from the
Holy Land
from
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
"Your friend in Karmiel"
August 30th 2024 -Volume 13 Issue 45 26th of Av 5784
Parshat Re’eh
Holy Heretic
He was excited to have his honored brother-in-law, the holy “Flame” or the “Saraf”, Reb Uri of Strelisk visit him that weekend. It was going to be a big Shabbos in Kosov and Reb Menachem Mendel sent out the word that all should come to the synagogue, as just to see the holy prayers of Reb Uri was a sight of a lifetime. The legend was that Reb Uri held the keys that locked Gehenom up over Shabbos and the souls that were released from there for Shabbos didn’t return until after Reb Uri’s havdala, which could take over an hour. This was not a Shabbos to miss.
Already on Thursday the locals came over to their Rebbe’s house where Reb Menachem Mendel (the founder of the Kosov and Viznitz dynasties) greeted each of his chasidim and townsfolk and spoke with them. There was one chasid however, whose heart was broken and who wasn’t satisfied with a mere blessing. He had once been a wealthy man who had supported much of the needy causes in the town. The wheels of fortune had turned on him and now he had lost it all. To make matters worse, the poritz from whom he had rented his lands demanded payment and had threatened to take his wife and children and lock them up until his outstanding debts were covered. Reb Menachem Mendel realizing the severity of the situation, told the broken chasid to go into his brother-in-law and ask for his advice as to what he should do.
With trepidation, the man entered the holy office where Reb Uri was sitting, learning and praying and he tearfully told him his sorry story. Reb Uri, being moved by his story told him that he would bequeath to him all of the merits of the Mikva that he, Reb Uri, immersed in the next morning with all his lofty kavanos and mystical tikunim. That should provide him with all he needs. The poor yid walked out perplexed, what could a Mikva dip do for him? He had bills to pay now. But one doesn’t argue or ask on a Rebbi, so he bit his tongue and accepted it. However when he told Reb Menachem Mendel about the strange conversation and offer of his brother-in-law, the Rebbe sent him back in and told him to tell Reb Uri a message that “A Mikva dip is not how we pay back debts”.
So fearfully and a bit abashedly the chasid reentered Reb Uri’s room and told him the message that Reb Menachem Mendel had given him. Reb Uri accepted the message and closed his eyes a bit and turned back to the chasid and told him that he had thought it over and decided that he would as well give him the merit of his tefillin wearing the next morning. Reb Uri’s tefillin there were those that said were so holy that they corresponded to the tefillin Hashem wore in heaven. Yet, once again when the chasid exited and told Reb Menachem Mendel what Reb Uri had told him, it wasn’t good enough and thus he found himself going in for the third time this time truly feeling like a ping pong ball between these two great masters.
Yet the third time, although the Saraf upped the ante even more by offering him the merit of his entire Shacharis prayers, wasn’t sufficient enough for Reb Menachem Mendel either. The Chasid however despite his desperate need was tired of being a ping pong ball and suggested maybe the Rebbe himself come with him to his brother-in-law and work this out together. So they entered the holy room of Reb Uri and the Saraf looked up at his brother-in-law surprisedly and asked “are my merits and prayers that I was willing to give this man not enough?” The holy Kossover turned to his brother-in-law and responded
“All of that is fine and good, but with a Mikva dip, teffilin and even prayers you can’t buy food in a grocery store. The only thing that we need to do here is that you and I go together and knock on the doors of the local wealthier families and raise a respectable sum for this poor yid. That’s the way that debts are paid back.”
And so the two holy Rebbes went from door to door for the next two days and thus they were able to help this poor yid take care of his debts and family.
There is a great vort that I heard once, I think it was from Reb Yisrael Salanter, the great Mussar giant. They asked him once that it is said that every attribute and emotion that Hashem placed into our DNA could be used for good and for bad. Whether it is kindness, anger, zealotry, the power of speech and even deviousness, trickery and arrogance. Yet, they asked him, how could the midda of heresy and disbelief in God have any positive usage or outcome?
His response was that when it comes to taking care of the needs of others, it is good to become a heretic. That’s why Hashem created man with the ability to deny the existence of Hashem. Don’t tell other people that Hashem will help them. Prayer on their behalf, extra merits or resolutions you may do to save people and turn around decrees in heaven, tears, Tehillim and even blessings and prayers of tzadikim are all good when one is faced with their own tzoris; their own trying times or needs for salvation. But when it comes to others, it’s best to be a kofer. Stop believing in God and get off your couch, close your Tehillim and do something real. That’s the real reason Hashem created atheism. For when it comes to another’s pain that’s what we’re supposed to be. (And you thought my last week’s E-Mail on reverse psychology and not wanting mashiach was bad… I may even have to unsubscribe from my own E-Mails soon, if this keeps up.)
