Beshalach

I was sitting and speaking with a secular Israeli the other day (secular, being, he GUESSED, that a boy starts putting on tefillin at the age of thirteen).  Mid-thirties, certainly on the left, really sweet guy.  He, and his wife, were about to embark on their six-month vacation to South Asia.  Not my cup of tea, but, to each his own.

Of course, politics and the war came up which is always fun to talk about.  Then he asked me about the draft and the Ultra-Orthodox and wanted to know my opinion.  A bit dangerous, but he really seemed interested in hearing my side.

So, I opened up and told him, that I fully understand the side that wants to draft us all.  I do.  There's logic to it, and there is emotion as well.  I cannot simply wave my hand and dismiss it.  

Then I began and asked him, "This is a Jewish country, correct?"  

"Correct."  

"Great.  How would you feel if I made a law that said every boy and girl, from age 15-18 must go to yeshiva to learn about Judaism?  They can come home once every two weeks and do whatever they want.  They don't have to be religious at all.  But, within the yeshiva, they have to maintain some minimum religious standards.  And at 18, they go off and do whatever they want.  You would be against it, wouldn't you?" 

"Of course." 

"Why? Because it goes against the education and values that you wish to pass on to your children.  We're no different.  However, we don’t believe that once a person turns 18, his parents are no longer obligated to continue his education.  Parents play a very pivotal role in their children's life up until they get married (and even after in some ways).  In fact, in our world, before a boy and girl go out, it's up to the parents to check things out first to make sure it's even something to consider.  And it's specifically during the ages of 18-23 where a person usually matures and focuses and directs his life.  I wouldn't be where I am today, if not for such decisions during that stage of life.  And for that reason, we cannot turn our children over to a system which does not only not share such values, but they can't really understand it.  So, while there are individuals from religious homes who could go through it without issues, many cannot."

He thought about it and understood my point, then asked, "What happens if they make units based off of your values?" 

To which I answered, "They did, and it failed miserably.  They are currently trying out a new unit in which they are incorporating new ideas that they learned from the previous failure, but we have to see what will become of that.  But even if the army went ahead and agreed 100 percent to work with such soldiers, giving them everything they need, there's another issue.  What happens if the army agrees and says, 'Okay, these units will only be taught by men and have only men on base, then some leftist group goes to the Supreme Court who says it's unconstitutional … now what?  The army, despite all good intentions, cannot fulfill it's own promises."

Even a lefty knows how left the Supreme Court is, and he smiled and nodded his head knowing that he had no argument against that point.

There are other issues involved of course, but on those it's hard for somebody who has to guess when somebody puts on tefillin to understand, so it's not worth bringing up.

Whether he agrees with me or not, I have no idea.  But, at least I was able to articulate our position in a respectful and understandable way.  And equally important, that he himself was a person who was willing to listen to somebody on the other side.

You want to know how to repair breaches in society?  You talk with respect and openness with other people.  You don't have to agree, but you should at least be respectful and understanding to the other side.  Unfortunately though, many people prefer not to.

"He cried out to Hashem, and Hashem showed him a piece of wood and he cast it into the water and the water was sweetened. There He set for them statutes and ordinances; and there He tested them" (Shemos 15:25).

Right after being saved at the Red Sea, the nation comes to find itself in the middle of the desert with no food or water.  It's an interesting situation, which I'm sure psychologists would have a field day with.  But here you have a nation who just experienced months and months of open miracles.  And only days before, saw the miracles at the Red Sea. And yet, when they come to the desert, and things quiet down, they immediately come to complain, as if nothing happened not that long ago.

But, let's admit it, it's human nature.  Each person can look back in life, and if they look carefully, they could see how "somebody" above is watching over them.  When somebody asked me about my financial plans regarding my future, I honestly told them, "I have no idea, and I do worry about it.  However, regarding saving and spending properly, I'm doing what is considered normal.  Regarding making more money, thank G-d, I'm still able to learn and work, and somehow things are working out.  So, based on Hashem's past record in taking care of me, if I continue to do what is right in His eyes, I'm going to have to assume that He will continue to take care of me.  And if not, then it's a sign that I need to change directions somewhere, and at that point I'll do what I always do … speak to people [spiritually] bigger than I."

Rashi comes on this pasuk and offers a bit of insight somewhat related to what I just said.

"AND THERE HE TESTED THEM – the people; and He saw their stubbornness: that they did not consult with Moshe in a respectful fashion: 'Entreat for us that we may have water to drink' – but they grumbled."

Hashem does send us tests.  Obviously, not for Himself, but for us.  Sometimes to show us where we are lacking or sometimes to show us where we are strong.  But there are two ways of handling tests.  One, is to outright complain.  To us, Hashem is wronging us, is not taking care of us, etc. Hashem, our servant, is failing us.

Several years ago, a popular Israeli singer, Chanan ben Ari, put out a song called "Ours Lives are Strawberries" (it sounds better in Hebrew).  It was inspired by one or two of his children complaining in the back of the car as he was driving.  The song is about how, yes, life is not easy, but we must count our blessings.  It gained wide popularity within both the secular and religious worlds.

He recently visited some of the soldiers who were released in recent weeks.  They told him that in captivity, when they were together, they sang his song.  However, they made a small change.

