from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
July 22nd 2022 -Volume
11 Issue 41 23rd of Tamuz 5782
Parshat Matos
Moolah
Money has never been my thing. I don’t mean that I’ve never had
it. Baruch Hashem I can say I’ve never really felt that I was lacking anything.
Even in those days long ago, which my old friends might remember when I was the
young teenager that would go around camp picking up all of the empty cans so I
could make ten cents on each of them. It was more for the shtick then for the
cash. Kind of like that Novardok guy that would go into the hardware store and
ask if they sold baloney sandwiches. Also I didn’t have much busha or shame
back then either and for some reason I like the attention it got me. Maybe that
part hasn’t changed much…
What I mean is, that I really never had any major desire to be
rich, to pursue making money. It didn’t really interest me much. At a young age
Hashem blessed me with a lot of thank god very wealthy friends- or at least
their parents had money- they themselves were just as poor as I was if you come
to think about it. But they had credit cards and things that bought us food and
fun for “free” and that’s really all that I needed. Sure later on in life I
went off to college and got a degree in finance but that really only taught me
all of the basic principles why I had no money. I think it had something to do
with getting a “real” job.
Sure I understand a bit and really even appreciate those that are
built differently than I am and are really driven to succeed financially. “To
make it big” so to speak. Some of them came from poorer homes and are driven
that their family and children will never experience the deprived lifestyle
that they may have grown up on. Others are motivated by the thrill and the
challenge of making bigger and better deals and for others still it’s about
outdoing the neighbors and keeping up with the Cohenses.
Yet all of those with that
wealth bug ultimately do tremendous good with their money, support many Jewish
organizations and help many unfortunate people. And for many of them- like my
Uncle Mendy OB”M, they spend most of their days not even working to add to
their own overflowing coffers but rather to support more and more organizations
and to heal as many wounds as money can cure. He would tell me that he felt
that he would get up each morning to go to work because Klal Yisrael needed
that money. He essentially felt that he was working for a non-profit
organization. It may have been worth a billion dollars, but tzorchey amcha
beis Yisrael merubim heim- the needs of our nation our even more than that.
Klal Yisrael needs people like that. It’s why Hashem created us all so
differently. But that was never my yetzer hara or yetzer tov. But don’t worry
he gave me plenty of other things that challenge me and that have the potential
to push me one way or the other that I have to overcome. Money just ain’t one
of them.
That being said it became clear to me a few years ago that my wife
was certainly the right shidduch for me. Not to say that her excellent
cooking and chulent making skills weren’t enough of a clue. For a few years
after we were married we were talking about the yichus of our families and she
mentioned to me that he grandmother had told her that she was a descendant of
the great 17th century Rav theReb Yeshaya H’Levi Horowitz also known
as the SheLah Ha’Kadosh. I was quite taken aback to learn of this incredible
lineage my children would know be able to claim and I wondered why she never
put it on her shidduch resume. Who knows, some people go for this kind
of stuff and she might have done better for herself than hooking up with me. It
was just a few years ago though that I understood why she never told me. It
seems that the SheLah left in his tzava’ah or will to his children the assurance
that after he died he would go before Hashem and pray and implore that none of
his descendants will ever suffer from that horrible and difficult challenge of
being wealthy. It seems to be working-by the way. He must be praying pretty
hard. So naturallyI never put him on daughter’s resume as well. It seems it
doesn’t’ go over well in today’s shidduch market.
This weeks Parsha, more than any other according to some of our
commentaries, tells us of some of those hazards of affluence and wealth. It
shares with us the story of the tribes of Reuvein and Gad-or if actually you
check it out many times they are listed as Gad and Reuvein- that seem to be
blessed with mikneh rav- lots of cattle or perhaps a better way to say it
moooo-lah. (wonder if that’s where it comes from?).
Bamidbar (32:1) U’mikneh rav hayah l’Bnai Reuveun, u’L’Bnai Gad
atzum me’od. – and there was abundant cattle to the children of Reuvein and
the children of Gad- very great!
