Shabbat-B'Shabbato – Parshat Behaalotecha
No 1377: 9 Sivan 5771 (11 June 2011)
AS SHABBAT APPROACHES
What are "the Seven Lamps" of the Menorah? - by Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg,
Rosh Yeshiva, Kerem B'Yavne
"When you light
the face of the
the seven lamps
the face of the
the lamps, the seven lamps shall shine their light towards
Menorah" [Bamidbar 8:2]. This is not easy to understand –
are an integral part of the Menorah, how can they light up
vessel?
Rashi's answer to the above question is that the "Menorah" in the verse is
the central lamp. But then the verse should really write about "the six
lamps" – which would light the main lamp in the middle. We will preface our
answer with the words of the Talmud, "'You brought a grapevine out of Egypt'
[Tehillim 80:9]. This nation is compared to grapes. The branches are the
property owners, the clusters of grapes are the Torah scholars, and the
leaves are the simple folks... The clusters should ask for mercy for the
leaves, because without the leaves the clusters could not exist..." [Chulin
92a]. Rashi explains, "The leaves on a grapevine are struck by the winds and
protect the clusters of grapes from being harmed by heat, the sun, and the
wind. In the same way, the simple folks plow, plant, and harvest, and they
provide food for the Torah scholars."
Yisrael can be compared to a grapevine, a single organism, made up of Torah
scholars, scientists, farmers, soldiers, and others. It is true that the
Torah masters are the clusters of fruit and that they stand at the top of
the pyramid, but if these men of the spirit disassociate themselves from the
other practical people then the Torah scholars will not be able to exist. In
any season when a storm or a heat wave comes and dries up the flowers of the
vine, there will be no crop.
Here is what Sforno writes about the Menorah: When the priest turns the six
surrounding lamps so that they are turned towards the central lamp, in the
middle, such that all the flames light up the center of the Menorah, then
"the seven lamps will shine." All seven lamps will light up and shine their
Divine light on Yisrael. Then "the light from the left and from the right is
turned towards the central lamp, which is the main element of the Menorah...
The lamps on the right side are related to the people who are involved in
the eternal world, and those on the left who are involved in the life in
this world help those on the right. Without the leaves the clusters would
not exist... And together they will all raise up G-d's name, as they agreed
to do... 'And the entire nation replied in unison' [Shemot 19:8]."
That is: The structure of Yisrael is that of a grapevine. The clusters
cannot exist without the fruit, Torah scholars cannot exist without simple
folks, those oriented towards the right. And that is why everything has an
appointed place in the Menorah.
"'It will happen on that day that I will look for Jerusalem with the light
of lamps' [Tzefani 1:12]. Bnei Yisrael replied: "Where is the glory that You
promised to give us, as is written, 'The sun will no longer light the day
for you... G-d will be your eternal light' [Yeshayahu 60:19]? How can You
now say that You will look for Jerusalem? The Almighty replied, You do not
understand... Just as I showed Zecharia that image of the Menorah... and I
also commanded Moshe 'You shall make a Menorah out of pure gold' [Shemot
25:31] – this refers to the community of Yisrael." [Pesikta]. Using lamps to
search for Jerusalem does not mean that there is a dim light, rather it
refers to the lamps of the Menorah. When Bnei Yisrael will be unified just
as the lamps in the Menorah, then we will truly be in possession of the
light of G-d.
POINT OF VIEW
Virtual World Culture - by Zvulun Orlev, MK, Chairman of the Committee on
the Rights of the Child
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In the beginning of this week's Torah portion, the Natziv discusses various
issues in his commentary Haamek Davar that are still important for our
generation today. "The Holy One, Blessed be He, commanded us that the lamps
should be turned towards the face of the Menorah, to imply that general
wisdom will help to better understand the wisdom of the Torah. In the same
way, He commanded us to make the Menorah out of a single block of gold, to
teach us that all other wisdom was carved out of the Torah ... From the holy
source of the Torah, all the other branches of wisdom were divided into many
different secondary sources."
An Unfamiliar Culture
The following strong sentiments are very significant for everybody who is
involved in education in this generation. The culture of the internet,
facebook, and all the other systems and programs which provide electronic
amusement involve a threatening element that is a danger in terms of both
education and morality, and this matter is especially serious because most
of us are not aware of the dangers involved. New cultures and subcultures
are being created under our very own noses. An entire new world and its
empty character are freely available with a flick of the wrist, and neither
parents nor educators have any real way of supervising what is happening.
Research shows that about 80% of today's youth, including those in the
religious sector, spend many hours of every week on this culture, and in
many cases this is true for every single day. This fact highlights the
central nature of the internet and the social networks, and it implies a
sharp change in leisure habits of the adults, which in turn leads to
challenges that must be met and struggled against immediately, in an honest
way. Research shows that a large majority of the parents do not know about
this, are not involved, and do not share the cultural lives of their
children on the internet. The same is also true of the educational system,
which pays no attention at all to the culture of virtual worlds.