This week’s parsha, Re’eh, fascinatingly enough does not have any commentary of the Zohar, the classic Kabbala work, which is quite unique. The Sifsei Tzadik (the grandson of Chiddushei Ha’Rim) explains this by noting the difference between the Talmud Bavli and the Zohar. The Bavli, when it brings proofs to arguments it’s making, uses the terms “Tah Shema- come and hear”. The Zohar on the other hand uses the term “Tah chazei- come and see”. The difference between the two terms are that to hear something one only needs to listen to the arguments or statements being made/ The words themselves do the talking and explanation. To see, on the other hand, one has to engage their own intellect. They have to reflect on the sights and understand the nuances, causes and meanings of what is being presented before them. It’s much deeper. That’s what the Zohar and the kabbala’s job is; to reveal the mystical meanings behind what is presented. To let you come and see what is behind the surface.
That is true for most parshiyot and it is necessary to get the full picture. Parshat Re’eh, though, the parsha that begins “Re’eh- see that I place before you today the bracha and the klala- the blessing and curse,” doesn’t have any secrets or hidden meanings. It’s all there in the open. Quite the opposite in fact. The message of the parsha is don’t try to dig too deep. Don’t try to be lomdish, insightful and find explanations. The messages of this parsha are right in front of you. Just see them and all will be good.
So let’s do that quickly now. I promised myself it would be a short E-Mail this week. So don’t expect any great insights or pshatim. We’re just reading the texts.
Number one. Follow the mitzvos. End of story. Mitzvos are good, they will bring you blessing. In fact, they’re the natural way that one achieves everything that they’re really looking for in life. The Torah tells us the blessing comes “asher tisham’a’un- when you will listen. The curses on the other hand “im lo- if you don’t:. We are naturally built to do the right thing. It’s the essence of our soul. It’s simple. Leaving the path, though… that takes talent. That takes thinking on your own and trying to convince yourself of something else. Don’t try to figure things out. Just see what’s in front of you and stay on the path.
Next series of lessons. Eretz Yisrael is the place to be. It’s the only place where the Shechina rests. That’s where you need to live. End of story. It’s quite simple. See that.
See that there are enemies and evil people and kill them all. Don’t overthink this. Don’t ask the world permission. Don’t listen to false prophets, to your brothers that tries to convince or persuade you otherwise. To the News. To entire cities that are built and premised on these false left-wing ideals of dual-existence and two-states and humanitarian aid. Destroy them. Don’t think it doesn’t belong to anyone else. Don’t let them move you from the sights of your eyes. Don’t get blinded by your intelligence, your confidence, your army. It’s what Hashem wants you to do. Conquer the land, settle the land, inherit the land, build a temple, shine out the light to the world. Stop staying in galus and foreign countries davening and crying and going to the Mikva and putting on tefillin as a merit that Hashem will magically bring you on wings of eagles here and do all the messy dirty work for you. That’s not the way you pay your bills in the makolet, that’s not the way we were meant to get the land. Be an atheist and forget about Hashem doing the job for you and just come here already. I promise He’s here waiting for you.
We’ll skip all of the kosher laws in the parsha- which perhaps one can argue also has become over complicated, but I’m not getting into that here… And jump to the bulk of the parsha which is the laws of tzedaka, charity, tithes, helping out the needy, giving up all claims to debts that are owed to you in shemitta, giving tips to your servants when they’re done working. Basically, in a nutshell, what Hashem wants us to see, and what we all know to be true, is that the only time we will be truly happy and accomplish all we want to do and have in life, is when we open our hearts, our homes, our fields, our wallets to those that are needy and less fortunate and blessed then us. There is no greater feeling in the world then to be the provider.
I’ve taken so many people this year to make BBQ’s for soldiers, to houses of needy orphans and widows, to hostage families that are suffering and can’t pay their bills because they haven’t yet seen October 8th on this yoma arichta- this long day that the past year has become. Barring none, those experiences have been the highlight of their trips here. More than the water hikes, the ATV trips, jeeping in the Judean desert, rafting down the Jordan river and evening davening in the Kotel or Kever Rachel. Because when one gives their heart and soul and pours out their money, even more than ever before, then what in fact they are becoming is god-like. They are literally becoming like Hashem and cleaving to His ways. They are revealing their own neshoma’s deepest desire because just as Hashem is selfless and focused on doing good to the world, we are doing the same.
