Insights and Inspiration
from
the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend
in Karmiel"
August 20th 2021
-Volume 11 Issue 45 12th Elul
Parshat Ki Teitzei
A Consequential Life
"You brought
this upon yourself" she told me. She's told me that a lot over my lifetime. She's right. My
mother usually is. Not that it really ever changed the way I did things…usually
for the worse. But she can't help but say it. It's what mothers are there for.
It's why Hashem gave us them- at least until we get married. But even after
we're married He knew we still needed our mothers. He told Adam that "a
man should leave his father and his mother and cleave to his wife when he gets
married" But He never said anything about mother's leaving their sons.
He probably knew that would never happen…
In this particular
case, it was of course about me needing to have the stomach surgery I just
underwent (which thank god has really been amazing- thanks to all of those of
you that have checked in on me with Whatsapps and messages- lost almost 20
pounds in just this past week and half and not even hungry at all…-feels like
more of a brain surgery than a stomach surgery). She was right. I did eat a lot
and enjoyed eating and really had very little restraint. I just kept thinking
about those poor starving children in Ethiopia that I was eating for- that she
told me about. Funny how that is that some of the things she tells me I do
listen to…
But yes, she's right our actions have
consequences. It's pretty much the most fundamental principle of Judaism and
certainly of this month of Elul when we are meant to reflect upon our actions
of the past year and really our entire lives. What we do matters. The decisions
we make and actions that we take have eternal ramifications. They have the
power to impact the entire world and the heavenly spheres. They can bring rain,
they can bring peace, they can bring healing, they can stop and start pandemics
and wars. Lives count and Jewish lives and the power that each yid has matter
even more.
This week's
Parsha that is always read before Rosh Hashana this month is aptly called Ki
Teitzei- when you go out. It begins with the mitzva of Ki Teitzei
La'Milchama- when you will go out to war with your enemies. There it tells
us that if someone in the heat of battle finds a woman that he feels the
incontrollable urge that he has to take for himself, then there is a process
that she and he has to undergo in order to permit her to him. It's not
something the Torah seems to advise and feel it's a good thing. Quite the
opposite, it is a concession, as Rashi tells us, to his yetzer hara. Yet
the consequences, Rashi notes, follow in the forthcoming narratives where it
tells us the laws of one who has awife he will not desire, a child that will
become wayward and even the laws of capital punishment in which the executed is
hung afterwards. You did this to yourself… our Father is telling us.
But it is even
more than that. For as we have noted many times in the past the title of the
Parsha contains in it the essence of the entire theme of the Parsha. It's not
just the convenient first word or two as we have seen many time in our studies.
It's everything the Parsha is about. You just have to dig a little deeper to
reveal the incredible wisdom of the millennia of Jewish custom to call the
Parsha by those names. In this week's particular Parsha we find that among the
multitude of the mitzvos it contains- 74 to be precise, the most of any other
Parsha and 12% of all of the 613 that we are commanded - all begin with the
words "ki" and many of them contain "teitzei "as
well or another verb preceded by the letter "taf" meaning
"you".
Here's just a
small taste but follow it through the entire parsha
Ki- Tihiyena…
shtai nashim- when you will
have... two wives
Ki yihyeh ..ben
sorer u'moreh- when you will
have.. wayward son
Ki yihiye…cheit
mishpat maves- when you will
have a sin of the death penalty
Ki yikarei kan
tzipor- when you will
see a birds nest before you...
Ki tivneh
bayis- when you will
build a house
Ki yikash ish
isha…when a man
will take a woman…and hate her
(at least ten
more mitzvos of relationships between man and woman in this parsha begin this
way)
Ki teitzei
machaneh al oyvecha- when you will
go out and set a camp against your enemies
Ki tidor neder- when you will make a vow
Ki tavo b;Kerem
rayecha- when you will
come to your friend's vineyard
Ki yimatzei ish
gonev nefesh- when you will
find a man who has kidnapped
Ki tasheh
b'rayacha- when you hold
a debt against your friend
Ki tiktzor
ketzircha- when you reap
your harvest
Ki tachbot
zeitecha- when you will
beat your olive trees
Ki yihiyeh riv- when there will be a fight between
men
And on and on
and on. You get the point. Have fun with your family and see if you can name
all the mitzvos above.