His lyrics were:

"We have no right to complain at all, everything is "tfu chamsa bli ayin hara", thank G-d, because our lives are strawberries!"

Theirs were:

"We have no right to complain, you're not in captivity, so don't pity yourself, because our lives are strawberries!"

Here, young women, being kept and tortured for over a year, were able to keep a positive outlook and not complain.  Some of them, somehow, kept mitzvos that they never kept before, in order to make a positive change in themselves in order to merit redemption.

How many of us, could honestly, pull that attitude off?

Life is always full of twist and turns.  Hopefully, we experience only minor ones in the grand scheme of things.  But there are times where issues such as health, wealth, etc. come up, which are bigger and more worrisome.  Regarding both minor and major things, we should try our best not to complain and not to be upset at "Hashem our servant."  Rather, we should calm ourselves down and remember who's running the show and who the servant really is, then sit and think of areas where we need to fix up our own issues or improve in some area in life.  And if we cannot, or we can, but still want to, go to somebody bigger and ask them for brachos and perhaps advice.  It does not have to be the "Moshe" of our generation.  Personally, when I felt I needed some "spiritual backing," I've gone to the one person who sits alone in the back and is learning and davening all day, and ask him to daven on my behalf (note: Sfardim are particularly good people to go to for brachos).

But the most important part is to try to be calm and not complain.  You can worry, that's different and normal, you can also be afraid, because you're human, but at least try not to complain.  Try to entreat Hashem in a polite manner begging for His assistance.  This is what these episodes in the desert are teaching us, and if that generation had problems with it, it shows how difficult it is.  But, nonetheless, it's something we can work on.

With this, I wish you all an amazing Shabbos.

This week was one of those weeks for my wife and I.  One day in Bnei Brak.  One day in Haifa.  One day in Yerushaliyim.  Unfortunately, I was not able to sit and write something for this week.

However, my wife received this.  Credit goes to https://jewishmom.com/2024/01/24/my-sons-sweetest-kaddish-by-hagai-luber-father-of-yehonatan-hyd/.

The soldier who was killed, Yehonatan, left an expecting wife and a 13-year-old sister-in-law in my daughter's class.  His father wrote this small piece, which gives you an idea on two things.  One, how far away people are from Judaism, even here in Eretz Yisroel.  And two, how close people are together at this time.

I wish you all a quiet Shabbos.

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[Hagai Luber is a father of 9 from Beit El, and founder of the religious theater company Aspaklaria. On December 25th his 24-year-old son Yehonatan was killed while fighting in Gaza].

A week ago I met with Brothers in Arms [a left-wing protest-movement for secular IDF reservists] out of a common concern for Jewish and Israeli unity.

It was a meaningful encounter. We listened to one another, and even came to some tentative understandings on various issues. But no, that’s not the story I want to share.

After two hours I told them I had to go.

Why they asked. I told them I needed to pray and say Kaddish for Yehonatan.

What’s the problem? said the brothers, say it here!

Here????

What do you need to say Kaddish? they wanted to know.

Ten people… Men.

They immediately did mass recruitment in their offices, more than ten men showed up.

What do we do now? they asked.

You’ll need to cover your heads.

So they stood and covered their heads with sweatshirt hoods, handkerchiefs, and position papers. Look, I told them, we’ll need your cooperation. You’ll need to answer Amen.

For sure! They said, When do we say Amen?

It’s hard to explain… I told them. You know what? Every time I raise my hand say Amen. Cool?

And so I stood, a religious settler, extreme right-wing in the heart of “them” and prayed with them.

I said Kaddishes and the Amida and I raised my hand in the right places and they, more obedient than they’ve ever been before, roared out Amen like Breslovers in Uman every time I raised my hand.

I finished the prayer and told them: I think that for Yehonatan up there, that was his sweetest Kaddish ever.

FINALLY, at the END of January, did we get our first major rainfall.  According to the government, before yesterday, we've received only around 30% of what we should have received by now.  And here, where most fruits and vegetables are local, you feel it throughout the year, with higher prices and lower quality.  My wife noticed that over the past few months how some people were calling the weather "beautiful" and "lovely", which disturbed her a little, since the Torah takes a different view of things, when it says in Shema, "And I will withold your rains...".  An interesting lesson.  Sometimes, what we take as beautiful, is really a curse...

Okay, on to more happy topics.

Rav Shimshon Pincus asks an interesting question.  One that I never heard before.

When the Jewish nation was at the sea and the Egyptian army was bearing down on them, Moshe began to daven to Hashem, and Hashem replies, "Why are you crying out to me?  Speak to the Children of Israel and tell them to go!"  Who is the first "to go"?  Nachshon ben Aminadav.  He walks into the sea and cries out "Deliver me Hashem, for the waters have reached my soul!" (the water had reached his nose).  At that point, the sea split.

So, the obvious, but obviously not so obvious, question is: When Moshe davened, he was told to stop davening and move.  When Nachshon davened, his prayers were answered.  What happened here?

The Zohar explains that when the nation was standing there, they needed a large amount of "chesed" from Hashem and at this point, prayer in itself, was not enough to save them.