We all know this to be true. We all know how we feel when hundreds of soldiers can’t stop thanking you for taking care of them. When wounded people tell you how much your visit means to them. When you come across the ocean to visit them and when through tears and hugs that don’t stop, the families of mourners or suffering hostages tell you what your visit has done for them. You see it on their faces. You appreciate the good you’ve just done. You didn’t just tell them Hashem will be there for them, but you were a little bit of a heretic and atheist yourself and said that you aren’t waiting for Hashem. You’re doing and helping in whatever way you can. You’re a good holy heretic.
The parsha concludes with all the holidays, once again in the Torah. The special times during the year when we can see Hashem. When He wants us to visit Him. When we’re supposed to come to Yerushalayim to His temple. Yet the question is how can we see Hashem? He’s invisible, right? He’s infinite. He’s beyond time and space and anything that we have any mortal way of perceiving. The answer though is quite clear. Each holiday it tells us again and again, bring the widow, the orphan, the levi, the convert, the needy, the helpless, the servants with us. Take care of them. Feed them. Treat them to a Jerusalem trip. Pay for them. Put them in the Waldorf with you. As the last verse in the parsha tells us
“Ish k’matnas yado k’virkas Hashem elokecha asher nasan lach- Each man according to the gift of the blessing Hashem has given you.”
If you want to see Hashem, then be Hashem. Forget about your own needs. Reach deep, take care of others. If you do that, you will experience godliness like you never have before. You will be redeemed. You will be one with Him. In fact that’s the only reason Hashem created them and you. They’re there so that you can connect and take care of them. That’s your job. That’s how you can reveal Him. That’s how you can see Him.
It’s not our prayers, no matter how much we shuckel and sway that allows us to see God. Even when we learn His holy word in the Torah, we are only hearing the word of Hashem. We’re not seeing Him. Hashem doesn’t just want to be heard. He’s sick of talking to us on the telephone. Just like the soldiers serving months in Gaza are sick of facetiming their children “Layla tov” each night. He wants us to be at the Shabbos table with Him. He wants this year Sukkos to sit with us under His shade. He wants us home. He wants to be seen by us.
We enter this week the month of Elul. Hashem is packing His bags right now, as our kabbalists tell us and heading out to the field. The Melech is coming to the sadeh. We’re going to have a great get-together soon. It’s time for us to start packing as well. But it’s not our own bags that need to be packed. It’s the binoculars, or perhaps even more accurately the holy glasses that we will need to see Hashem when He arrives. Those “eyes” that can see Hashem, are the ones that see and have helped the poor, needy and downtrodden that we are making sure will have what they need to come with us. Eyes that see them and answer their calls will be able to see the bracha. Those eyes didn’t fall off to the cursed path and been busy with excuses that someone else will take care of them. They don’t say that the government will or should be the ones helping them. That Hashem will provide. That all we can do is to just daven and say Tehillim. If we see and we do what is before us, then we can see it all. Their eyes are turned to us, to our hearts, to our wallets. Hashem has this year given so many, more than ever, that are turning to us, because He wants all of us to have a piece of that action. He wants us all to finally See Him Home. It’s time to become a holy heretic. As I said last week… nothing else seems to be working…
Have a super special Shabbos and a blessed loving month of Elul,
Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz
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YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK
" Tsedokeh zol kain gelt nit kosten un gemilas-chassodim zolen kain agmas-nefesh nit farshafen, volten geven di velt fil tsadikim..- If one could do charity without money and favors without aggravation, the world would be full of saints.
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S COOL VIDEO OF THE WEEK
https://soundcloud.com/ephraim-schwartz/lecha-amar-my-versioon - Can you believe it’s Elul already?!! I composed this song last Elul before the war and it carried me through the entire month. Please Hashem don’t hide Your face from me, from the psalm we begin saying this month of L’dovid. It truly encapsulates all of the essence of the month with amazing arrangements and vocals from Dovid Lowy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DiZ5SHnekOg – Mordechai Shapiro’s latest Va’tavo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1mn2-q2rJA – Shlomo Yehudah’s beautiful Ani L’dodi sung Moshe Tishler
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23bHBmxkz5U – And here’s my friend Dovid Lowy’s Ani L’Dodi… enjoy!
