Timeless Lessons- Parshat Ki Tisa / Para

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

 "Your friend in Karmiel"

March 5^th 2021 -Volume 11 Issue 21 21^st Adar 5781

 

Parshat Ki Tisa / Para

 

Timeless Lessons

(Don't miss out on the exciting news of my new Book release on Pesach that you need to get!)

I left Karmiel for Purim this year. It was the first time I wasn't here with my community. But I'm someone who doesn't like to miss an opportunity. Certainly not one for a party. See being that th 15^th of Adar fell out on Shabbos this year. So Jerusalem, and for that matter other cities that had walls around it from the time of Yehoshua Bin Nun which celebrate Purim on that day- a day after everyone else, had three days of Purim this year. It was a buy-one-get-2 free deal or as they say in Israel "echad ploos echad ploos echad"- the ploos being plus in English. On Friday we read Megilla and gave money to the poor, on Shabbos we recited Al Hanissim and did the Purim Torah reading and on Sunday we had our Purim feast and gave out Shalach Manos. Being that I figured that Karmiel would be kind of nerdy with its lockdowns and Purim celebrations for immediate families only, I figured this would be a good time to experience with my family what a Jerusalem Purim would be like. Ordinarily we can't just pop in there the day after our Purim on the 14^th of Adar because that's dedicated as hangover recovery day. 2020 and 2021 is all about doing things differently, so off we went and it was awesome.

It was cool not having to do be rushed to do our sedua on Friday after Megilla reading or to be busy with Shalach Manos. We were chilled. No rush, no need to start running around and packing things up and doing the traditional Shalach Manos swap things out of one and put it into another and give it to the kid at the door. I didn't have to get up early to daven to get it all in. We did head over to Beit Shemesh to visit some friends and to bring some simcha to their Purim feasts but it was definitely nice being able to stay sober, drive home and enjoy a nice Shabbos Friday night davening. Shabbos as well was not hungover as some of my friends not doing the Jerusalem Purim had to suffer through. I can't even imagine having to eat chulent being hungover and you know how much I like Chulent. Even my recital of Al Hanissim was a bit more meaningful, I was able to think and focus on the words then the traditional slurring and zipping through them on a regular Purim.

The peak was of course Sunday, there was no Megilla to read in the morning, just a regular davening without even Al Haanissim being that we don't live in Jerusalem and most of my friends there didn't know that we were even there, we really didn't have those 10's of obligatory Shalach Manos that we usually give out. We visited and surprised a few of our closest friends and relatives who were just happy to see us and then we had an awesome seuda with my favorite newest olim!

The highlight of my Purim was going over to my son Yonah's yeshiva. It's been years since I've been in a real yeshiva for Purim. I had forgotten how awesome it is. Watching the bachurim's dance of awe in front of their Rebbeim and Rosh yeshiva, the tipsy ones hugging and kissing them like the sefer Torahs that they saw them as, and even those guys in the corner crying about the teshuva that they needed to do, how unworthy they felt. The music, the singing, the jumping up and down and the culmination with the guitar holy kumzitz with the lights off and everyone pouring out their inebriated hearts to Hashem of their love for Him, His Torah, His people. I was 20 again. Truly the Purim of a lifetime. "Why can't every Purim be like this? ", I thought to myself as we drove home on Monday (night-it took some time to recover). Let every year be a Purim Meshulash. Purim is anyways about moving beyond time and space, how much more powerful it is when we actually move the days and times around as well.

Now although a three day Purim doesn't happen too often, interestingly enough in the Parsha we read this week and in fact all of the parshiyot that traditionally surround Purim, there seems to be a bit of a "beyond-time-constraints" type of reading that is as well both. In fact, perhaps it's because we are used to this experience already over Purim that we can make sense of it all; we can go to a place where time and days are irrelevant. It is the meaning, lessons and inspiration that we get out of them that are what really counts.

This week's Torah portion is the centerpiece of a series of parshas that speak about the building of the Tabernacle/ Mishkan. It is the place where Hashem's presence will rest amongst us. His home here on earth, if you will. The glaring question that stands out though upon reading these parshiyot is when did this command and story occur. On the one hand we are told about it beginning in parshat Teruma two weeks ago. Yet, this week's parsha which begins continuing the story and the collection of the half shekel for the sacrifices is rudely interrupted with the story of the terrible and tragic sin of the Golden Calf. Next week, parshat Vayakhel and Pikudey that conclude the book of Shemos and the story of the building of the Mishkan, picks up where it left off with the completion of the work. So when did the Mishkan and the command to build it take place before the sin of the golden calf or afterwards? It's not clear.

Now whenever things are not clear we look toward Rashi to give us insight which he of course does although it's a strange answer. Rashi tells us the rule that the Torah is not written in a chronological order- Ein mukdam u'meuchar ba'torah. That being the case he explains that with that in mind the simple understanding would be that the command and the building of the Mishkan take place after the sin of the egel. The question though one has to ask, which the Ramban and others do and which Rashi does not explain is why does the Torah then juxtapose and interrupt the story of the building of the Mishkan with the story of Egel Hazahav. Why not just write it in chronological order?