The Klai Yakar notes that there should be a comma between the children
of Reuvein and Gad and read as two separate sentences. Reuvein had lots of
cattle- mikneh rav and while Gad had strong cattle as our sages tell us that
Gad’s goats would kill the wolves that attacked them. Rav Hirsch puts the same
comma there and takes a different approach which is that Gad just had more than
Reuvein. Regardless according to both pshatim Gad certainly was in the lead
position and that’s why despite being from younger tribe he takes the lead
negotiation position with Moshe.
What are they negotiating? It seems that they both want to stick
around on the other side of the Jordan River. They like the Golan Heights. They
wanted to settle down in roots in what today is “Occupied territory” by Jordan
as they sit on the ancestral homeland of those two tribes. They see this area
as being good grazing land as opposed to the land of the 7 species of
agriculture on the other side of the Yarden that is flowing with Milk and
honey. But yet they are missing the boat. They’re a bit too busy and focused on
“where the beef” is and they’ve seemed to forget what its all about.
The wisest of all men, Shlomo Ha’Melech, in koheles tell us
“There is an evil sickness I have seen under the sun, wealth
that is saved for the owner for his detriment.”
Wealth is bad. It’s there for your detriment. The midrash
continues and tells us that it’s like someone that saves money for a day that
he will get sick or a day that he will get sentenced by the government. A rainy
day fund- is what we call it. Corona back-up money savings just in case they
close the skies again. Well guess what, the midrash tells us that it becomes
ultimately a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s where all the money will ultimately
go. The classic case? Bnai Gad and Reuvein. They thought that they would do
good staking out their claims outside of the regular borders of Israel and in
the end they were to be the first ones that were exiled.
Now one can argue that they had their spiritual reasons for doing
what they did. Perhaps they wanted to avoid fighting with the other
tribes. Perhaps they wanted to stay with
Moshe and his burial ground on the other side of the Jordan. Different
commentaries suggest different answers. But it’s more than that. The money
changed their mind-set. When they approach Moshe, the famous Rashi notes, they
tell him that they will build barns for their sheep and homes for their
families. They put the sheep first. It’s a Freudian slip, but it reveals an
inner lack of focus of what the wealth has done to them. Reuvein perhaps is so
swamped with cows and sheep that’s all he can think about. Gad on the other
hand is all about the prize animals. They are atzum- they are powerful.
They take over him. They’ve both lost focus and they’re seeing the cattle and
missing the Holy Land.
The opposite of those tribes the Chida tells us was Avraham. In
the description of Avraham’s great cattle herds, the Torah tells us
V’Avram Kaveid Me’od b’mikneh u’bkesef u’bzahav- and Avram was heavy with cattle, silver and gold
Va’yeilech l’maasov m’negev ad Beit El- and he went on his travels from the Negev to Beit El.
Avram, he points out viewed his wealth and sheep as kaveid me’od.
It was heavy. It was a burden. It was a shlep and it was impeding his spiritual
work and growth. Reb Shlomo Alakbetz
takes this idea a step further and reads the next verses homiletically.
Avraham realizing that the wealth was weighing him down decides to travel from
the Negev. The word is Negev, as I told my tourists means dry. L’nageiv
ha’yadayim to dry off one’s hands. He went to dry out from all this money.
To wash and dry it all away. And where did he go? To Beit El. To Kollel. To
learn. To get back to the books and what’s really important in life.
My Rebbi, Reb Yisrael Asia once time told me a great vort that has
sat with me for many years. He said the Mishna it Pirkey Avos tells us that Marbeh
Nichasim- Marbeh Daagah- if one increases his possessions, he gets more
worries and headaches. The Mishna doesn’t say that he will have property and
headaches and worries. All you get is worry. All you get is stress. Nothing
more. Just da’agah.