We should not ignore the fact that the internet is a good tool which makes a
large quantity of detailed information available to everybody. But it is
important to realize that the internet, especially the social networks such
as facebook, twitter, and so on, is especially dangerous for children in
physical and emotional terms. Anonymity on one hand and widespread
availability on the other hand are fertile grounds for the creation of
situations that are the very antithesis of good education. Violent content
and explicit challenges based on violence, readily available pornography,
the spreading of malicious gossip about friends, boycotts, and oral
harassment and abuse – all of these are examples of issues which have led to
suicides in the past, and we do not seem to have any way to deal with these
problems.
Dramatic Social Changes
The virtual world has led to changes in the social relationships of the
youths. They prefer to send a text message rather than having a face to face
conversation. They tend to interrupt a personal discussion in order to
report to twitter about their activities and their emotions. A virtual life
is seen by them as something very valuable. They want to be "part of the
crowd" without being bound by any of the obligations that are necessary in
order to develop true friendships. To put it another way, the social
networks create an illusion of contact with another person, but in actual
fact the people remain isolated and alone.
Anybody who suggests that the struggle against this issue can concentrate on
prohibitions and curtailing the use by the young generation of computers,
the internet, and the social networks should know that he is mistaken, and
that any such approach is destined to fail. As parents and teachers, we must
be aware of the new culture, we must relate to it, and we must develop a
proper educational response to the challenge. The virtual worlds must not be
left exclusively in the realm of the young people. Aside from technological
solutions to this problem – filter programs, putting the computer in an open
space in the home, putting limits on the total number of hours spent with a
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computer – the parents must make it their business to talk to the children
about what is happening on the internet, about the dangers that they face,
and about the ways to prevent harm from coming to them and to their friends.
To Wake up and to Enlighten
The educational system is aware of the situation, and it has developed
programs for the next school year that will address these problems. But the
parents and the home will still remain the main focal point which must
relate to this new world. It is important for the parents themselves to know
how to use these new tools, so that they will not appear to their children
to be dishonest. Parents who are part of the new virtual worlds will best be
able to discuss them with their children.
As people who observe the mitzvot, it is harder for us than for others to
adjust to cultural change, because of our desire to remain true to our
traditions. We are loyal to the culture of books and deep study, and not to
virtual worlds. The words of the Natziv at the beginning of this article
should serve as a motto for us. The Torah lights up external wisdom and all
other cultures! It is our responsibility to keep our eyes open and to listen
so that our children will be able to separate the chaff from the wheat.
* * * * * *
A Facelift for Shabbat-B'Shabbato: A NOTE BY RABBI YISRAEL ROZEN
Returning to the Torah
The many Shabbat bulletins that are distributed in the synagogues started
out as a modern replacement for classical and traditional sermons. It has
long been a custom to gather in the synagogues and study halls on Shabbat to
listen to Torah lessons and insights. But some time now we have been quite
upset by the inundation of the synagogues on Shabbat with what can best be
described as newspapers, with all the trimmings of journalism. It is hard to
complain about advertising, which serves as "flour" – and as is well known,
"If there is no flour there will be no Torah" [Avot 3:21]. If not for the
ads, this method of spreading Torah would not be able to exist at all. But
what is the "Torah" that is supported by this "flour" of advertisements?
The editors of Shabbat-B'Shabbato have decided to cut down on the number of
columns in our bulletin that are devoted to journalistic subjects, no matter
how important and interesting they are. These articles appear in abundance
in the "real" newspapers that fill our living rooms and that appear on our
computer screens. We will therefore concentrate in the future on bringing to
our readers Torah-based material that is worthy of being brought into the
synagogue, and we will try to avoid being merely one more link in the
"community media channels." Let everybody who picks up a copy of ShabbatB'Shabbato know that this is not a newspaper but an educational Torah
bulletin. We call out to the editors of other Shabbat bulletins to follow
our lead.
A New Department: Talk-Backs
We hereby announce the start of a new department in Shabbat-B'Shabbato:
short reader comments. We will start publishing this in the next issue, if
we receive such comments. These will be accepted from our nimble readers
only as notes about the immediately preceding issue, and they must be in
Hebrew and sent to us in the evening after Shabbat or at the very latest on
Sunday. The e-mail address is: zomet@netvision.net.il. Or, they can be sent
by fax, at 02-9931889.
SOMETHING FOR THE SOUL
The Almighty and Moshe are Partners in the Torah! - by Rabbi Yehoshua
Shapira, Rosh Yeshivat Ramat Gan
The momentous occasion at Mount Sinai, when the Torah was given to Bnei
Yisrael, is the greatest event that ever took place in history. At that
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moment in time, G-d descended onto Mount Sinai not in order to perform
heavenly signs and miracles within the confines of the world but rather in
order to provide a framework for human beings to take hold of and to adjust
their lives to correspond to an eternal life. This occasion is deeper than
the seas and is made up of an infinite number of internal stages. In each
and every generation, our sages were able to light up different aspects of
the events, each time according to the needs of the era. In every case, what
was presented to the people was a drop in the huge ocean of the allencompassing and eternal Torah.
