Except for the sheep and cattle which the people wanted to sacrifice to Hashem. As well he left Agag, the King alive. It is not clear what his rationale was. The verse says it was out of mercy for him. Which would seem strange if he killed all the other men women and children. Others suggest perhaps he wanted him to convert and be a bigger Kiddush Hashem and perhaps there were other Amalekites he allowed to live. Regardless it was huuuugge mistake. It seems Agag in the interim got a women pregnant and a few centuries later we have a guy named Haman running around plotting to annihilate us.

 Hashem appears to Shmuel and snitches on Shaul and pretty much says he's done with him. Shmuel meets Shaul at Mt. Carmel where Shaul seems to just not get it. First denying any wrong doing then blaming it on the people. Shmuel tells him his kingdom is done for. Shaul pleas and in the process a tunic gets ripped (either Shmuel or Shaul's depending on the commentary). This is a sign, Shmuel tells him, that the kingdom will be ripped from him and given to someone far better. Can you guess who?

 Shmuel then yanks out a knife and asks to see Agag. The Agag sees Shmuel and welcomes him as the angel of death. Shmuel whips out his sword and in a classic Samuri move gintzu knifes the guy into two. Wopp… End of Agag. Shmuel goes home in a disappointment and never talks to Shaul again. Shaul as well returns and from hereon it is downhill for this first king of Israel.

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S JOKES  OF THE WEEK

No Jokes today… It's the day after Tisha B'Av… really… shame on you for even looking…

Next week I'll give you double OK…?

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Answer is A–  Got this one right too… I spent a lot of time learning the important arab phrases for my exam. They always ask them. It's amazing how many of them I remembered. So Dhimmi is the second class status that all non-Muslims hold. Jews were dhimmis. Tabu is the registry for homes and the laws governing them. I have no idea nor do I even remember the term jitklit or whatever its called and couldn’t even find it on a google. But The correct answer which I actually remembered is jizzya or something like that. So another one right! The score is Schwartz 27 and 11 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam. I'm still passing but really not doing great on this exam.

To Be or not to Beedud- Parshat Devarim / Chazon 2020/ 5780

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

July 24^th 2020 -Volume 10 Issue 39 3^rd Av 5780

Parshat Devarim / Chazon

To Be or not to Beedud?

It was bound to happen one of these days. I had prepared myself mentally for this moment. The past two weeks or so I had anyways been pretty much doing my own thing. Catching up on some of my writing, updating my website ( www.ourholylandtours.com ), working on my next book ("The Most Enjoyable Book You'll Ever Read about the High Holidays") and getting in more learning gemara then I've done in years. {I've learned and chazered Brachos 5 times already and working on 6 with the Amud Yomi "Oryasa program- learn an amud and review previous day's amud and each weekend review the 2 1/2 pgs and every month get tested on 10 pgs-check it out it's awesome ( www.oraysa.org ). We're in middle of Mesechet Shabbos now.} Once in a while I would talk to my wife and kids, but usually it was just to tell them to bring me something to eat or to keep the noise down. So I've been pretty much in isolation mode already. Yet, I thought since I've become more of a hermit and avoid the outdoors, that I would avoid officially being put into "bidud"- or isolation. But I didn't count on my son 10-year-old son Tully picking it up in school and giving it to me.

I was on fence in the first place about sending him back to school. I was skeptical about these always changing policies from the Ministry of Health. I had a bad feeling about these "Capsulot"- those little small sanitized groups that are supposed to magically protect kids. I think they were just instituted because Tylenol capsules for the headaches the parents were getting from their kids being at home all day were getting too expensive. Although I think what everyone really wants is to just put this year in a time capsule and bury it. But after the token few first days after school started that we kept our kids home to prove that we were really good parents and we cared more about our children than those other irresponsible parents that sent their kids to school right away, we sent them back…because we really didn't care that much… And then we got the phone call. I shoulda known it was coming.

It seems that one of the teachers in school- who had absented himself for three days as soon as he started feeling under the weather, had tested positive, and thus there goes the last two weeks of school. All children were told that they should be put into isolation for 2 weeks. Being that they were kids though, they needed one parent to be with them; Me.

