docPesach 2 2015 - Scheiner Shul, Rabbi Lankry, Efraim Yurowitz, Ohr
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Pesach 2 2015 - Scheiner Shul, Rabbi Lankry, Efraim Yurowitz, Ohr
בס"ד www.18Forshay.com For All Shul Info: Zmanim - Shiurim - Pics & Videos Bet Journal Archives etc The Pesach Edition ll PLEASE NOTE! THERE WILL BE A KIDS PROGRAM AT 20 FORSHAY DURING THE MORNING DAVENING, ON FRIDAY-YOM TOV & SHABBOS FROM 10:15 AM-11:45 AM אחרון של פסח April 9 - 11 2015 PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE PESACH ZMANIM THURSDAY EVE APRIL 9TH EREV Y’T ERUV TAVSHILIN Candle Lighting ..................................................7:12PM Mincha ................................................................7:22PM Shkiya....................................................................7:30PM Mincha @ Bais Chabad........................................7:40PM FRIDAY APRIL 10TH DAY 7 Shachris Vasikin followed by the Daf Shachris...........................................9:30 (Hodu 9:40PM) Sof Zman K’S........................................9:05AM & 9:41AM Shachris @ Bais Chabad.....................................10:30PM Mincha .................................................................1:45PM Candle Lighting...................................................7:13PM Daf Yom................................................................ 6:30PM Mincha ..................................................................7:23pm Shkiya....................................................................7:31PM Mincha @ Bais Chabad.........................................7:40PM SHABBOS APRIL 11TH ACHRON SHEL PESACH Shachris Vasikin followed by the Daf Shachris.......................9:30AM & Yizkor (Hodu 9:40AM) Sof Zman K’S .......................................9:04AM & 9:40AM Shachris @ Bais Chabad.....................................10:30PM Daf Yomi................................................................6:15PM Mincha.................................................1:45PM & 7:00PM Shkiya....................................................................7:32PM Seudah Shlishis and Neilas Hachag Maariv.....................................................8:12PM & ????? SUNDAY APRIL 12TH ISRU CHAG Daf Yomi...............................................................7:00AM Shachris Vaasikin.................................................5:50AM Shachris.........................8:00AM, 9:00AM, and 10:00AM Mincha.................................................................1:30PM Mincha and Maariv.............................6:00PM & 7:25PM Maariv only at......9:00pm, 9:45pm, 10:30pm, & 11:00pm MONDAYAPRIL 13TH – FRIDAY APRIL 17TH Shachris Vaasikin.................................................5:50AM Shachris...6:30AM, 7:00AM, 8:00AM, 9:00AM, 10:00AM Mincha..................................................................1:30PM Mincha and Maariv.............................6:00PM & 7:25PM Maariv only at......9:00pm, 9:45pm, 10:30pm, & 11:00pm Rabbi Daniel Aron Coren WHEN A PERSON IS FOCUSED HE CAN REACH TREMENDOUS LEVELS There is a minhag on the last day of Pesach to have a special meal called the Seudah of Mashiach. This minhag is based a Gemara that connects the Chag with the birth and weaning of Yitchok Avinu which took place during Pesach. Chazal in Maseches Pesachim קיחdescribe to us the seuda of Mashiach. The Gemara bases this on the pasuk ביום הגמל את יצחק--on the day that Yitchok Avinu was weaned. The pasuk goes on to tell us that Hashem will make a meal for the tzadikim and the Gemara tells us only what will happen after the meal. It will be time to bench and someone has to lead the benching. Who will it be? The Gemara says that they will offer the cup of wine to Avraham and Yitzchok and Yaakov and each one will excuse himself by saying that they are not worthy of leading the benching because they have sinned. Avraham will say that the fault is his because he sired a son, Yishmael. Yitchok will fault himself because he sired Eisav and Yaakov will say it is because he married two sisters. Eventually they will reach David Hamelech and he will pick up the wine and agree that it is fitting for him to bench as it says כוס ישועות אשא ובשם ה' אקרא. An obvious question presents itself here. Didn't David also have some serious faults? Did he not take away BatSheva from Uriah Hachiti? A most brilliant explanation is given in a sefer דברי יהונתןby the Gaon Rav Yonasan Eibishetiz. When one reads his explanation one can only marvel at how brilliant and how connected someone could have been to Torah to come up with this insight. Rav Yonasan begins by pointing out that the midrash implies that David only felt safe enough that he could lead the benching after he saw that Avraham Avinu said he couldn’t because he had Yishmael. What’s the connection? All his life, David wondered if he did the right thing on not. On the one hand, Uriah rebelled against the king when he called Yoav his master in front of David Hamelech. On the other hand maybe calling your master and honoring him in front of the King is ok because after all its still honoring the greatest master i.e. the King. So basically the question is חולקין כבוד לתלמיד במקום הרב או אין חולקיןShould one honor the student in front of his own master? As long as we paskin that you’re not permitted to do so and its considered disrespectful, then David was correct in punishing Uriah and getting him killed in battle. When David heard Avrahsm say he had Yishmael he knew he was right in taking on the benching. How so? The Gemara in Baba Basra expounds on the pasuk וה' בירך את אברהם בכלGod blessed Avraham with everything. One meaning of this is that he had a daughter in addition to his 2 sons and another explanation means that Yishmael did Teshuva. One can say that this dispute parallels another machlokes in Maseches Yevamos. Bais Hillel says that one must have a girl and boy to fulfill the mitzvah of פרו ורבו. Bais Shamai says a boy is enough. The first opinion that says that one must have a daughter holds like Bais Hillel-- that you need to have a daughter and son to fulfill the mitzvah while the latter opinion that says the Yishmael did Teshuva holds that you don't need a daughter and therefore the word בכלmeans Yishmael did Teshuva. The fact that Avraham said that he didn't want to bench because Yishmael didn't do Teshuva must mean that we paskin that one must have a daughter and son and the word בכלmeans having a girl. Now if this is true then a question arises as to how Moshe was allowed to separate from his wife Tzipora (which Hashem agreed to) if he only had two sons and no daughter? R Yonasan explains that the answer to this is given in Maseches Avoda Zara כ"דand the Tosfos there. It all depends if Yisro came with Moshe's wife before or after Matan Torah, meaning if Moshe separated from his wife before Matan Torah and we hold like Bais Hillel that one must have a daughter then the only explanation is that Yisro didn't show up with Zipporah until after Matan Torah and the separation wasn't a physical but rather a spiritual one. So we know a few things. We know that Yishmael didn't do teshuva and we know that we must have a girl and boy to fulfill the mitzvah. We also know that Yisro didn't show up until after Matan Torah. So how does this help explain why David was willing to do the benching? There is one more Gemara that solves the puzzle. The Gemara is in Zevachim קטזasks, “Is a non-Jew allowed to bring only a korban olah or also a korban Shelamim?” The Gemara answers that it depends when Yisro showed up. Since we know Yisro brought a shelamim then if he must have showed up before Matan Torah when he was still considered a non-Jew and then this shows that a non-Jew can bring shelamim. But if we say that Yisro came after Matan Torah then it must mean that a non-Jew is not allowed to bring a shelamim. There is one more question that the Mefarshim discuss regarding the famous איובwho, as we know, suffered a tremendous amount of Yisurim. There are two explanations given why Iyov was punished. The first possibility may be because he only offered an olah and not a shelamim. Another reason given is that he was a gilgul of Terach the father of Avraham who worshiped idols. Now we must understand that Terach and many other idol worshipers in those days weren't denying God. They simply felt that it was proper to honor the idols that had powers under God, like honoring a student in front of his own master. They felt that by honoring the student, you could see the greatness of the real master. If we go back to our possible assumptions, we may be able to decide whether or not Terach did the right thing by worshiping idols or if it was wrong and he was doing exactly what Uriah did years later by honoring Yoav in front of David Hamelech. When David Hamelech heard Avraham say he couldn’t lead the benching because he sired Yishmael David’s life time doubt was immediately resolved. Since Yishmael didn't do Teshuva we can deduce that one must have a girl as well as a boy. If indeed this is true then Moshe only separated from Zipporah because Yisro and his wife hadn’t arrived yet, meaning that Yisro came after Matan Torah. If he came after Matan Torah, it means that a non-Jew cannot bring Shelamim and if this is true then why was Iyov punished since he was not Jewish? We must conclude that the reason is that he is the gilgul of Terach. But wait. What was Terach’s mistake? It must be that he honored the student in front of the Rebbi (master). Aha. So now we know: it is not permitted to honor the student in front of the master and therefore Uriah deserved to die. So David Hamelech