For this reason the Ramban (in the beginning of next weeks' Parsha) and other commentaries read the portion chronologically. First Hashem commanded Moshe to tell the Jewish people to build the Mishkan which he did and then the people sinned with the Golden calf and finally after the Calf he gathered the people and they actually built the Mishkan. See how time is jumping around here…

To make this even more confusing once we're on the plane the Zohar takes it a step further and writes that not only was the Mishkan commanded to be built before the sin of the golden calf but they had already started building it. It brings a proof to this idea from the fact that the Torah tells us that the men took all of the jewelry their wives had from the ears and noses to make the egel. Why would they need their wives' jewelry? Any guy knows that's a dangerous thing to mess with. They had just left Egypt and were each fabulously wealthy with all of the riches and booty that they took by the sea and when they left? The Zohar answers it was because they used up all of their own gold to build the Mishkan. They didn't have any left. So you see, the story and the timeline just gets more and more confusing. Was it before, after or both?

The Lubavitcher Rebbi in an incredible sicha notes that we have a rule that eilu v'eilu divey elokim chaim- they're all the word of the living God. They're all correct. Move beyond the constraints of time. You can do this. We just had Purim. Was it Friday? Shabbos? Sunday? Who cares. The main thing is the message and idea. Come with me and him on a journey.

He writes that the truth is the Mishkan and a brick and mortar or wood and gold and copper building to encapsulate the infinite nature of Hashem who is beyond time and space is really somewhat of a paradox. If Hashem is infinite, He can't fit into a house. If He's spiritual what does He want with the physical shiny toys and animal skins that we have on this world. That is the mystery of the Mishkan. And in truth it is the challenge and mystery of us all.

See we as well as human beings are physical beings that possess a spiritual spark of Hashem that is eternal and beyond this world. We are that same contradiction. The Mishkan is a microcosm of us. Our role and purpose in life is to blend those worlds. To elevate what seems to be mundane and physical and to raise it up to heavens. To reveal the spark of Hashem in every aspect of Creation.

There are three different people that have challenges with this idea. On the one hand we have the tzadik, the righteous person who is solely motivated to holiness. He's not interested in Pizza and perhaps even chulent. He just wants to learn, to pray, to get close to Hashem. He doesn't need a house for God. He just needs His Torah. He can talk and speak to Him everywhere. The last thing he wants to do is be busy with gold, silver, copper, animal skins and construction. I know some yeshiva guys like that. I spent Purim this year with one of them related to me. Hi Yonah. It is for that Jew that the Zohar tells us that the command to build the Mishkan was given and done even before they sinned. It's not a place or a command to atone for the sins that we do. It's l'chatchila! It's the original plan of our Creation to get out of the Beit Midrash and start working, building and engaging in the physical aspect of creation and elevating them in you labor. Hashem has plenty of angels in heaven singing to Him. He created man to take the physical and lift it up.

The second group of Jews are the baalei teshuva. The ones that have sinned and returned to Hashem. They as well like the righteous ones don't even want to think about leaving the house of Hashem and getting back out there in the mud. They know what construction sites look like. They've been there. They've gotten down and dirty and they left that world to become holy. They've already fixed and repented and left all of that behind. They've served their time and now just want to sit and be holy. Perhaps even holier than the tzadik, who never even was out there in the first place.

 It is for that Jew that Rashi's unchronological chronology comes into play. For Rashi tells us that the Mishkan was both commanded and built after the sin of the Golden Calf. After that Yom Kippur when Moshe had achieved forgiveness for the Jewish people. The command to build a house of Hashem out of all of the physical materials in this world was precisely given to the Baalei Teshuva that we all were. They need to know that their work is not done. They need to get back to the yard and bring their skills, and God-given talents that they may have even acquired in the slave pits of Egypt, in another world when they might have even looked and acted like a goy, and use them to lift up Hashem. They shouldn't bury, run or hide from them. They are precious to Hashem and they He wants them in His house.

Finally, we have the reshaim -the wicked people, The ones that are far, That are distant that feel low. Perhaps the ones that left the derech. They were raised religious and rejected it all. They ran after the Golden Calves that seduce us. They may have regretted their actions. They may even want to return but they feel so far. They are too far gone. They've done too much; they've sinned so badly. They've been away for so long.

It is for these Jews, the Ramban's timeline comes to address. For the Ramban tells us that the same command that was given before the sin of the golden calf, the same desire that Hashem had for them to be part of building His home didn't expire with their sin. They are just as loved and as essential as they were before the sin when he first told them about this mission. Their mission. The reason why He loves and wants them so much. It hasn't changed. They could put on their working clothes and get back right where they left off. They can rejoin the nation together with the tzadikim that didn't sin.

This week we read Parshat Parah. It is the third of the 4 parshas we read as we prepare for Pesach. It is the mitzva of how we can all become pure. We take a cow, we burn it, we sprinkle some ashes and the sin and impurities that we amassed all go away. The sin of the golden calf is gone. We are purified to come build a home for Hashem. We can finish what we were put here to do. We can bring the world to the end of time and lift it up to the Highest heavens. Purim was our prep we got high, very very high, now it's time to leave the rest behind. As Avraham Fried sang so long ago, the Time is Now.