I find it fascinating that this is one of the last stories in the
Torah and the book of Bamidbar before the Jews enter the land. There is an
eternal message I believe in the lesson of Gad and Reuvein that many seem to
miss. You know it’s coming. I’m sorry but I couldn’t resist and wasn’t even
planning on going this way when I started writing this E-Mail but it’s what came
out. So here it is… Is the cattle, sheep, large houses in Lakewood, Monsey and
the Five towns holding you back from crossing the Jordan River or the Atlantic
Ocean. Is it that you’re scared that the only really good grazing ground is
over there and that Hashem can’t provide for you in the Land of Milk and Honey?
Is all that money and property being saved god forbid as Shlomo Ha’Melech said
“L’raa’aso- for your detriment. Or as the Jews in Europe learned 70 years ago
to bribe them at the border to let you and your family escape? Ouch! (Does
anyone else ever say it as painfully brutal and as politically incorrect as
this Rabbi/Tour guide and really true friend in Karmiel does to you?)
It’s the three weeks now. All of our minds and thoughts should be
about mourning the loss we had 2000 years ago when we were exiled from Eretz
Yisrael and our Temple was destroyed. All of our thoughts…It’s not about
Chafetz Chaim heritage videos, Lashon Hara, Sinas Chinam, bullying kids
in the playground and viral whatsapp messages. It’s not. Really. Despite how
inspiring (and entertaining ?) they are. It’s about the mikneh rav. It’s about
if we are we really really longing to come home. Or are we just lip servicing
it with our kosher phones. The newest model that I can’t get in Israel. Money,
wealth, big houses and cars and powerful cows and large herds of sheep are
really overrated. As I told you, you just need a rich friend that will treat
you and take care of you and you won’t have any worries. Well, we all have not
just a friend, but a Father in heaven that has been taking care of us anyways.
But He really wants you here with Him. He wants you next to Him. Gad and
Reuvein were the biggest Israel supporters, they fought and led every battle.
They were there for their brothers- just as most Diaspora Jews are today. But
ultimately they missed out on the beauty of the life and were the first to be
exiled. That’s our final message and story before Moshe dies. That’s the
message we read each year during this period of Bein Ha’Mitzarim. It’s
hopefully the last time we need to hear it from far away.
Have an really rich Shabbos
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
************************
YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
“Der oreman hot vainik feint, der
reicher hot vainiker freint.”- The poor man’s enemies are few, the rich man’s friends are even
fewer.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE VIDEO OF THE
WEEK
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/al-eileh-acapella
- Not a time of year for real music, yet a mournful Acapella AL
Eileh that I composed and is arranged and sung by Dovid Lowy is sure to make
you yearn for the Bais Ha”Mikdash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsf6471t8Z4
– Can’t manage the three weeks
without your Mordechai Shapiro fix? Here’s an acapella Medley of Shapiro songs
by Yonasan Stern
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al3RxjiapPY
-Have no clue who Tzali Rapaport is… but found
this old Yigal Calek Chamol Acapella done by him and love the song so here it
is vocali obviously
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gMk5MATns4
-Goldwags Ein Davar Ra Yoreid Min Hashamayim acapella
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gMk5MATns4
– Yishai Ribo’s Keter Melucha Vocali
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
4) The upper layer of rock in the Beit Guvrin
region is _________
Its importance is
A) Its very good for the growth unique species
of Hadassim and Aravot (myrtle and willows)
B) It is good for making water absorption pits
and bringing up spring waters
C) It is unique and of high economic value as it
is good for building and construction
D) because it is very hard it protects its caves
from collapse
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/SHABBOS
CONNECTION OF THE WEEK
Shabbat Words- Parshat Matos – There are all types of Shabbos “inventions” or as they call
them in Hebrew “patentim”. There are Shabbos clothes, Shabbos clocks,
Shabbos lamps. In my house we had Shabbos soda and Shabbos cereal which we
couldn’t eat during the week. Well this week we learn about another Shabbos
concept from the parsha that is not as well known. It’s called Shabbos “words”.
Words that one should only use on Shabbos. Or perhaps even more accurately
words that you shouldn’t use on Shabbos.
