Shoftim

Aug. 21 - 22 2015
‫שבת פרשת שופטים‬
‫בס"ד‬
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oon 3:00
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abbos Aft
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im
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this Shabbos, Parshas Shoftim, in honor
of the birth of their daughter Leora !!
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Parshas Shoftim
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Dear Kehilla,
BET Parashot Shoftim haftarah 5775
There seems to be no real connection
between the Haftarah and the Parsha. The
Parsha discusses proper judgement while
the Haftorah speaks about consoling the
Jewish people on the loss of the Bais Hamikdash.
The Haftorah begins with the words of Hashem saying “Anochi
Anochi, Who comforts you”. Chazal quotes (see Yalkut Shimoni 474)
Rebbe Abba in the name of Rav Shimon Ben Gamliel explaining the
double expression of “Anochi Anochi”. They give a mashol of a king
who became enraged at his queen. He was so annoyed at her that
he rejected her and banished her from the palace. After some period
of time he reconsidered his actions and desired to reunite with her.
He informed her of his intentions to which she consented on the
condition that he doubled the amount of her "kesubah' (marriage
financial agreement). Chazal conclude that this same situation exists
between Hashem and the Jewish people. Hashem established His
initial relationship with them when they accepted His Torah. At that
time Hashem revealed Himself to His nation and proclaimed, "I am
your Hashem." However, this relationship suffered much abuse and
was eventually terminated. The Jewish people's behavior was so
inexcusable that Hashem reluctantly rejected them and exiled them
from Zion. Now, after so many years Hashem is displaying sincere
interest in their return. Recognizing their failure during their first
relationship, the Jewish nation is doubtful if this second one will be
any better. Even after all the magnificent revelations at Sinai they
managed to stray and forfeit their relationship. What would ensure
that things would be any different this time? Hashem responds
that He would increase His revelations which would guarantee an
everlasting relationship with His people. The double expression of
“Anochi Anochi” stands for the double kesubah that Hashem will
offer.
This Chazal is very difficult to understand. Firstly, it is not accurate;
Hashem did not banish us from the palace, he had the palace burnt
to the ground. Next in the moshol we see some time passes and the
king reconsidered his actions, yet with Hashem, it is really a very
long time, and it is not over yet. We are still waiting in galus! But
the biggest inconsistency is that the moshol illustrates the queen
as a victim whereas it was us, the Jewish nation, that violated the
agreement. We were not helpless victims but the cause for the
destruction. How can we deserve not only to return to the palace,
but receive a double Ketuba as well? A Ketuba is a privilege for a wife
when she acts in accordance to her obligations. If a wife violates the
conditions of marriage she loses her Ketuba. Yet here we see we can
ask for double when Hashem is kind enough to take us back? What is
the meaning of this Chazal?
I believe this is an incredible lesson in the process of creating peace.
It is the responsibility of the greater person or Being to accept the
blame in order to push forward and rebuild. Even if one is in the right
and taking responsibility will cost double, a real relationship with
tranquility is worth it. Let the past be the past; forgive, forget and
rebuild. We expend much energy on proving how we were wronged
that we are left too exhausted to repair the relationship. Although
Hashem was always there for us and we sinned against Him again
and again, He is willing to look past our disloyalties. Hashem is willing
to take us back and pay double for the sake of a tranquil and loving
relationship.
At the end of Shemona Esrei we take three steps back and say “the
maker of peace in the elevated world, He should make peace on
us and upon his entire nation Yisrael.” Clearly, peace is a creation
and we therefore request that Hashem make it upon us. However,
in order for peace to exist we need to be willing to take three steps
backwards.
May we all pursue lives of peace at all costs and enjoy the tranquility
it brings. Amen.
Aaron Lankry
BY SHALOM BER MUNITZ
KEDUSHA DOES NOT LEAVE ITS PLACE
In Tanya he brings the Zohar that
a Tzadik that leaves this world is
found in all the worlds (including
this world) more than when he
was alive. It is understood how the
Tzadik is found the worlds above
now, more than when he was alive.
But how is he in this world more
than when he was alive? The Tanya
goes on to explain that a Tzadik’s
life is not a physical life, but a life
that consists of faith, Fear and Love
of Hashem. Therefore when the
soul departs from the body, these
three attributes are so much more
powerful also in this world as there
is no limitations of the body. It
brings salvation to those connected
to the Tzadik.
The way to connect to him is to learn
his Torah and follow the ways he
taught us.
====Tanya Igeres Hakodesh
The Rebbe explains in a Yud Shvat
farbrengen reffering to his fatherin-law, the RaYYatz, that usually
when a person enters Gan Eden,
the pleasure is so that he does not
want to have anything to do with this
world. However, a person that most
of his life he gave away not only his
Gashmiyus but also his Ruchnious to
help a fellow Jew even B’gashmious.
Any Tzadik with such track record has
a Chazaka that he will put his Gan
Eden aside and help a Jew in need.
====Yud Shvat Farbrengen
WeeklyQuote
RON OSTROFF
"People often say that this or that
person has not yet found himself. But
the self is not something one finds, it
is something one creates." Thomas
Szasz
"You can never make the same
mistake twice because the second
time you make it, it's not a mistake,
it's a choice." - Steven Denn
Just taught my kids about taxes
by eating 38% of their ice cream.
Conan O’Brien
You teach people how to treat you by
what you allow, what you stop and
what you reinforce. - Tony Gaskin
Rabbi Lankry addressing the crowd
at Shomrim Williamsburg Annual BBQ for Members & Law Enforcement
We would like to wish a Warm Mazel Tov to our very own
Eitzek and Dini Weinberg
on the birth of a grandson, to their children Yudi and Eti Weinberg
The Shalom Zachor will be I"h in our home 46 N Quince Ln. starting 9.30pm
Snap Shot
Parsha
Rabbi Daniel Aron Coren
DIPPING APPLE IN THE HONEY - IS
THAT ALL IT TAKES?