To explain, and I'm guessing here, so I apologize if I'm wrong: it's similar to a person with no money in his bank account, begging the bank manager to loan him money to feed his family.  The bank manager feels bad for the man, but he has rules to follow.  He simply can't give the bank's money away to anybody, especially somebody who cannot keep a positive amount in.  At that point the person explains that he has already spent time learning and researching about a certain business venture, and he explains it in detail to the manager.  If he got the money from the bank, he can start the business and repay the bank in no time.  After hearing and seeing what the man proposes, he agrees to loan the money.

So, why did he at first not agree and then in the end agree?  Because he saw that the person was not just "a talker,"  he was a man of action and he just needed to boost, to put things into motion.

So to with this week's parsha.  When Moshe davened, davening wasn't enough.  The Jewish people needed to show some initiative, and to show that they were willing to follow Hashem.  When Nachshon jumped in, he showed that we were ready and we were willing.  We weren't just "talkers," but rather a nation that takes action.

There are many people who "talk the talk," but don't "walk the walk."  And when they are in leadership positions, whether in business, religious, or familial, they only succeed in distancing themselves from their "flock."  However, those who do "walk the walk" not only grow themselves, but they encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

It's very important for each individual to try to live up to the words that they espouse.  Not only do they prove to themselves that they are people of growth, but they also naturally bring others with them,

With that, I wish you all a wonderful Shabbos!

Somebody is trying to open a kosher restaurant in the local “mall” (sorry, the Israeli definition of “mall” does not equal “mall”).  However, they ran into a small issue: there is a clothing store right across from them that had a huge photo of a woman clearly suffering from the famous “clothing allergy.”  And this is something that will keep the religious community from sitting at the restaurant.

So, they went and spoke to the store owner about their situation and asked if he would let them pay to change the window.  He understood and agreed.  In place of said female, is a nice graphic of the planet sitting in “somebody’s” hands with two psukim from Tehillim.

The story shows the wisdom of how they approached the person and dealt with the situation and how every Jew has that spark within them.

"…they then had faith in Hashem and Moshe, His Servant.  Then Moshe and the Children of Israel sang this song" (Shemos 14:31-15:1).

The Gemara (Yerushalmi) asks why is it that they sang this song of freedom right after Hashem closed the sea on the Egyptian army?  Why did they not sing this song earlier, like the night of the first Seder when Pharoah finally told them to leave or the next day, when they left Egypt en masse?  How did they know that it was appropriate to sing a song of praise to Hashem only after the episode at the Red Sea, a week after they left Egypt?

Rav Zolti, one of the leading rabbeim of Yerushaliyim several generations ago, answers this question, by pointing out the pasuk before they sang, "they then had faith in Hashem… then Moshe and the Children of Israel sang…"  Only when a person sees, feels and acknowledges his faith in Hashem, does he know that his redemption is complete and it is a proper time to sing.  But when a person is in a state of confusion and doubt, and things seem to be cloudy, his faith in Hashem is equally so, and it would be an inappropriate time to sing.

I was recently speaking to a friend, who is more than a few years younger than I, and he and his wife are trying to buy an apartment here.  They have limited resources at their disposal, but perhaps enough to make a purchase.  Anybody here who has bought in Eretz Yisroel knows that buying an apartment is one of the most stressful things to do.  I never bought in the United States, but I'm told it's a breeze compared to buying here, with all the silly bureaucracy and hoops one must jump through.

I told him, that I, myself, was in a similar situation.  In fact, I had far less resources than he currently has.  I had no idea how in the world I would buy any place.  I couldn't even afford to buy an apartment in the settlements.  Long story short: Hashem pulled some major strings.  In a story that lasted several years, I was able to finally buy in a place that I wanted to live, with money I did not have originally.

The process itself was weird and strange.  It had its ups and its downs.  But in the end, it worked out for the best.

And not just with buying a home.  In many aspects in life, we see the hand of Hashem only after the fact.  When we are in the middle of the story, we don't see Hashem.  We daven to Him and ask Him for help, but honestly, most of us, don't really feel His Presence in our lives during such hectic times.  Only when things calm down and you see that you came out with "more" than you had originally, does your faith in Hashem grow.

And the more you live life and go through these episodes, and more importantly, the more you look back and see how He has taken care of you, the more faith and strength you have (hopefully) to take on the next thing that comes your way.  When you are at some impasse and you take a moment to think back at all the other impasses, you will hopefully approach the current one with a bit more faith and calmness.

With that, I wish you all a wonderful Shabbos!

For the past three weeks, I’ve been learning in the mornings at home, since all the kids cannot go to school and my wife needs to work.  In the afternoons, I get to go to the kollel to learn and I have the honor of sitting next to two 12-year-olds who spend their afternoon in the kollel learning.  Obviously, these are not normal 12-year-olds.  Most 12-year-old boys have a natural ADHD.  These two don’t.  They actually enjoy learning Gemara, which is wonderful, but, unfortunately, not normal.  Of course, they are both super-brilliant, so I also hate them. 

I happened to overhear an argument they were having this week about something.  I just happened to see something in my own learning that would settle the argument, so I spoke up and gave my opinion.  They didn’t believe me, so I went back and told them the source.  It happened to have been a Tosfos on the exact page of Gemara that they were on.  They quickly looked it over, realized the answer, and thanked me.