Our sages taught many of these facets of the Sinai events through parables
describing the wonders of the moment when Moshe ascended to heaven. Usually
what is important in these allegories is not historical events but rather
the internal contents. Here is one of the most unique of these parables:
"Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi said, When Moshe ascended to the heavens he found
that the Holy One, Blessed be He, was adding tags (literally: crowns) to the
letters of the Torah. The Almighty said to Moshe: Don't you greet each other
in your city? Moshe replied, When is a slave expected to initiate a greeting
to his master? And the Almighty replied, You should have helped me begin! So
Moshe immediately replied with, 'And now let the power of G-d increase, as
You have said' [Bamidbar 14:17]." [Shabbat 89b].
It is necessary to explain the meaning of this parable. Didn't the Almighty
have "enough time" to add all the crowns to the letters of the Torah? Does
He ever need more time for anything? What did Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Levi want
to teach us with this strange-sounding allegory? Evidently the goal of the
Almighty in this story is to teach Moshe that the Torah is not merely a
matter of "channeling" something by throwing it down from above, but rather
the result of creating a link between the worlds above and below. When the
Almighty waited for Moshe and did not finish the labor of adding the tags to
the letters by Himself, he hinted that Moshe too would be a partner in the
finalization of the Torah and in fashioning its final form. But Moshe stood
in silence and surrender, waiting for a hint of how to proceed. So the Holy
One, Blessed be He, asked Moshe whether in his own city it was proper not to
expect to be greeted. That is: You came here to My home, why are you
standing there in silence? Is that the way the world typically acts? And you
can see that I am attempting to act in the way that the world does... Why
didn't you bless Me in the way that a person greets his colleague, with a
greeting of "Shalom"?
And still when Moshe hears this he remains silent. He does not apologize,
and he does not reply with a greeting. Rather, he explains his position:
When does a slave initiate a greeting with his master? It is true that two
sides are meeting in this encounter and that there is a relationship between
them, but it is a relationship not of two colleagues but of a slave and his
master. When a slave meets his master, he bows his head in surrender and
waits silently for his instructions. There is such a huge gap in this case
that it is unthinkable for Moshe to begin a conversation, as if with a
colleague. But in spite of the correct approach by Moshe, the Almighty
continues the discussion. You should have helped me! All that you said is
correct, but you do not comprehend the moment in which we stand – the time
of the giving of the Torah to Bnei Yisrael. You can see with your own eyes
that I am sitting here and waiting for you to come and help Me finish the
labor. Only then will it be possible for the Torah to be given to Bnei
Yisrael. Moshe cannot reject a direct demand from the Almighty, even though
he does not really agree, because he knows that the Torah is Divine and not
a human artifact at all. The Torah was stored away for thousands of
generations before the world and humanity were created, what can a human
being do to enhance it? What, then, can Moshe do that will take both sides
of the situation into account?
Moshe therefore said: "Let the power of G-d increase!" What is the meaning
of this? We are partners, but in what way? We do not want to receive the
Torah merely as slaves, who are in fear of being punished or even in awe of
the great holiness of the master, which causes us to serve Him. Rather we
stand here as a mate, as a lover who yearns and waits for the revelation of
her lover. Our only real desire is to see our King.
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The desire of Yisrael is that the power of G-d will increase, and that He
will reveal to us the Divine Torah, the Torah of "Anochi," the first word of
the Ten Commandments – an anagram for the phrase, "Ana nafshai ketiva
yahaveit – I have recorded the essence of My soul here" [Shabbat 105a]. We
want Him to reveal Himself to us. By sending these yearnings and desires to
G-d, we do our part in finishing the labors. But we do not do this on our
own initiative, rather we wait for the command, "As you have said" – the end
of the above verse. You have taught us that this Torah consists not only of
laws and mitzvot but is also based on love: "Go out and look, daughters of
Zion, at King Shlomo, at the crown which his mother made for him on the day
of his wedding and the day of his happiness" [Shir Hashirim 3:11]. As the
sages have taught, "The day of his wedding" is a reference to the giving of
the Torah.
HALACHA FROM THE SOURCE
Why is the "Bima" at the Center of a Synagogue? - by Rabbi Yosef Tzvi Rimon,
Rabbi of Southern Alon Shevut and a teacher in Yeshivat Har Etzion
A great man has been taken from our midst: Rabbi Uri Dasberg, one of the
leaders of the Zomet Institute, and an editor of Techumin, the Talmudic
Encyclopedia, and Shabbat B'Shabbato. Rabbi Dasberg was interested in many
areas, and he wrote about many different subjects. Examples are: recycling
paper on which holy material is printed; Shabbat in the police force;
milking on Shabbat; how long the chazzan should wait for the rabbi to finish
prayers; and a worker who is willing to relinquish his rights. Since we have
been discussing the rules of prayer in this column, we quote today something
that Rabbi Dasberg wrote about the subject of prayer in Techumin, Volume 28,
with a few comments.