We are less than thirty days away from
taking the dip into the honey. For many
years I was zoche to be involved in kirov
rechokim and now with kirov kerovim as
well and throughout all this time, I have
posed one of my favorite questions: What
is the secret of the apple in honey? How
does the apple dunking transform the
coming year and make it sweet?
When I ask this question, people are
curious and are forced to think much
deeper into the meaning of this act.
In truth this question is not just a
conceptual one. It’s an halachic one too.
There is an prohibition called ‫ ניחוש‬which
means to create omens and attribute
powers to them that may have an effect
on one’s life. Yet the Gemara and the
Shulchan Aruch offer a list of fruits and
vegetables that one should eat on Rosh
Hashana and the Rama adds the apple in
honey. Surely these can be perceived as
omens of sorts.
How are
reconciled?
these
two
adaptations
The answer is not so simple. One
explanation is hinted at in the words
of the Mishna Berura who writes that
when eating these items one should be
reciting a prayer. This indicates that the
essence of the act really isn't the fruit and
vegetables. Rather it’s the trigger that one
receives from the items that inspires us to
call out and pray to Hashem. This would
be the simple explanation for combining
the apple and honey.
However R Shlomo Kluger in his
commentary to the Shulchan Aruch
entitled Chochmas Shlomo gives us a
much deeper understating of the apple
and honey combo. R Kluger says that
the idea represents the concept of ‫כל מה‬
‫ דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד‬-- whatever the merciful
one does is for the best. In fact the
Shulchan Aruch in ‫ סימן רל‬writes that there
is an obligation for a person to always
say these words ‫כל מה דעביד רחמנא לטב עביד‬.
It is interesting to note that most people
don't use these words, but say instead
an abbreviated version of the words-- ‫גם‬
‫ זו לטובה‬, this too is for the best.
One could say that this is just easier
and shorter to recite but the Baal Shem
made a beautiful distinction between
the two sayings. The difference is based
on who said each
statement. The first
was said by Rabbi
Akiva when he was
alone in the forest
with only a rooster, donkey and a
candle. Slowly each item was taken
away from him and in the morning
that the flame went out, he realized
that it had actually saved his life. He
found out later that during the night a
group of bandits looted and killed the
entire neighboring village and if not
for the light going out and the donkey
and rooster making noise, his location
would have been found and he too
would have been harmed.
The second statement, ‫גם זו לטובה‬,
is based on Nachum ish Gumzu
who was Rabbi Akiva’s rebbi. The
statement was mentioned following
on a mission that he was sent on to
save the Jews. He was given a box of
precious stones to deliver to the king
and on the way he stopped overnight
to sleep at an inn. During the night,
the innkeeper stole the precious
stones from the box and filled it
instead with earth. Nachum went on
his way in the morning not suspecting
a thing and when he opened the box
in front of the king, it was earth he
found and not precious stones. The
king was quite upset with a present of
earth and was about to send Nachum
off to prison when one of the guards
(who happened to be Eliyahu Hanavi)
suggested that it might be the same
earth that Avraham Avinu used to
fight the 4 mighty kings and that it had
special powers. The king agreed to try
it out and he successfully vanquished
his enemies. Nachum was rewarded
with great wealth and on the way
back to his home town, he stopped
by the same inn and told the people
there, including the innkeeper, what
had ensued. They were, of course,
shocked and decided to knock down
their house and bring the earth to the
king. Obviously it didn't work like they
wished.
What is the difference between the
two great rabbis and why is it that the
Shulchan Aruch tells us to choose
Rabbi Akiva’s words? And how does
this connect to Rosh Hashana and
the dipping of the apple in the honey?
Stay tuned.
e
on th
by Lazer Scheiner
PARSHAS SHOFTIM
Mitzvah # 491 - To appoint judges
Mitzvah # 492 - Do not put a ashrah tree in the Beis Hamikdosh
Mitzvah # 493 - Do not set up a stage even to serve Hashem
Mitzvah # 494 - Do not use a animal that has a blemish even a
temporary blemish
Mitzvah 495 and 496 - Listen to the big beis din and do not turn away
from them
Mitzvah 497 498 - Appoint a king and make sure he is from jewish
descent
Mitzvah 499 500 501 - A king can't have too much/many 1. Wives 2.
Horses 3. money
Mitzvah # 502 - ‎The king must write a small sefer torah
Mitzvah # 503 - Do not live in Egypt
Mitzvah # 504 505 - ‎Leviem do not get a portion of land in Eretz Yisroel
Mitzvah # 506 - When you slaughter an animal you must give matnas
kehunah to the kohan which includes the arm, the cheek & the stomach
of the animal
Mitzvah # 507 - You must give a kohan teruman
Mitzvah # 508 - You must give the kohan the first shearing o‎f the sheep
Mitzvah # 509 - Every one serves and gets equal portions in the beis
hamikdosh
Mitzvah # 510 - Do not do fortune telling
Mitzvah # 511 - Do not do sorcery
Mitzvah # 512 - Do not be a snake charmer via magic
Mitzvah # 513 514 - Do not look to get the future from speaking to
dead people
Mitzvah # 515 - Do not sleep in the cemetery hoping the dead people
will tell you about the future
Mitzvah # 516 - Listen to True prophets
Mitzvah # 517 518 - Do not. Say false prophecy in the name of Hashem
& do not say false prophecy in the names of idols
Mitzvah # 519 - Do not be scared to kill a False prophet
Mitzvah # 520 - ‎Prepare Arei miklat
Mitzvah # 521 - Do not show any compassion to ‎a murderer
Mitzvah # 522 - Do not steal from your neighbor field by pushing over
the border
Mitzvah # 523 - Beis din cannot do a psak based on the testimony of
one person a single witness
‎Mitzvah #. 524 - Do to the witnesses the eidem zonmim what they
wanted to do
Mitzvah # 525 - Do not be scared of the non jews in war
Mitzvah # 526 - Appoint a special kohen for war
Mitzvah # 527 - Before going to war try to do it peacefully
Mitzvah # 528 - Do not let anyone of the 7 nations live if they want to
stay in the land of Israel
Mitzvah # 529 - Do not destroy fruit trees
Mitzvah # 530 and 531 - To do the mitzvah of eglah arufah and you
may not have benefit from that property
PARSHA OVERVIEW
The Torah gives us laws for the judges, the Torah also tells
us the laws for the kings and the Torah tells us the laws of
terumas and maser and how to deal with false prophets. At
the end of the Parsha ,the Torah tells us the laws of engaging
in warfare and the end of the parsha the Torah tells us the
halchaot of eglah arufah.