Now it was obvious that role fell on the father of the family. As much as Tully would've loved for it to be his mother, after-all he is her favorite child. Elka is mine. Much like our forefathers, we Schwartzes feel it is healthy to have children competing for our affection, although in my case they kind of all try to push that "Daddy's favorite" title on the other kids. But my wife was obviously not able to be locked up in the "mother-in-law" tzimmer suite attached to our house for two weeks. (Don't get the wrong impression, my Mother-in-Law would sooner camp out in a tent on the beach then spend a night there, it seems). Besides obviously cooking, cleaning, laundry and all the household activities my wife would need to do, she is also the sole-income earner for our family with her clothing business during these "Shemitta year" days for tour guides. Yes, she's my "Sugar Mommy" and I'm her kept husband, although this thing better end soon and tourists better start coming because I don't know how much longer she will keep me like this. So it fell upon me to enter into "bidud" with my son.

Now frankly this whole thing didn't make much sense. See, if Tully was infected then seemingly the entire family should be in bidud, as we all had contact with him. If he hasn't been infected, then why are we going in the first place. But as our sages tell us. Im chok hi nikableinu- if it is a decree then we will accept it. But before we were going in we had to prepare and make sure we had the basic staples for survival. So I made my shopping list. Beer-Check, Ice Cream- Check, Sunflower seeds- Check, frozen pizza- check, cocoa pebbles- check, Doritos, Bbq chips, rugelach-check check check and that was just for Tully… Just joking. Of course, laptop had to come, I didn't forget about you guys. Sefarim, some books I've put off reading for about ten years, a puzzle to spend quality time with Tully doing in case he got bored of his Gameboy and computer games he was going to be playing all day and night on my old phone. That's really the only thing he packed. I didn't think I would need to break the seal on the puzzle, I saved the receipt. Oh and of course some fruits and vegetables in case my mother asks what we were surviving on in there. We were good to go.

So we had everything ready. We said our tearful goodbyes to the family and then the phone rang. We were free. It seems the ever-changing rules and powers that be decided that only the children in the class of the teacher needed to go in bidud or those that had come in close contact. Since he wasn't my son's teacher, we were off the hook. Back to civilization. But first my wife made me go back to the supermarket before dinner. We were having quiche for supper with salad. The "garbage" had to be returned to the store. I tried suggesting maybe we should do a practice bidud, just to be prepared for the real thing, or at least hold on to the emergency supplies. One should always be ready. But she wasn't buying it. Literally. Ah well… at least we have our health…and healthy food.

But is bidud a bad thing? It's an interesting question that possesses contradicting messages. This week, if Mashiach doesn't come, we will read the Book of Eicha once again. The lamentations of Yirmiyahu Hanavi upon the destruction of the Temple begin with the rhetorical question.

Eicha yashva badad- How is it sitting in isolation

Ha'ir rabasi am- the city that once had a multitude of the nation

Haysa k'almana—has become like a widow.

There are many terrible things about the mass holocaust that took place upon the destruction of temple. The millions that were killed, the loss of our mikdash, Hashem's dwelling place on this world, the shattering of the dream that our entire nation was created to accomplish. Yet, the opening words that seems to encapsulate it all, is the loneliness experienced of our city bereft of its nation. I don't know if one would describe the Holocaust, that the previous generations of my grandparents as all coming down to that one word. Loneliness. Alone. Isolation.

It is not the only time this week we will note this emotion as well. In this week parsha we find the Moshe utilizing the word Eicha, but as our sages tell us this in a positive way.

 Devarim (1:8-14) See, I have set the land before you; come and possess the land which the Lord swore to your forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and Yaakov, to give them and their descendants after them. And I said to you at that time, saying, 'I cannot carry you alone. Hashem, your God, has multiplied you, and behold, you are today as the stars of the heavens in abundance. May the Hashem the God of your forefathers add to you a thousand-fold as many as you are, and may He bless you, as He spoke concerning you!