Have a holy and timeless Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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IT'S HERE! IT"S HERE! IT"S HERE!! I'M SO EXCITED!!

AREN'T YOU?!!!

My Brand New BOOK FOR PESACH

 The- 'Next'- Most Enjoyable Book You'll Ever Read About Pesach""

Five years ago Rabbi Schwartz published his original work

aptly titled

"The Most Enjoyable Book You'll Ever Read About Pesach"

That totally sold out and is now back with his second volume

Your Most Enjoyable Pesach Book 2.0.

Add another 2.0 to that and we have the 2020 world we are still living in and this is the handbook for survival and inspiration you'll want to read entering this greatest holiday of Redemption.

From the slave pits in Egypt to the jungles of Africa, the streets of Jerusalem to the locked-down houses in Karmiel, Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz with his enthusiasm, inspiration and laughter, guides you through the holiday of Pesach as you've never experienced it before.

Whether you've joined him on tours, read his Mishpacha magazine columns, been inspired by his teachings, or whether you just like his picture on the cover of this book, you are sure to be enlightened, inspired and entertained. Forget about the lockdowns, forget about the masks, step into the light of freedom and appreciate Pesach in the most enjoyable way

GREAT CHAPTERS INCLUDE

IMAGINARY WORLDS

SCAR-PLACE

JUNGLE TIME

CORO-NACHAS

THE FIRST SEDER

ZAYDIE MAYSEHS

PLAGUE-DEMIC

HITTING THE JACKPOT

GALUS AMERICA

THE MORNING AFTER

and much much more

It's the perfect Pesach Prep book, an amazing Seder accompaniment and the perfect way to enjoy your holiday as never before

From the back cover

Quotes- That Were 'Never' Said

Our father is a very wise man and we love listening quietly at the Shabbos table to his Torah E-mails -My children

This book will cure Corona; if you read it you will not need a vaccine, you will not need to be locked down, and your children will go to school forever. Trust us we know what we are doing- The Ministry of Health.

This book contains no pictures of women and barely mentions any female names— besides the ones who make chulent- Most Jewish magazines

The best part of the lockdown is the quality family time we've enjoyed while developing new healthy eating habits. Please pass the Brussels sprouts - the Author.

 

To order this book which is not yet in stores this year, please respond to this E-Mail to Rabbi Schwartz

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 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

" Oyb tsayt iz gelt, hob ich keyn tsayt nit"- If time is money, I don't have any time.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

18) “The Light Festival” has been held in recent years in:

A) Jaffa

B) Jerusalem

C) Wadi Nisnas in Haifa

D) Nazareth

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

 https://youtu.be/W5Nt4c4DbFk – One of the most hilarious videos I've seen recently "Jewish Packaging" Genius!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7DD02Gy5bM   - Gorgeous song composed by Yitz Berry and sung by Duvie Shapiro (Yes, Mordy's brother) Lyrics in Hebrew but a beautiful tribute to Jewish Mothers- Ima Sheli!

 

https://youtu.be/vmn2i3avGOc   - This Bardak's hits the nail on the head with yeshiva guys collecting on Purim especially in 2021! Hebrew..

 

https://youtu.be/Da8ONBk-FSI   - Aharon Razel and Yoeli Klein- I wouldn't have necessarily put these two guys together but they do a beautiful job on this new fun Shabbos song Shabbos Malkesa

 RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/ ERETZ YISRAEL CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

 

Land Mitzva still awaiting – Ki Tisa- One of the most disorienting and confusing things for many Americans and others that move or visit Israel is the various Kosher symbols. There are almost as many kosher symbols here as there are falafel stores and almost none of them are the Big three or of four that we are all familiar with in the States. The Rabbanut of this city vs this city, this Rabbi, that Rabbi, mehadrin, this badatz that badatz, mehadrin, mehudar chalak, mehadrin min hamehadrin. Yes, it's confusing. Maybe that’s why Israelis ae skinnier than American.

 See but on the other hand in America there's one thing that as well makes it much easier than Israel which is that fruits and vegetables are all Kosher. No need for any kosher symbols. You can buy them anywhere. Israel on the other hand, where even the vegetables and fruits are holy are even more confusing for everyone than anything else. There is teruma, maaser and all the tithes that need to be removed. Next year we have the Sabbatical year which really makes it hard. You can't even bite into an apple or have an Israeli salad without getting into trouble and thinking about the mitzvos that Hashem gave us that only apply in His special land.

 Yet there is one mitzva that relates to fruits which even Israelis don't have to worry about today. It is perhaps the most important and fundamental mitzva, it is mentioned quite a number of times, and it embodies the essence of us as a nation. Yet, we are not obligated in it today. We need to wait until Hashem returns us to the Beit Hamikdash. We need to remember that we are still not complete even if we have returned to His land. We are still not entirely revealed to the world as His First-Borns. We still can't fulfill the mitzva of Bikkurim; the first fruits.

 Our parsha interestingly includes this mitzva together with the mitzva of not cooking a kid goat in its mother's milk.