HAFTORAH OVERVIEW
Haftorah is Isiah 51 and 52 - It's part of the 7 weeks of
consolation
‫פרשת שופטים‬
‫בענין הכנה לראש השנה ויסודו של מלכויות‬
‫וענין לימוד התורה ואופן לימודה‬
‫בסדרה זו יש אחד מהשלושה חיובים של ישראל בבואם לארץ ישראל ‪ ,‬וזה‬
‫למנות מלך לישראל ‪" ,‬שום תשים עליך מלך אשר יבחר השם אלוקיך בו " וכ״ו ‪,‬‬
‫והיינו מאחר ובאו ישראל לפני הכהנים לויים והשופט שרוצים מלך ‪,‬שכן הוא סדר‬
‫הדברים ‪,‬אז יש להם למנות מלך ‪ ,‬אם כל הדינים ככתוב בתורה ‪.‬‬
‫ויש הרבה לימודים מפרשת המלך ואפרט בס״ד כמה מהם ‪.‬‬
‫ראשית הערה אחת מהו הלשון ״שום תשים״ מהו הכיפול ? ושמעתי מאחד מרבותי‬
‫שליט״א כמדומני השם השיטה מקובצת שפירש שמכיון שחפצא של מלך היינו‬
‫שהעם מכבדים אותו ‪ ,‬כמו שרואים בגמרא קידושין שמלך שמחל על כבודו אין‬
‫כבודו מחול ‪ ,‬שאם אין כבוד אין מלך ‪ ,‬וממילא אמרה תורה שום תשים שני פעמים‬
‫‪ ,‬היינו מי שמבזה או אינו מכבד המלך אז צריך למנות אותו למלך שוב וזהו השים‬
‫השני והיינו מינוי שוב ‪.‬‬
‫ולזה חשבתי שיש להעיר הערה בענין ההכנה לימי הדין וחיזוק בענין האלול שכתב‬
‫האלתר מקאלם זיע״א‬
‫שחלק ממלכיות ‪ ,‬וזהו שלושה עניינים א‪ .‬הטבה ואהבת הבריות ב‪ .‬הכנעה וענוה‬
‫כעבד ג‪ .‬כבישת התאוות עכת״ד ‪ ,‬ויש להבין מהו זה אהבת הבריאות הקשורה‬
‫למלכיות ?‬
‫ואלא ביסוד החפצא של חלות שם מלך הוא כשיש עם ההולך ברצונו ‪ ,‬וזהו הכבוד‬
‫המלך קיום רצונו ‪ ,‬וכל פגיעה קטנה בביטול רצונו ‪ ,‬היינו מניעת‬
‫כבוד ‪ ,‬וכביכול ביטול מהותו של מלך ‪ ,‬וממילא ענווה ושבירת‬
‫התאווה ניחא ‪ ,‬אמנם חלק שני של מלוכה זה העם ‪ ,‬ועם ביסודו‬
‫הוא גם בחפצא עושים רצון מלכם ‪ ,‬וממילא אוהב הבריאות זהו‬
‫יחודיות של העם וממילא למלך יש עם העושים רצונו ‪ ,‬ועל ידי‬
‫שאוהבים אחד את הזולת זהו המלכת מלכינו עלינו ‪ ,‬ופשוט‬
‫שבית התאוה ‪ ,‬כמו שכתב הגר״א זיע״א שתכלית האדם בעולמו‬
‫לשבר תאותיו ‪ ,‬וזהו עשיית רצונו והינו נמי מלכות ‪.‬‬
‫ועוד דין שיש חיוב למלך ללך אם ספר תורה על צוארו ויש לו‬
‫איסור לרבות בשתית יין וכן אסור לו להרבות בסוסים ונשים ‪,‬‬
‫שלא יסור לבבו מהתורה אפילו לרגע שנאמר פן יסור מלבבך‬
‫וכו ‪ ,‬וכתב האבן אזל מה שיש עוד דין למלך של שכחת התורה‬
‫ביתר מסתם אדם ‪ ,‬שהרי סתם אדם כל איסורו של ביטול תורה‬
‫היינו ללא סיבה כלל ‪ ,‬אבל מלך אפילו לזה אסור להסיח דעתו‬
‫מהתורה שליבו היינו ליבן של ישראל ‪.‬‬
‫וחידוש הזה של האבן האזל אינו ח״ו התיר לסתם אדם להתבטל‬
‫מהתורה ח״ו אפילו לרגע אחת ‪ ,‬שהרי חייב כל אדם מישראל‬
‫ללמוד כל עת וכל רגע ‪ ,‬ורק אם אדם צריך לנוח ובלע״ז דאטצ׳ה‬
‫כדי לנוח ‪ ,‬אז בכה״ג אמרינן ביטולו היא קיומו ‪ ,‬וכן האריך בזה‬
‫רבינו ישראל סלנטר זיע״א שזהו קיום דין של ״ושננתם״ ‪ ,‬וכן‬
‫שמעתי ממורי ורבי הגאון הרב פרץ תרשיש שליט״א בענין כמה‬
‫אדם חייב ללמוד ‪ ,‬ומתי צריך להיות רגוע ‪ ,‬והביא משל לאדם‬
‫המחזיק ציפור ‪ ,‬מידי חזק ימות הציפור מצי קל יעוף הציפור ‪,‬‬
‫אלא ברגוע ‪ ,‬וכן הדברים צריך ללמוד שיהיה כיף ללמוד שהתורה‬
‫איז גשמעק ‪ ,‬ולפעמים צריך אפילו מיעוט שיחה ‪.‬‬
‫שיזכה כל אחד לעלות עוד ועוד בתורה ובלימוד התורה ובידיעת‬
‫התורה ‪ ,‬ולהיות מתלמידיו של אהרון הכהן אוהב את הבריאות‬
‫ועל ידי זה מקרבן לתורה ‪ ,‬וזהו יחודו של העם היהודי ‪ ,‬ובזהו‬
‫ממליך את בראינו על כל הארץ בכבודך ‪.‬‬
‫דוד יהודה פיירסטון‬
‫‪The Maggid’s Corner‬‬
‫‪Rabbi Benzion Sneh‬‬
‫ההתורה מתווה לנו דרך בעבודת השם‪ :‬״תמים תהיה עם‬
‫ה׳ אלוקיך״ לנהוג בתמימות אל מול מצוות ה׳ שבזה נגרם נחת‬
‫רוח גדולה להקב״ה‪.‬‬
‫משל למה הדבר דומה‪ :‬למלך אחד ששלח אחד‬
‫מדוכסיו בשליחות למדינה אחרת‪ .‬תנאי אחד מתנה אני אותך‬