The point
though is that this parsha is telling you that when you do something than this
is what will happen. Fascinatingly enough the word "ki"
doesn't only mean when it also means because. As well "teitzei"
doesn't only refer to physically going out. Rather it is also euphemistically
means this is what the result of what you did. Or like Yeshiva guys like to say
this is what "comes out" of your actions. Thus "teitzei"
can mean "because of you"- this results. Actions of have
results. Things don't just happen to us here in this world. We make decisions,
we do things and those things cause other things to happen. There are 74
mitzvos in this Parsha which is the same gematria as the word in Hebrew as DA-
know. This is what you should know…. You did this to yourself.
I saw a great
story this week about Reb Yitzchak Elchonon Spector the Rav of Kovna the early
19th century Halachic genius of his time who served as the leader of
Klal Yisrael. The city of Kovna was known to be a holy city where as a result
of the inspiration of its Rav were known to all be people of high Torah caliber
that learned, studied and were renowned for their piety. Yet there was one Jew-
there's always one Jew- that was different. Avraymeleh left the fold and was
taken in by the wonder and teachings of the enlightenment movement that was
rampant at the time. He took on the non-Jewish dress and adopted the
"refined" and secular teachings and lifestyle of what was perceived
to be the educated and cultured goyim of the intelligentzia of his time. He was
now Anatoly and he was ostracized by the rest of community and frankly it
didn't bother him too much.
Yet one day
there was a knock on his door. He was being called to Reb Yitzchak Elchonon. It
seems that the local government had passed a vicious decree against the Jews as
they were wont to do throughout our history in Galus. Something a lot worse than
having to wear masks when they pray; sorry I just couldn't resist J. The community
needed someone that was familiar with the formalities and that could present
their case with the necessary social graces and sophistication that would
impress them. Being that Avremeleh had been educated and revolved in those
circles, he was the candidate that Reb Yitzchak Elchonon felt was best to
charge with this mission. Anatoly, despite his distance from religious
observance still had a yiddisheh neshoma and accepted the job wholeheartedly
headed right off to speak to the right people and have the decree nullified.
And he was in fact successful.
Upon returning
to the city that was filled with rejoicing, Anatoly turned to Reb Yitzchak
Elchonon and said to him.
"So you
see dear Rabbi, it is good that I became the person I became. For years I had
been scorned by the community, but when push comes to shove it is to me that
they and you turned to utilize the skills I learned and acquired to save our
city. We need Jewish lawyers and doctors and the great American Jewish lobby
and influence. Are a bunch of Kollel Rabbis kvetching the bank (bench) all day
really going to be able to do anything for everyone" (OK, maybe he didn't exactly say
that- but you get the point)
Reb Yitzchak
Elchonon turned to Avremeleh- as he called them and he told him this story to
explain why he had it all wrong. Good Rabbis always have one of those in our
back pockets.
He told him
about the young man who had decided to become a wagon driver- a baal agalah-
as they called Uber drivers a few centuries ago back in the shtetl. Before
embarking on this new occupation he spoke to many seasoned professionals to get
their tips and insights as to the challenges and secrets of how to be
successful in his new career. One old timer that he spoke to though gave him
very strange advice. He told him that if he was ever out there in the bitters
snowy cold in the winter and he felt that his ears were freezing up, then what
he should do is pick up some snow from the ground and rub it on his ears. That
would ease and thaw his ears up. Whatever he does however he should certainly
not put any hot or warm water on his ears as that would be very very dangerous
and could cause permanent damage to himself. It seemed so strange and
counterintuitive that our young wagon driver didn't really pay much attention
to this advice, yet because of its bizarre nature he never forgot it as well.