did the right thing and therefore he is fitting to be the one to lead the benching. RABBI COREN’S LEARNING PROGRAMS Sunday Morning 7am Daf followed by 8am Tefilah 9am Daf 10 – 10:20am Shnayim Mikra & Rashi/Chok 10:20 – 10:30 Tanach 10:30 – 11 Chassidus and Peirush HaTefila Sunday Evening Halacha Semicha Program with Mishna Berurah (Semicha will be signed by Gedolim-Tests are given monthly ! The goal is to know where in the Mishna Berura are the answers to your shaylos) 8pm Maariv 8:15 – 9 Shiur Chabura on Mishna Berura Dirshu Track A (bring your own sefer Chelek Alef and Vav) 9 – 9:15 review Bechavrusa Monday through Thursday Morning 5:50am- Chafetz Chayim 6am Daf 6:55 Kavana for Tefilah (Meditation) followed by Tefilah followed by Dvar Halacha and Breakfast 8 - 825 am Chok (Zohar) 8:25– 9 Mishna Berura Track B– Hilchos Shabbos 9am Daf 10am – 10:30 Shnayim Mikra & Rashi/Chok, Tanach 10:30 – 11 Chasidus, Peirush HaTefilah 11 – 11:15 Shesh Mitzvos Timidios/Sefer Mitzvos Hakotzer 11:15-11:30 Maseches Tamid Monday – Tue-Thursday 6:15- 7 Chosson classes (by appointment) both for single or married 8:15 pm – 9pm Mishna Berura Chelek Alef and Vav 9pm -9:15 review Bechavrusa Wednesday Nights 815 – 9pm Mishna Berura track C Chelek Gimel Hilchos Shabbos-Rabbi Kaufman Other Shiurim and Activities Monday – Thursday 6:15- 7 Chosson classes (by appointment) both for single or married Monday night 9:30 – 10:30 exercise night (to be announced) Tuesday night 9:30 Likutai Halachos al Hatorah Thursday night 7:15 – 8pm Special Class for Young Adults – 6th grade to 10th grade "Memorize A Maseches Program" Thursday night – 9:30 – 10pm Kavana Betfilah/ Hachana for ShabbosMeditation on the Parsha Friday 10 min before candle lighting-Shiur for Youth and Parents on Mishnais Shabbos Friday night 9pm- 10pm Hashkafa/oneg for teens Shabbos morning Vasikin-Kiddush- Daf Yomi Interactive Youth Minyan Yartzheit of Reb Shaya Kerestirer 3 Iyar is the Yartzheit of Reb Shaya’la of Kerestirer (1851-1925) one of the famous chasiddic Rebbes from Hungary in the early Twentieth century. Many are making the trip to his Kever and spend Shabbos at his house in northern Hungary (photos HERE). His picture is believed by many to be a segulah and a amulet of protection. Many stores have his picture to keep away mice. Here is the The Famous Mouse Story- link. (see below for story of Rav Aaron Kotler picture) Affectionately known as Reb Shaya’le (Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir), the Kerestirer Rebbe lived around the beginning of the 20th Century. He was a very pious man and extremely humble, always referring to himself in the diminutive (Shaya’le). He was known as a “miraculous” person. His greatest pleasure was to host a very elaborate Melave Malka, the meal that follows Shabbos, on Saturday night. Often he would have his chassidim shecht fresh chickens for his meal. One motzei Shabbos, while Reb Shaya’le was eating this special melave malka meal, a chossid came to him with an urgent request. He was a man who had a warehouse full of foodstuffs and he made his living by buying an selling food. For the past number of months, his warehouse had been taken over by mice who were eating his grain and other commodities and his entire livelihood was threatened. He asked Reb Shaya’le for a blessing that the mice should leave his warehouse. At that time, each small town in Europe was ruled by the local church pastor. Some of the pastors were kind towards the Jews and others were very harsh. Reb Shaya’le asked the chossid if the pastor of the town he lived in was kind or harsh. The chossid replied that he was very harsh toward the Jews. Reb Shaya’le then instructed the chossid to go to his warehouse and to tell the mice, “Reb Shaya’le says to go to the estate of the pastor.” The chossid followed the Rebbe’s advice and instantly hundreds of mice raced out of the warehouse all heading in the direction of the pastor’s estate. The chossid’s business was saved and ever since Jews who have been plagued with this problem have used Reb Shaya’le’s picture to accomplish the ridding of mice from their homes. Reb Yeshayeleh emphasized hachnosas orchim. There was always plentiful food for those visiting him. On Rosh Hashanah, when many fast until after tekiyas shofar, Reb Yeshayeleh personally sliced kokosh (chocolate) cake so that those praying with him and electing to eat would have a plentiful selection to choose from. Somehow, he always set exactly just enough chairs for guests that showed up at his Shabbos tisch. One winter Shabbos night, guests looked at each other and wondered at a seat that remained empty. Late into the meal, a straggler showed up. It was obvious to everyone there that the latecomer had gone through an ordeal. Reb Yeshayele enthusiastically welcomed the straggler and told him he had prayed intensely to assure he survived the dangerous encounter. Grandchildren of Reb Shayeleh have come together and formed an organization called Ner Lehoshia. The name literally translates into Light of Assistance, and that is exactly what the organization strives to do - bring light to homes that need food, clothing, and whatever other assistance is needed. In the tradition of sharing with readers what I’m reading I bring you this sefer “Mofes Hador about R’ Shayala - Mofsim, one after the other, sometimes 2 or 3 per page, and most of them fromKli Rishon or Kli Sheyni. We spoke a short while ago how his main object in life was to help the unfortunate Yid in any way possible - even if he was a Mechalel Shabbos, and that very much is the case, but what got me was the Mofsim, one after another after another, Baal Shem’ske mayses one after the other, for 50 years. And it’s not just that; Every person I spoke to about it - it seems - has a personal moyfes that wasn’t even published in the book! I myself heard from my father, ZG”Z, how he heard from his shver, my zeide, how my Bubbe’s parents (his wife - my Bubbe’s - parents) were once evicted from their home by a non-Jewish landlord. They were left homeless, out on the street, with nowhere to go. IIRC they lived in Nyirmada at the time, which is about 50 miles from BodrogKerestur, whereReb Shayelle lived. They traveled there and told the Tzaddik how they were evicted from their home for no good reason by the wicked landlord and are homeless, a family with children. Reb Shayelle told them to write down the Orel’s name on a piece of paper, and he then proceeded to take that paper and burn it in a burning candle nearby. He then sent them home, saying that it was all OK now, they had no need to worry any further. Sure enough when they arrived home the landlord had left this world. And the zeide would always stress that this wasn’t some old man who you could say could’ve died anyway - he was “a champion,” big and strong. And there are hundreds and thousands more of those - unpublished stories that are kept in families and passed down from generation to generation. On the way back from a wedding last week I shared my thoughts with another Yid of Hungarian descent. He responded with a story of his own - where his father’s mother lost TENchildren in various stages of pregnancy - before she traveled to Reb Shayelle and asked for his help. The Tzaddik gave her some Kotzko Tzikker - sugar cubes and told her keep it with her during the whole term, maybe to wear it like a Kimeya, I forget that detail now. She had four children after that, with this man’s father the first of the four. I could be here all year writing about the mofsim, but you can save me from doing all that work by buying or borrowing (like I did) this sefer’l and reading how G-d name was sanctified by both Jew and, Lehavdil, Gentile thousands upon thousands of times over decades Interesting to note: Reb Shayale had a brother Herman Steiner who emigrated to the USA, lived in NYC and is buried in Staten island. The chassidim have made his grave a place to visit too. Reb Shayale has descendants who run the congregation of Keresztur at 48th Street in Boro Park, Brooklyn, NY. Reb Shayele married twice: 1) Sara WEINSTOCK (1859 - 1922), daughter of Yitzchak Yonah Weinstock of Bodrogszegi. They had 2 sons and 3 daughters. The first son Reb Avrumele Steiner married Ida Rothman from Zsurk, Szabolcs County. They had 3 sons and 6 daughters. 2) When he widowed, Reb Shayele married Sara ROTH (1863 - 1936), a daughter of the Gyure Rav R’ Moshe Shimon Roth, who was son of the Huszt Rav R’ Yoel Zvi Roth, th “Beth Hayotzer”. Sara Roth’s first husband R’ Yosef Krausz (1860 - 1915) served as Dayan and shoychet in Szomotor. Borough Park, NY - NY Times: In Honor Of Famed Charity Rabbi Shaya Kerestire Zt’l Masbia Serves Steak-Vos-iz-Neias-NY Times Borough Park, NY - The poor and hungry people at the Masbia soup kitchen in Borough Park hardly fit a bums-and-bag ladies stereotype. The storefront, on 14th Street in central Brooklyn, in one of New York’s largest Hasidic communities, serves only hot kosher meals. Its operators say it is the only soup kitchen of its kind in the city, and at first glance it seems to have a dress code that is also unique. The men — and it is mostly men — wear dark suits, white button-down shirts and black hats. “From a distance, they may look no different than a rich man, but if you look closer, you can see the difference,” said Mordechai Mandelbaum, a co-founder of the soup kitchen who was also dressed neatly in the traditional Hasidic garb on Thursday night. Indeed, closer scrutiny of some of the patrons revealed subtle signs of hardship: a slightly smudged shirt, a somewhat rumpled suit, a bruised felt hat. The few women were generally seated away from the men and dressed in traditional skirts and wigs, some with small children. Thursday was more crowded than usual because the kitchen was serving steaks — juicy, 16-ounce kosher shell steaks. Seconds were even available. A soup kitchen that serves steak might sound rather luxurious, but steak night comes only once a year at Masbia, in honor of Grand Rabbi Yeshaya Steiner of Kerestir, Hungary, who died in 1925 and who was known for feeding the hungry and other acts of charity. Masbia, the Hebrew word for “satiate,” serves 160 meals five nights a week. “We wanted to make it look like a restaurant,” Mr. Rapaport said, “because people in our community don’t want to be seen going to a soup kitchen — it’s highly embarrassing. “But we’ve had people come in and eat and ask where they pay. We have to tell them, ‘No, you don’t pay.’ People here are kosher so they won’t go to any other soup kitchen. It’s come here or starve.” some of the kitchen’s $500,000 annual budget comes from city and state aid, but most comes from local donations, Mr. Rapaport said. Mostly, money is solicited from couples who are getting married, drawing on an old-world tradition of donating to the needy just before marriage. “We remind them that contributing helps them avoid bad luck,” Mr. Mandelbaum said, lifting an eyebrow mischievously. “Jewish guilt is very powerful.” Mr. Rapaport said the kitchen served Jewish and gentile, rich and poor. WeeklyQuote RON OSTROFF "If you are not willing to risk the usual, you will have to settle for the ordinary." Jim Rohn “Fear stifles our thinking and actions. It creates indecisiveness that results in stagnation. I have known talented people who procrastinate indefinitely rather than risk failure. Lost opportunities cause erosion of confidence, and the downward spiral begins.” Charles Stanley “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Confuscious "Find something you would die for, and live for it" Rabbi Noach Weinberg ztl I am no big follower of Nietzsche but on this point one cannot argue: "He who would learn to fly one day must first learn to stand and walk and run and climb and dance; one cannot fly into flying." Friedrich Nietzsche On Socialism by a Fascist Socialism is a fraud, a comedy, a phantom, a blackmail. - Benito Mussolini Berach’sRCorner abbi Steinfeld Chametz Sold to Goy That dies On Pesach? What happens if the Rabbi sold the chametz to a goy before Pesach, and during Pesach the goy dies. Is the chametz considered sold? How can the Rabbi buy back the chametz? Interesting to note, the Chelkas Yaakov said that every Pesach he would worry that the goy he sold the chametz to might die and complicate matters. Another contemporary Rov would daven throughout Pesach that the Goy he sold the chametz to should not die. Let us review the history of selling the chametz to the goy. The first time it is brought down is in Tosefta Pesachim, Perek bais, halacha vov discussing the event where a Jew and a Goy are on a boat before Pesach. The Jew should sell or give the chametz as a gift to the Goy, and thereafter buy it back from him after Pesach. This must be a full sale or a full gift. The concept of mechiras chametz is repeated many times in the Rishonim and Achronim. Initially, every person would sell his own chametz to a Goy. After many mistakes in the procedure, the Chachamim enacted that every person appoints the Rav as a shaliach (representative, power of Attorney) to sell his chametz. The procedure requires that the Rabbi (after getting the power from all people to sell their chametz) sells it to the Goy having done many different types of kinyanim. The sale is basically “on consignment” where the Goy puts down a down payment with an option to pay the rest of the money after Pesach, or to sell it back to the Rabbi after Pesach. Let us explore what happens with the chametz in the event where there is a breakdown in the sale where the Goy dies. The Machne Chaim brings down a case where the chametz was sold to a Goy and the Goy was so impressed by this transaction that he became a Ger in middle of Yom Tov. The Machne Chaim says a chiddush that in such cases the first kinyan stays in effect, and although the Goy changed his status, the chametz remains hefker. Therefore the new Ger would not be oveir having chametz on Pesach and neither would all the people who sold it to him. The Machne Chaim says that this is a great chiddush and since it is not found in the Gemara and in the Poskim one should not rely on it Lekatchila. Away to avoid this problem would be that as part of the Mechira there should also be a living will with the Goy. This would state that in the event the Goy dies, the ability to buy or sell the chametz after Pesach should transfer to the Rabbi a minute before his death. The culmination of the transfer should take place after Pesach so the Rabbi would not be oveir on owning chametz on Pesach. During Pesach, the condition of the chametz should be in a condition of hefker. Being that this is a complicated issue one can now understand why the Rabbi would daven for the welfare of the Goy for the duration of Pesach until the transaction is complete. In conclusion, we should all have the Goy in our prayers that he should not die on Pesach. Do you have a topic or discussion you want to read about? Please send comments or questions to [email protected] 1 5 6 from Aish.com Golf Challenge The Pope met with his cardinals to discuss a proposal from Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of Israel. "Your Holiness," said one of the Cardinals, "Mr. Netanyahu wants to challenge you to a game of golf to show the friendship and ecumenical spirit shared by the Jewish and Catholic faiths." The Pope thought it was a good idea, but he had never held a golf club in his hand. "Have we not," he asked, "a cardinal who can represent me against the leader of Israel?" "None that plays golf very well," a cardinal said. "But, he added, "there is a man named Jack Nicklaus, an American golfer who is a devout Catholic. We can offer to make him a cardinal; then ask him to play Benjamin Netanyahu as your personal representative. In addition to showing our spirit of cooperation, we'll also win the match." Everyone agreed it was a good idea. The call was made. Of course, Nicklaus was honored and agreed to play. The day after the match, Nicklaus reported to the Vatican to inform the Pope of the result. "I have some good news and some bad news, Your Holiness," said the golfer. "Tell me the good news first, Cardinal Nicklaus," said the Pope. "Well, your Holiness, I don't like to brag, but even though I've played some pretty terrific rounds of golf in my life, this was the best I have ever played, by far. I must have been inspired from above. My drives were long and true, my irons were accurate and purposeful and my putting was perfect. With all due respect, my play was truly miraculous." "There's bad news?" the Pope asked. Nicklaus sighed. "I lost to Rabbi Woods by three strokes." day. By very early the next morning, a long queue had formed outside of the butcher shop. At 8 o'clock an official came out briefly and announced, "Well, comrades, I'm afraid there's not enough meat for everybody here. Would all of the Jews leave?" They did, and the line was shortened somewhat. At 11 o'clock the official came out again and announced, "Well, comrades, I'm afraid there's still not enough meat for all. Would all of the non-party members please leave?" They did, and the line was shortened again. At 2 o'clock, the official came out again. "There's still not enough meat for all of you! Would all those who did not defend our great country from the fascist German intruder leave?" Once again, the line was considerably shortened. At 5 o'clock, the official announcement was, "There's still not enough! Would all those who did not participate in the liberation of our people from the terrors of the Czar leave!" This included just about everybody. Finally, at 8 o'clock in the evening, the official came out again. The only people left in line were three half-frozen old men. He told them, "There isn't any meat." The old men moved slowly away, grumbling among themselves - "Those Jews get the best of everything!!" How to tell if you are aging: When my old electric typewriter needed a new ribbon, I removed the old one, with its spools, put it in its' original box and took it to a well-known office supply store in midtown Manhattan. I presented it to a young salesman and asked, "May I have another one?" The salesman examined the box, emptied its' contents and asked, "What is it?" Amish Jew A woman is riding a bus in the Midwest, when a man gets on the bus and sits down next to her. He's wearing a black hat, long black coat, black slacks and shoes, and he has a long curly dark beard. The woman looks at him disgustedly. "Jews like you," she hisses at him. He looks up at her, puzzled, and says, "I beg your pardon, madam?" She says, "Look at you. All in black, a beard, never take off your hat! It's Jews like you that give the rest of us a bad name." He says calmly, "I beg your pardon, madam, but I am not Jewish. I'm Amish." Russian Jews One cold winter, a rumor went The woman looks back and smiles, around that a certain butcher shop "How nice. You've kept your would have meat for sale the next customs." Plot Resolution Two people had a dispute over a particular burial plot. Each one claimed the piece of land for himself. The men presented their arguments to the rabbi, and left the final decision up to him. After a while, the rabbi said to them, "It is a very difficult case. Each one of you has very good arguments. Thus, I decree that whoever dies first will have