 Shemos (34:26) Reishis Bikurei admascha tavi el beis hashem elokecha- lo sivashel gedi ba'chaleiv imo- the first of fruits of your land bring to the House of Hashem your God, do not cook a goat in its mother's milk.

 Both of them are Kosher laws. The first one is only when we have a temple. The second one, the laws of milk are eternal, they are all over. They keep us separate. They hold us together.

 Being separate and different from other nations in our eating habits though are laws that we need when we live in other countries away from Eretz Yisrael. They are the bare minimum. When we come to Eretz Yisrael though we need to realize that we have entered a holy land. The fruits and vegetables here are straight out of Hashem's personal garden. We need to tithe them and and give them to his representatives; the Kohein, the Levi, the poor and the needy. Those that come from Chutz La'aretz should be excited to fulfill these mitzvos. They are there to give us an appreciation of how special our land is. The first fruits though that we still look forward to bringing we require something more. They are our testimony that Hashem has chosen to plant His Home down with us again. We are His children and his First Borns and we come to His Temple with those first fruits and recite our history from Lavan and Yaakov until that day- hopefully soon- when our history will have finally achieved its glorious redemption.

 It's an incredible mitzva and concept to "digest" next time you stroll through the fruit aisles of your supermarket. In America think about the fact that your still not here. You still don't have the mitzvas of the fruits. And even here in Israel as you go through Machaneh Yehuda or your local Makolet and check out those kosher symbols. Thin about the one we still haven't merited to see yet. These fruits have had Bikkurim brought up to Hashem in the Beit Hamikdash- La''mehadrin min hamehadrin!

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

The Dance of David - 872 BC-  After the fiasco of the first attempt to bring the Ark to Jerusalem, Dovid Hamelech had left it by the house of Oved Ha'Edomi for three months. This Oved Ha'domi it seems was a very righteous person and was blessed by Hashem for taking care of the Ark of Hashem with lots of kids. According to one midrash he in fact merited long life and was the same Ovadia Ha'Navi who was an Edomite convert- thus his name.  that served in the time of Eliyahu Ha'Navi. His grave incidentally is up here in the North near the ancient city of Baram in the Upper Galile.

 Now Dovid seeing the blessing understands the time has come to finish the job. So he sets out this time not only does he learn his lesson by not placing the Ark on a wagon but rather on the shoulders of the Levi'im who would carry it, but every six paces oxen and rams were slaughtered in honor of Hashem on mini altars that it was permitted at that time to be slaughtered on. Seemingly they came down from the Telshe Stone area off of Highway one all the way through the valleys to the city of David right outside the old city. It was there that the Navi tells us Dovid really lost it. He started jumping up and down and rocking the house like a Breslaver Chasid. Everyone came out to see Dovid's crazy breakdancing.

 His wife Michal looked out from her window, which I like to point out to people as I stand there under the platform of the City of David admission and ticket desk in the archeological remains of where that palace may have been that they have uncovered, and was aghast. Is this the way the King of Israel acts? Like a drunk breslaver? Where's the honor. She knew from experience of what happened to her father King Shaul, when the people lost respect for him and she felt this behviour was beneath him and very un-kingly. And like most good Jewish wives she rebuked him and told him so. Bad move.

 Dovid explained to her that he was dancing for the honor of Hashem. There was nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact, the Rambam brings this verse as a halacha to describe how the great Rabbis would dance in the temple on the holiday of Sukkos at the Simchat Beit Ha'shoeiva festive water-offering that was done. When one experiences this love of Dovid for Hashem and the greatness of how our simple actions can uplift him, how can one not dance. How can one not fill with joy? How can one not be a Breslaver. Michal was punished for her harsh rebuke in that she ceased to have children. According to some she died childless, according to others she died later on in childbirth.

 The Ark of Hashem remained on the temple mount in the granary that Dovid had purchased there to build the Temple inside of a tent. The Ark had finally been brought to its final resting place. It would be some years until the Beit Hamikdash would be built and it would stay in the tent Dovid had built for it there. But the future was now seeable. Hashem was almost home.

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S TERRIBLE COW JOKES  OF THE WEEK

 Q: Why don't cows have any money? A: Because farmers milk them dry

Q: What do you get if you cross an angry sheep and a moody cow? A: An animal that's in a baaaaaaaad moooooood.

Q: Why did the cow cross the road? A: To get to the udder side.

Q: Where do cows go for lunch? A: The calf-eteria.

Q: What kind of milk comes from a forgetful cow? A: Milk of Amnesia

Q: Where do Russians get their milk? A: From Mos-cows

Q: What do call a cow that has just had a calf? A: Decalfenated

Q: What do you call a sleeping bull? A: A bull-dozer.

Q: What do you call a grumpy cow? A: Moo-dy

Q: What is it when one cow spies on another cow? A: A steak out.

Q: What do you call an arab next to a cow? A: Milk Sheikh!

Why was the calf afraid? He was a cow-herd

Why wouldn’t anyone play with the little longhorn? He was too much of a bully!

What sound do you hear when you drop a bomb on a cow? Cowboom!

What would you hear at a cow concert? Moo-sic!