There was a large controversy in the Jewish world about 150 years ago about
where to put the "bima" in a synagogue – the place where the Torah is read
and the chazzan sometimes stands. In a conference of Hungarian rabbis that
took place in Checkoslovokia in 5626 (1846), it was declared among other
things that "it is forbidden to enter and pray in a synagogue which does not
have a bima in the middle." The reason for this controversy was an attempt
to maintain a distance from the practices of the Reform movement and from
the architecture of Christian churches, where the bima is in the front of
the hall. There are also other reasons in principle to place the bima at the
center of the synagogue.
The Chatam Sofer discusses this issue without any reference to copying the
practices of Gentiles (Orach Chaim 28). He quotes the Rambam, "A bima is
erected in a synagogue, in the middle of the house... so that everybody will
be able to hear" [Hilchot Tefilla 11:3].
It can be assumed that there is another reason for putting the bima in the
center of the room. The problem with the setup used by the Gentiles is not
only the place of the bima itself but the fact that the Christian priests
stand facing the congregation. But a chazzan is not an actor. He should not
be facing the listeners, as in a play. Both the community and the chazzan
are standing together facing the Almighty. Therefore everybody should face
in the same direction, towards the holy Shechina. Even though in the
Ashkenazi synagogues there is a second "amud," a place at the front of the
synagogue where the chazzan usually stands, the design is very different
from the Gentile houses of worship, because the chazzan faces the holy ark
together with the rest of the people.
The Christian practice is to have a family gathering in the church, to have
family prayer. However, every individual among the Jews stands by himself
before G-d (See: Rabbi Soloveitchik, "A Leader of the Community"). For the
Jews the prayer is not a show and not a play. Both the men and the women in
their separate sections stand equally before the Holy One, Blessed be He.
The "mechitza" is a boundary between men and women, but it has no effect on
the essence of the prayers. We do not stand in front of an exhibition which
requires that we watch it. Both men and women stand in front of the holy
presence of the Shechina!
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We should note that another reason for placing the bima in the center is
that this is the place of the Torah scroll. The Torah belongs in partnership
to everybody, to the entire community of Yisrael. It is not the individual
possession of the one who reads it or of the rabbi. As the Rambam writes,
"Yisrael were given three crowns: the crown of Torah, the crown of the
priesthood, and the crown of royalty. The crown of the priesthood was given
to Aharon, as is written, 'and he and his offspring after him will have an
eternal covenant of priesthood' [Bamidbar 25:13]. The crown of royalty was
given to David, as is written, 'His descendents will exist forever, and his
throne will be before Me like the sun' [Tehillim 89:37]. The crown of Torah
has been put down and is ready for anybody to take it, as is written, 'A
heritage of the community of Yaacov' [Devarim 33:4]. Let anybody who wants
to come and take it." [Hilchot Talmud Torah 3:1].
Everybody is linked to the Torah: "The crown of Torah has been put down and
is ready for anybody to take it."
Putting the bima in the middle is also reminiscent of the Temple, where on
Succot the Altar was surrounded by people carrying the aravah, a branch of a
willow tree. The bima in a synagogue is surrounded by people praying. As
opposed to the chazzan, the rabbi may sit facing the congregation, but that
corresponds to the different roles played by the rabbi and the chazzan. The
rabbi teaches and guides the community, while the chazzan is the spokesman
for the community with respect to the holy presence. He is a "Shaliach
Tzibur," a representative of the community. Thus, the way to stand in prayer
is to stand before G-d, in a straight manner, without any intermediaries –
standing directly in front of the Shechina.
A LESSON FOR THE CHILDREN
Who Deserved such a Great Honor? - by Rabbi Yikhat Rozen, Director of the Or
Etzion Institute – Publishing Torah Books of Quality
Was there anybody who was not familiar with Rabbi Akiva Eiger? He was one of
the greatest Torah scholars of his generation who lived about two hundred
years ago. His commentaries on the Talmud and on the Shulchan Aruch rapidly
became important basic reading material. People from all over the world sent
him complex halachic questions, and he replied to each one in turn. He was
one of the most prominent leaders of Judaism in Poland, and he was concerned
about the fate of every Jew, no matter where he was.
Is there any surprise therefore that the inhabitants of the town Lissa were
so excited? It was not every day that they had the privilege of greeting
such a great genius in their town, but now he was about to visit. Men,
women, and children talked about the important guest. Torah scholars asked
about the lectures they would hear, the simple folks hoped to receive a
blessing from the great man, and the children were excited by the fact that
they would get to see the famous man that everybody talked about.
Days before the visit, the leaders of the community planned out all the
details – where the rabbi would eat each meal, where he would sleep at
night, where he would give Torah lectures, and when he would be available to
meet with the general community – to answer the questions of the people and
to bless them and give them advice.
And finally the day arrived. Hours before the expected arrival of the rabbi,
the streets of Lissa were filled with waiting crowds who had come out of
their homes. They waited to see the carriage of the great man pass by, and
they hoped that they might even hear the great man say something. Near the
entrance of the town there was a "crush" of people who wanted to be the
first ones to see the rabbi. The feeling of anticipation was high.