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK
answer below at end of Email
The Lachish Letters describe events connected to the conquest campaign, that
was initiated by the ________ Empire
The findings from which of the Tels in the Shphelah (Judean Foothills) caused
debate regarding the size of the “United Monarchy”?
A. Azekah
B. Qeiyafa
C. Sokho
D. Beit Shemesh
RABBI SCHWARTZ’S PARSHA PRAYER INSPIRATION OF THE WEEK
Jerusalem – It’s such an amazing thing. It’s really to me one of the most powerful aspects of our prayer that we take for granted so much and hardly pay any attention to. It’s the direction that we daven. For thousands of years we lived all over the world. In Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. It doesn’t make a difference where Jews were, we all faced one direction when we davened. We all faced Yerushalayim. We understood that Yerushalayim is the gateway for all of our prayers. That’s where our hearts and thoughts need to be towards. That’s the way we need to face. If we do that, then that merit alone will bring all of our tefillos up to Hashem.
The Radomsker Rebbe, Reb Shloimeleh, takes this idea to a new level though in this week’s parsha. He notes that there’s a Talmud in Berachos that Rebbi Yosi entered once one of the destroyed ruins of Yerushalayim to daven and Eliyahu Ha’Navi stood at the entrance to the gate and was watching over there. The Rebbi asks why would Eliyahu be standing in the ruins of Yerushalayim and why does it even need a gate? Isn’t it ruins? He answers that the ruins of Yerushalayim and the gate that Eliyahu stands in front of our the gates of the prayers that he brings up to Hashem. Eliyahu’s job is to connect all of those prayers to the ruins. Every tefilla that we have needs to primarily be connected and at it’s essence for Mashiach. For the temple. For the redemption that he’s waiting and waiting to herald in. Eliyahu tells Rebbi Yosi that he didn’t need to come to the ruins to daven those prayers. They don’t need to be by the Kotel. They can be from anywhere on the road. As long as it’s a road to Jerusalem, where all our roads need to lead. He’s there waiting to bring them up. We just need to direct those thoughts there.
The Rebbe explains thus the verse that tells us this week of the mitzva to come to the Beit Ha’Mikdash. L’shichno tidrashu- seek out that dwelling place of Hashem, u’vasah shama- and then you will come there. Then Hashem will answer those prayers. Then Eliyahu will bring them up and bring Mashiach.
Eliyahu told Rebbi Yosi that it doesn’t have to even be a long prayer. It just needs to be about Yerushalayim. It has to be about those ruins. If one needs a shidduch, parnasa. If they need healing, comfort, consolation or a miracle, you need to turn your hearts and connect that to the ruins of Yerushalayim. To the pain of the shechina. To your desire to return and to see Hashem returned and His house rebuilt. If we do that then the point of Yerushalyim will not oonly be the compass that we turn towards, but it will truly be the center of our prayers, the gateway to heaven. The place we can finally call home.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK
Chabakuk 697 BC -Although we usually talk about eras and kings, the next few weeks I’d like to focus on the various prophets that lived during this tumultuous period of King Menashe. Our sages tell us that the three periods during this period were Chabakuk, Yoel and Nachum, none of them though mention Menashe as he was too wicked to even mention his name. Chabakuk, who according to our sages was one of the oldest prophets is the first we will begin with.
The Navi Chabakuk, according to one opinion, and for those of our faithful readers of this column will remember, was the child of the Shunamite woman whom Elisha resurrected. The home of the Shunamite woman today, which is the only place where Reb Chayim Kanievsky would tell people to daven at, as he had a tradition from his father the Steipler that it was a special place to daven, is located in the Arab village of Sulam. The grave of that son, Chabakuk, is actually not far from there near tzomet Kadarim and the village of Chukok in the lower Galil, right off the side of Highway 65.
As opposed to other prophets we don’t have much other information about who Chabakuk was and his life and times. We just have three chapters in his book that give us prophecies for all times. In fact our sages tell us that there are 613 mitzvos in the Torah, yet Chabakuk knocked it all down to three words. “Tzadik B’Emunoso yichyeh- a righteous man lives with his faith”. That’s what all of Judaism and mitzvos are about. Having faith in Hashem and being righteous in following his way.
The first chapter of his book deals with the great question of tzadik v’ra lo- how to deal with questions of that faith when we see the righteous and pure being punished. He mentions the word Chamas many times by the way and screams out at Hashem how can it be that Hashem watches as the wicked rebel and swallow up the righteous. The answer in chapter 2 he reveals is that Hashem told him that ‘im yismahameha chakeh lo shetavo- if he delays wait for him that he will come”. If that sounds familiar to you, yes that is the basis of our Ani Maamin. It’s from there that we have the song of faith. It’s our belief that despite the questions there is an answer that will be forthcoming, and all will be clear. We can only live with our faith. That’s all we have.
