from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
December 16th 2022 -Volume
12 Issue 9 22nd of Kislev 5783
Parshat Vayeishev Chanuka I
Hot-Tikva
(What
a great title!)
We were in the car having one of those typical Rabbi
Schwartz you-really-should- move- to Israel discussions. They were Chasidim.
They really loved Israel, or Eretz Yisrael as they preferred to call it. I was
in one of my moods as it was the end of a full summer of touring and I wasn’t
polite about it anymore. The politically correct Rabbi Schwartz had exited a
few weeks before. I was annoyed at people just not getting the fact that it was
really that time in history when everyone should be coming home already. There
really is nothing left in America to stick around for besides… concentration
camps at worst, but certainly expulsion, persecution and decrees are around the
corner. The writing was on the wall. What were they hanging around there for? I
was just frustrated, that they didn’t see it.
Yoily, then tells me that he really wanted to
move to Israel. He loves it here. He said last time he was here even a few
years ago, he even came very close to buying an apartment here. But at the end
he backed it out. “It’s tzee heisss” in Eretz Yisrael. It’s too hot for him and
his wife here. The temperature is too high and its very humid. It’s nisht far
meer.. It wasn’t for him. It was at that point that I lost it.
I told him that I had a young man a few months
ago that was raised frum, but his father told me that he was having trouble
with him. It seems his son decided that he didn’t want to wear tzitzis anymore.
It’s too hot, he complained. There’s no obligation in fact to wear tzitzis. It’s
only an obligation if one is wearing a four cornered garment. But there’s no
obligation to wear one in the first place. I asked Yoily if I should tell the young
boy that he was correct. Tzee heis is a good excuse. After-all living in
Eretz Yisrael according to many is not an obligation. You “just” get a
mitzva if you live here, kind of like when you wear tzitzis (although settling
the land is probably a lot more comprehensive and central of a mitzva-as the
Torah repeatedly tells us it is the essence of all the mitzvos that can only
properly be fulfilled here).
On the other hand, I could tell him how a little
shvitz for a mitzva is good. I could remind him of the gemara that tells us
about eventually the goyim will complain that they never had any opporotunities
to do mitzvos and Hashem give them the chance to fufill the mitzva of sukkos.
When they step in it though Hashem yanks out the sun and they start to shivtz
and run out and say in their goyisheh Yiddish “It’s tzee heis!”. And then a I
ratch it up a notch.
I ask them if they know why they are wearing
those big long hot caftans and frocks and wool tzitzis. After-all there is
certainly clothing like my shorts and T- Shirt which is a lot more comfortable.
The answer I explained was that when their Zadyies and Bubbies came to America
or the New World, or even perhaps centuries before in Europe, the great
Chasidic leaders felt that it was important that the Chasidim wear these
clothing so that they feel that they stand out. That they will always remember
that they are not like the goyim around them. So that they won’t easily forget
who they are and assimilate. That they will remember that the country that they
are in, isn’t really where they are supposed to be or feel comfortable. It’s
not their home. It’s not their people. We’re in galus and only there temporarily.
The problem though, I rudely pointed out, is
that they are more comfortable in their shtreimal and beketcheh in the Diamond
district in 5th Avenue or even in the halls of congress than they
are when they come home to the land that is the inheritance of our forefathers.
The land Hashem told us He gave us to live in. The land that is unquestionably
the best, most natural and only place where we should ever feel at home. The
land that should never feel tzu heiss… and even if it is, who moves out of
their home when the air conditioning is busted? Out of their father’s home? Out
of our Father in heaven’s home. I suggested that it would be much better if
they tool off their shtreimal and beketcheh and put on a short sleeve shirt,
shorts and even cotton tzitizis and it will be much cooler for them here.
After-all I don’t think anyone will wear argue that living in Eretz Yisrael is
less of a mitzva then the shtreimal, then the black hat and jacket? I think
they made Aliyah since then… they certainly never said tzi heiss in my car.