Vayavo Ha'yom- the day came after a few years when
indeed that advice came in handy. Our driver was out on a snowy winter day and
sure enough he felt his ears ringing and turning cold and blue. Sure enough he
recalled the old timer's advice and picked up some snow and began rubbing it
over his ears. Lo and behold it worked! His ears defrosted with the melting snow
and he came home that night all jubilant, telling his wife about the great
miracles that happened for him. His wife though wasn't too impressed. What's
the great miracle? He got the advice? He was stuck in the snow and he knew what
he was supposed to do? He was always a prudent person that checked out things
beforehand. What was so miraculous. Her husband turned to her and said.
"The
miracle was that this happened in the middle of the winter. Can you imagine if
this had happened to him in July or in August? Where would he have found snow
to put on his ears?!!"
Reb Yitzchak
Elchonon thus turned to Avremehleh and told him. Your convoluted logic is the
same as the Baal Agala's. The only reason why Hashem decreed that this decree
should befall upon our community is because you are the only one here that is
not doing what they're supposed to do. For the rest of us we have the merit of
our Torah study and our Mitzva observance that would stand in our good stead
and protect us from any harm. It is you that brought this upon ourselves. It is
the consequence of those wintery, cold snowy winds that you have brought here
to the community. And thus it is that snow and the reason I chose you to
utilize it to take the burn off your freezing ears!
This month of
Elul is a month of us recognizing Ki Teitzei-all of our actions, deeds
and all that occurred to us this past year had consequences. Yet, at the same
time that same idea empowers us in these days to rectify ourselves. To take the
snow out of our ears. To do teshuva. To become better. To lift ourselves up and
turn to our Father and say we're sorry and we want to come home. We want a
better year. We want a year without pandemic. With tourists. With Simchas. With
good health. With Mashiach. Our words and our heartfelt prayers and repentance
is the only actions we need to do to achieve those totzaot chiyuviyot-
those positive results that we have been waiting to realize. It's the
knowledge- the hoDa'ah that Hashem tells us in the parsha of the 74 mitzvos of
this week. We can bring a new era of u'malah Ha'aretz dei'ah- when the
whole world is full of that knowledge. May we all be successful and have the
strength in our endeavors.
Have a super
successful Shabbos,
Rabbi Ephraim
Schwartz
**************
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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
"
Vayl dos lebl broyt iz kaylekhdik, geyen derfar di katshkes borves.".– Because a loaf of bread is round, therefore the ducks go
barefoot.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
42)
The feast of the prophet Elijah (“el-Khader”) belongs to the following
community:
A)
Druze
B)
Ethiopian
C)
Karaite
D)
Samaritan
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/lulay-heamanti-kavey - OK YOU REALLY
ARE NOT IN THE ELUL SPIRIT UNLESS YOU"VE listened to y MY beautiful
hartzig compostion Lulay He'amanti that we recite each morning in this month
sung and arranged by Dovid Lowy.
https://youtu.be/h5FQvcJeWxQ – Beautiful Elul song by Yehudah
Shama
https://youtu.be/Eq8pAOAEIqA
– Aharon Razel with this catchy tune
"Bnai Brak" who would've thought the city would be song worthy?
https://youtu.be/ms7VV4VSoxQ – Never heard
this kid before but he's got lungs and the moves of someone who will be hearing
from… Chaim Zippel sings Never Enough
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/ ERETZ YISRAEL CONNECTION OF THE
WEEK
Prescription Country – Parshat Ki Teitzei- The first
"Mitzva" in this week's relates to the woman who is captured in
battle who is permissible to the soldier and a concession to his Yetzer Hara
who under the extreme circumstances would have a difficult time overcoming this
desire if it would be forbidden. Thus the Torah permitted her, but only with
all types of qualifications that would hopefully discourage him from engaging
in this relationship. In fact the Midrash tells us that the following
narratives of the Torah that discuss having a wife that he will ultimately
despise, wayward children and even death by hanging. If that's the case then
why wouldn't the Torah forbid this relationship and be done with it?