It felt really good to the 43-year-old  to “best” two 12-year-olds.

Stupid smart kids.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve “witnessed” Hashem take apart Egypt little by little.  Taking apart the superpower of the day and reducing it to rubble.  Moshe and Aharon could have easily walked into Pharaoh’s chamber, smacked him around a few times, and say in an Italian accent, “Hey, buddy … Let. My. People. Go … Now.” And that would be the end of that.  Rather, Hashem deliberately carried everything out slowly and painfully.  Why?  Answers the Torah, “I’ve also done it so you can tell your children and grandchildren about how I made a mockery of the Egyptians.”

What’s the point of this “mockery”?

When fighting the Yetzer Horah, one needs to attack two “bases” of his.  The first is the head.  By understanding the logic of the Torah and the intellectual side of the Torah, one can understand why one should do mitzvos and stay away from avreiros.  In fact, we don’t necessarily need Torah involved in this.  A smoker who knows nothing, can learn all about the dangers of smoking and then decide that he really needs to quit.

Yet, that’s not enough.  If it were, we would all be tzaddikim and there would be no more smokers left.  The problem is the body.  There are still cravings, physically and emotionally.  And THAT is what gets in the way of our growth more than anything else.  Ask the smoker why he can’t quit despite knowing all the dangers involved, and he won’t be able to give you a logical answer.

Many times you need to bring in the emotional part in order to make a person realize the danger he is in.  When a smoker loses his close relative to lung cancer, that could be the catalyst to his quitting.  The same is true with our outlooks in life.

Remember, most Jews did not make it out of Egypt.  Many wanted to remain, and even those who did leave, had ties to Egypt.  They were born and raised there.  So, in order to get Egypt out of their system, Hashem needed to make a mockery of Egypt.  He had to make a fool out of Pharaoh for all to see, so by the time they left Egypt, they would not WANT to have any connection with it.

As you know, I’m not part of the “Corona is here = Moshiach is on his way” crowd.  He could come today.  Or maybe not.  I don’t know.  It’s not my business.  But, if there was one thing that makes me feel that perhaps he is, is watching what is happening in the world and how Hashem is making a mockery of our “leaders” that we put so much faith into.

In America, you had the Right-Wing Moshiach, Donald Trump, who was supposed to “clean the swamp” and bring peace and prosperity to the land.  In the end, his big mouth and his larger-than-life ego lost his re-election and destroyed his “legacy.”

Then comes the Left-Wing Moshiach, Joe Biden, who is supposed to bring peace and love throughout the land, no matter what color, religion, or one of the 25 genders there are, unless of course, you are Conservative.  Yet, here’s a man who can barely make sense when he speaks.  And I’m not talking about the good ol’ George Bush Junior faux pas. I’m talking about real signs of real issues.

But what’s really amazing?  People actually loved and trusted one and thoroughly hate and despise the other.  There is such an emotional investment in them one way or another, even amongst the religious. Yet, they both represent American society today: it’s run by idiots who were voted in by idiots.  It’s a joke!  America has a system where, in theory, competent people can be voted in and do good, but it’s all dependent on the voter.  Well, that tells you something.

And in Israel?  We’ve been in constant lockdown for nearly a year.  My kids have barely spent any time in school.  The right and left wing are busy punching each other in the faces, saying that they can do better, without explaining how.  Heck, we're going to our fourth election in two years, and we all KNEW it was going to happen last year! Even the religious party leaders have joined in the party.  One of them, so “wisely” got up in the Knesset and blamed the non-religious lawmakers for “forcing” the religious to live in small apartments, with their large families, in packed communities.  And yet this same lawmaker will wonder why his party is not enjoying the support of his “constituents” as it used to.

Hashem is making a mockery of things around the world, specifically those people and institutions we have always put our faith in.  Whether it’s Democracy, Socialism, Trump, Biden, Netenyahu, Litzman, Gantz, etc., we trust them.  We fear them.  We love them.  We hate them.

When the Jews left Egypt, they did not trust, nor fear, nor love, nor hate Pharaoh.  They were laughing at him.  They were laughing at the society that he built which crumpled before their own eyes.  And in the end, we too will look upon all these “leaders,” and simply laugh at them and perhaps even bemoan the time and energy we wasted trusting them or even thinking about them.

May we learn this lesson sooner rather than later and keep our focus on more important things.  You know … like Torah and Mitzvos.

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

Somebody in the kollel came up to me the other day and decided (wrongly) to try out his English, saying [insert Israeli accent] “I like your sister very much”.

The first thing that flashed through my mind was the restaurant scene from The Blues Brothers, where they turn to the family next to them and say [insert something like Israeli accent], “How much for your women… your wife… your daughters…?”

It’s amazing what sticks in your head.

Anyhow… I said in Hebrew, “I don’t have any sisters for you to like”, and, I admit I enjoyed it, his face fell when he realized what he said.  “Perhaps you like my daughter?” who is good friends with his.  Needless to say, the rest of the conversation stayed in Hebrew, where it belonged.

“When Pharaoh’s cavalry came with his chariots and horsemen into the sea” (Shemos 15:19). 