The sound of the wheels of his carriage finally gave the news that the rabbi
had arrived. The first one to greet the illustrious guest was the local
rabbi – Rabbi Yaacov of Lissa. He was immediately invited to enter the
carriage and to sit down next to Rabbi Eiger. The two rabbis – Rabbi Akiva
Eiger and Rabbi Yaacov from Lissa – immediately started to discuss matters
of Torah and to share their insights. The carriage continued slowly on its
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way, with the two rabbis deep in conversation. They had both prepared many
issues for their discussion and they were happy that they had an opportunity
to talk about them. The surrounding crowds of course could not hear the
conversation, but they felt the awe of the moment, and the holiness of the
Torah that could be felt coming from the carriage lit up the entire
surroundings.
It never occurred to Rabbi Akiva Eiger that this huge crowd had come to show
their respect for him. His mind was on the words of Torah, and he did not
notice the noise all around. The crowds were very agitated, and the people
tried to get a glimpse of the great rabbi and perhaps to help him fulfill
any of his desires or to provide help for some small detail that had not
been taken care of in advance.
And then one of the people had an idea. He released the horses that were
pulling the carriage and gave them to some other people to take away, and
the people took hold of the carriage itself and began to pull it on its way.
Everybody who was nearby wanted to be have the privilege of pulling the
righteous man. The organizers tried to establish order and to make a list of
the people so that the ones pulling the wagon would rotate the job every few
minutes.
When the carriage approached the center of town, Rabbi Yaacov from Lissa
decided that he too wanted to show his respect for the great rabbi by
pulling the carriage. He finished the matter that the two were discussing
and he left the carriage and joined the people who were pulling it.
Rabbi Akiva, who as we said was deep in thought about Torah matters, had not
noticed at all that the carriage was no longer being pulled by the horses.
Now, when his friend left the carriage, he realized what had happened and
that the horses had been replaced by people. Once again, Rabbi Akiva Eiger,
who was extremely modest, could not imagine that all this had been done in
order to honor him, and he thought that perhaps the horses had become tired
or that some other mishap had happened – and that therefore these people had
volunteered to pull his carriage by themselves. Otherwise, would Rabbi Akiva
Eiger have agreed to let other people make such a great effort on his behalf
while he sat idly by?
In spite of his age, Rabbi Eiger did not hesitate for a moment. He went down
from the carriage and joined those who were pulling it. He could not be
persuaded to stop what he was doing. He kept pulling the carriage until it
arrived at its destination...
(Source: "Rabeinu Moshe Hasofer")
Reactions and suggestions for stories: yikhat1@smile.net.il
ONE ON ONE – Interview of the Week
Bringing the Young People back to Judaism - by Assaf Golan
Rabbi Avi Berman (35), the director of the Israeli branch of the OU (the
Orthodox Union), was nine years old when he moved to Israel from New York.
His parents, who were dedicated Zionists, decided that they had fulfilled
their task abroad. "My parents, who were active in Bnei Akiva in their
youth, first brought me to Kedumin, and then we moved to Shilo."
In high school, Rabbi Avi studied in Yeshivat Or Etzion. He then continued
in the Hesder yeshiva in Shilo, did his army service, and then returned to
study in a yeshiva. All the time, he kept in touch with his New York
upbringing through the American youths with whom he worked as a counselor.
"As a boy who moved to Israel and studied here, I am well aware of the huge
difference between the education in Israel and the teaching methods abroad.
I therefore decided that I wanted to expose the kids from abroad to the many
wonderful things that I was privileged to experience within the framework of
religious Zionism in Israel. From a very early age I knew that I wanted to
be involved in education. I didn't know exactly how and in what capacity,
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but I always had a desire to influence the next generation and to help young
people to be strong."
This desire led him to Vancouver in the year 5761 (2001) as the head of a
religious Zionist organization.
"After my third year in post-graduate yeshiva I was married, and at the same
time that I continued in the yeshiva I studied for a teaching degree and in
Shilo I directed a program for young people from Canada, South Africa, and
Australia who came to Israel to study in yeshiva. But when the second
Intifada began and people from abroad stopped coming to Shilo in particular
and to Yehuda and Shomron in general, my wife and I tried to find another
way to bring young people closer to the educational values of religious
Zionism. I also asked my mentor Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu for advice and in
the end we decided to go abroad on an educational mission. Rabbi Eliyahu
sent us to Vancouver."
Q: What did you do there?
A: "I was the director of NCSY, the youth organization of the Orthodox Union
(OU), which has an outreach program for young people of high school age, to
bring them closer to Judaism and to Torah. When I arrived, the local branch
of the organization had fifteen members. During the five years that my wife
and I were there, the number of members grew steadily, and we finally had
about 1,500 regular participants. Then, in 5766 (2006), Rabbi Mordechai
Eliyahu asked us to return home. We came back, and I joined the OU as the
director of the Israeli branch."