The Telsher Rav
(my father-in-laws grandfather) Reb Eliyahu Meir Bloch derives from this Mitzva
a principle that sheds light on all of the Mitzvos and of course on Eretz
Yisrael. He notes that each Mitzva has certain properties to it. A cause and
effect that happens in the physical world as a result of the observance or the
violation of the commandments. He compares the Torah working in this capacity
as Doctor's prescription for what we should and shouldn't do. What's healthy
for us and what isn't. What will bring us blessing and what can lead us to
curse. That category though of Mitzvos though only applies in Eretz Yisrael.
Mitzvos and sins in Chutz La'Aretz don’t' have any effect on the physical world
or blessing and curses that happen.
t is for this
reason he notes that our Avos and Imahos kept the Torah in Eretz Yisrael only
before it was given because they were able to spiritually intuit the Mitzvos
and the physical ramification and consequences in observing them. Since in
Chutz La'aretz there were none of these ramifications they didn't feel the need
to observe them.
There is
another aspect of Mitzvos though which is that we fulfill them and observe the
Torah because it is the command and will of Hashem our King Who has commanded
us to keep it. This applies in Chutz la'Aretz. The Avos not being commanded
obviously did not have to fulfill this, and it was thus inapplicable to them.
The Mitzva of
Yefat Torah is one which is the opposite side of the coin of the Mitzvos of
Chutz La'Aretz. In the case of a captured woman Hashem never commanded us not
to take her. She is technically permitted. Hashem made that concession to the
Yetzer recognizing that the temptation might be too much. Yet the negative
ramifications of the Mitzva are being made clear to us. It's like the surgeon
General's warning on a legally bought pack of ciggerettes. It's legal, but
clearly will have negative health connotations- god forbid.
What an
incredible insight the Torah shares with us this Mitzva in the beginning of the
Parsha. Mitzvos and the Torah are given to us so that we can utilize it to
uplift and physically change the world. So that we can reveal the blessing in
the physical world when keep the Torah in Eretz Yisrael. Sure you can live in
Chutz La'aretz and keep the commands of our King, and yes you can take a yefat
toar- a pretty non-Jewish woman that you captured in the war. But ultimately is
that what Hashem really wants from us? Is that what we became the chosen nation
to do?
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL
OF THE
WEEK
Sheva ben
Bichri and Amassah- 840 BC – A trip to the
Northern most point of Israel our Lebanese border by the Good Fence
is not complete with a nice lookout at Tatzpit Dado- named after Dado
Eliezer the great 6 Day war and Yom Kippur War General of Israel. The view
which overlooks the entire Hula Valley and the mountains of the Galile
Panhandle/ Etzba Ha'Galil as well as the Golan Heights is a great
overlook over Tel Avel Beit Ma'acha. The remains of the ancient city
where Sheva ben Bichri who rebelled against Dovid met his end.
It
is here that Yoav chased him and where Sheva took refuge. Yoav laid a siege on
the city and the rampart was poured in which they could climb up and charge the
city walls. According to the way that Yoav saw it the whole city was culpable
for providing refuge to Sheva be Bichri in his treason and rebellion against
Dovid. Would the city be destroyed?
Enter
one wise woman to save the day. According to some Midrashim she was Serach the
daughter of Asher who would've been a few hundred years old according to other
she would've been Yocheved the mother of Moshe who would've been as well up in
the multi-century age range. She scolds Yoav for not first reaching out to the
city for peace before laying this siege and deciding impetuously to destroy it.
She coins the phrase that has been used much since then
"Ir
V'eim b'yisrael- a city and mother in Israel. This is the only place in Tanach
where we find that phrase. Yoav backs down and demands that Sheva be handed
over and then he will spare the city.