What’s a cow’s least moosical note? Beef-flat!

What do cows do for entertainment? They go to the mooooovies.

What do cows like to do at amoosement parks? Ride on the roller cowster

What kind of cows do you find in Alaska? Eski-moos

 Who’s old enough to get this one J?

There was a herd of cattle all standing on a hill when an earthquake struck. All of the cows fell down, but the bull remained standing. The farmer noticing this went out and asked the bull, "Why didn't you fall down like the rest of the herd. The bull replied, "We bulls wobble, but we don't fall down

 And finally…

 Knock knock.

Who's there?

Cows go.

Cows go who?

No, silly. Cows go MOOOOOO

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Answer is B –Another one wrong…  I answered this too quick without thinking about it. I knew that Wadi Nisnas celebrates a holiday for all religions on Chanukah time.  I figured that's what they were talking about. They like "pluralistic" made-up holidays. The only thing is that it's not called festival of lights. The Festival of Lights is a actually a summer "festival" of lights all over Jerusalem. I knew about the lights they have then I just never thought it was an official festival. So I got it wrong. Another point for MOT so the score is now 14 for Rabbi Schwartz and 4 for the Ministry of Tourism on this exam.

Aliyah Tips- Parshat Ki Tavo 5780 /2020

 

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land

from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

September 4^th 2020 -Volume 10 Issue 45 15^th Elul 5780

Parshat Ki Tavo

Aliyah Tips

Mazel Tov! You're coming home. It's about time, already. We've been waiting for you here. Listen, I understand and am sympathetic, it took me a solid 15 years after I was married to make it over here and I had to wander the entire US of A first. You were settled. You had your job, your family obligations, your kid's schools and you really enjoyed sour pickles and American beef. I understand. Change isn't easy. I'm just glad that you're finally coming. That you're smart enough to see the writing on the wall already. Hey, not too long ago there were 6 million Jews that didn’t. You've learned the lessons of history though. You know that when the anti-semites are out of the closet and acting brazenly defacing shuls, shops and that hatred is all over the place that the ship has already sailed. That baby isn't being putting back into its crib. The game is over.

 

I know it's a bit unsettling. You were hoping to wait until you got married/ the kids were older/ the kids got married/ the grandchildren/got married/ you could retire/ you would come in a coffin… Pick your choice. But hey, Think of all of those millennia of your ancestors that had dreamed and davened to be privileged enough to have booked themselves on the next Aliyah flight like you have. And the truth is these days you pretty much could do most of the same things that you did back there. Your children can still attend their pathetic Zoom classes that you're still paying tuition for. You can telecommute for your work. You've pretty much been doing that already most of the time. I know you're sad about leaving behind all of those relatives and friends of yours behind. But to be honest this past year, you haven't seen too much of them anyways outside of your facetime and family chats and don’t worry they'll probably be joining you soon.

 

Now what do you know this week's parsha is actually the perfect Olim settling in Israel parsha. In fact it's title gives it away; Ki Tavo- when you will come. In the past I 've written articles on on being good tourists when coming to Israel. But those days are long gone. There are no tourists anymore. If you want to come these days, Hashem has pretty much said that you gotta come for good. It's been nice for the past couple of decades having you here for you your Bar Mitzvas, for you seminary or yeshiva years or for your family vacations. It was nice seeing you. But enough already. Come home. I want you here with Me always. We've got work to do here. It's pretty lonely when you guys are aren't around here. And it's really frustrating for Me to see that ugly gold pimple on my Temple Mount where we once joined together. I'm sick of seeing all of these churches and houses of idolatry all over My holy city. Your holy city. Our holy city. I want you home so I'm glad that you've finally decided to join the job I chose you for 3300 years ago on a Mountain out in Sinai. So read this parsha good, it's your Aliyah handbook. It's the things you need to know Ki Tavo- When you are coming home.

 

The first mitzvos are agricultural. That means that understanding that the fruits and vegetables that you've been picking up in your local supermarket and have taken for granted until now will now be the greatest tools to bonding with Hashem. You should become farmers, learn a little bit about the land and become inspired by the incredible miracle of the fruits that grow from it. Reb Zalman Sorotzkin, in his classic work Oznayim La'Torah writes that the main function of settling the land is to plant there. To work, to sweat, to plow, plant, harvest and to make the land flourish. Now most of us are white collar works. Sweat on our brow has meant that the air conditioning is not working so well. We're doctors, lawyers, accountants, techies and metal salesman. But not anymore. Let's roll up our sleeves and really get to work. It's time for a paradigm shift.

 

The Chasam Sofer takes this even a step further. He notes that the famous dispute between Rebbi Yishmael and Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai on whether one should spend their entire time studying Torah and rely on the blessing that will come through the hands of the work being "done for you" or whether one should learn together with working the land, really depends on where one is living. Outside of Israel where one's work is really just a means for providing one with income and putting food on the table, then you're better off studying Torah. Live simply and sacrifice as much as possible in order to maximize your Torah study, because that's the only thing that has true spiritual meaning. This is not so for those living in Israel. Working the land in Eretz Yisrael is of the highest spiritual value. In the words of the Chasam Sofer someone that chooses to learn Torah rather than work the land of Eretz Yisrael

 

Chasam Sofer (Sukka 36A) "is like someone who says I will not put on tefillin because I wish to learn Torah, So to is someone who says he will not gather in my gran because I want to learn Torah"

 

Wow! Imagine that going out and working in the field is a mitzva like putting on Teffilin. How awesome is that?