It's a good thing. We are so many. We are rabasi am- a nation of multitudes. As the Midrash suggests this is like a father who is blessed with so many children, so much wealth, so much good that he can't even take care of it all by himself anymore. And it is in that vein that Moshe continues and says.

Eicha esa levadi torcheychem umasaeichem-How can I bear your trouble, your burden, and your strife all by myself.

It is not just the similarity of the word Eicha though that jumps out at me (and our sages), it is the levadi. It is the aloneness. We read these words with the tune of Tisha B'Av on Shabbos despite it being good tidings, perhaps because of that sense of loneliness that Moshe felt in his leadership of the Jewish people. The Meor V'Shemesh notes that Moshe was saying that the reason he felt alone in his rule was because of their fighting, because of their arguing. Has they been united his leadership would've been merely a revelation of Hashem's will and Torah. There would be no sense of loneliness.

 The Ben Ish Chai takes this a step further. He notes that earlier on in Bamidbar when the people were complaining about food (again!- somethings never change), Moshe as well notes that he is all alone and can't do the job.

Bamidbar (11:11-14) Moshe said to the Hashem, "Why have You treated Your servant so badly? Why have I not found favor in Your eyes that You place the burden of this entire people upon me? Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that You say to me, 'Carry them in your bosom

Cha'asher Yisa Ha'Omen Es ha'yonek- as the nurse carries the nursing baby' to the Land You promised their forefathers? Where can I get meat to give all these people? For they are crying on me, saying, 'Give us meat to eat.-

Levadi- Alone I cannot carry this entire people for it is too hard for me.

  

The first letters of the words underlined and bolded above- as the nurse carries the nursing baby are the same letters that spell EICHA. A mother always has enough milk for her children and can always provide for them. Had the Jewish people recognized that Hashem provides them all and we are His children, Moshe would be like the nurse that brings that milk to the children. But he can't. And thus he feels alone. Thus he feels it’s a burden. A big 3-million-kvetchy-Jews-in-the-wilderness burden.

  

Yet alternatively, we find that the idea of being alone is also one that is considered to be bracha for our people. Bila'am in his "blessing" to Klal Yisrael notes that we are

  

Bamidbar (23:9) hen am levadad yishkon, u'bagoyim lo yischashav- Behold! a nation that lives alone and we will not be counted amongst the nations.

  

Isolated from others. Alone in the world. And yet, the Ha'amek Daver notes that this is a blessing. All other "nationals" assimilate, they become part of the fabric of the country they move to. They become American. The Jewish people's blessing will be that we will remain separate, alone and different. It is only then when we will have their respect. When they will look up to us. However, when we become "part of the nations" then we will not be counted. Then they will no longer respect us. Then they will hate us. Yet if we maintain our unique role, our separate lifestyle. If we live a life of "bidud" amongst them, then we will find that unlike any other nation we will garner their respect, their emulation and they will look to us to be their light.

So it would seem being isolated, at least on a national level is a good thing. As well in the song of Haazinu, Moshe tells us

Devarim (32:12) Hashem Badad Yanchenu- -Hashem, alone guided us.

Vein imo el naychar- and there was no foreign God with him.

And once again in the last two verses of the blessing of Moshe of V'Zos Ha'Brach at the end of the Torah Moshe blesses us

Devarim (33:28) Vayishkon Yisrael Betach Badad, ein Yaakov- And Israel will live securely, alone in the likeness of Yaakov.

And yet we begin our mourning each year with the lamentation of the feeling of loneliness in recalling the destruction of the Beit Hamikdash. The Talmud in Sanhedrin notes these two perspectives and connects them

Sanhedrin (104.) “Eicha yashva badad- How, does the city sit alone,” Rava says that Rabbi Yoḥanan says that Hakadosh Baruch Hu, said: I said: “And Israel will live securely, alone in the likeness of Yaakov". Now, (that they have rejected me) their dwelling shall be alone (in mourning).