In addition to his job with the OU, Rabbi Avi Berman has joined the Torah
garin (seed group) in Givat Zeev, near Jerusalem, and he serves as the rabbi
of the local Bnei Akiva branch. As if this is not enough, he also teaches
and speaks in various places around the country, meets people from Jewish
communities all over the world and in Israel, and moderates Rabbi Shmuel
Eliyahu's weekly program on the Galei Yisrael radio station. "But most
important," he says with a smile, "my wife and I are raising six sons and
daughters. Without a doubt, this is my most important occupation."
Q: What is the essence of your job with the OU?
A: "Our main task is educational activities among youth in danger and young
people from outlying areas. We have a moral duty to invest in these people
and to help them develop and become strong. They have tremendous potential,
but it is necessary to help them fulfill this promise. The age of puberty is
a complex time and it presents difficulties for young people all over the
world. But when we add the local elements of the difficult life in Israel –
such as security concerns, economic difficulties, family and social problems
– the result is a youthful population that is confused and frustrated. It is
possible and it is indeed our duty to help them achieve strength and to
accomplish worthwhile things. And that is what we try to do. Above all, we
put great emphasis on warmth and love for every young person that we
encounter. Everybody needs this. In all my endeavors during many years, I
have never met a young person who was not in need of warmth and love. The
children of Yisrael deserve to receive this from us, the adult population,
without any limitation. Only on the basis of love is it possible to build up
all the rest, including teaching moral values. This is the essence of the
mission of the OU in Israel and in the world. It is how we bring the Jewish
youth back into the Jewish nation."
E-mail: assafgolan3948@gmail.com
PEOPLE OF YISRAEL
When Aharon saw "One Spoon," he was Upset - by Rabbi Uri Dasberg, Z"L, the
Zomet Institute
At the same time that the Chafetz Chaim was writing his book Mishna Berura
in Lita - as a commentary on the Orach Chaim of the Shulchan Aruch with
additional halachic ruling from other sources often as a source for original
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halachic rulings – a similar book was written in Jerusalem by Rabbi Yaacov
Chaim Sofer, the "Kaf Hachaim" (the spoon of life). Rabbi Sofer moved to
Eretz Yisrael at the age of thirty-four from Baghdad, and he lived most of
his life in Jerusalem. In a small attic next to the "Soshanim Baderech"
synagogue in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood, he sat and wrote his books. One
of the features that distinguishes his book Kaf Hachaim from the Mishna
Berura is that Rabbi Sofer included halachic rulings based on the mystic
lore of the Kabbala, which he learned from his mentor Rabbi Yosef Chaim, the
"Ben Ish Chai" in the yeshiva for Kabbala Beit El and in the yeshiva
Rechovot Hanahar, together with his colleague and teacher Rabbi Chaim Shaul
Dwek Hakohen (we wrote about Rabbi Dwek in the Torah portion of Vayigash
this year, issue number 1352). Another advantage of the Kaf Hachaim is that
it is not limited only to the book Orach Chaim of the Shulchan Aruch – two
of the ten volumes of Kaf Hachaim are devoted to the Yoreh Dei'ah (up to
chapter 119). Since the general rule is that halachic rulings should follow
the opinion of the most recent rabbis, it might seem that we should give
preference to Kaf Hachaim over the Mishna Berura, since Rabbi Sofer passed
away in 5699 (1939), six years after the Chafetz Chaim. (Rabbi Sofer passed
away on Shabbat, the ninth of Sivan. This year the ninth of Sivan is also a
Shabbat.) His family name Sofer denotes the fact that he was a scribe, and
he wrote the book Kol Yaacov about the laws for scribes.
It is said that one of Rabbi Sofer's students had a question about the
kashrut of a chicken that he had bought for Shabbat. When he asked the
author of Kaf Hachaim, the answer was that the chicken was not kosher. The
student feared that as a result he would not have a proper meal on Shabbat,
and he also turned to another rabbi, who had a reputation of being lenient,
but he did not tell the second rabbi that he had already shown the chicken
to Rabbi Sofer. The second rabbi declared that the chicken was kosher, but
when he saw that the student was confused (after all, the same chicken had
previously been declared unkosher), the rabbi cut off a piece of the wing
and threw it into the pot of "cholent" that was cooking on the stove. So the
student went home happy, put the chicken into a pot of soup to start it
cooking and then moved it into his pot of cholent. But when he came home
from the synagogue Friday night, the man was startled to find that there had
been a fire and all the soup had burned. And the next morning, when his wife
went to pick up her cholent from the neighborhood oven, it turned out that
the workman had forgotten to put her pot inside. The student understood all
of this as a sign that Rabbi Sofer had been right in his ruling, and he was
happy to see that at least he was on such a high level that the Almighty
prevented him from sinning. The student told the "lenient" rabbi about the
chain of events, he replied: But my cholent wasn't burned! I think you were
punished because you hid from me the fact that you had already asked about
this chicken, while I was not punished, since I did not know about your
previous answer. But don't assume from this story that Rabbi Sofer was
always on the stringent side, rather he often took a lenient position – for
example in the matter of a woman wearing a wig.