the right to this burial place". From then on, they stopped fighting ... Kids Corner submitted by Shragie Newhouse Olomeinu in Chinuch.org Kids Corner submitted by Shragie Newhouse Olomeinu in Chinuch.org TECH SECTION POPULAR SCIENCE bird™ is an innovative wearable device which aggregates the entire spectrum of interactive methods into a ring-like accessory, comfortably worn on the index finger. With bird, the entire room transforms into a 3D interactive workspace: the user can interact with displayed images on any surface as if it were a touch screen, with accurate control and unparalleled sensitivity. Further interaction abilities include Remote Touch, Hovering, Depth Sensing, Gesture control and even mouse functionality. Developed by MUV interactive MUV Interactive is a wearable solutions company, developing technology to provide accurate 3D location and motion sensing, and enable intuitive and natural interaction with the surrounding digital environment. Recently acclaimed a “Cool Vendor in Human-Machine Interface” by Gartner (May 2014), MUV delivers an advanced and innovative wearable device that simply fits on the user’s index finger. Intuitive interaction with displayed content is achieved from anywhere in the room, with revolutionary technology that aggregates the entire spectrum of interactive techniques: Touch, Remote Control, Depth Sensing, Gesture Control, Mouse Functionality, Voice Commands, and even a Laser pointer.MUV provides users with the true ability to Own The Room from the tip of the finger. Mazal Tov to Layla and Dovi Greenspan on the birth of their Son. Mazal Tov also to the Grandparents Chani and Fuli Jaffe. The Shalom Zachor will I"H be at their home located at 4 Celia Court. להבין ולהשכיל Chag HaPesach / Chag HaMatzos The Yom Tov of Pesach is generally referred to in the Torah as חג המצות. However, in Parshas Ki Sisa, the pasuk says ולא ילין לבקר זבח חג הפסח. Here, the Torah calls the Yom Tov חג הפסח. Are these just two names for the same thing, or is there an individual meaning to each of them? The Chizkuni in Parshas Emor tells us that these two names represent two separate parts of the Yom Tov. Chag HaPesach refers to the time we prepare and eat the karbon Pesach – from erev Pesach after chatzos until the next morning. The rest of the Yom Tov, on the other hand, is called Chag HaMatzos. The Rema paskens that if one becomes an avel seven days before Pesach, unlike other Yomim Tovim, where he would only be permitted to shower, etc. close to nightfall of erev Yom Tov, on erev Pesach, it’s already permitted from chatzos. The Vilna Gaon explains why Pesach is different: since from chatzos and on was the time of karbon Pesach, it’s already like a Yom Tov. This can be understood with the aforementioned idea of the Chizkuni that there is a ‘separate’ Yom Tov called Chag HaPesach and therefore though Chag HaMatzos doesn’t start until later, Chag HaPesach starts already from chatzos on erev Pesach. The Vilna Gaon proves this idea from the pesukim in Parshas Emor. While discussing the different moadim, the Torah says ’בארבעה עשר יום לחודש בין הערבים פסח לה. This implies that from this point in time, i.e. chatzos of erev Pesach and on, is considered a moed. Interestingly, we find times when it was possible to only have Chag HaPesach and not Chag HaMatzos. The Ib’n Ezra writes in Parshas Pekudei that while the Jews were in the midbar, they only kept Chag HaPesach, and not Chag HaMatzos. He explains that it would have been impossible to obtain enough matzah for the seven day Yom Tov of Chag HaMatzos. As it is, it was an amazing thing that they had enough matzah for the first night alone while wandering in the desert. Perhaps this idea will give us more understanding of the essence of Pesach Sheini. Chazal refer to Pesach Sheini as a regel. This is not a new kind of regel, but rather another form of a Chag HaPesach – a time we celebrate the bringing of the Karbon Pesach which is non-dependent on the seven day Yom Tov of Chag HaMatzos. We still need to understand: Why are the seven days of Yom Tov called Chag HaMatzos when the mitzvah of eating matzah only applies to the first night of Yom Tov? The Vilna Gaon tells us, that although the Gemara says that eating matzah on Pesach other than on the first night is optional, one still gets a mitzvah by eating matzah throughout all seven days. This is called a מצוה קיומית, a mitzvah we don’t have to do, but get schar for doing it. It comes out that the whole Yom Tov is a time for the mitzvah of matzah and is therefore called Chag HaMatzos. Wishing everyone a beautiful and joyous Yom Tov! Tuvia Questions and comments are welcome at [email protected]. Nature God's Wonders In Sea Urchin Teeth Are Designed to Grind Stone by Brian Thomas, M.S. Sea urchins are spiny marine animals. Some of them like to hide in holes that they dig out of limestone in the ocean floor, using teeth that are ground down and yet remain sharp. What makes these teeth so special that they can drill through rock and not go blunt? Israeli scientists found remarkably precise and efficient construction when they took a close look at the sea urchins’ teeth. Using various high resolution imaging techniques, they saw tiny edges of magnesium calcite crystals exposed on the tooth surfaces. The sea urchins manufacture these crystals so that as the tooth wears down, it exposes new sharp crystal corners. These self-sharpening teeth may inspire “the design of better mechanical grinding and cutting tools.”1 The teeth are composed of crystals in plate and needle patterns that interlock, “like the fingers of folded hands.”2 In addition, the concentration of magnesium atoms in the crystals is graded such that the highest concentration of magnesium is found at the very tip of the tooth—where the main grinding pressure occurs. Thus, the magnesium is conserved and used to harden the teeth exactly where the need is most critical. In considering what must go into manufacturing such tiny but effective tools, the researchers concluded in their study published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that “the sea urchin tooth tip is clearly the product of exquisite control.”1 Sea urchin fossils are found in Ordovician rocks, which are below most other sedimentary layers. Given the conventional date given to this lower layer, sea urchins demonstrate stunning “stasis,” a universal biological observation that each kind of organism remains faithful to its fundamental form. This is also predicted by Genesis 1, which states that God specifically made each kind to reproduce after itself.3 The sea urchins that were preserved in rock layers must also have had these specialized grinding teeth. The sudden appearance in fossils of “the mature sea urchin tooth [with] incredible structural and compositional complexity”1 contradicts Darwin’s evolutionary claim that animals “advance by the shortest and slowest steps.”4 There are no transitional sea urchin teeth, and sea urchins are fully sea urchins wherever they are found. Their abundance in certain rock strata need not be interpreted as representing some kind of ancient “time of sea urchins.” Rather, it represents the catastrophic burial of a sea urchinrich habitat that occurred early in the global Flood described in Genesis. And the precisely regulated manufacturing process that forms the sea urchins’ teeth can only be the result of a supreme Designer. References Ma, Y. et al. 2009. The grinding tip of the sea urchin tooth exhibits exquisite control over calcite crystal orientation and Mg distribution. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 106 (15): 6048-6053. Israeli Scientists: Sea Urchin Teeth Stay Sharp. Arutz Sheva. Posted on israelnationalnews.com May 5, 2009, accessed May 21, 2009. Genesis 1:21-22. Darwin, C. 1859, reprinted 1972. On the origin of species by means of natural selection: or The preservation of favoured races in the struggle for life.Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 224. * Mr. Thomas is Science Writer at the Institute for Creation Research. Can you solve these By Itzik Weinberg ?RIDDLES Pesach riddle: יום טוב but is allowed onחול המועד What is not allowed to be done on Last weeks Answer ( What halacha is this? The whole year we avoid it but on the Seder night it's )Mitzva to do allot of it. that there is a Halacha that says that it is aשולחן ערוך סימן תע״ב It says in mitzvah to set the table in beautiful, expensive dishes. However, on the other hand it writes that we should limit the amount of dishes on our table in order we ignore the Halacha of limiting theליל הסדר . But onחורבן to remember the expensive dishes because it is a night of freedom. As you can probably imagine, pesach has always been a good holiday for a guy like me, not just because I had a nice big break from school, but because I was finally free, !and aloud to ask all the questions I want Unfortunately, this year I didn’t have many questions during the Seder, but after I got an email about the journal, and thought a little about pesach and matzah, B”H I thought of something. Now this may not sound like a great question, but try to take it a step !deeper, and let it get into your kishkas Every holiday has its main idea, it’s picture under its name, and it’s mascot you think of when you hear someone say it. Chanukah, candles. Purim, costumes! (or for some DRüÑK!) But WHY when I say Pesach, you think “Matzah!?” Theirs so much more... Why is matzah !?such a big deal, because we had it when we ran out of EGYPT Maybe we should have running games, where we go out side (boys on one side girls on other) and run down the street with freedom, wouldn’t that give