‫ אמר המלך לדוכס ‪ -‬כאשר תגיע לשם בשום פנים אל תסכים‬‫להתערבות עם אחד משרי המדינה‪ .‬הסכים הדוכס לתנאי‬
‫המוזר ויצא לדרכו‪ .‬כאשר הגיע לאותה מדינה נפגש הדוכס‬
‫עם שריה‪ .‬וישב עימם לשיחה‪ .‬אדוני הדוכס ‪ -‬שאל אחד מהם‬
‫ האם נכונה השמועה כי אתה גיבן? שקר הדבר ‪ -‬אמר הדוכס‬‫ מעולם לא הייתי גיבן‪ .‬הבא נתערב במאה אלף דינר שאכן‬‫גיבן אתה ‪ -‬אמר השר ‪ -‬פשוט את חולצתך וכולנו נראה אם‬
‫גיבן אתה או לא‪ .‬נזכר הדוכס באזהרת המלך אך מיד חשב‬
‫בליבו‪ :‬הרי איני גיבן ותוצאת ההתערבות ידועה מראש מדוע לא‬
‫אסכים? הסכים הדוכס ופשט את חולצתו ואכן ראו כולם שאינו‬
‫גיבן מיד שלשלו לידיו סכום של מאה אלף דינרים‪ .‬כאשר הגיע‬
‫הדוכס בחזרה בא לפני המלך וסיפר לו את כל אשר קרה‪.‬‬
‫אבוי לי ‪ -‬אחז המלך בראשו ‪ -‬מה עשית? הן אני התערבתי‬
‫עם שרי המדינה ההיא בחמש מאות אלף דינרים כי לא יצליחו‬
‫לשכנע אותך להסיר את חולצתך‪ ...‬כן הוא גם הנמשל ‪ -‬סיים‬
‫רבי ישראל‪ :‬על האדם מוטלת החובה לקיים את מצוות התורה‬
‫בתמימות בלא מחשבות ובלא התחכמויות רק כפי הכתוב עלינו‬
‫לקיים ותו לא!‬
‫על מנת להבין את מעלת התמימות נביא סיפור‬
‫שהתרחש בתקופתו של האר״י הקדוש‪ :‬באחת העיירות‬
‫הסמוכות למקום מגוריו של האר״י הקדוש נתמנה רב צעיר כרב‬
‫קהילה‪ .‬באותה קהילה חי איש פשוט ותמים שהתפרנס מיגיע‬
‫כפיו‪ .‬יום אחד שמע את דרשתו של רב העיר שעסקה אודות‬
‫לחם הפנים שהיה בבית המקדש אמר לעצמו אותו יהודי‪:‬‬
‫״הרי גם בית הכנסת נקרא מקדש מעט אם כן‪ ,‬בוודאי מצווה‬
‫גדולה תהיה לי אם אביא לארון הקודש את‬
‫לחם הפנים"‪ .‬גמלה בליבו החלטה לאפות בכל‬
‫ערב שבת שתים עשרה חלות ולהניחן בארון‬
‫הקודש שבבית הכנסת השכונתי‪ .‬אמר ועשה‪,‬‬
‫יום שישי הגיע ומיודעינו אפה תריסר חלות‬
‫קלועות‪ ,‬הביאן לבית כנסת‪ ,‬הניחן לפני ארון‬
‫הקודש והתפלל בתמימות להקב״ה שיקבל את המנחה מידו ‪ -‬ואת‬
‫לחם הפנים שהכין לכבודו יקח הקב״ה אליו לשמי מרום‪ .‬לאחר שסיים‬
‫האיש את תפילתו שם האיש את פעמיו לביתו להתכונן לקראת השבת‬
‫המתקרבת‪ .‬מה רבה הייתה שימחתו עת פתחו ארון הקודש למחרת‬
‫והנה החלות אינם ״בוודאי קיבל הקב״ה את המנחה מידי״ חשב האיש‬
‫ולא גילה את סודו לאיש‪ .‬בליבו גמלה החלטה בכל שבת הוא ישמח‬
‫את הקב״ה ויכין לכבודו את ״לחם הפנים״‪.‬‬
‫שמש עני ולו שישה בנים היה בבית הכנסת‪ ,‬ביום שישי האחרון‬
‫כבר לא יכל לסבול את חרפת הרעב בה מצויים הוא ומשפחתו‪ ,‬מה‬
‫עשה? התפלל בכל מאודו לה׳ שלפחות חלות ימציא לו לשבת‪ .‬בצהרי‬
‫יום שישי ניגש לבית הכנסת על מנת לנקותו ריח החלות הטריות מילא‬
‫את בית הכנסת‪ .‬הוא ניגש לארון הקודש והנה ‪ 12‬חלות מוכנות לשבת‪.‬‬
‫הוא הבין שה׳ שמע את תפילתו ושלח לו לחם משמים‪ ...‬וכך בכל‬
‫שישי זה מביא וזה לוקח‪ .‬בשישי אחד התעכב הרב בביה״כ והנה מגיע‬
‫היהודי התמים ושם פעמיו אל ארון הקודש שבידיו ״לחם הפנים״‪.‬‬
‫לפליאתו של הרב הסביר בתמימות שבכל יום שישי הוא מביא לה׳ את‬
‫לחם הפנים‪ ...‬גער בו הרב וביקשו לחדול ממנהגו לאלתר‪.‬‬
‫ביום ראשון הוזמן הרב אל האר״י הקדוש שצפה ברוח קודשו‬
‫בנעשה‪ .‬משהגיע הרב אליו גער בו האר״י ואמר לו‪ :‬״תדע לך שמנעת‬
‫מהקב״ה נחת רוח גדול שהיה לו בכל יום שישי מאותו יהודי תמים‬
‫ תמהה אני אם תשלים את שנתך‪...‬״ ואכן לאחר כמה חודשים‬‫נפטר הרב לבית עולמו‪ .‬זוהי כוחה של תמימות הבה נתהלך לפני ה׳‬
‫בתמימות ונגרום לו נחת רוח‪.‬‬
‫‪Berach’sRCorner‬‬
‫‪abbi Steinfeld‬‬
‫‪Q‬‬
‫‪A person suffers when he eats‬‬
‫‪gluten with terrible stomach problems. What‬‬
‫‪should he do during Pesach as far as matzah is‬‬
‫?‪concerned? What about the rest of year‬‬
‫‪A‬‬
‫‪The best-case scenario would be‬‬
‫‪if the person would eat spelt or oat matza that‬‬