And I want to end this article on a personal note: Our sector (religious
Zionist and Chareidi religious Zionist) have never refrained from quoting
the Kaf Hachaim and have refused to give automatic preference to the Mishna
Berura. This is true even though it was rumored that Rabbi Sofer rejected
Rav Kook, prohibited reading his book "Orot," and ordered to burn it. This
is true because our sector refuses to declare a ban on any great Torah
scholar. We accept what was written by Rabbi Yaacov Ariel: "The decision is
according to the majority, but only on condition that each rabbi heard the
words of the others or saw their opinion in print. But anybody who refuses
to look at what another rabbi says is not to be included in the count of the
majority." [Techumin volume 11, page 23].
Words of Torah by our Subject:
"Speak to Aharon and say to him: When you light the lamps" [Bamidbar 8:2].
It would have been sufficient to write "when the lamps are lit" since the
Almighty is speaking to Aharon. However, in this way G-d hinted to Aharon
that lighting the Menorah leads to a personal benefit for the one who lights
it, since after all the Almighty has no real need for the light. In
addition, the lighting of the lamps is an act that raises Aharon himself to
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a higher level. This corresponds to Rashi's comment, that when he saw the
tribal leaders bringing their own sacrifices Aharon was upset because it
seemed that there was nothing left for him to do.
STRAIGHT TALK
Who's Afraid of Summer Vacation? – by Yoni Lavie, Manager, "Chaverim
Makshivim" Website
There are some parents who immediately become physically ill, almost with a
high fever, as soon as they hear the words "summer vacation." They say: "Who
needs such a long vacation? What will the children do with themselves for a
whole two-and-a-half months?" Well, it is true that the vacation is probably
too long, and it is not always an occasion for pleasant memories. But on the
other hand, we should realize that the vacation provides us with a perfect
educational opportunity to accomplish various things that are hard to do
during the year. What, for example?
Well, first of all: To educate! We can return to the natural and healthy
situation, where we, as parents, raise and mold our own children instead of
sending them to an institution that will perform the task for us. Nothing
can influence a child like a father or a mother, there is absolutely no
replacement for what parents can give their children.
The long vacation is also an opportunity to strengthen the family unit.
During the school year everybody is busy with his or her own interests and
is studying in a different school. This period, when everybody is home,
provides an opportunity for exciting experiences as a family and for making
up for any lack or gaps in the family togetherness (and don't forget the
very important visit to the grandparents).
Here are some ideas that might help transform the vacation into a more
meaningful and healthier experience:
(1) Rules and limitations – Vacation is not a time without any limitations.
There must be some rules, even if they are different from the normal school
year. The parents should get together in advance and establish policies
about such matters as: the time to return home, when to go to sleep, how
much time each child has with the computer, the same for television, how
much money each one will be given, and so on. One possible idea is to give
each child a "bank" of time (for example, on the computer) or of money and
to let him or her manage the resource. This can be a great success, and it
also has educational value in that the child shares the responsibility for
setting his own priorities.
(2) Planning – For a vacation to succeed, it must be planned in advance.
Children have many plans and desires, but they need us, the parents, to help
them build a plan that will help them fulfill their needs. If this does not
happen, the alternative of spending the whole time sitting next to the
television or connected to the internet (facebook...) starts to become very
attractive. It is best to sit down with each child individually, to listen
carefully to his or her plans, and to make our own suggestions.
(3) "To differentiate between night and day" – Make every effort to prevent
a total disruption of the concepts of day and night. The fact that the child
wakes up late and misses the time for prayer is not the main problem, rather
it is the late-night wandering around with problematic friends. The cycle is
a familiar one: After going to bed late the child wakes up late, and the
entire day begins "on the left foot." At night, he or she is no longer tired
and once again goes out until late, and the cycle begins again...
(4) Prayers – It is good to encourage maintaining a strict schedule of
prayers not only for boys (in a minyan) but also for the girls. This gives
the day a meaningful framework and raises all the activity to a more
positive level.
(5) A home, not a hotel – Vacation is a time when all the excuses are no
longer valid. This is a time for the children to learn that they must share
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the responsibility in running the home. It is important to teach them to
take on parts of the burden. We live in a family home, not in a hotel.
(6) "Labor is our life..." – The time has come to help the older children
find work for part of the day. This provides several benefits: It helps to
fill the time, it means that the child is doing something productive, and it
is a positive way of using up some of their energy. In addition, when they
earn their own money they will learn to appreciate the value of what their
father and mother do for them all year round.
(7) Set aside time for Torah – Even if this is only a quarter of an hour
every day, a firm schedule should be maintained. What is important is not
the amount of time spent but rather the attitude. This is true for both boys
and girls. If the children have been given "vacation assignments," they
should be done at the beginning of the vacation and not left for the end.
(8) A healthy spirit in a healthy body – Anything that will keep them away
from the screens for a few hours is good, especially if it also enhances
physical wellbeing and contributes to better social interactions. Examples
might be basketball, swimming, or dancing. Buy the children a gift for the
vacation: rollerblades, a bicycle (with a helmet!), a basketball, or a ping
pong table.
(9) Quality time – Set aside some time to let the child choose something to
do. This may be a game, some creative activity, sports, study together, and
so on.