 

Now if you're nervous that you don't have a green thumb, like me. Not everyone has a little garden in my backyard like my farther does or has patience to sit and grow onion, tomatos and lettuce and other things that go inside of a hamburger bun. Fear not, first of all in Eretz Yisrael, these things pretty much grow themselves. Everywhere you go you'll find trees with pomegranates, olives, apples, pears, grapes figs and dates. It's awesome. But besides that the Chasam Sofer throws us another chiddush- revolutionary idea. He notes that not only working the ground is a mitzva but any craft, or job that helps set up society and settle the land and that is productive is a mitzva as well.

 

See in America there are parents that tell their idealistic yeshiva students who don't want to go to college or work that getting a job and providing for their family is also a mitzva. My father tried that- it didn't work. But in Israel your job really is a mitzva. Not just a mitzva of providing for your family, or earning money so you can give tzedaka, support Jewish causes…yada yada. In Israel it is inherently a mitzva. Every tap on your keyboard at your hi-tech job is like learning another word of Torah. Every twist with your screwdriver on the house your fixing is like putting another coin in the pushka and every patient you take care of, every useful product you produce or sell is like another Kiddush on Shabbos that you make. In fact the Chasam Sofer writes that the last letters of the words the zavaS chalaV U'DvaSH- flowing with milk and honey that this week's parsha repeatedly uses spell the word Shabbos. How cool is that!

 

The Parsha continues with the mitzva of Bikkurim and Viduy Maasrot. All of our planting and growing is there in order for us to bring our first fruits to the Mikdash and to support those that are needy and are dedicating themselves to building our spiritual country; the Kohanim and the levi'im. But this is not merely a tax. We have the mitzva of maaser sheni, where we bring the tithes to Jerusalem for us to eat. Because life in Eretz Yisrael is not just about building Torah institutions and supporting Kollels. It's about each Jews personal spiritual growth. We need to enjoy the fruits and enjoy them in Yerushalayim. We need to visit Hashem. We have a whole year of the Shemitta year when we don't work and just study Torah. Yes, working the land is a mitzva. But at the end of the day, we need Torah wisdom. We need the light of Torah in our lives. We need whole year to tap into that. By the way next year is the 6^th year in the shemitta count cycle where Hashem promises that He will provide for three years worth of parnassa. I'm pretty much counting on that. I didn't realize that he takes it off the fifth year cheshbon… But it's all good.

 

The Parsha hits that message of the essence of our spiritual Torah life in Israel by the first commandment even as we enter the land is to put up these two huge stones with the Torah written upon them. Reb Eliyahu Dessler notes that this mitzva is in order to hit home that the first place and thing we should do- even before conquering the land and setting up our garden is to write some Torah. Head off to the Beis Midrash. Make yourself a chavrusa. Find yourself a Torah class. Log in to you zoom class back in the States for all I care. But your Torah will be different here. It is just as much of a building block. In fact it's the foundation for everything that you will build and plant. So carve that into stone. In whatever language you wish. It's all holy here. It's all part of our redemption.

 

Next we have the blessings and the curses. Life in Israel is one where everything has meaning. Everything is extreme. Your Shabbos, your, holidays, your mitzvos, your work, your government, your neighbors, your friends and your family are not just small little different aspects and pieces of the makeup of your life. They all unite into one country, one people, one purpose. Like all the parts of your body where there is nothing extraneous, there is nothing that you do here that doesn't have the highest spiritual significance. If you mess up. It can bring the worst curses in the world. You're in the palace of the King. It's intense. At the same time, You're in the palace of the King- it doesn't get more awesome than that every detail of that palace is with perfect precision. Your house, your mezuza, your tefillin, your shul your tomatos and shwarma.

 

Finally the most important thing about living in Israel and the key to getting the blessings and bringing down the shechina to live here with us is to be happy. See, America's founding fathers gave you the liberty to pursue happiness. The problem is that how can you really be happy when you're in exile. It was a fruitless pursuit from the moment we landed there. Sure there have been some good times. It was an exile of relative peace and tranquility where we did indeed flourish. It was good while it lasted. But happiness? Neahhh. Our souls could never be happy outside of our home. Happiness is only in front of Hashem. It's only where we can be doing what we're meant to be doing, what we were chosen for. The rest is just pastrami sandwiches which are quite filling but in the end they just give you heartburn.