The Rashbam (Pesachim 117a) writes that after the Jewish people crossed the Red Sea, they recited the “Not for our sake, Hashem …” (Tehillim 115), out of fear that the Egyptian army would emerge from the sea and attack them.

An obvious question arises from this.  After everything the Jewish people saw with their own eyes, how could there be any doubt concerning the Egyptian army?  Hashem had taken care of them so far, obviously, there was nothing to be afraid of.

Rav Ezra Brizel explains that we learn from here a very important lesson.  Despite everything the nation experienced, they still felt that they had an ongoing obligation to pray at all times, even when seemingly, everything is fine.  Davening is something that is ongoing and should be on a Jew's lips throughout the day.

My wife recently asked Rav Moshe Chalkowski about something she and her friends have noticed throughout life.  Recently, she saw a small dish that we use regularly.  She thought to herself, “What a great find that was!”  Within an hour, somebody knocked it over and shattered it.  Many times, she noticed things like this happen.

Rav Chalkwoski said that even a person’s thoughts could create an opening for damage, and one should train oneself to always daven, that things (objects, people, events) should always be for the good.  When one hears good news, they should always give a bracha that such good things should continue.  When one even has good thoughts about something, they should always give a bracha that it should continue.

Before one goes out on a shopping trip, a quick prayer that the shopping should go smoothly, the ride there and back should be safe, that all should be accomplished in good timing, etc. 

Davening is not something reserved for three times a day or when things are not good.  Small 5-second prayers here and there are just as powerful and keeps people connected to Hashem every moment that they are awake.

Have a great Shabbos!

My son’s school takes good care of him.

Yesterday, with a 12-hour warning to the parents, the school took all the kids up to the Golan to play in the snow since where we live never gets it.  Needless to say, a great cry of “OOOOOFFFF” rose from my other children.

They went to Meron, Tzfas, across the Golan. He told me that wherever they went, cars were pulled over on the side of the roads, with their passengers out in the snow.  Even by an Arab village, they saw a group of Gur Chassidim.  Two members of the kollel went as well to help out.  They taught the kids about making snowmen and snowball fights.  It was a day of non-planned fun in northern Israel.  We were very happy for him.  And as a reward for good behavior, his class, and another, were taken on a special trip: To the Syrian border!  How very...Israeli.

Okay, on to Torah!

Everybody has heard of Nachshon ben Aminadav.  He was the first to jump into the Red Sea, and only when the water nearly covered his face, did the sea finally split.  It was his initiative, his knowledge that Hashem would split the sea, that gave him the power to move forward, despite overwhelming evidence that the sea was not going anywhere.

This year marks the tenth yartzeit of Rav Noah Weinberg, the famed founder and Rosh Yeshiva of Aish HaTorah.  I was recently listening to a talk my Rosh Yeshiva gave the day after Rav Weinberg’s death, ten years ago.  He said that Rav Weinberg was this generation’s Nachshon ben Aminadav.

My Rosh Yeshiva knew Rav Weinberg before he became Rav Weinberg.  He testified that Rav Weinberg was a very timid and quiet person.  When his wife, who came from a known background, agreed to marry him, people didn’t know what to make of it.  He didn’t seem special in any way.  Of course, they did not know of his power of learning (he knew all of Shas (Talmud) and Rambam, before starting kiruv), nor did they know that he knew the “ba’al tshuva movement” was going to be a big thing.

Once, he called my Rosh Yeshivah to see him.  Being one of the few people who knew his "hiding place" to learn, Rav Asher joined him and spoke to him in learning.  He finally turned to my Rosh Yeshiva and said, “Asher!  Soon this world is going to be filled with hundreds of thousands of ba'alei tshuvah!”  My Rosh Yeshiva thought it was a bit of a weird thing to say, and didn’t want to question him on such a strange idea, but still, “did he really believe THAT?”

And look what became of that shy, timid kollel member!

We received a gift from somebody recently, a book on the life of Rav Ovadia Yosef.  I try to steal time here and there to read it.  It’s a good book and has helped give me insight to the one who raised Sphardic Jewry around the world, and especially here in Israel.

Rav Yosef was known for being outspoken and “saying it like it is."  For example, he was very much against Sphardim going to Ashkanazi schools, since in the end, the Sphardim will lose out and become “Ashkanazisized." Once, when giving his famous Motzei Shabbos talks, he yelled, “Why do you want to send your children to Ashkanazi schools?! Do you want them to come out with Ashkanazi brains?!”  He was good.  Vicious.  But good.

He also caused waves within the Sphardic world.  Many Sphardi Rabbanim were against his mission to unite all Sphardim to follow the Shulchan Oruch, even if it went contrary to their own community customs.  The pros and cons of such an argument are not important here, however, he believed in what he set out to do, and despite those who battled against him (for the sake of Heaven, of course), he accomplished what he set out to do.  Whether or not you agree with his goals, it cannot be argued that in the end, he single-handedly raised Sphardi Jewry.

But was he like this naturally?  No, he wasn’t.  Like Rav Weinberg, he was also timid and shy.  He did not want to teach to the masses and when he first came under attack for his views, he wanted to step down.  But, he had a goal and intended to see it through.