As I read back what I just wrote, I realize that
my mother will probably yell at me. I don’t usually pull punches in this
E-Mail. I feel it’s why some of you still come here and read it each week and
haven’t unsubscribed. You can handle my never really humble opinion, even
though you may disagree with me. Or maybe it’s just the jokes at the end. But
this time I think I got a bit carried away. I got aggressive. Obnoxious,
perhaps. Certainly annoyingly Israeli-holier-than-thou because I live in Israel
and you don’t attitude, that’s just a turn-off. But I just got frustrated that
they don’t see the contradiction. You’re wearing a hot woolen pair of tzitzis,
a lonf wool frock, a black fur hat… and your complaining that Israel is too
hot. Really? Are you that blind? I just don’t get it.
Which then of course brings us to this week’s
parsha and this incredible insight from Reb Moshe Feinstien who is troubled
with the same issue, sort of. He notes that there is the famous gemara in
Shabbos that discusses some of the laws of Chanuka. There it teaches us that
the menora (or more accurately, Chanukiya, as they call it here) can’t be lit
higher than 20 amos (about 30 feet) off the ground. As the eye only is
sholeit-rules or can be see that high up. The Gemara than seems to intersperse
a different seemingly unrelated midrash in the middle (by the same tanna), that
Rashi quotes in our Parsha- which of course is never coincidental. It tells us
that the brothers of Yosef threw him into the pit that the Torah tells us didn’t
have any water, but it did have deadly snakes and scorpions in it. The question
he poses is that is the connection between these two laws?
His brilliant answer is that the function of the
lighting of the Menora is that one sees and contemplates the miracle of the
lights. Not only the miracle of the 7 days that the oil burned for, but even the
fact that anything that happens is truly a miracle from the Hand of God. It’s
why, he answers the famous question of the Bais Yosef, that we celebrate 8 days
of Chanuka even though the fact that the Menora burnt for the first day wasn’t
a miracle. There was enough oil for that day. Yet, we recognize on Chanuka that
everything is a miracle. It’s no more or less of a miracle that fire burns at
all. It’s all the will of Hashem. The Menorah has to be in a place so that we
can see it and our eyes can be “sholeit”- can rule over this idea. So that we
can see the truth that is revealed in its light.
He notes that generally our eyes fool us. We
miss the boat. The next midrash quoted in the Talmud tells us that. It points
out that the brothers threw Yosef in a pit that was deadly. He should’ve died
in that pit. Reuvein suggested that they throw him there- as a test to see if
Hashem would protect him from the snakes and scorpions. It was like throwing
Daniel into the lion’s den. And guess what? Yosef miraculously survived. The
brothers should’ve hauled him right out after seeing that great miracle. They
should’ve begged his forgiveness. They should’ve realized the folly of their
ways.
But they didn’t. They were so consumed with jealousy
and self-righteousness that they missed it. They doubled down on their
shtreimel and beketcheh. They pulled him right out and sold him down to the
Egyptians. They took the path that eventually brought us to the 210 years of slavery
and grief. They let their eyes fool them, because the light was too high for
them to see.
Chanukah more than any other holiday it is this
light that has been so distorted. In Israel the Maccabees are celebrated as a basketball
team, as a time for sport and athletics and Greek festivals obscenely enough. In
non-orthodox circles in the Diaspora it is seen as a “winter” holiday right
next to all of the other goyishe ones with more presents and with latkas and dreidels
instead of trees and mistletoe. In the frum world its Jewishy acapella group
goyisheh song knockoffs, fancy $20 doughnuts, and family Chanuka parties. In
the most yeshivish circles it’s about Torah. All holidays are about Torah by
the way in yeshivish world. Torah and tishes in the chasidish world.
In truth though it’s really not about any of those things.
The story of Chanuka is about picking up a sword
and killing idolators (and their Jewish backers by the way- fun fact- according
to Josephus I’ve heard about 20% of the Greek army were Hellenized Jews). It was about standing up to the world and
telling them that everything else besides Hashem is baloney. It’s lies. It’s being
willing to put your life on the line against a world empire to tell them that
Eretz Yisrael is ours. It’s holy. Get your Greek behinds out of our Temple. NOW
or we will fight you. We don’t care that you are a world Empire. That you have
the United Nations behind you. We don’t care if it will offend your politically
correct universal religion world view. Macabee-Mi Kamocha Ba’Eilim Hashem-
We have Hashem. We really really do. And we don’t need to hide it or be embarrassed
about saying it. We don’t need to live anywhere else, because we believe that He
will preform miracles for us and will provide for us if we listen to Him and
fulfill His will of living where He charged us to shine out His light from. He
will take care of our children that they don’t go off the Derech. He
will make sure we will have the food that we need, the parnassa that we need.