‫‪do not contain gluten. What happens if he can’t‬‬
‫‪get matza comprised of spelt or oats? On any‬‬
‫‪given Shabbos the person should make Kiddush‬‬
‫‪on wine, drink the cup of Kiddush wine and then‬‬
‫‪drink another cup of wine so that he has made‬‬
‫‪Kiddush in the location of the meal. He should‬‬
‫‪also eat some rice or potatoes to be yotzei the‬‬
‫‪opinion of the Yavetz who says that if one does‬‬
‫‪not have bread, one can make a seuda after‬‬
‫‪Kiddush on any other type of food. These foods‬‬
‫‪serve as his meal since they are what sustain‬‬
‫‪him.‬‬
‫‪The situation is a little different when it comes‬‬
‫‪to Pesach. On Pesach the person has to try‬‬
‫‪to eat one kzayis of gluten matza if there is‬‬
‫‪no gluten-free matza. This is so provided that‬‬
‫‪there is no real health danger; as long as it will‬‬
‫‪just cause the person’s stomach to be upset.‬‬
‫‪“Shomer mitzvah lo yeida dovo ra” applies to‬‬
‫‪this person and the mitzvah that he does will‬‬
‫‪protect him. This matza should be eaten at the‬‬
‫‪end of his meal since the Mishna Berura says‬‬
‫‪that if one can only eat one kzayis of matza, it‬‬
‫‪should be eaten for Afikoman. In this way the‬‬
‫‪person fulfills both the mitzvah of matza and‬‬
‫‪and the mitzvah of Afikoman.‬‬
‫‪Readers’ comments are encouraged. Send your‬‬
‫‪message to [email protected]‬‬
‫‪Next Week’s Question: Erev Pesach fell out‬‬
‫‪on Shabbos. The Klein family washed and ate‬‬
‫‪bread on the porch. Afterward, they came into‬‬
‫‪the dining room to eat the rest of the Shabbos‬‬
‫?‪meal. Should they have bentched outside‬‬
‫‪Should they make a new bracha rishona on the‬‬
‫‪food during meal since there will be no more‬‬
‫?‪bread at this meal‬‬
‫‪KIDNEY DONOR-RENEWAL CORNER-THIS WEEK‬‬
‫‪Case #3:‬‬
‫‪Case #2:‬‬
‫‪Case #1:‬‬
‫‪Donor: Zev ben Gittel‬‬
‫‪Donor: Alexander Gershon ben Mindel‬‬
‫‪Donor: Yael bat Irit‬‬
‫‪Recipient: Chaim ben Yachet‬‬
‫‪Recipient: Mindel bas Alte Beila‬‬
‫‪Recipient: Assa ben Sara‬‬
‫‪The donor Zev is the eldest son of Chaim's eleven‬‬
‫‪children. Zev went through the testing with full‬‬
‫‪excitement at being able to do this for his father. His‬‬
‫‪wife is extremely supportive and delighted that her‬‬
‫‪husband has this zechus.‬‬
‫‪The three recipient will now IY"H receive another‬‬
‫‪lease on life due to their children's amazing selfless‬‬
‫‪act.‬‬
‫‪It was a beautiful sight to see all the‬‬
‫‪family members discussing who would‬‬
‫‪have the z'chus to help their mother.‬‬
‫‪Sendy and his wife feel lucky to have‬‬
‫‪been the ones given this unique‬‬
‫‪opportunity.‬‬
‫‪The kidney donor, Yael, is a young woman who is donating her kidney to her father‬‬
‫‪Assa.‬‬
‫‪This is what Assa had to say: Pray for us and wish us luck my friends. My Yaeli, my‬‬
‫‪sweet, beautiful, wonderful, amazingly courageous, incredibly heroic Yaeli is giving‬‬
‫‪me the gift of life. May God protect her and watch over her forever. May He bless‬‬
‫‪her with health and happiness and share His richness with her. And may He show‬‬
‫‪His generosity by allowing me to stick around for a while so that I can continue to‬‬
‫‪love her and be able to tell her future children what an amazing mother they have.‬‬
Steven Y. Szklarz, CSP
Lets lose 30 lbs in 30 days!