 

So when you come here, the final rule is to be happy. It's not always easy. But just read the parsha again and again. Think about the promise that is being fulfilled through us. Think about our history and all that we suffered through to get here. Think about that special love Hashem has for us and that He has never abandoned us. That He's been eagerly awaiting your plane. That he's standing there at the airport waving the flag as you get off those El Al wings of Eagles (I think that's the name of the new group that is buying them out now-how cool is that!). Baruch Hashem this year has been an awesome one. Sure, it's been rough it's been unsettling and too many of us have suffered tragedies and losses that have created voids that can never be filled. But it's a year that has shaken all of us up and made us all realize how unsettled our lives really are. How everything we have taken for granted in the past was just an illusion. How we need to really come home and get to work in the place we were meant to. May this coming year 5781-taf shin pei alef be the year of t'hei' shna pidyon America- the year of the redemption finally of our brothers and sisters in America and the entire world as we return the land that is awaiting for us.

Have a redemptive Shabbos,

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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Check out my latest Mishpacha JR. magazine Video

The Beit Shemesh Area

Dovid, Golyas, Jeep rides, Shimshon, Tel Beit Shemesh,

Stories of Tanach come alive

Guest appearances

Elka and Tully

https://mishpacha.com/club-jr-episode-14

 

See the video everyone is talking about!

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

 " Besser bay zikh krupnik, eyder bay yenem gebrotns.." Better barley soup at home than a roast at someone else’s home.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

43) The number of Knesset members in the Israeli Knesset is:

A.  70

B.  71

C.  100

D.  120

 

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO  OF THE WEEK

 https://mishpacha.com/club-jr-episode-14 - My latest video for Mishpacha Jr. The Beit Shemesh area guest appearances Tully and Elka

 https://youtu.be/JWNkamObGKc  -The Sound of the Shofar (Simon and Garrfunkel knockoff) by OORAH

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwKHa8WLJF8 – Berry Webber give a smile!

 https://youtu.be/NbbLiZ4STOg – Pumbedisa Elul-Hamelech Basadeh

 https://youtu.be/TIpNvIfs2g4  –Nissim Black's latest Rerun

 RABBI SCHWARTZ'S PARSHA/MITZVA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

 Parshat Ki Tavo – Bikkurim-First Fruits- Ok Mashiach is on his way, so it's time to start brushing up on the laws of the land. Sacrifices are all fine and good, but perhaps the most spectacular and common offering was the Bikkurim first fruit ceremony. Israel is a very agricultural society. Every year from Shavuos to Sukkos there would be daily caravans approaching Yerushalayim with baskets laden with fruit decorated each person according to their status. The poor head straw baskets the more affluent had golden ones. (There's a message in that-no one did more than they could afford). They would come from all over Israel, they would sleep in the streets of the cities along the way in order to let everyone know they were going to the Beis Hamikdash. Uman on Rosh Hashana had nothing on this. As they approached Yerushalayim they would have wagons being pulled by oxen with golden ornamented horns and music playing in front of them. All the shopkeepers and dignitaries would come to greet them. It was an amazing scene, and all for a basket of fruit.

 

Now the process to get ready for this mitzva starts as soon as the fruit begins to blossom. A ribbon is tied around the first fruit and a declaration is made that this is Bikkurim. It is only from fruits that are of the five of the species that are fruits; dates, pomegranates, figs, grapes and olives. For the next few weeks you would go out and watch how this fruit grows until it is fully ripe. So exciting. When it is finally picked you can imagine the joy and appreciation that one has for Eretz Yisrael, for living here, for the blessing Hashem has given us. There's only one place to head after that. Yerushalayim; to tell Him so yourself.

 One comes into the Mikdash. He walks up those incredible 15 steps, he sees the glorious building, the marble, the gold and hehears the heavenly choir of the Levi'im and their orchestra. He brings his basket to the Kohen who waves it together with him. He them makes a declaration, which recalls all the kindness Hashem has done for us since our forefathers. It's a familiar recital. They are the verses we recite at our Pesach Seder. We then place our humble offering by the Mizbayach for the Kohanim and our mission is complete. What an amazing service. Are you guys psyched? Get ready it's almost time to start it up again…

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

 Shaul VS Dovid Round I - 878 BC- With Dovid's marriage to Michal two things happened. Number one the Plishtim were not that happy that his wedding gift to his Father-in-law were the 200 foreskins that he took from the Plishtim that he killed as can be expected. In addition they figured that since Dovid was in "shana rishona" the first year of marriage that he would not be permitted to go out to fight against them, so they could act impunity. And they attacked. Little did they know that exemption was only for permissible wars that we wage to expand the borders of Israel. A defensive war though, everyone goes out to fight. And Dovid trounced them again and again.

 The second thing that took place as a result of this was that Shaul's jealousy and melancholy got worse and worse and he repeatedly tried to kill Dovid. He threw spears at him, he spoke to his servants about it and even to his son Yonasan. One evening though things really got exciting when Shaul posted his guards outside Dovid's home in order to bring to get killed the next morning. Michal though covered for Dovid lowering him down through the window and putting a statue in his bed with a goats hair sheitel. Yonasan attempts to make peace again and again ubber tzu helft nisht. Dovid flees to Shmuel in Rama.