you a better feel. I can think of many !things that can help us relate a lot better than just matzah This may sound funny, but especially if your a member in Bais Medrash Ohr Chaim, you would understand that food is not just a four letter word. How many people can say they can come home from shul with out a kiddish and enjoy their shabbos just as well, as they do after our beautiful “lavish” kiddish every week. Food is very powerful, if we ran around, we would have fun, but we might not actually think about the miracles or the matzah. But by eating some good matzah, and letting it rest in your belly, it gives you the opportunity to think about all about pesach and its amazing miracles. For all those still eating matzah, think about that, while you !eat tonight Think about it, Yehuda Grodko Hmmm...... ""We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone. " Our greatest teacher really is ourselves. Only we are the ones who make up our mind to accept something and learn - no one else. We can listen to others, "but in the end it is our choice to learn. ""Weak People revenge. Strong People forgive. Intelligent people ignore. שביעי של פסח בענין יציאת מצרים ושירת הים ״ גוי מקרב גוי ״ הוציאנו השם יתברך ממצרים ,הוא ולא מלאך הוא ולא שרף ,אלא הוא בכבודו ובעצמו ,וכתב המהר״ל זיע״א שזה היה ממש בבחינת לידה חדשה ,לידה של עם ישראל ,להיות עבדים עליו יתברך ,ולא עבדי פרעה ,להיות משועבדים לו למצותיו ולתורתו ,שכך נתקרב עליו ,להיות דבוקים בו ,כל ימי חיינו ,ועל ידי זה חיים כולכם היום . במצרים ראינו את כח האלוקים ,שהוא בעל הכוחות כולם ,בורא ומנהיג לכל הברואים והוא לבדו עושה ויעשה לכל המעשים ,על ידי העשר מכות ראינו בעליל את כוחו יתברך בבריאה ,שהוא הוא יסוד אמונתנו וביטחוננו בו ,ואין על מי להשען אלא על אבינו שבשמים ,וזהו מצות ליל הסדר של והגדת לבנך להעביר את זה לבנינו ולבני בנינו ,שהיא יסוד הדת כולה ,ובלי זה שייך הרבה ספיקות רח״ל . ובכן עם ישראל יצאו ממצרים ,ונקרע להם ים סוף ,ואיתא במדרשים שהיה זה ממש פלאי הבריאה ,עצם הקריעה של הים שהיה לי״ב חלקים ,ולא רק הים התחלק אלא כל מי העולם מתחלקו ,וראו כל העולם את הכח האדיר של האלוקים .הפלא ופלא . יש הרבה לימודים שחייבים ללמוד מהנעשה לעם הישראלי אז ,ראשית כל עצם המחזה שהיה ,כמו שאמרו רז״ל שראתה שפחה על הים מה שלא ראה יחזקאל בן בוזי ,איזה מחזה היה הפלא ופלא .ואמר בזה הדרשן הדגול רבינו שלום שבדרון זיע״א שהיא עדיין נשארה שפחה זהו החילוק . ויסוד הדברים הוא כדי לקבל ולהחזיק שפע צריך להיות ראוי לקבל הך השפעה , והגם שהשפחה ראתה את המחזה האדיר ולכאורה היתה אמורה להעלות ממצבה לדרגה של נבואה ,אבל עדיין נשארה שפחה ,והיינו שבכדי לקבל ההשפעה הגבוה של קירבה להקדוש ברוך הוא ,הוא רק במי שמוכשר לזה ,וכמו שהתורה נקנית במ״ח קניינים ,והיינו שבכדי שישפע כוחה של תורה על האדם ,מוכרח הוא למ״ח קניינם של תורה ,כמו כן הוא בכל דרגה ברוחניות ,צריך להיות בר מעלה וכלי להשיג את ההשגה של המושג . ובענין הזה זוכרני ווארט מימי נעורי שאמרתי על מה שמצינו במדבר שהיה את המתלוננים ,ותמוה דהא במדבר היה זה הדור דעה ,ואיך שייך שבאו להתלונן על אבטיחים ודגים וקישואים ???? ואלא שהדרגה שבאו עליו שהיו ממש דור דעה באה להם במהירות שלא היה שייך שיהיו שייכים לדרגה שלהם ממילא מובן מה ששיך שהיו באים למצב של מתלוננים . וזה עוד לימוד אדיר שמי שבמצב מסויים יש לו התחייבויות להתנהג אחרת לגמרי ,זהו מחייב גדול ,ועיין רש״י שבת לג .מש״כ בד״ה חילול השם . עלה בליבם לומר שירה ,פתחו כולם ואמרו אז ישיר משה ובני ישראל את השירה הזאת ....אין אדם שר שירה אלא מתוך שמחה ,כלי השירה של האדם הוא משמחה ,והיינו שמחה פנימית שהיא היא השמחה האמיתית שיש לו לאדם ,ויותר שדבוק בבוראו ,יותר שמח האדם. וזהו הזמן שביעי של פסח אחר שנפדנו מחיי החומר ,על ידי אי ההחמצות ולראות את עצמנו שיצאנו ממש ממצרים ,בזה באים לדביקות של זמן רעוא דרעוין , נעילת הפסח ממש דביקות בו יתברך בזה פותחים ממש בשירה ,שנובע מתוך שמחה של מצוה ,שהוא מהשראת השכינה ,וממילא עצם השירה יוצא כמעיין ממנו הנובע משמחתו בו יתברך ,כמו שכתוב במדרש שיר השירים ״ זה היום עשה ה׳ נגילה ונשמחה בו ״ בו בישועתו בו בתורתו . ונסיים בפשט יפה הרמב״ם (בהלכות חמץ ומצה פרק ז׳ הלכה א׳ ) וזהו תוכן דבריו מצות עשה של תורה לספר בניסים וישועות שנעשה לאבותינו במצרים ביום חמשה עשר בניסן ,שנאמר ״זכור את היום הזה אשר יצאתם ממצרים״ כמו שנאמר ״ זכור את יום השבת ״ ,ומנין שבליל ט״ו שנאמר ״והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא לאמר בעבור זה עשה השם לי בצאתי ממצרים״ בשעה שיש מצות ומרור מונחים לפניך עכת״ד . וצריך ביאור אמאי לא למד הרמב״ם גם עצם מצות חיוב סיפור יציאת מצרים , מקרא דוהגדת לבנך שנאמר בו גם לספר את סיפור יציאת מצרים ? והפשט יש לומר ברמב״ם שהדין דוהגדת לבנך היינו תשובה למה שאמרה תורה ״כי ישאלך בנך למחר״ והיינו התשובה לזה והגדת לבנך ביום ההוא לאמר ,וממילא הדין של סיפור נלמד מקרא ד״זכרת את יום הזה אשר יצאת ממצרים״ ,שבו נאמר עצם חיוב מצות סיפור ודו״ק . ומה שייחסו דין זה לזכור של שבת היינו שכל השבוע דעת הרמב״ם שיש מצוה לזכור את שבת ,וממילא גם לנו יש דין לזכור מה שנהיה לאבותינו במצרים וזהו הדין לזכור בפה לחזק בלבבנו מה שנעשה להם במצרים . חג שמח דוד יהודה פיירסטון מיושבי בית המדרש Cash Torah from Brother Shlomo ! So it was mamash clear; what a message before you want to commit suicide. So you know what he did? He took that sefer, put the candle on the table, and just looked at the page all night long. He says, “Rebono Shel Olam, if you send me this message, I am begging you, Rebono Shel Olam, don’t disappoint me. I am not committing suicide tonight, please let a miracle be tomorrow.” Compiled and edited by Ziv Ritchie In Odessa, there was a Yid, a banker. He was a little bit religious. I don’t know the way assimilated Jews would live in those days. He had a bank, he was very rich, but he was a little bit connected to Yiddishkeit. One day his accountant brings him all the books. He looks at the books… he sees one thing: Unless I have two million rubles in four days, I am bankrupt. Today when people are bankrupt, you know what they do? First thing, they go to Switzerland, and send a letter to all the people they owe money: “I wish you were here.” What is declaring bankruptcy today? It is a joke, you declare bankruptcy, and you never pay the people back. In those days, in Russia, if you are bankrupt, you were on the next train to Siberia. Heavy. Heavy, heavy. So it was clear to him. ‘The first thing I am doing after four days if I cannot get the two million rubles together is, I am committing suicide. I don’t want to go through Siberia, and I can’t go through this whole thing.’ So he went to a pharmacy, he got himself some real heavy drugs, poison. But then he thought, ‘Where should I commit suicide? At home? I have little children. I don’t want to do it there.’ He decided, ‘I will do it in shul [synagogue].’ He went to shul, and you know, today a shul has sidurim [prayerbooks] in those days, the shul had sforim [holy books], and there were mamash Shasim [books of Talmud]. On the highest shelf, he put the poison under a sefer [holy book]. He waited four days. He tried everything. Mamash, he thought he has good credit. He didn’t get a penny. On the fourth night, it was clear to him, ‘Tomorrow morning they will find out that I am bankrupt, I am committing suicide.’ He goes to shul. In those days, this was a long time ago, maybe one hundred and fifty years ago, there was no electric light then, just little candles. He puts a candle on the table, and puts his hand to take out the poison. He was shaking so much that a lot of books fell down. Nebuch. And, if some of you know, Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nachman’s sefer, in the first print, there is a whole page. On the page it says, “Reb Nachman says: Yidden, don’t ever give up.” The sefer fell down, and he wants to pick it up. He bends down and he sees; Reb Nachman says: Don’t ever give up. To make it very, very short, for five days, every day, when he was in his office, every time there was a knock on the door, he was sure it was the police. But nothing happened. For five nights, every night he was sitting in the shul all night long looking at this page. On the fifth day he gets a letter from a bank in Amsterdam, and they write to him, ‘Please forgive us a thousand times. Ten years ago we took a loan from you for two million rubles. We completely forgot to pay it back, and we just found in our books that we never paid it back. We are sending it to you.’ Gevalt. So that night he goes back to the beis medrash [Synagogue study hall], and takes the book again. Then he thinks, ‘I don’t even know who wrote this book.’ So he sees;Heilege [holy] Reb Nachman, grandson of the Baal Shem. And then he opens the book. He knew Hebrew well. He opened the book to the first torah, ‘Ashrie Temimei Derech. You have to put in your koach [strength] into davening [praying].’ He thought, ‘Ahh, this is so beautiful, so beautiful.’ And this was the first night he was a little bit relaxed, he fell asleep on the sefer. In his dream… You know, Reb Nachman, nebuch, we should all live long, he passed away when he was thirty nine years old. Reb Nachman did not have a long beard, he had a little beard, and peyos [sidelocks]. The Heilege Rishner also did not have a long beard. A little beard, and long peyos. He sees in his dream this young man, about thirty five, or thirty six years old. He says to him, “I want you to know, my name is Nachman from Breslev, and I am the one who wrote this book.” And you know, Reb Nachman, before he passed away, he was yelling on top of his lungs, “Yidden, Nisht kin Miyaesh, don’t give up.” He says, “I want you to know, before I left the world, when I yelled, ‘Yidden, don’t give up.’ I was thinking of you.” Unbelievable. The Yid, in his dream, says, “So what should I do now?” He says, “I’ll tell you what you have to do now; I want you to sell your bank. You have enough money to live in Eretz Yisrael. I want you to go to Eretz Yisrael, and I want you to print my book in Eretz Yisrael.” I just want you to know, I met an old Breslover Chossid in Yerushalayim, who is nearly a hundred years old, and he is a talmid [student] of this Yid. Unbelievable. He was the first one to print Likutei Moharan. And he is a talmid of this Yid. I met him somewhere in a beis medrash in Yerushalayim. (Excerpt from “Rebbe Nachman Says”, The Teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslev as Taught by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach z”tl) and wellness tips from Steven Y. Szklarz, CSP Lets lose 30 lbs in 30 days! Now that Pesach is coming to an end- my office gets very busy with people who want to cleanse out their system. On my program, patients are required to drink whole milk as part of the detox. The minerals in whole milk are needed to build healthy bones and teeth and to maintain many of the basic functions of the human body. A diet rich in calcium helps prevent osteoporosis as well. Studies in Harvard have found that people who made dairy part of their daily diets were less likely to develop insulin resistance and to develop type 2 diabetes. So next time you reach for the blue or green milk on the grocers shelf, give your bones whats best! Anyone interested in starting immediately after Yontif/Shabbos please call my office at 845.213.1036 to book an appointment or via email at [email protected] Wishing all a wonderful Yontif and Shabbos! Yartzeits 21 Nissan - Fri Rav Shmuel Shapiro, elder Breslav chosid Rav Shimon Yisrael Posen, the Shoproner Rav, author of Toras Aleph, 1969. 22 Nissan - Shabbos Rav Yehuda Rosanes of Constantinople, author of Mishneh Lamelech, (16581727). He also wrote Parashs Derachim. Rav Yitzchak Kalish (1779-1848), founder of the Vorki dynasty, father of Rav Yaakov Dovid (founder of the Amshinov dynasty) and Rav Menachem Mendel, who continued the Vorki dynasty. Through his travels with his teacher, Rav Dovid of Lelov, he became a disciple of Rav Yaakov Yitzchak (the "Chozeh") of Lublin and of Rav Simchah Bunim of Peshischa. Some of his teachings and stories involving him appear in Ohel Yitzchak and Hutzak Chein, others in Shemu’as Yitzchak. Dr. Nathan Birnbaum, 1864-1937. A leader in the early Zionist movement, he is credited for coining the word “Zionism” in 1890. He played a prominent part in the First Zionist Congress (1897) and was elected Secretary General of the Zionist Organization. However, ideological differences with Theodore Herzl led to his leaving the movement. In the years preceding World War I he gradually abandoned his materialistic and secular outlook, eventually embracing full traditional Judaism. He may be seen as the forerunner of the modern Baal Teshuvah movement. His most famous book of this period was Gottesvolk (“G-d’s People”) first published in German and Yiddish in 1917 (translated into English in a shortened form by J. Elias in 1947 titled "Confession"). In 1919, he became the first Secretary General of the new Agudath Yisrael Organization. He lived in Berlin 1921-1933. After the rise of Nazism, he left Germany for Scheveningen, Netherlands, until his death. 23 Nissan - Sun Rav Moshe ben Yosef MiTrani, the Mabit (1505-1585). Son of the famous Rav Yosef MiTrani (Mahait), Rav Moshe was born in Salonika, Greece. He was sent to sent to Adrianople (Italy) as a boy to pursue his studies under the supervision of his uncle Aaron. At the age of 16 he went to Safed and completed his studies under Yaakov Beirav. He was one of four people to receive the special semicha from him in 1538, in Safed, along with Rav Yosef Karo, Rav Moshe Cordovero, and Rav Yosef Sagis. In 1525 he was appointed rabbi at Safed; he held this office until 1535, when he moved to Jerusalem, where he lived until 1585. His main work was Kiryat Sefer, a commentary on Rambam's Yad Chazakah. Hamabit, was an halachic responsa with 841 answers. He also wrote Beit Elohim – a thematic discussion of the elements of prayer. [Hamodia 2005: 25 Nissan; according to introduction to Beis Elokim - the 22nd of Nissan] Rav Yisrael Shalom Yosef of Bohush, 1923. 24 Nissan - Mon Rav Moshe of Premishel, author of Mateh Moshe (1606) Rav Chaim Menachem Heschel of Zhinkov (1837-1893). Succeeded his father, Rav Meshulam Zusya, and expanded the Chassidus throughout Russia, Ukraine, and Serbia. Some of his divrei Torah are found in the sefer Shemuos Tovos. Rav Yosef Friedman of Rimanov (1913) Rav Eliyahu Akiva Rabinowitz of Poltava (1917) Rav Avraham Yehoshua Heshel Weinberg, the Slonimer Rebbe of Tel Aviv, 1978. Rav Chaim Yitzchak Chaikin, rosh yeshiva of Aixes-les-Bains.(1995) 25 Nissan - Tues Rav Chaim Halberstam of Sanz, author of Divrei Chaim (1793-1876 [some say he was born 1797]), founder of the Sanzer Chasidim. Born in Tarnograd, Poland. At the age of 18, he was appointed Rav of the small town of Rudnick, where he became a close talmid of Rav Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz. In 1830, he became Rav of Sanz (Tzanz), where he stayed for 46 years. He had 15 children, including Rav Yechezkel of Shinov. His 3rd son, Rav Meir Nosson, died of an epidemic at an early age; his only son was Rav Shloime, who would become the 1st Bobover Rebbe. Another scion of Sanz, Rav Yekusiel Yehuda Halberstam, the Klausenburger Rav, has erected several towns, yeshivos, and a modern medical center in Israel, as well as yeshivos in New Jersey and New York. The Sanz Chassidim have a yicchus document showing how they are descended via the Maharal of Prague from Rav Yosef I of Rome and back to King Dovid. [10 Nissan, according to others] Rav Nachum Tzvi Goldberg (1922-2006). Born to Rav Kalman Avraham Goldberg, Rav of Vasilkov, he moved with the family to America in 1926. As a bachur, he learned with Rav Shlomo Heiman for 5 years, then moved to Lakewood to learn with Rav Aharon Kotler for 9 years (1943-1952). As a married man, he moved back to the East Side and taught at Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yaakov Yosef (RJJ) for over 20 years. After his father was nifter in 1968, he replaced him as Rav of Adas Yisrael. In 1973, he also became administrator of Ezras Torah and made out the checks for all the yungeleit. 26 Nissan - Wed Yehoshua bin Nun. Buried in Timnas Serach in Har Ephraim (1354-1244 BCE) Rav Ephraim Navon, the Machaneh Ephraim (1677-1735). Born in Andrinople to Rav Aharon, he married the daughter of Rav Yehuda Ergaz. He served as Chief Rabbi of Constantinople. Rav Moshe Halberstam (1932-2006). Born in the town of Tshakawe, Galicia to Rav Yaakov Halberstam, he was a great-great-great grandson of the Divrei Chaim of Sanz. As a youth, he studied at Yeshivas Beis Avraham Slonim under the Nesivos Shalom of Slonim. His rebbi muvhak was Rav Shmuel Wosner. He delivered shiurim for decades in a kollel for halacha that he headed. He was a member of the Eida Chareidis Beis Din and rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Tshakawe. In 1997, he was appointed a member of Badatz. He published a collection of responsa called Divrei Moshe. He founded the Vaad HaRabbonim LeInyonei Tzedaka, and was the head of the charity Chibas Yerushalayim Kupas Rebbe eir Baal Hannes. His son-in-law Rav Mattisyahu Deitch founded the Yad Ramah Institute under the guidance of the greatest halachic authorities of today, and it deals with solutions for problems in halacha and medicine. (Yated 2007 says 27 Nisaan; Hamodia 2007 says 28 Nissan) Rav Moshe Teitelbaum, The Satmar Rebbe (2006). Author of Beirach Moshe, he is buried in Kiyas Yoel. 27 Nissan - Thurs Rav Asher Margulies, a Yerushalmi mekubal, author of Kumi V'Roni Rav Yehuda Kahana, the Kuntres Hasefeikos (1819) Rav Levi Yitzchak Greenwald, the Tzelemer Rav (1980). He arrived in America in 1939, just before the onset of WW2, after his Beis Medrash was destroyed on Kristellnacht, and he re-established his Beis Medrash in Williamsburg. He also established one of the first Chasidishe yeshivos in America, Arugas Habosem, named after his father, the Chuster Rav, who was known as the Argas Habosem. Rav Shalom Moshe Ungar, son of Rav Shmuel Dovid Ungar, a descendent of the Abarbanel (who was himself a descendent of Dovid Hamelech). (1916-2003) Born in Krumpach, Slovakia. In 1941, he married the daughter of Rav Simcha Greenberg, an ardent Munkatcher chasid. Supported by his father-in-law, Rav Shalom Moshe learned bechavrusa with his brother-in-law, Rav Meir Greenberg, later to become the Kezmarker Rav of New York. Rav Shalom Moshe worked with another brother-in-law, Rav Michoel Ber Weissmandl, in rescue operations during the War. Deportations from Nitra began in Elul of 1944. The Nitra yeshiva (of 200 bachurim) was the last yeshiva in Europe to remain open and was liquidated on the 17th of Elul. Hiding in the forest for the remainder of the War, Rav Shalom Moshe lost his father, his wife, and his three children. In 1947, he was officially named Rav of Nitra. In 1948, the Nitra kehilla was established in Mount Krisco, Westchester County, NY. Rav Avigdor Miller. (1908-2001). Born in Baltimore, Rav Avigdor attended public school like all the other Jewish boys from religious homes, and he studied Torah with his grandfather and other local rabbonim. At the age of 14, he left to study at Yeshivas Rabbenu Yitzchak Elchonon, which at the time was the only Jewish high school offering high-level Jewish studies in the U.S. It was there that he met future leaders of US Jewery, such as Rav Nosson Wachtfogel, Rav Yehuda Davis and Rav Mordechai Gifter. They met met secretly in Rav Miller's dormitory room in to hear a shiur in Mesillas Yeshorim by Rav Yaakov Yosef Herman. In 1932, he followed Rav Aizik Sher to Slobodka, where he spent 6 years learning. In 1935 he married his life partner for 64 years, Ethel Lessin. The first rabbinical position which Rav