The season to enjoy sweet
refreshing melons is here! Because
melons are mostly water, they
are low in calories but are high
in bioflavonoids and carotenoids
that help protect against cancer. Watermelon is an
excellent source of lycopene, an antioxidant that lowers the
risk of prostate cancer. Cantaloupes are full of potassium
which supports heart function and eases the high blood
pressure placed on the heart from excess sodium. The
fiber found in melons helps keep blood cholesterol levels
in check. Puree honeydew chunks with white grape juice
for a chilled summer soup, or watermelon chunks, spinach
and crumbled feta for a delicious salad.
Please feel free to email me any questions or for an updated
healthful recipe book to [email protected]
Wishing all a wonderful Shabbos!
HEALTH IS HAPPINESS!!! -Steven Y. Szklarz, CSP
by Leiby Fisher
Sitting here in my hotel room in Buffalo
made me quite hungry, so I headed out to local supermarket
to see what was available. I found the cast-iron skillet and
steak from Solomon's. It made me think about one pot
meals and the necessity of them in such situations.
This week I offer a one pot quick fix dinner can be ready
in 10 minutes:
Cast iron unagi spiced steak with wilted spinach and rice
1 20 oz ribeye steak
2 tablespoons of a oil
Salt-and-pepper to taste
2 pounds of fresh spinach
One cup of pre-cooked long grain
rice
Your favorite bottled sauce (mine
is a Japanese soy glaze)
Directions:
1) keep the cast-iron skillet to screaming hot
2) Salt and pepper steak and oil the pan
3) Sear the steak for 2 1/2 minutes then flip and Sear
the other side
4) while the steak is in the pan apply glaze to the cooked
side.
5) move the steak to the side of the pan add the spinach
into the pan and allow to wilt for 45 seconds, move the
spinach around to scrape the pan and flavor it.
6) add rice to the pan and enjoy
Pair with a Stella cidre.
‫בתיאבון לחיים‬
Leiby
P.s. If you have any questions regarding sourcing or anything
else gastronomically inclined please feel free to contacted
at [email protected]
from Aish.com
Current Events- Political Jokes
on Twitter yesterday before it was official. Which isn't that big a
deal until you realize the guy who almost had nukes is known for
accidentally hitting 'Send.'" –Jimmy Fallon
"You hear less about Hillary Clinton, she's not giving a lot of
interviews because I think she's looking at everyone else who's
running for president, and she's thinking, 'If I keep my mouth shut,
I think I've got this thing.'" –Seth Meyers
"Trump is running for president and he's wasting no time getting
down to business. In fact, just after his announcement he
demanded to see Jeb Bush's birth certificate." –Jimmy Fallon
"Sources say the Obama administration is in the 'final stages' of
planning the closing of Guantanamo Bay. The way it's gonna work
is, they're going to put a Radio Shack sign out front and let nature
take its course." –Jimmy Fallon
"The only fun thing about filing your tax return is getting a refund.
About 80 percent of taxpayers get money back, which is a weird
thing to be happy about. That means you've been overpaying
all year long. It's like if someone broke into your house and the
police recovered the stuff and brought it back and you said, 'Oh,
presents.'" –Jimmy Kimmel
"The president of Iran prematurely announced the nuclear deal
WOMEN’S CORNER
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
Rebbitzen Mindy Lankry
Be Something
Women’s Corner-Parshas Shoftim
The point is not to be a nothing.
Mothers are cooks and doctors,
bankers and therapist. Mothers are
also judges. We decide who the toy
belongs to now, who gets the best
seat in the car and who deserves the
time-out for starting the fight. Yet it
is quite often when we render our
verdict that one child will feel that he
was treated unjustly by the judge, i.e.
Mommy. It is imperative that we run
our homes with justice and we, the
mothers (and cooks and therapists
and judges…) judge fairly.
No healthy society can flourish
without a justice system in place.
The Torah commands the Jewish
nation to appoint judges in every
city, where they judge the people
with righteousness.
The judges
must be neutral and unbiased. Each
individual, no matter how important
or insignificant they are, must be
considered of equal worth before the
court of law. And no judge may ever
accept a bribe or favor even if they
feel they will still render a truthful
judgment.