We just need to see the light.
We read the story of the brothers and Yosef, Reb
Moshe says, every year on Chanuka to help us open up our eyes. To see the light
of Hashem and contemplate the miracles that he not only provided back then; but
ba’yamim ha’heim ba’zman ha’zeh- He does it at this time as well. We need
to get out of the darkness that we more often than not we have engulfed
ourselves in. The darkness of exile that only the light of the only Jewish
holiday that was Made in Israel can bring out to us. The snakes and scorpions
that we may see in our other fellow Jews that we throw them down to, but we don’t
see the miracles and light that Hashem provides for them as well. We need to
gaze long and hard and let our eyes be cleansed and purified by the one true
miraculous light and flame
. It’s a flame we can’t touch. We can’t use for
our own personal benefit and agendas. We just need to see it and let our eyes
finally rule over the darkness. It’s not tzee heis… It’s not tzee
kalt…It’s just holy. It’s just Hashem. It’s just miraculous. It’s all
miracles. We’re the Kohanim on Chanuka that can tap into it and share that
light. We’re the Macabees that aren’t afraid to tell the world that. We’re the Chashmonaim
that will do what Hashem wants us to do and the chips will fall where He wants
them to. It is that light that will bring the Bais Ha’Mikdash home again. May
it already be this year.
Have a light filled Shabbos and Chanuka
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
**********************
GUESS WHO’S BACK IN MISHPACHA MAGAZINE
JUST IN TIME FOR CHANUKA!
It’s your favorite Rabbi Tour
Guide!!
Check out my latest article and
see me in a toga as we travel through the battles in those times in these days!
Dovid-Golyas, Bar Kochva, Philistines,
Greeks and even Romans.
It’s all here
https://mishpacha.com/in-those-days-in-our-times/
And then post share, and send
letters to Mishpacha telling them how much you enjoy them!
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YIDDISH PROVERB
OF THE WEEK
“Az es brent, is
a fayer.”.- When
something’s burning, there’s a fire.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE
WEEK
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/maoz-tzur
– In honor of Chanuka my latest song
composition Maoz Tzur! Aren’t you ready for a new tune.. this one is great with
Dovid Lowy doing my amazing arrangements and vocals!
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/haneiros-halalu
– And once your at it already why not use my fantazstically
uplifting Haneiros Halalu tune for lighting your candles as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VgaIkUkJIU
– Nissim
Black’s latest awesome VICTORY!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16Z4WE-kt64
- Tis
the season for Acapella Chanuka tunes- Elton Johnuka.. Oy…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwhAKe-UVOk
– Berri Weber’s latest Yosef…Fascinating…and good..
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
NEW EXAM THIS WEEK- JUNE 2022!!
2) The destruction of the First Temple occurred in the year:
It is commonly believed that The Broad Wall in Jerusalem was built
for the journey of:
a) Thutmose
b) Sennacherib
c) Shishak
d) Nebuchadnezzar
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S
ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Eliyahu’s Exit- 706 BC –
The death or better yet the departure of Eliyahu Ha’Navi from this world
is one of the most fascinating stories in Tanach. Unlike previous great men
like Moshe or Aharon that died with a “kiss of God” Eliyahu
doesn’t undergo any form of death. He remains alive according to our sage in
Gan Eden and is sent back down to this world for specific tasks. Many great
sages and simple hidden Tzadikim have had revelations of Eliyahu. In
Tzfat in the ARI’Zl shul there is the room where Eliyahu studied
with that great 16th century Kabbalist. Thus when he leaves this
world it is not to die, but rather to wait until his moment when he will bring
Mashiach.
The Navi tells us how he and Elisha
his student were walking by the Jordan river talking in learning, that prevented
him from being taken until a heavenly chariot and horses of fire came down to take
him away. This is the same fire Elisha recognized from when Eliyahu
brought it down on Mt. Carmel and to burn up the soldiers of Achazia.
When Eliyahu is taken he leaves behind his leather cloak- which was made
from the ram of the akeida of Avraham Avinu when he bound Yitzchak.