 They got to a neighbourhood called Nayot. Today, there is a neighbourhood in Yerushalayim that is named after it. Chazal tell us that the name is a reference to the Beis Hamikdash called Neve Kodshecha, and that entire night Shmuel taught him the laws of the building of the Mikdash and they sat down to figure out where exactly Har Habayis where it would be built was meant to be. Shaul, sent 3 different groups of guards there to arrest Dovid and bring him back, but legion after legion all began to prophesize pon approaching them that Dovid was meant to rule. Shaul, himself made his way up to Rama to see what was going on and he came under the same spell of prophecy and eventually went back empty handed. Ultimately it seems that Dovid returned home again but it wasn’t for long when once again Shaul was out to get him.

 Dovid confronts his beloved friend Yonasan to see if there was any way out of this and  at the Rosh Chodesh Seuda Yonasan sees that any mention of Dovid to his father just brings out this murderous rage. In order to signal to Dovid that he should flee he goes out to the field and by utilizing a pre-arranged signals of shooting arrows and telling his assistant o fetch them as they had flown far away. Dovid knew that he had to flee. These trials and tribulations, that Dovid underwent became the inspiration for many of the psalms that he composed in his tefillos to Hashem. As well it prepared him for his Kingship. Because one thing a king has to learn, is that not everyone will love him and his life will always be in danger. Next week We'll learn the further adventures of Dovid in exile.

 (We've learned the stories until now check out the Rabbi Schwartz Dovid and Golyas video!)

https://mishpacha.com/club-jr-episode-14

 RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FARMER JOKES  OF THE WEEK

ack in one of the shtetels of Europe, the local Rebbe was having a conversation with a poor farmer about the nature of belief, and how even difficult financial times, everything comes from Hashem. The Rebbe said to the poor farmer, "Reb Yid, let me ask you, if you had a horse, and you were asked, would you give it to Hashem?"

"Yes," replied the farmer.

"And if you had a cow?"

"Absolutely."

"And a goat?"

"Of course."

"A wagon?"

"Rebbe, that's not fair!" protested the farmer. "You know I have a wagon!"

Morty Applebaum bought a donkey from an old farmer for $100. The farmer agreed to deliver the mule the next day. The next day, the farmer drove up and said, "Sorry, but I have some bad news. The donkey died."

"Well, then, just give me my money back," said Morty.

"Can't do that,” replied the farmer. “I went and spent it already."

"OK, then. Just unload the donkey."

"What ya gonna do with him?"

"I'm going to raffle him off."

"You can't raffle off a dead donkey!"

"Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead."

A month later the farmer met up with Morty and asked, "Whatever happened with that dead donkey?"

"I raffled him off. I sold five hundred tickets at two dollars apiece and made a profit of $998."

"Didn't anyone complain?" asked the farmer.

"Just the guy who won,” said Morty. “So I gave him his two dollars back."

 Little Itzik Goldshmit from Kibbutz Kfar Giladi in Israel was visiting his American cousin who lived in Florida. One day a farmer was driving along the road with a load of fertilizer. Itzik saw him and asked, "What do you have in your truck?"

"Fertilizer," the farmer replied.

"What are you going to do with it?" asked little Itzik.

"Put it on strawberries," answered the farmer.

"Back in my kibbutz," Itzik advised, "We put sugar and cream on ours."

 One day Chaim Yankel, a farm boy in the town of Chelm, accidentally overturned his wagon load of corn while traveling on one of the country roads. The farmer who lived nearby was riding by and saw what happened. "Chaim Yankel!!" the farmer yelled. "Don’t worry about your wagon. Come to my house for supper and I can take you home afterwards."

"That's mighty nice of you,” Chaim Yankel answered, "but I don't think Dad would like me to."

"Awe, come on," the farmer insisted.

"Well okay," Chaim Yankel finally agreed, and added, "But Dad won't like it."

After a hearty dinner, Chaim Yankel thanked his host. "I really enjoyed the meal, but I know Dad is going to be real upset."

"Don't be foolish!" the neighbor said. "By the way, where is he?"

"Under the wagon."

 

Dudi Shaked, an Israeli farmer purchases an old, run-down, abandoned farm with plans to turn it into a thriving enterprise. The fields are grown over with weeds, the farmhouse is falling apart, and the fences are collapsing all around.

During his first day of work, the local Rabbi stops by to bless the man's work, saying, "May you and God work together to make this the farm of your dreams!"

A few months later, the Rabbi stops by again to call on the Dudi. Lo and behold, it's like a completely different place -- the farm house is completely rebuilt and in excellent condition, there are plenty of cattle and other livestock happily munching on feed in well-fenced pens, and the fields are filled with crops planted in neat rows.

"Amazing!" the Rabbi says. "Look what God and you have accomplished together!"

"Yes, Rabbi," says the farmer, "but remember what the farm was like when God was working it alone!"

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Answer is D –  OK we're almost done with this exam. And it looks like I definitely passed and could still get my license if I had to take the exam again 8 years later and hopefully even get a decent grade as well. This is another easy one. See, I like little factoids and nuggets particularly when we find ancient sources for modern Israeli life. The Knesset has 120 members the same as there were in the original anshei Knesset Ha'gedola- men of the great assembly of the second Temple period. Another one right again and the score is Schwartz 33 and 11 for MOT (Ministry of Tourism) on this exam.