Justice is so important to Hashem,
even more than the sacrificing of
korbonos (Mishlei 21:3). When
Dovid Hamelech was told by the
Navi that his son Shlomo was to
have the privilege of building the
Bais Hamikdash Hashem consoled
Dovid by saying “the justice that
you carry out is dearer to My heart
than the Bais Hamikdash.” Dovid was
deeply involved with establishing
justice and it says about him “Dovid
did judgement and tzedaka to all
his people” (Shmuel 8:15). When
Dovid needed to impose a fine on a
pauper, he required the poor man
to follow the ruling despite his lack
of means. Afterward, he reimbursed
the pauper from his personal funds
as charity. This is why the verse says
Dovid did judgement and tzedaka. In
fact, the Medrash tells us that Dovid
Hamelech was known for his unique
ability of convincing the guilty person
of his accountability. Dovid was so
effective in this that the guilty person
would be happy to compensate the
person he had wronged.
Truthful judgment means that
one is not motivated by honor or
money and that he does not favor
one of the litigants, nor does he
sway judgment because he is afraid
of one. R’ Shimon Ben Shetach the
head of the Sanhedrin was judging
a case concerning the king’s slave.
King Yannai was present and acted
in a brazen manner that warned the
judges not to condemn his slave. R’
Shimon admonished the king and
ordered him to rise while listening
to testimony. He reminded him that
he is standing not before them but
before Hashem Who created the
universe. King Yannai answered,
“You are only one individual, let the
entire court decide if I must stand”.
All the other judges stared silently
to the ground as they were afraid
to disobey the king. R’ Shimon
thundered at the judges “from your
conduct it is evident that you never
intended to judge truthfully! Since
you are full of evil thoughts may He
Who knows man’s thoughts judge
you!” At these words the judges died
immediately. Their punishment was
so severe because truthful judgment
is one of the pillars of civilization.
As judges of our own mini
cities- our families, we must ensure
that we judge with righteousness.
Like Dovid Hamelech, there are
times we may need to incorporate
tzedaka with our judgments. When
our teenager needs to reimburse a
friend for an item he broke, we must
insist on him repaying the debt fully.
We can however, reward him for
good behavior or “job” he has done
and help repay his monetary loss.
Likewise, after concluding that Child
B is responsible for cleaning the tub
of melted ice-cream that he used
last, we can offer our assistance to
help him in his task. Tzedaka and
Mishpat.
And what does accepting bribes
have to do with us, mommies and
judges? It is human nature to lean
towards the child that helps us
and does favors for us. Though we
are not ruling in a halachic court
of law, we can learn lessons of fair
judgement from the Torah. We must
listen carefully to all the details and
not fall in the trap of convicting the
child that tends to misbehave more
often. Each situation is different
and when we assume that the
challenging child is automatically
wrong, he is not receiving a fair
hearing. That feeling of injustice is
painful for these children, and can
be prevented.
Then there is the Tantrum
Child. We dread the start of one
of those dramatic, earsplitting and
thunderously intense episodes.
Perhaps we are filled with such
trepidation that we are unwilling
to call him on a misdeed done to
his sibling. It is easier to tell the
Obedient Child, just ignore what
Tantrum Child did. Though this will
afford us peace and quiet, Obedient
Child simmers at the unjustness. We
can give Obedient Child the option
to hold Tantrum Child responsible, or
decide to let it go this time. You will
be surprised how often a youngster
will let his hurt go when it is his
decision. Regardless, Obedient Child
does not suffer for his amenability
and his feeling are validated.
Being
a
“judge”
holds
responsibility and it takes much
effort to bring justice to our world.
When we do, we make the world a
better place to live. Even more so,
our justice is dearer to Hashem than
korbonos. That is worth it all.
Lubavitcher Rebbe
G‑d created
something.
you
to
be
a
But not a something because you
are something.
A something because
purpose is everything.
your
Help From the Past
All the souls of these generations
have been here before. And they
come with their baggage—both
good and not so good.
But there is a distinction: The
good the soul has collected is
eternal. It can never be uprooted,
it can never fade away, for it is
G‑dly, and G‑d does not change.
But the bad is not a thing, it is an
emptiness, a hollow in the light.
As the soul makes its journey,
through trials and travails, through
growth and renewal, that darkness
falls away, never to return.
If you know yourself only as you
are here in this life, the challenges
of our times would be impossible
to persevere. Reach deeper, tap
into the reservoir of your soul
from the past, and find there the
unimaginable powers of millennia.
Can you solve these
RIDDLES?
By Itzik Weinberg
there are many brachos for ‫מצוות עשה‬. But where is there a bracha
on a ‫?מצות לא תעשה‬
Last weeks Answer
(what they learned in Yerushalaim already in ‫ ״ויצא״‬but Bavel
learn only in ‫? ״ראה״‬
‫ בבבל לומדים רק בפרשת‬.‫ מה שבירושלים למדו כבר בפרשת "ויצא״‬.‫חידה‬
‫״ראה״‬. ? )
In the Talmud we find two different sources for the halacha "ain
me'arvin simcha b'simcha". In Yerushalmi the source given is the
pasuk in Parshas Vatyetzei in which Lavan says to Yakov "Malie
Shavua Zos" . However the Bavli brings the pasuk in Parshas
Re'eh "V'samachta B'chagecha" as the source for this very same
Halacha. So we see that in Yerushalayim they were learning
Parshas Vayetzi while in Bavel they were learning Parshas Re'eih!
Hmmm......
"What I do today is important because
I am paying a day of my life for it. What I
accomplish must be worthwhile, because
the price is high."
0 2 3
"Expect trouble as
an inevitable part
of life, and when it
comes, hold your
head high. Look it
squarely in the eye,
and say, "I will be
bigger than you. You
cannot defeat me."
911 -A Glimpse into the
"Chesed" life of Zvi Gluck
Nachum Scheiner Ohr Chaim Night Kollel
KOSHER FISH:
As we read in last’s week parsha,
the signs of a kosher fish are fins
and scales. It is always essential
to ensure that the fish have
scales, because many fish have
fins and not scales, but all fish
that have scales, have fins, and
can be presumed to be kosher.