Perhaps one of the most visible aspect of mourning is the sense of alone-ness. A person loses a part of themselves when they lose someone close to them and feels all alone without them. Our sages instituted the customs of shiva and the mitzva of consoling one who is mourning by telling them they are not alone. Hamakom yinachem eschem. Hashem will console. He is the place. We are all connected with our eternal spirit that lives on even after death. He is the place of the world. If someone doesn’t have that appreciation, that knowledge than they can't be comforted. They remain mourning. Hashem revealed this to us when He comes to comfort Yitzchak after the death of his father Avraham and when He consoles Yaakov after the death of Yitzchak. We may feel alone, but we are alone with Him. And being alone with Hashem is the greatest blessing one can have.

By chasidim, there is nothing more treasured then "alone time" with their Rebbi; they call it "yechidus". When I say chasidim, I mean yeshiva guys with their Rosh Yeshivas and gedolim as well. They've even outdone the other chasidim by now in this area. A husband and wife need alone time. Good parents have "date nights" with their children. It's just me and you. Each one of us need some alone time with ourselves. Chasidim call it hisbodedus. My Rebbeim called it tefilla-prayer. Looking within oneself and talking to Hashem about what's really important. My connection to my ancestors, the gifts Hashem has given me and that I appreciate, my desires, my goals. It's our alone time 3 times a day. It's our bidud.

Perhaps the most moving description of bidud or alone time the Ben Yehoyada suggests is when a mother nurses her child. The place where she nurses from is call her "dahd" in Hebrew {not Dad}. Unlike most of the animal kingdom that the place where they nurse from is near the bottom of their body where their waste comes out of, by humans it's by our heart; our "lev". Hashem designed us this way in His divine wisdom to show us how precious and different we are in that regard. Nursing, the alone time is not just a physical act. It is something that brings closeness. It is when we are alone with our maker. And we are right by her beating heart.

When Moshe blesses us that we should be levetach levadad yishkon- secure and alone we dwell, the word levadad can be a read as a conjunction of two words lev-dahd. We will dwell and feel secure because we are nursing from the heart of Hashem. When one is levad, as Moshe said he was, he was missing that last daled. He was not able to bring them badad.

This year many have spent time in literal bidud; alone in a room locked up. But all of us regardless have spent time doing hisbodedus, solitary introspection. Eicha Yashva Badad? How is it that Hashem has put us all into this matzav of bidud. Perhaps it is that our ir should once again be rabasi am? That this is the way that our holy city will once again be full of boys and girls playing, old men and women sitting, and brides and grooms dancing. I'll buy the food for the party. Let's be an am badad-together.

Have an uplifting together Shabbos and may we celebrate for the first time in 2000 years Tisha B'Av this year,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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IT IS FINALLY HERE!

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

" Aleyn iz di neshome reyn."- Alone is the soul pure.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

37) The last King of Judah was:

A.  Ahaziah (Ahazyahu)

B.  Josiah (Yoshiyahu)

C.  Zedekiah (Tzidkiyahu)

D.  Jeconiah (Jehoiachin)

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

A Rabbi Schwartz New song for 9 Days Acapella!!

https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/al-eileh-acapella - My three week's composition for the month of Av, Al Eileh an Ephraim Schwartz classic Acapella- the amazing arrangements and Vocals!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0S6ZvH38w8– a beautiful heartrending Keli Tzion from Tisha B'Av to new tune

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHHDWDy25mo   - We will sing again- Uri Davidi Acapella- nice words and tune

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU8JV27kN6I– Acapella mashup Leiner, Shmuly Ungar, 613 and Pumbedisa- Eliyahu Hanavi and Kol Hakavod and Baruch Hashem!

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/MITZVA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Devarim – Lo saikiru &Lo saguru –Judge Criterion–The prophet Yirmiyahu laments the temple and attributes its destruction to the miscarriage of justices. Judges that were not carrying out the law they way it was meant to. There were bribes, they were intimidated. In fact the Talmud tells us that already before the desctruction of the Temple the Sanhedrin stopped carrying out the Death penalty (they relocated from the Temple Mount in order not to be obligated to do so) as there were too many murderers. It is no wonder then that the first mitzva that Moshe gives our nation in his final speech of the Book of Devarim before we enter the land, is to caution us on having judges that are worthy and that they should not be intimidated in their rulings.