What of Sarah Schenirer?  A hundred years ago this woman saw that young, Jewish women were not receiving the proper education they once had from their mothers.  So, what did she do? She started the Beis Yaakov movement.  Was it easy?  Of course not.  While it had supporters amongst the rabbeim, there were those who were not so supportive, worried that this would be another form of reformation in Judaism.  Nonetheless, she persevered.    And today, there are thousands of Beis Yaakov schools around the world, providing the backbone education of Jewish girls for generations.

The power of the individual has very few limits.  When a person decides on a spiritual path for the sake of Heaven, he gets “help from Above."  Of course, you might come back and say, “True, but these three examples are exceptions.  Not everybody is cut out to be some huge Rabbi or Rebbetzin.  What can the ‘regular person’ do?”

It’s known that when Jews were coming to America in the beginning of the twentieth century, they essentially had one big test: either work on Shabbos or don’t have a job.  It was a terrible situation to be in.  We cannot judge those who decided to give up on Shabbos, but we can see the results.  I have met many people who credited their great-grandparents for keeping Shabbos despite everything which, in the end, resulted in generations of Torah-observant Jews.  I have yet to meet one person whose grandparents did not keep Shabbos and produced the same results.

Do you think that they thought of themselves as big people?  Do we, the Jewish public, know their names and stories?  No.  Nor will we ever.  However, these "regular" people sacrificed greatly of themselves, and it was THEY who produced GENERATIONS of frum Jews.

Are they really any different from Rav Weinberg, Rav Yosef, or Sarah Schenirer?

And in the end, are we?

Have an amazing Shabbos!

I was in a taxi with my son the other day.  The driver was not religious, and we started talking about the rain situation.  He remarked that we are a nation that is used to thinking that we have all the answers, yet we fail to turn to Hashem for our needs (must have been Sphardi).  He then asked what I do for a living.  I explained to him how I learn in kollel and work in programming at night.  He asked what my wife does, and I told him.  “So, you have enough to live on?” he asked.  I told him that I went to an accountant last year with a question, and after looking at all our numbers, she told me that according to Israeli standards, we’re considered poor.  I explained to him that it’s something I couldn’t believe.  I’m able to pay my mortgage, put food on my table, and take care of my needs.  Thankfully, I don’t worry about my day-to-day finances.  “That’s because she doesn’t know what’s important!” he cried out.  “YOU have real riches and she doesn’t!  You get to sit and learn Torah, and you are happy with what you have, and she will never understand this!”  He then turned to my son, “You watch your father . . . he is GOLD!”

Did I mention he wasn’t religious?

Only in Israel.

In this week’s parsha, I noticed an interesting trend.  We were taken out of Egypt, brought through the Red Sea, and watched the might of Egypt become eliminated at Hashem’s  whim.  Afterwards, the young Jewish nation is brought to the desert.  When they run out of water, they complain, and ask why they were brought out to die in the desert.  So, Hashem causes a miracle to happen, and provided them with water.  The same with food.  Another series of complaints, and another miraculous miracle that will last for 40 years.

Something popped into my head when going over the parsha.  I’ve heard people say it, I’ve seen them write it, and heck, I’ve thought of it myself: “Show me a miracle and I will believe in You!”  We all think that if we see some “open miracle," then we will become the frummest of the frum, and be on such a high spiritual level.

Well, I personally think that we learn this lesson from this week’s parsha.  Here, the entire nation, saw miracle after miracle, from the first of the Plagues, to the destruction of Egypt, yet in the end, they STILL had their doubts!  They didn’t hear that these things happened, the actually SAW it and participated in it!  Yet, they still had their doubts!

My wife made some comments regarding certain “emunah (faith) books," that are filled with stories of people going through trying times, and after doing this mitzvah or that mitzvah, they were immediately saved from whatever trials and tribulations that they were going through.  While these stories are amazing, she doesn’t think that this actually teaches emunah; if anything, it does the opposite.

Having emunah does not translate to “do a mitzvah, have a salvation."  It means knowing that whatever Hashem is doing for you, it IS for your own good.  Perhaps it is to drive you to daven more or to work on your mitzvos, or what not.  But, if one does not see “miracles," it should not have any affect on a person with true emunah.  The issue with these books is that people continue to think, “I haven’t seen my salvation come, WHERE IS HASHEM?!?”  Rather, one should try to accept whatever difficulty they are going through as good, and to continue to daven to Hashem. 

If we are “lucky” we are able to, immediately, or in the long-run, be able to see the good that came from difficult times.  But more often than not, we do not see the reasons.  Eventually, after 120 years, we WILL see such reasons.

Perhaps, and this is only my opinion, so it could be right or wrong, there actually IS good in not seeing salvations or miracles.  Perhaps, when a person sees outright miracles, he could be expected to be uplifted from such a moment.  And therefore, might he be held to higher standards?  Perhaps, the Jewish nation was held to higher standards BECAUSE they experienced such miracles (I believe there are more than a few psukim to back up that theory).  By NOT seeing “instant success," we might be held at a “lower standard” and be given a greater reward for continuing on with simple emunah, as hard as it seems.

With that thought, I wish you a wonderful Shabbos!