This
Halachic question of when an enemy camps against a city and demands that unless
the person they seek be handed over for death the entire city will be destroyed
is one that Jews have faced by our non-Jewish enemies throughout our
generations. The story of Yoav and Sheva here serve as a prerequisite in the
discussions that surround this question. All however agree that in this case
where Sheva was indeed a criminal worthy of the death penalty for treason it is
permitted to hand him over. The woman thus convinced the city and they killed
Sheva and chucked his head over the wall to Yoav who took it and went home.
Yoav thus returned the hero and was restored to his position as the general of
Dovid. He will get his just desserts for his acts of killing Avshalom and
Amassa but only after Dovid's death.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE TAXI JOKES
OF THE WEEK
Moishe the truck driver was traveling down the freeway. A
sign came up that read, "Low bridge ahead." Before he knew it, the
bridge was directly ahead of him and then he got stuck under it. Cars were
backed up for miles.
Finally, a police car arrived. The cop got out of his car
and walked around to Moishe the truck driver, put his hands on his hips, and
said, "Got stuck, huh?"
Moishe replied, "No, I was delivering this bridge
and ran out of gas."
Saul Epstein was taking an oral exam in his English as a
Second Language class.
He was asked to spell "cultivate," and he spelled it correctly. He
was then
Asked to use the word in a sentence, and, with a big smile, responded:
"Last vinter on a very cold day, I vas vaiting for a Taxi, but it vas
too cultivate, so I took the subvay home."
A Polish immigrant goes to the Department of Motor
Vehicles to apply for his Taxi driver's license and is told he has to take an eye
test.
The examiner shows him a card with the letters:
C Z J W I X N O S T A C Z
"Can you read this?" the examiner asks.
"Read it?" the Polish guy replies, "I know the guy!!"
My friend quit his job as a taxi driver. He got fed up
with people telling him where to go.
I don't think I would like being a taxi driver. I was
convinced people were talking behind my back.
3 drunk guys entered Berel's taxi. Berel, knowing that
they were drunk figured he'd take advantage of them. So he started the engine
and then turned it off again and said "We reached your
destination" The first guy gave him money, the second guy said
"thank you" then gave him money too, while the third guy slapped the Berel's
across the head. Shocked and thinking the third guy had caught him in his trick
and his game was up., Berel asked "What was that for?" the third guy
replied "Control your speed next time, you've nearly killed us!"
I was in a taxi the other day and the driver turned to me
and said, "I love my job. I am my own boss, nobody tells me what to
do.". Then I told him to turn
right.
A man gets into a taxi at Ben Gurion airport and asks the
driver to head to his hotel in Tel Aviv. The driver takes off at top speed,
flying around cars. He approached a light just turning yellow and never lets
off the gas.
The passenger asks the driver, "Wow, you didn't even blink at that
yellow."
"Yeah, I have a regular passenger named Avi who's also a taxi driver
and he told me that the chance of getting into an accident at a yellow light is
pretty much zero."
A few minutes later, he gets to an intersection where the light is yellow, and
just turning red as they blast through it.
"Whoa, that was a bit close," says the passenger.
"Yeah, turns out that it doesn't matter how long the light is yellow,
according to Avi."
Two intersections later, and the light is just turning red as they reach the
intersection. He blasts through it again.
"Wow -- that one was totally red..."
"Yeah, Avi says that the first second of a red light is basically the same
as the yellow -- nobody has had time to start moving, so you're fine."
Two intersections later, and they get there just as the red light is
turning green. The driver stomps on the break throwing the passenger into the
glass separator.
"Why'd you do that? It was green!"
"In case Avi is going the other way."
*********************************
Answer is A- The Druze religion is a pretty
secretive religion. Most of the Druze themselves don't even know about their religion, as they
actually have a choice if they want to be religious. But if they choose not to
they are not allowed to learn about the secrets of their religion which they
believe is very mystical" . Yet I did remember that they have a thing for
Eliyahu Hanavi whom they call el khader. So I got this one right again and back
on the streak again. So the score is 33
for Rabbi Schwartz and 9 for the Ministry of Tourism on this exam.
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