Unlike birds, where the halacha
requires a clear mesora (a
tradition) that this particular
bird was eaten throughout the
generations, fish have no such
prerequisite and as long as they
have the necessary fins and
scales, they are permitted.
Fins are appendages, used by
the fish to maintain its position,
move around in the water,
change positions, and to come
to a standing position. Different
fish have their fins in different
positions. [For example, there is
a pelvic fin, which is located at
the bottom of the fish; the dorsal
fin is located at the top of the
fish, and many more variations
exist.]
Rabbi
Scales are a kosher sign, as long
as they are there at any point or
would grow later. Therefore, if
they fall off when removed from
the water, or when they get older,
the fish are still kosher. However,
if the scales are so small that
they are not visible to the naked
eye [known as spiracles], they
are not halachically valid. This
is a rule that we have had quite
often, and most recently as far
as insects as well as a black dot
on an esrog: the halacha only
authenticates something that
is nir’eh l’einay’m (visible to the
naked eye).
Scales that cannot be removed
without damaging the skin of
the fish are not halachically
considered a kosher sign. If they
come off, but it is extremely hard
to remove, there is a halachic
dispute if it is kosher and will
be discussed in a further article,
b’ezras Hashem. Even a fish
that has a minimal amount of
scales (for example a tuna fish)
is kosher. Scales are a sign of a
kosher fish even when they are
not round and look different than
the typical scales. A common
example of such fish is the blue
marlin.
COMMUNITY KOLLEL NEWS:
As we have started the new
zman in the kollel, the learning
programs are back in full swing.
The Kollel Boker is learning the
halachos of Daled Minim, in
preparation for the upcoming
Yom Tov and the Night Kollel is
learning‫ הלכות דגים‬- ‫ סימן פ"ג‬, the
halachos of fish..
We would like to extend a
cordial invitation to anyone who
would like to join us either in
the morning or in the evening.
Feel free to contact me and I will
try to set you up with the best
chavrusa possible.
The entire community kollel
would like to extend their
warmest bracha to Eli Cherns, on
the occasion of the bris of a baby
boy, this past week. We wish
them much nachas. We also wish
a hearty mazal tov to the uncle,
Eli Wiscentowski, who is also a
member of the Night Kollel.
We would also like to welcome
our dear member, Eliyahu
Lopian, who will be joining us.
Wishing you
a wonderful Shabbos,
Rabbi Nachum Scheiner
Story of
the Week:
Here are highlights of some of the cases Amudim
tackled this week.....
Y., a single mother of four who had been abused
as a child, left an abusive marriage and started
anew with the help of the right therapist.. All
was going smoothly until her therapist went into
private practice, making the cost of treatment
unaffordable. We helped Y. apply for a grant,
allowing her to continue her sessions with her
trusted therapist.
R.'s parents have been around sporadically this
summer and he began hanging with the wrong
crowd. Things came to a head when his friends
stole his parents car for a cross country road trip
and R.. found himself alone on the side of the
road and under the influence of drugs. Realizing
he was in trouble, R. called us. Thankfully, he
got home safely, changed his phone number and
disassociated himself from his former friends. With
a new outlook on life, R. is hoping we can get his
friends back on track as well.
Taking brass knuckles on an airplane is a bad idea,
as one yeshiva bochur found out when he passed
through a TSA checkpoint on his way to Eretz
Yisroel and was arrested immediately. Released
several hours later, he flew out the next day. We
are hopeful that the lawyer we got for him will take
care of any issues and that he will be able to put
this disturbing incident behind him.
It was sadness and joy at almost the same moment
as a new mother got word that her mother had died
overseas. While the nursing mother's passport
was valid, the newborn obviously didn't have a
passport and couldn't be left behind. They called
Amudim in a panic and we made the necessary
arrangements so that the new mom could be there
in time for the funeral.
As you can probably
imagine, with so many
articles and questions
flying around, there are
weeks where it would be
appropriate to get some
chazura (review). I would like to share with you an article
I wrote last year, which I would like to share again this
week.
Year after year, I find that one of the hardest positive
thoughts to express is “what a beautiful summer this
has been.” Although it’s not over yet, I am leaving this
Sunday to the “other” holy land, Israel, for the year.
(Round 2!) I would like to extend a big thank you for all
those great BBQ’s I had at my friends, and family. You
know who you are. I would also like to give a big thank
you to everyone in the kehila for making my personal
tefilas so enjoyable. Yes you! Every person/rabbi/chasid/
Lubab really makes our shul the best shul in the world! I
love all the new faces that probably came with the tent
and the kiddushes. It's a pleasure to see you all and I
really appreciate all the positive feed back.
For some reason, as I get older, every week, month
MAY WE SHARE ONLY SIMCHOS
and summer feels like it passes by faster and
faster. WHY do days, weeks and months go by
faster and faster as we age? People say "time
goes by when your having fun,” but school isn’t
fun (ok except wtby), and still as one gets older
it still feels as though it goes by with increasing
speed?!??!
When we are first born, each day that we live
is a huge percentage of our life. As we get older,
every day becomes increasingly less substantial.
Each day becomes a smaller percentage of
the time that we have existed as a person. An
appropriate analogy to illustrate this concept is
the way that people relate to money. The first
dollar bill that we earn as a child means so much
to us. But the more money we accumulate, the
less the value we attach to a single dollar. As
we get older, time feels like it passes by faster
because we increasingly accumulate more
moments in the form of the passing days, weeks,
and years. Something that we have so much of,
makes that something seem less substantial.
Live every day like it’s your first!
Think about it, Yehuda Grodko
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