What do I mean? This week’s parsha introduces us to the concept
of Nedarim- making vows. The Torah uses a strange terminology when it tells us
to watch what we say. It warns us “Lo Yacheil divaro”- one should not make
mundane their words. What is this command. The Torah tells us already to keep
whatever we say. How does one make ones words chulin- unsanctified? As well we
learn from here that this prohibition is not just about adhering to one’s words
and vows, rather it’s not just making meaningless and pointless promises. Jews
don’t take vows or swear needlessly and here it’s upping the ante and telling
us that we shouldn’t even speak needlessly.
Rabbeinu Yonah explains that the mouth of a man is like a vessel
of the Temple service. Just as the vessels sanctify what is inside of them so
does one’s mouth. Our words become holy. Each word we speak, we are told, creates
an angel. It could be a good angel or a bad one. We don’t want a bad one. The
Torah tells us that we should make our words mundane because whatever comes out
of our mouth has the potential to be holy. That is the lesson of Vows and on
Shabbos it’s when it all comes together.
Each Shabbos, our sages derive from the words v’dabru davar- that
we should speak words of meaning. On Shabbos we are prohibited from speaking
things that are mundane. Shabbos is the day when our mouths are the most holy.
All the food we put in it becomes sanctified like on the altar. And as well
every word that comes out of it on Shabbos is holy. Unless we waste those
words. When we sing songs during the week they’re just songs. When we schmooze
with our family during the week it’s just schmoozing. Even our prayers during
the week and Torah study don’t have the level of sanctity that Shabbos Tefilos,
zemiros and schmoozing has. We need to be aware of those Shabbos angels that
are created on this special day. We need to have Shabbos words. It’s the most
worthwhile and will be the most used Shabbos patent you will ever have.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES
AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Eliyahu
and Mt. Carmel 724 BC –The faceoff between Eliyahu
and the prophets of the Baal begin. Interestingly enough the Prophets of
The Ashera didn’t show up to the show. The Baal is an idol that
worships the sun while the Ashera was the female goddess of the moon.
One can visit the Israel Musuem in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv
and many other ones in Israel and see all the old idols that worshiped these
gods. They even have some down in the Herodian street in the old city
of Jerusalem and in the coastline museum by Dor.
The Ashera
prophets who worked for Izevel, Achav’s shiktza wife,
didn’t show up, according to our sages, she even forbade them to come. Ahab’s
Baal boys had no choice though and were there. Eliyahu therefore
plans this showdown during the daytime when their “god” is in full force. They
bring a cow on their altar without fire and Eliyahu will bring one on
his on his altar. The True god will send down fire and eat up the sacrifice.
I bring many
tourists to the Muchraka on Mt. Carmel where the Carmelite
monastery stands and where this showdown took place. My yeshivish tourists
get quite nervous. When I bring them to a church, I tell them that the entrance
fee is not for church but rather for the bathrooms there. But when they use the
facilities not to worship Baal Pe’or over there. There is a huge ugly
statue of Eliyahu on top. He looks like he fell down a flight of stairs
with a huge bump on his head and his eyeballs popping out. The Christians,
which I tell my tourists quite loudly are unoriginal people that make up bubbeh
maysehs and baloney stories about their fake religion. They believe that
everyone in the New Testament is a reincarnation of some previous holy biblical
figure. So yoshka is Adam Ha’Rishon and King David and Eliyahu
is John the Baptist. Because they believe that he toveled yoshka
and heralded in their false Messiah. Like I said bubbeh mayesehs..