Finally the last chapter of Chabakuk’s book is very similar to Dovid Ha’melech’s book of Tehillim. It is a song and the only other book that uses the word “selah” repeatedly. He prophesizes of the redemption and Hashem’s revenge against our enemies. We end with a song. With a prayer. Chabakuk more than any prophet as one who came back from the dead is the one to tell us that the world is not as we think it looks. We need to see beyond what is before us in the moment. Hashem is always there and the redemption is on its way. That is the words of the prophet in those days, but for our times as well.
RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ATHEIST JOKES OF THE WEEK
What's the difference between an atheist and an evangelical Christian? The atheist is honest about not following the teachings of God
What do you get when you cross an atheist with a Jehovah’s Witness? Someone who knocks on your door for no apparent reason.
“Religion has convinced people that there's an invisible man ... living in the sky. Who watches everything you do every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a list of ten specific things he doesn't want you to do. And if you do any of these things, he will send you to a special place, of burning and fire and smoke and torture and anguish for you to live forever, and suffer, and suffer, and burn, and scream, until the end of time. But he loves you. He loves you and he needs money.” — George Carlin
What does it say on the atheist’s tombstone? All dressed up and no place to go.
A Jewish atheist hears that the best school in town happens to be Catholic, so he enrolls his son. Things are going well until one day the boy comes home and says, “I just learned all about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”
The boy’s father is barely able to control his rage. He grabs his son by the shoulders and says, “Joey, this is very important, so listen carefully. There is only ONE God — and we don’t believe in Him!”
What do you get if you cross an insomniac with an atheist and a dyslexic? Someone who stays up all night, wondering if there is a file after death..
Hannah comes home from her afternoon out with Arnold looking very unhappy.
"What’s the matter, Hannah?" asks her mother.
"Arnold has asked me to marry him," she replies.
"Mazeltov! But why are you looking so sad?" her mother asks.
"Because he also told me that he was an atheist. He doesn't even believe in Gehenom."
Her mother then says, "That’s alright Hannah, it really isn’t a problem. I suggest you marry him and then I will show him how wrong he is."
Yanky came home to his mother after running away from a few years. He was certainly not the young yeshiva student that he was when he left home after being thrown out of yeshiva. His mother turned to him and asked him if he was still religious? Yanky, turned his eyes down and told his mother that he no longer believed in God and didn’t keep the commandments anymore.
In shock and horror his mother asked him if he kept Shabbos. And once again Yanky answered that he no longer kept that sacred day, it wasn’t for him.
“What about kosher? Do you still watch what you eat?
“I told you Ma, I don’t believe in that stuff anymore..”
Yom Kippur? Pesach? The holidays? Are you doing any of those still?
“I’m sorry Mommy to disappoint you, but I have to be honest. I can’t and don’t keep any of those any more. They don’t have meaning to me..”
Finally pulling out her last card and hope for any connection to yiddishkeit, his mother from Boro Park asked…
“What about when you see a dog, Yanky? Do you still scream
“U’lchol bnai Yisrael lo yechratz kelev l’shono…”
(Thank you Saadia for that great joke!!)
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The answer to this week”s question is B- Ok this is a legitimate hit on me by the MOT. I should’ve gotten this one entirely right, rather than the half point I’m walking away with. There’s no excuse for me, just that I’m tired and had a along week, and haven’t really toured Lachish in a long time. The letters that were found in Lachish were actually from the Babylonian conquest, rather then Sancherev’s Assyrian one that I answered incorrectly. I knew they were written to Jerusalem telling them that their city was burning down. Yet I mixed up the Assyrian conquest with teh Babylonian one that followed. Oh well.. I'm ashamed. It means I have to get back there soon. On the other hand the second part I got right. I knew that Keyafa, or the ancient fortified city of She'arim not far from Beit Sharim and where the Philistines fled to after Dovid and Goliath fought was the place where to a large degree Finkelstien and his minimalist school which claimed that Dovid and Shlomo's reign was a mere tribal clan and kingdom heretically different then what Tanach tells us werer proved wrong. This was a huge city and it was a sign that the Judean kingdom was large adn established. So at least that one I got right and the score now is But anyways got it right so the new score is Rabbi Schwartz 12.5 and Ministry of Tourism 7.5 on this exam so far.