Moshe tells us that we should not show favor in justice, small and large they should listen to and they should not be afraid of any man for the justice is Hashem's. The chinuch explains these as two separate commandments the first is that upon appointing judges we should not show favor to anyone. All of our judges need to be above reproach. And they have to be people that have the backbone and spiritual wherewithal to stand up to pressure in this most important role that they are selected for.

So what are the qualifications to be a judge? The Chinuch quoting from the verses and the Talmud lists them

1)  He must study the wisdom of the Torah and the explanation of its straight and righteous statutes. And even if there are several good characteristics to him, since he is not knowledgeable and an expert in the wisdom of the Torah, it is not fit to appoint him judge.

2) He must he be someone of [good] character traits and a proper man. He can't be someone that people will point there finger at and say "judge yourself first".

3) They need to be someone that the spirit of men derive pleasure from them. People like them and find being in their presence to be one that is enjoyable.

4) They are valiant about the commandments, exacting upon themselves and suppress their [evil] inclinations to the point that they do not have any disgrace and any ugliness, and their teaching is beautiful,

5) They have a brave heart to save the oppressed from the oppressor,

6) just like our teacher Moshe, was humble, so too must every judge be humble;

As well he writes the factors that should not be considered in appointing judges and that one is in violation of the commandment if they appoint non-worthy judges based on their wealth or even their good character traits or from his love for him or on account of the honor of his relatives

The Rambam writes admirable traits for a judge to have is that he have knowledge of sciences, worldly matters, languages so they can hear testimony direct without an interpreter, They should have clean reputations and even preferable a distinguished lineage and should be people without physical blemishes but rather of a tall imposing nature. See, the judges represent Hashem's judgement on this world and thus they way they are perceived should be one that reflects the Divine mission they represent.

The judges as well are cautioned as a result of that to be careful never to back down in judgement, even for fear of death. As well they cannot show favor to the underprivileged unlawfully. The law is the law. And black lives might matter, but that doesn't justify breaking of the law that they are charged to enforce regardless of skin color, religious background or financial status. Doing so jeporadizes the whole system. It is not their own moral code. Rather Moshe says "the justice is Hashem's domain". We are told that Tzion Ba'Mishpat tifdeh- Zion will be redeemed with justice. May the establishment of worthy judges bring that final redemption.

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

Yonasan &The Battle of Michmash Shaul's 2^nd war Part II-878 BC –We left off last week with the Jews winning the first battle against the Plishtim. Thanks to Yonasan and his armour bearer surprise attacking them with a pre-emptive blow and setting them into turmoil. Shaul marshalled his men and made them take a vow that they wouldn't eat anything until the Philistines were fully trounced as he was trying to maximize the momentum they had. Yonasan, who didn't know about this vow tasted some honey and when told about Shaul's vow exclaimed that people needed food to have energy to fight. And the battle continued until the Ayalon Valley. This is right outside of Latrun and the same place where Yehoshua's famous sun-stopping battle took place when we first came into the land. It was there that things started to go wrong.

The people were famished and they all started slaughtering the sheep they had from their booty. The navi tells us they ate "with blood". The commentaries suggest different sins. Some suggest they violated the prohibition of slaughtering mother cattle with their young. Others that they did not wait for the meat to drain of its blood. Alternatively the meat was meant to be a peace offering where they can eat the meat only after the blood is sprinkled on the altar. Shaul called the people together and showed them how to properly slaughter and he built his first mizbayach to Hashem here.

Having eaten the next stage was to plan for the morrows battle and Shaul gathered the people and told them that they should entirely annihilate their enemy the next day. The Kohen Gadol Achiyah however noted that it was appropriate that Shaul should consult Hashem via the Urim Vitumim breastplace to divine if this was Hashem's will or not. It seems that Shaul really should've done this before starting this whole thing. But that seems to be Shaul's flaw is that he is great at doing almost a perfect job and always seems to miss out on one detail. They ask Hashem and whadaya know? Nobody's home. There's no answer.