(10) "Be careful" – Life is too valuable to lose it because of foolish
pursuits. Everybody should be wary of hitchhiking and hikes in dangerous
places. (While we are at it, is the internet line in the house protected?)
There are those who view vacation time as a relief from the pressure of
studying. The truth is just the opposite. The study year provides an
opportunity to prepare the young boy or girl to have a proper experience
during the time of the vacation. Vacation time is a time for taking on
responsibility, for building a framework with quality content, and for
making productive choices instead of bad ones. Everybody is familiar with
the exams during the school year, but the real test is summer vacation. Good
luck to all!
E-mail: yoni@makshivim.org.il
INSIGHTS FOR THE SHABBAT TABLE
(In memory of my late father, Rabbi Uri Dasberg)
The Message of the Menorah
What is the connection between the passage of the Menorah and this week's
Torah portion? The answer may be indicated by two other times that the
Menorah is described in the Tanach: one is the construction of the First
Temple and the other is the prophecy by Zecharia about the Second Temple.
King Shlomo finished building the First Temple by putting ten copies of the
Menorah in place. He said: "I have built a house of living for You, a place
where You can dwell for all eternity" [Melachim I 8:13]. The Midrash
criticizes Shlomo for his arrogance in this sentence (Midrash Rabba Bamidbar
14:3). At the time of the Second Temple, Zecharia sees a vision of the
Menorah and does not understand its meaning. (See Zecharia 4, in this week's
Haftara.)
The historical background for all three instances of mentioning the Menorah
is the fact that the nation of Yisrael had achieved independence and
national sovereignty. In this week's Torah portion, the nation is organized
according to the tribal banners and prepares for a journey "under its own
power" (as we discussed last year). Shlomo built the Temple after he had
succeeded in establishing his kingdom. The people who returned to the land
at the time of the Second Temple were starting to organize an independent
life. All three times, the Menorah appears together with the prophetic
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message, "Not with military might or with physical strength but with my
spirit, that is the message of G-d" [Zecharia 4:6].
A Descent leading to an Ascent - by Bar-on Dasberg
Rabbi Nachman of Breslev tells a tale about "the heart and the spring" that
were at the tops of two mountains. The heart yearns to reach the spring.
However, "as long as he remains on the top of the mountain he can see the
other mountain where the well is, but if he wants to approach the spring he
will be forced to go down into the valley. And then the second mountaintop
will disappear from his view and he won't be able to see the spring. But if
the heart of the world cannot see the spring for even one moment he will
die, G-d forbid."
This is a perfect description of the dilemma that faced Bnei Yisrael when
they left Mount Sinai. In order to get to a land "of springs and underground
water" [Devarim 8:7], they left the mountain, as noted in the Torah portion,
and this led to the entire chain of sins that will be described as time goes
on. But this move was necessary in order to get to Eretz Yisrael. (The
nation left Mount Sinai on the twentieth of Iyar, the day my father was
killed in a tragic accident. Let us hope that we will know how to rise up
again after this great downfall.)
This was also the dilemma of the Jewish people in the last few hundreds of
years. Was it right to leave the Diaspora which was so full of Torah in
favor of Eretz Yisrael, which was a spiritual wilderness? In Rabbi Nachman's
case, his heart was not able to reach the spring, and he continued to yearn
for it. In Zionist history, the heart reached the spring after a harsh
journey, and ever since that time the two have continued to develop together
more and more.
A CHASSIDIC THREAD
Shabbat Shalom and Farewell, with many Thanks to You All - by Rabbi Shlomo
Shok, Principal of the Michmas Talmud Torah
That's it, then. We have come to the end of our "thread." For eight years I
have picked up the thread with my pen and I have written, but now the time
has come to stop.
Stopping is more than just interrupting an overt movement. Stopping at the
right time and place can be more than just a long pause. To cease doing
something means to combine the past with the future and to focus on a time
that is beyond both – the present.
We will no longer continue what we did in the past, and we have not yet
turned to what we will do in the future. To stop means to take a deep
breath, to fill our lungs with air. As we have done in the past every
Shabbat, we will tie all the threads of time in a proper way to what is
happening in the tiny instant of Shabbat that is now.
Perhaps we will meet tomorrow or some other time, on Sunday or on Monday.
Perhaps not.
Now the time for Shabbat is here!
At the end we will write
A simple poem
About the time of Shabbat
That is no more.
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SHABBAT-ZOMET is an extract from SHABBAT-B'SHABBATO, a weekly bulletin
distributed free of charge in hundreds of synagogues in Israel. It is
published by the Zomet Institute of Alon Shevut, Israel, under the auspices
of the National Religious Party.
Translated by: Moshe Goldberg
To subscribe, write to dan@zomet.org.
Visit the Zomet Institute web site: http://www.zomet.org.il
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Contact Zomet with comments about this bulletin or questions on the
link between modern technology and halacha at: zomet@netvision.net.il
Or: Phone: +972-2-9931442; FAX: +972-2-9931889 (Attention: Dan Marans)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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