That was the way that Elisha knew that he would replace Eliyahu. In
perhaps the most famous eulogy he cries out “Avi Avi rechev Yisrael u’farashuv-
Father Father the chariot of Israel and its horseman”. A rebbi is like one’s
father our sages tell us and the power of Eliyahu was like its army to
serve to defend us from our enemies. Without Eliyahu he felt lost and
endangered. In fact our sages tell us that when Eliyahu left this world
the empire of Rome was established. A new era had begun.
Elisha
picks up that cloak and strikes the Yarden with it. And just as it had
split for Eliyahu it does so for Elisha. The fact that it now
split miraculously for him alone was as well as sign that he possessed and received
twice the power of Eliyahu. For when it had previously split it was for
two great men Eliyahu and Elisha and now Elisha alone had
earned the level that it would split for him. Next week we being and explore the
new era of Elisha and the reaction of his students to this new world.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE
TOO HOT JOKES OF THE WEEK
After so
long of Gehennom being just too hot, the inhabitants decide to steal a/c units
from Heaven and install them, making the place a little more comfortable. When
the inhabitants of Heaven learn what's been done, they lash out in outrage.
"How dare you! We'll sue you!" they cried.
To which Gehenom's
residents replied: "You can try, sure, but where are you guys gonna
find a lawyer?"
“It's just
too hot to wear clothes today,"
said Yankel as he stepped out of the shower. "Honey," he
continued, "what would then neighbors think if I mowed the lawn like
this?"
His wife
thought for a moment, then replied, "That I married you for your
money."
My
pregnant wife asked me if I ever worried it would be too hot for the baby
inside her. I patted her tummy, smiled and said, “Nah...it’s probably womb
temperature!"
It’s so
hot everyone is wearing sweat pants.
It’s so
hot even the artificial flowers are dying.
It’s so
hot I saw two hydrants fight over a dog.
It’s so
hot even white collar workers are red necks.
It’s so
hot my thermometer goes up to “Are you kidding me?”
It’s so
hot Optimus Prime transformed into an air conditioner.
It’s so
hot I saw a cop chasing a thief and they were both walking.
It’s so
hot I saw a chicken lay an omelette.
It’s so
hot the Statue of Liberty was asked to lower her arm.
It’s so
hot I saw a heatwave and I waved back.
It’s so
hot in the Apple store because they have no Windows.
Q: Which is
faster, heat or cold? A: Heat, because you can catch a cold!
Did you
hear about the Palestinian Space Agency mission to land on the sun? They went
at night to make sure it wouldn't be too hot
The
American tourist was bothering the waiter in an Israeli restaurant. First, he
asked that the air conditioning be turned up because he was too hot, then he
asked it be turned down cause he was too cold, and so on for about half an
hour. Surprisingly, the waiter was very patient, he walked back and forth and
never once got angry. So finally, a second customer asked him why he didn't
throw out the pest.
'Oh, I
really don't care or mind,' said the
waiter with a smile. 'We don't have an air conditioner.'
An old
Jewish man walks into a restaurant. He orders some soup. The waiter quickly
brings his soup but the old man doesn’t eat. The waiter returns after some
minutes. “Excuse me sir. Is there something wrong with your soup?”
“Try it
and find out.” The old
man responded.
“Is the
soup too cold?”
“Try
it.”
“I-is it
too hot?”
“Just try
it.”
“Not
enough vegetables, too much broth, does it smell funny?”
“What are
ya, mishegas? Just try the soup!” The old
man shouts.
“Alright!”
The waiter gives in. “Where’s the spoon?” He looks over the table.
The old
man just smiles.
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Answer is B -This one was easy
although controversial. The answer they are looking for is 586 BC that’s the
common archeological dating. On the other hand if one makes a cheshbon of the
410 years that Chazal tell us that it stood we date it about 165 years later in
the year 422 BC. So there are a bunch of missing years that need to be figured
out. Google the missing Jewish years and see Rav Schwabs article on this
enlightening topic. The broad wall in the
Cardo is also pretty easy and basic as it’s an essential tourist site to tell
the story of the great Pesach night miracle and the destruction of Sancheirevs
army that took place here. So got it right of course and the the score this week
is Schwartz 2 and 0 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam.
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