Michael Winner

“When Pharaoh let the people leave…” (Shemos 13:17)

I recently heard an interesting lesson from Rav Yaakov Leonard.

The Ramban, in his introduction to Sefer Shemos, writes that we learn from Sefer Shemos, specifically the Exodus, how our future exodus will be, both on a national level, and on a personal level.

Rashi explains that during the Plague of Darkness, while the Egyptians could not see a thing, 80% of the Jewish population died.  They were killed during this plague, so the Egyptians could not see and say, “Hey!  This time it hit YOU as well!”

Of course, the big question is WHY did they die?  The reason given is because they did not want to leave Egypt.

Now, this leaves us with a very serious question.  The Jewish nation just spent several hundred years in brutal slavery.  They just saw a whole slew of plagues come against Egypt.  They KNEW that the redemption was just around the corner.  What does it mean when we say they did not want to leave Egypt?

The answer, says Rav Leonard is quite simple when you think about it.

We know that the Jewish nation was steeped in the moral and spiritual depravity of Egypt.  There were some things that they didn’t mind so much.  And to leave that depravity in order to take on the burden of Torah?  It was very difficult to handle and to give up.  It was an addiction that they did not want to give up.

The closest comparison is that of a smoker.  For decades he smokes, knowing exactly what he is doing to his lungs, knowing that his chances of cancer are going up tremendously.  Yet, he STILL does not want to quit!  Because, while his brain wants to quit (knowing smoking is bad), his heart doesn’t.

THAT was the situation in Egypt and why 80% of the nation did not make it out.

It’s a very humbling thought.  How many times have we realized that something was spiritually dangerous to us, yet we still refuse to even ATTEMPT to put a stop to it?  It’s one thing for a person to try and fail, but to not try at all in the first place?

Now, when we plug in the Ramban, we will see that our future redemption, only 20% of the population will make it (and Rashi is the conservative opinion with only 20% leaving).  Who will those 20% be?  Those who WANT to leave, and make sincere attempts to do so.

Have a wonderful Shabbos!

 
Michael Winner

I received an email from a good friend last night:

“Unbelievable! We’re in the car yesterday on a trip. The conversation turns to Harrison Ford and my wife mentions that Harrison Ford plays Luke Skywalker!! Now I ask you: Do women worldwide have a girls-only Skype session each night during which they conjure up ways to make us men come unglued?”

Honestly! What’s going on here?

I spoke to a friend of mine about this and he said that according to Jewish law, I have the right to divorce my wife over such a thing and I have no obligation to give her the money stated in the kesubah.

Women . . .

It's amazing that my friend and I no longer have any "connection" with Star Wars, yet we get so upset when our wives make simple mistakes about it!
“And he took his people with him” (Shemos 14:6)

After the Jewish nation left Egypt, Hashem hardened Pharaoh’s heart one last time. He gathered his army and began to chase after them in the desert, to meet his destruction. It’s interesting to note, though, that the pasuk states that he took his PEOPLE with him, not just his army.

Rav Shach asks, “It’s not surprising that Pharaoh and his soldiers chased after the fleeing Jews, since we are told that Hashem hardened their hearts. But why did the rest of the people agree to join them? After all, they had already witnessed what Hashem had wrought in Egypt and it is never suggested that their hearts were also hardened!”

Rav Shach answers that we see how unthinking masses have conducted themselves throughout history. If each person thought, for one moment, about what they were doing, perhaps they would come to a different conclusion. However, it’s so easy to be caught up in the "wave" that one cannot think straight.

As mentioned a few weeks ago, there is a certain group calling themselves Orthodox that is making inroads in the Jewish community. They are gaining support, not from those who are educated in yeshivas, but rather in those communities that are weak on Jewish education and strong on secular education. But, because they are the uneducated masses (Jewishly speaking), they are more likely to fall prey to this group and to actually believe that these ideas and thoughts that this group is teaching represent authentic Torah Judaism. Why? Because it’s easier to think with one’s emotions than thinking with one’s brains. THAT is what the Egyptians did when they followed Pharaoh. They allowed their emotions to get the better of them, and en masse, riled themselves up.

A few years ago, some people wanted to make a change in the community, and were trying to rally support on the grass-roots level. When they approached a friend of mine, he simply asked, “And what does the Rav think about this idea?”

(Silence)

When a group of twenty-something-year-olds come and try to rally support against the Talmidei Chachamim of the city, it’s safe to assume, no matter how logical their arguments might be, that they are in the wrong.

When issues, especially public issues, come up, it is always best to sit in the back and watch silently, think carefully, and when needed, acknowledge that you might not have an educated position on the matter at this time (especially when bigger people have made their positions clear). When people try to get you to join them, more often than not, they will use emotional techniques to get you to see their vision, and you don’t want to end up running into your own Red Sea.

Have a great Shabbos!

Michael Winner

The other day, my wife gave a small shriek when she was brushing her teeth. It seems an earwig came out of nowhere, giving her a jolt. As I walked in to see what was going on, I saw her pouring it down the sink drain with water, saying, “Die Rebel Scum!”

At this point, I started to question what type of impression I’m leaving on my family members… not a good one, obviously….