I generally
say this quite loudly and make fun of the Christians that are there, much to my
more PC tourists’ consternation. They tell me to keep my voice down. They are
nervous the goyim will get insulted. But I don’t stop. I get louder. And then I
take them up to rooftop from where we have an incredible overlook of over 1/3
of Israel. On a clear day one can see the Chermon on the border of Syria,
the hills of the Upper and lower Galil and Jezreel valley and the
coastline down to Netanya. Its awesome. I then read them from the Tanach
about how Eliyahu Ha’Navi sat right here and made fun of the prophets of
Baal. “Scream louder” he tells them. “Maybe your god is sleeping,
maybe he’s schmoozing with someone, maybe he’s in the bathroom”. Our Rabbis
derive from here the important halacha that although mocking and making fun of
things “Leitzanusa” is prohibited, when it comes to idolatry it’s a
mitzva to make fun. And thus, they understand why I do what I do with my
Christian friends over there. If you can’t do it here, you can’t do it
anywhere. Someone’s gotta tell them the truth. And you know what? More often
than not I find that they appreciate it and many of them ask me for my card
afterwards and ask me to guide them. So there PC. We’re in this country to
shine out the light of truth of Hashem to the world. PC is for living in
goyishe galus countries. Not for here.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE RICH PEOPLE JOKES OF
THE WEEK
Hi there! My
name is Michael Grover, and I am an explorer. Ever since I’ve been little, I’ve
loved searching for new things. As a baby, my parents kept finding me in nooks
and crannies around the house. “On the search” as they would say. By the age of
5, I had been to every continent on the planet, barring Antarctica. For my 12th
birthday, my parents got me diving lessons, and by the time I was 13, I could
scuba dive to a depth of 40 meters, as well as go cave diving. I got a pilot’s
license by the age of 17, and I learned to sail just before my 18th birthday.
Instead of going to university, I decided to travel around South America,
exploring its rich jungles and beautiful landscapes. During my trip, I met my
now wife who was also an explorer. For our honeymoon, we sailed around the
Caribbean and we discovered 3 new islands which we named after the cats that I
had growing up. Over the course of my life, I have come across great treasures
and wondrous experiences. But in all my life, and in all my travels, I’m afraid
I have never come across a single person who cared about what you just said.
What do you
call a rich Chinese man? Cha Ching
My rich
neighbour just had a private ice rink built!
I said to
him "Can I have a go?" and he said "Yeah, but it'll
cost you a dollar"
I thought:
what a cheap skate.
Did you guys hear
about the fruit and dairy tycoon from the middle East? We call him the Banana
Milk Sheikh
My boss is so rich he
even bought a kid for his dog to play with.
Willpower can make you
rich.. ..if you get in the right person's will.
A man stumbles upon a Genie and is granted 3 wishes.
Genie: What is
your first wish?
Joe: I want to be rich.
Genie: Granted. What is your second wish?
Rich: I want lots of money. (this is very teef)
What do rich
people and poor people have in common? They both love to talk about money
What does a fat
american and a rich english have in common? Lots of pounds.
I have many jokes
about rich kids. Sadly none of them work.
What's the
similarity of typhoon with tycoon? They are both packed with a lot of wind.
A Rich Wall
Street trader visits a village. During his stay, he sees a young man sleeping
everyday and doing nothing outside his house. So he decides to persuade him to
change his life and goes on to talk to him.
Trader: Hello
young man, looks like you have nothing to do. I suggest you come with me to New
York.
Man: What
happens then?
Trader: I’ll
make you a stock trader and you’ll earn lots of money.
Man: What
happens then?
Trader: With
that new wealth, you can buy new house, new car, a yacht or anything you want.
Man: What
happens then?
Trader: You
don’t have to worry about your future and have a relaxing life.
Man: What
does it look like I am doing right now?
********************************
Answer
is D- Geology is not my thing
much although the general ideas especially the places I tour I have down pat.
Unfortunately I don’t tour Beit Guvrin a lot at all, although it is a pretty
amazing place and lots of people I send there for “Dig for a Day” enjoy it
immensely. So I got it wrong. Well sort of. But yeah it’s wrong. I wrote Terra
Rosa which is the red earth that I remember they spoke a lot about in the area.
But the answer they were looking for is Naari which is a hard stone that covers
the softer Kirton stone underneath. I did get the 2nd part correct
though because I knew that the caves the Paamon bell caves there have stood up
for thousands of years. They’re amazing burial and storage caves and its part
of the reason it got UNESCO status. So the score now is Schwartz 3.5 and .5 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam.
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