Shaul realizing there is a sin at hand lines everyone up and the leaders of each tribe are sent before the Urim V'Tumim to find out in which tribe the sin lies. As well he makes the hasty statement that whoever sinned shall die. When it lights up by Binyamin Shaul understands that it was either him or Yonasan so they take a lottery and it Yonasan is chosen. Ouch! It turns out that honey he ate was in violation of the vow and now Shaul is ready to put him to death for it. He can't show favoritism and Yonasan who had plenty of excuses and justifications didn't take the easy road out. After-all he didn't hear the vow. He wasn't part of it. He was starving. The vow in itself was an inappropriate one. But Yonasan felt that if it was the will of Hashem he would accept his fate. The tension mounted. What happens next?

OK I won't keep you waiting till next week. The people jump before Yonasan and refuse to allow Shaul to kill him. Yonasan is the hero that saved them all. Shaul must release him. He was not culpable. And they were right. Yonasan was released and saved. Shaul however realizing that they would not have success in battle turned around and headed home and the Plishtim returned to Gaza to live to fight another day.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S ALONE JOKES  OF THE WEEK

John, Yankel and Ahmed are convicted of a very serious crime, and they're all sentenced to twenty years in solitary confinement. They're each allowed one thing to bring into the cell with them.  John asks for a big stack of books. Yankel asks for his wife. And Ahmed asks for two hundred cartons of cigarettes.
At the end of the twenty years, they open up the John's cell. He comes out and says, "I studied so hard. I'm so bright now, I could be a lawyer. It was terrific."
They open up the Yankel's door. He comes out with his wife, and they've got ten new kids. He says. "It was the greatest thing of my life. My wife and I have never been so close. I have a beautiful new family. I love it."
They open up the Ahmed's door, and he's slapping at his pockets, saying "Anybody got a match?"

I’m stuck in quarantine all alone with a deck of cards. I guess you could say I’m in solitaire confinement.

Adam was lonely, so God made an offer. "I'll tell you what, Adam. I'm going to make you a mate. She'll help you tend to the garden, feed and name the animals, rub your feet and back, and just be the perfect companion for you."
"What's that going to cost me, God?"
"An Arm and a leg".
What can I get for a rib?

I WAS feeling lonely, until I glued my coffee cup onto my car, now, everyone waves at me..

Is it lonely in here? or is it just me?

The semicolon was invented because the colon was lonely...It just wanted a little comma-raderie.- Oyyy… that’s too bad even for me….

When my wife left me I was upset, lonely, and sad. So I got a dog, bought a new motorcycle, went out and partied and blew a grand on a new large TV screen and sound system…Boy, is she gonna be mad when she gets home from work.

What do you call a lonely Chinese person? LoneLee

Why was the roof lonely? It was shingle.

How do you know archeologists are lonely? They're always coming up with new dating techniques.

Seven reasons why God Created Eve and didn't leave Adam alone.
1. God was worried that Adam, being alone, would regularly get lost in the garden of Eden because he refused to ask for directions
2. God knew right from the start that Adam would eventually need someone to find his keys and then hand it to him
3. God knew that Adam didn’t have any idea how to choose the latest style of fig leaf when his old one wore out. He would therefore need someone to choose one for him
4. God knew that Adam would never be able to make an appointment with a doctor, dentist or hairdresser all by himself
5. God knew that Adam was having difficulty in remembering which days he needed to put the recyclable rubbish in the ‘green’ bin
6. God knew that if the world was to be populated, Adam would never be able to handle the pain and discomfort of childbearing
7. When God finished creating Adam, he stepped back, scratched his head, and said, "I can do better than that."

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Answer is C–  Fairly easy question, particularly the week of the Churban when we should be learning the story of the destruction of our Temple. The last king was of course Tzikiyahu who was the uncle of Yehyochin who was exiled with the elite of Bnai Yisrael about 11 years before the churban. Tzidkiyahu flees the city through tunnels that lead out to Yericho where he is captured and his children are killed before him, his eyes were poked out and he is taken back to Bavel where he dies in prison. The score is Schwartz 26 and 11 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam. I'm still passing but really not doing great on this exam.