Avigdor accepted was in Chelsea, Massachusetts. In 1945, Rav Miller was offered a job as mashgiach of Chaim Berlin by Rav Hutner, a position he kept for 19 years. He was then invited by the Young Israel of Rugby to be their unofficial rov. The shul, located at East 49 street in the East Flatbush section of Brooklyn, a position which became official in 1946-47. He began writing his first book, Rejoice O Youth, in 1963. In 1964, when Yeshivas Chaim Berlin moved to Far Rockaway, Rav Miller decided to resign and devote himself full time to his congregation and his writing. He finished writing the book in 1965. THE SEDER – A LINGUISTIC INVESTIGATION OF CHAMETZ AND MATZAH AN APPROACH INSPIRED BY RAV SHAMSHON RAPHAEL HIRSCH ZT”L BY DAVID GURWITZ, JD, MBA, CPA The second of the four questions is - on all other nights we may eat chametz or matzah, but on this night, only matzah. Our seder begins with breaking of matzah, putting a piece away - as a slave would do with uncertainty of any other food coming soon. It also encourages questions from the children, who know somewhat what the difference is between chametz and matzah. Let’s look deeper at these two words and their “phonetic cousins”. The word chametz means sour, fermented. It is highly instructive to consider many of the similar sounding words to chametz in lashon hakodesh, according to the Etymological Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew, based on the Commentaries of Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, zt”l. The patterns are startling. Kamatz means to grip; camas means to hide; camaz means to clasp; kamash means to penetrate - all relate to hiding. Chamas means wrong; amas means load; ametz means courage; hamas means to liquify - all relate to effecting gradual change. Kibutz means gather; kafetz means shut quickly; kootz means contract; kabosh means subdue; yebush means to firm up; gush means to harden; cafash means to force; kavas means to scrub; kabash means to whiten - all relate to compression and release. Chametz and its phonetic cousins, then, are focused on hiding, compressing, and changing. Chametz spelled backwards is tzemach, meaning growth, sprouting. Chametz, then, represents the OPPOSITE of growth - even though it has all the indicia of growth – bread, and yeast and leaven. We live with it all year, and get used to having it. For one week, the week representing freedom, we avoid it like - no pun intended - the ten plagues we relive on the seder night, which the Maharal teaches us are related to the ten expressions used in creation in Bereishis. The themes are always overlapping, juxtaposing, on the seder night. Hashem spoke the world into existence and we speak the world into further existence or ... G-d forbid, destruction. Let’s now look at the word…Matzah. It is spoken softly. Related words are midah, meaning measure; masah, meaning melting; mazah, meaning thin; matzah, meaning to draw out; mazach, meaning to hold in; motzah, meaning to find; meshach, meaning to separate - all involving separating, prolonging, extending. Matzah and its phonetic cousins are much more health inducing than chametz. Matzah backwards spells haztom, meaning the thirst. Related words to haztom are shema, listen; tzemach, growth; sameach, rejoicing; shima, identify; - all relate to satisfying a need. Other words are tzemam, compress; tzom, gather. That is a key aspect of matzah, unlike chametz, which keeps expanding. One must gather time to make matzah. It makes sense, then, that the word matzah has a value of 135, which is the value of the word kahal, to gather. The matzah acts as a gathering point for the nation, the food of faith, of speed - similar to the word mitzvah. We end the seder with the taste of matzah as the afikoman, which can be pronounced afika mann, out comes the mann! Besides the difference chametz and matzah being a Heh and a Ches, chazal also tell us the following about matzah: According to the Malbim, there are 190 days from erev Pesach to Shemini Atzeret. The number 190 represents the value of the word kaitz, which means end. Our sages say that the four hundred year exile shown to Avraham was cut short by 190 years. What is so special about this concept of 190 – kaitz – cutting the decree, in relation to matzah and to the seder? It is fascinating that, if you add up the numbers 1 and 2 and 3..up to 18 – the number of minutes that is the cutoff point of matzah – the result is ….190! Recall that matzah making involves a CONSTANT focus on the kaitz – the time cut off or end. This would now make sense in light of the following: The Bnei Yissascar also points out that the word matzah spelled out – Mem Mem (40 & 40), Tzadi (90 & 4 & 10) and Heh (5 & 1) equals……190! Matzah spelled out is the value of kaitz. Matzah, then, to its inner core, has still another dimension - a kaitz, or cutting off of all past negatives. 1 through 18. As we eat it, we should chew slowly, and have this in mind. It literally cuts us off from our past – and teaches us the essence of life, which is chai, the value of 18. Matzah is teaching us many lessons. Perhaps the main one is that the person we were before – slaves to our desires, to other influences, etc – can be cut off to allow us to focus on the freedom to connect to and believe more deeply in Hashem taking us out of Mitzrayim ALL THE TIME, if we look around and see the endless miracles He does for us. Seder means freedom to plan, to do, and to create. Finally, let’s look at matzah and compare it to the words avodim hayinu, which have a value of 207, which is exactly the value of ohr! Admitting to slavery – current slavery -- is a key to accessing the Torah’s healing light. We see that as well in examining the positional gematria of matzah – Mem (13th letter), Tzadi (18th letter), and Heh (5th letter) – which is 36. We know that the word ohr is mentioned 36 times in the Torah! Matzah, besides its many other characteristics, is another expression of the light of the Torah. Therein lies a hint to the chairus…given us by matzah. Please read this amazing story from my friend and teacher, Rabbi Dovid Hoffman, in his weekly Torah Tavlin, directly related to the above drush regarding matzah: “As a scion of two renowned and prestigious rabbinic families - both on his father and mother’s side - R’ Avraham Yehoshua Heschel ZT”L - later to become famous as the Ohev Yisroel (both for the title of his sefer and due to his deep love for every fellow Jew) - showed great promise even at an early age. Acquiring fame as a talmudic scholar, he studied under two great Tzaddikim, R’ Elimelech of Lizhensk ZT”L and R’ Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov ZT”L. Early on his rabbinical career, R’ Avraham Yehoshua was offered a position in the Polish town of Kolbuszowa where he arrived as a candidate a few weeks before Pesach for a “Proba” (audition), hoping to impress the townspeople and secure the position. “As was the custom, on Shabbos morning, R’ Avraham Yehoshua walked up to the podium and delivered an address on Torah topics for the benefit of the entire congregation. His masterful discourse was appreciated by scholar and layman alike for its clear and prescient content, the easy manner in which it was delivered, and the powerful lasting effect it had on its listeners. As the young rabbi was speaking, many in the audience were smiling and nodding to one another, agreeing that this candidate was surely a perfect match for the job. R’ Avraham Yehoshua saw their expressions and understood that he was on solid footing, and this gave him confidence. “Of course, all it takes is the comment of one incendiary individual, or ignoramus for that matter, to bring the young man’s tower of confidence crashing down in disaster. The Rosh Hakahal, the acting president of the kehilla, was a rich man who believed that his large bank account and prestigious appointment entitled him to speak at will. He even fancied himself a Torah scholar on par with the leading scholars and rabbis in the Beis Medrash. Thus, it came as no surprise to many in the audience when the president loudly cleared his throat midway through R’ Avraham Yehoshua’s lecture and asked a question. “Rabbi, if you don’t mind, I have a question on a posuk from a previous parsha. When describing the plight of the Jewish people in Egypt and the terrible hardship of their slavery, the Torah uses the words wovhhj ,t urrnhuw (‘and they embittered their lives’). What I find unusual is that when I was doing oudr, sjtu tren ohba (reviewing the posukim twice and the Targum/translation once), I realized that the musical cantillation notes (trenv hngy) on these two words are ‘Kadma V’azla’ which is an uplifting and even happy tune. Since these words reflect the Jews’ pain and suffering, shouldn’t a sad or downward tune be used? Why does the Torah employ such a happy tune to describe such a sad occurrence?” “A slight smile of victory curled up on the sides of the president’s mouth, while the people in the audience scratched their heads in bewilderment at the random equivocation of the question. But worst of all, the young man at the podium, who had previously been riding a wave of confidence and optimism, now felt the pinch of uncertainty threaten to overtake his entire performance. If he could not come up with a satisfactory reply to the Rosh Hakahal, how can he expect to get the job? He looked around at the audience but they all knew better than to take a side opposite their rich and powerful president. R’ Avraham Yehoshua became tongue-tied and there was a long stretch of uneasy silence in the large synagogue. “Suddenly, the young man’s face brightened and he straightened his posture. Hashem had come to his rescue and gave him a brilliant response. “That is a fine question indeed,” he began, his voice rising with his renewed confidence. “Perhaps we may understand it based on a concern that our sages have previously voiced. When Hashem spoke to Avraham Avinu, he forewarned him that his descendants will be ‘a wandering nation in a land not their own; they will be enslaved and made to suffer for four hundred years.’ However, as we all know, Bnei Yisroel only slaved in bondage for 210 years. What happened to the other 190 years? Well, Chazal tell us that the harshness of the servitude was such that the pain and suffering of 400 years was rolled into 210 years. The embitterment of those years and watching their babies being thrown into the Nile was so terrible that Hashem counted it as if they had actually served the full 400 years.” “The Rosh Hakahal was taken aback at the young man’s miraculous rebound and he sat there spellbound as the spoken words were directed at him. R’ Avraham Yehoshua’s countenance was shining with a G-dly aura. “Now we can understand the ‘Kadma V’azla’ that you so astutely pointed out,” he said with a smile. “It was through the deep sense of pain and bitterness that Hashem hurried up and preempted the redemption by 190 years. Thus, we say ‘Kadma V’azla’ which means to hurry up and go forth, since the word ‘Kadma’ has the gematria of 145 , and ‘V’azla’ is 45. Together, they equal the numerical content of 190, which is exactly how many years Hashem hurried up the geulah! Is this not cause for a happy, celebratory sound?” Needless to say - he got the job! WOMEN’S CORNER 5 Love Languages for Children by Gary Chapman Five Love Languages: Physical Touch BY KRISTEN CHILDREN NEED TO FEEL LOVED TO BEST SUCCEED. BUT IF YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN SPEAK DIFFERENT LOVE LANGUAGES, YOUR DISPLAY OF LOVE MIGHT GET LOST IN TRANSLATION–AFFECTING YOUR CHILD’S ATTITUDE, BEHAVIOR, AND DEVELOPMENT. In The 5 Love Languages of Children, Dr. Gary Chapman and Dr. Ross Campbell M.D. have applied the innovative system of the 5 love languages to children. This easy-to-read resource gives practical suggestions for understanding how your child gives, receives, and interprets love. 70 Years, since the Liberation of Auschwitz They thought they buried us. they didn’t realize we were seeds............... Is Physical Touch your child’s love language? Describes your child: Love to receive hugs and kisses ? High Fives ? Cuddle ? Asks to be carried ? Physical activity: racing, wrestling, tag, climbs in your lap ? Mom Tips: Hold hands - Hug often -Have your child sit in a bean bag chairs - Family cuddles - Sing action songs - Tickle fun - Plan family physical activities - Read stories together on the couch or your lap A note on appropriate touching of children. In this day and age, parents with opposite gender children can be afraid of touching them inappropriately. Here are some key points to remember: 1. Teach your child from an early age that “Good touches are ones that keep us clean and healthy”. Clean (parents) and healthy (doctors) are easy for children to understand. 2. Practice hugging your child from an early age and it will be more natural as they get older. 3. Keep up the physical touch as your child gets older so they will not seek it from others. Studies have shown that when a Dad hugs his daughter she has higher self esteem, better self image, and feels more beautiful. Mom-to-Mom tip: If your child likes to be cuddled and squeezed a lot, they may need extra pressure on their bodies. I recommend first talking to an Occupational Therapist. Second I’d recommend looking into a home bean bag (also sold at Target) or a “Calming Station. Being squished all over can bring a great sense of calm to a child who loves to be touched. You’ll hear their breathing slow and their behavior will improve! BY TZVI FREEMAN C H A B A D. O R G B Y T Z V I F R E E M A N - C H A B A D. O R G From the Wisdom & Te a c h i n g s o f t h e Lubavitcher Rebbe Celebrating No Matter What and fasting, the Baal Shem Tov showed his students Some gripe that they cannot the way of meditation and reach out for G-d‘s help joy. Every need of the body, because they are not worthy. he taught, could provide a channel to carry the soul high. Others celebrate that they have a G‑d who answers Not an Angel, Not a Beast their cries, regardless of how unworthy they may be. If you believe you are an angel, prepare for disappointment. Working with the Body If you believe you are a It used to be that the soul beast, you may well become fought with the body, until depressed. one conquered the other by force. Best to know you are human. Stay away from situations Then the Baal Shem Tov you can‘t handle, and when came and taught a new path: you fail, pick yourself up, say The body, too, could come to you’re sorry, and keep on appreciate those things the going. soul desires. That‘s yet higher than the In the place of self-affliction angels. Rabbi Nachum Scheiner Ohr Chaim Night Kollel THE ESSENCE OF THE MATZA REMEMBERING THE SLAVERY OR THE FREEDOM?: I would like to share with you some of the divrei torah that I spoke about at the Yeshivas Bein Hazmanim. Although the matza is known to be a “simple food,” there is, however, a big uncertainty as to what the matza is really symbolizing. On the one hand, we find that the matza is coined as the poor man’s bread (ha lachma ania), and it was, indeed, the food that the Jews ate during their time as slaves. On the flip side, we see that the matza is eaten in a reclining position because it is a commemoration of the redemption. In fact, we say in the hagadah that the matza is to commemorate the fact that the Yidden had to rush out of Mitzra’im and the dough did not have time to rise. So is the matza a sign of freedom or is it a sign of bondage? There are many explanations given on this topic. I would like to share with one beautiful idea, which can be found in the Seporno. The pasuk (which is in the reading of the last day of Pesach) states that the lechem oni (poor bread) should be eaten ‘because you left Mitzra’im in a hurry,’ which again seems to be an apparent paradox. The pasuk begins with the fact that the matza is a poor bread, which is symbolic of slavery, and yet the very same pasuk concludes that the matza is to commemorate the rush at the time of the redemption. Explains the Seporno, that this pasuk can be explained as follows: the matza is in reality multifaceted. The matza which is a “poor man’s bread was baked additionally at the time of the redemption. This was no coincidence, but rather was the orchestration of Heaven to allow us to remember the bondage at the very moment of the redemption. One more beautiful insight on the topic of sipur yetzias mitzraim. On the night of Pesach, there is a mitzvah to talk about the redemption, with all its intricate details and fine-tunings. Additionally, there is a mitzvah - every day - to mention the redemption (which we do at the end of krias shma). The Rambam only counts the mitzvah of sipur yetzias mitzraim on Pesach, omitting the miztva of every day. Much has been written to explain this omission. One explanation that is given is based on a mashal. There was a king who had a major salvation for his entire kingdom. Each year, on the anniversary of their liberation, he would throw a big party and retell the entire story, with all its intricate details. This would keep them uplifted for the entire year and subsequently, the rest of the year, he would tell everyone that it will suffice to merely mention the salvation in a nutshell. The same applies to these two mitzvos; they are inherently one mitzvah, with two parts. We talk about the redemption, on the night of Pesach, with all its intricate details and finetunings. This infuses us with the emunah and gives us the spiritual strength to continue through the year with a vivid depiction of the redemption and it is therefore suffice to just merely mention the redemption the other days of the year. YESHIVAS BEIN HAZMANIM: Baruch Hashem, the Yeshivas Bein Hazmanim has continued into Chol Ha’moed with a full crowd, with so many starting off their day with true Simchas Yom Tov. The melodious sounds of torah are music to the ears of all who have the privilege to hear the voices of torah learning reverberating each morning of Bein Hazmanim. The following is a list of the speakers we had for Chol Hamoed: 1st day of Chol Hamoed, Monday, April 6 - Rav Yitzchok Abba Lichtenstein, Mora D’Asra Kehillas Bais Avraham, on the topic of ein maftirin achar ha’pesach afikoman. 2nd day of Chol Hamoed, Tuesday, April 7 - Rav Moshe Yosef Moldaver, R”Y of Yeshiva Gedola of East Ramapo on inyanei Peasch b’halacha u’v’agadah. 3rd day of Chol Hamoed Wednesday, April 8 - Rav Zev Smith, World Renowned Maggid Shiur, Irgun Shiurei Torah, on the topic of Cell phones, Microphones and Hearing Aids in Halacha. 4th day of Chol Hamoed, Thursday, April 9 - Rav Elya Brudny, Rosh Yeshiva of Mir Yeshiva, Brooklyn, on the topic of sefiras ha’omer b’zman ha’zeh. As always, CDs of the various shiurim are available and can be downloaded from the shul’s website. For more information about the Yeshivas Bein Hazmanim or for a chavrusa @ YBH, or to hear about our many exciting learning programs including our Kollel Boker, Night Kollel, Sunday Morning Shiur and Breakfast, and more - feel free to contact me or find me at the Yeshiva Bein Hazmanim. Wishing you a continued Chag Kasher V’same’ach, Rabbi Nachum Scheiner Designed by: [email protected] Questions? Comments? We welcome your feedback! Email our editor at [email protected]