Okay, on to Torah!
“This is the bread that G-d is giving you to eat…” (Shemos 16:15)

In this week’s parsha, we are introduced to the "mun," which fell from the sky every night and which sustained the Jewish nation for 40 years in the desert.

I want to move forward forty years and focus on the fifth chapter in the Book of Yehoshua (Joshua), where Yehoshua was about to conquer to city of Yericho (Jericho). Shortly before the conquest, Yehoshua and the nation committed two sins. One was a failure to bring the daily afternoon sacrifice and the second, after battle preparations during the day, they failed to learn Torah that night.

That evening, an angel appeared to Yehoshua, and the Ma’em Lo’ez gives over part of their conversation: “Now I have come. I did not come during the afternoon, even though you failed to bring the sacrifice. But now it is nighttime, and it is time for you to be busy studying Torah. Do you think that because you are preparing for battle you are not obligated to study Torah? Night is not the time for battle… Now, more than at any other time, you must redouble your efforts to study. When you enter into battle you will be in a state of danger. The Torah will protect you. Do you think that just because you no longer eat mun that your whole existence will now be according to natural law? You are just as much under G-d’s protection as you were in the desert! Victory or defeat will come to you according to your merit, not according to your physical strength. Although you are required to prepare yourselves and go into battle, it is G-d who will grant you victory. The Torah is your greatest weapon. How can you neglect it now, when you need it most?”

This is an important line to remember: “The Torah will protect you. Do you think that just because you no longer eat mun that your whole existence will now be according to natural law? You are just as much under G-d’s protection as you were in the desert!”

We often get confused on the term “hishtadlus.” People mistakenly think that it means “We have to do everything we can under our power to accomplish our goals and Hashem will help.” Not entirely true. Following the spiritual laws of the world are just as important as following the physical laws.

Rav Shimshon Pincus once asked, “Why is it that when we hear that somebody is gravely ill, we even stop a kollel from learning Torah in order that they should daven for his recovery? What about the merit of the Torah?” He answered, “When a person needs an ambulance, another person is forbidden to do anything until that immediate danger is taken care of. That being, a person cannot say, ‘Oh, I’ll go learn Torah now…’ No! He first must call for an ambulance and only when the patient is stable, can he learn on his behalf. You must do your hishtadlus first before anything else. What is hishtadlus in the case of a sick person? Davening! Since davening is such an integral part of hishtadlus for healing a sick person, davening, in this case, takes precedence over learning Torah.

From this example, we see that some spiritual actions, such as davening, or learning Torah, are part of hishtadlus. Somebody who wants to argue that we need an army, not running according to Halacha, is considered hishtadlus, is similar to arguing that a person who runs his store on Shabbos is doing hishtadlus. It’s not! Hishtadlus is fulfilling your physical AND spiritual obligations towards a certain goal. One without the other, is truly lacking.

We are not on the level of those who lived with mun in the desert. However, we are still a holy nation with a special relationship with Hashem. Fulfill your personal hishtadlus FULLY, and you will see ‘mun’ in its time.

Have a great Shabbos!

Michael Winner

As you all know, we just finished our round of elections, which is FAR more interesting and entertaining than US elections. You folks have only two main parties. This year, we had thirty-four parties running. Two of them stood out when I saw them on the ballot. One was the Pirateem (The Pirate Party) and one was Anachnu Chaverim (The “We’re All Friends” Party).

I don’t know a thing about the Pirate Party, except for their neat name. However, the “We’re All Friends” party is run by the “Nach Nachers”. You probably haven’t heard of them. If you’ve been to Israel and seen a group of weird looking guys with white kippas, big beards and payas, jumping on their van playing loud music, usually with the words, “Na, Na, Nachman Me’Uman”… well… that’s them. They associate themselves with Breslov, but I don’t believe Breslov associates themselves back. They formed their ‘religious beliefs’ around “The Petek”, which is a letter that their founder (who lived not long ago) received from Rav Nachman from Breslov (who DID live long ago). They also have a strong love for smoking… not cigarettes.

Either way, my friend’s wife heard their party leader being interviewed on the radio about his party. When asked what he wants to accomplish in the Knesset, he responded, “Um…………. Ummmm… what do we want to accomplish….ummmmm…..the Knesset….ummmmm….okay… you’re asking me a…. question… what do we want to accomplish………………………………………um………………..you know……………….to be happy…..”

I love this country!
“This is the thing that Hashem has commanded, ‘Gather from it (the mun that fell from the sky that was used for food), for every man according to what he eats – an omer per person – according to the number of your people, everyone according to whoever is in his ten shall you take” (Shemos 16:16)

The Baal HaTurim notes that every letter in the Aleph-Beis is found in this pasuk, to teach us, “that whoever fulfills the Torah [from ‘aleph to tuf’ – my note), Hashem provides him with his livelihood without exertion, like the people who ate the mun”

Rav Eliyah Lopian was once approached by a student in his yeshivah, who wanted to leave the yeshivah to learn an occupation. Rav Lopian asked him why he was planning on doing so. The student replied, “I’m going to start looking to get married soon, and when I marry –“
Rav Lopian interrupted him, “WHEN you marry? Who said you’re going to get married?”

“What do you mean?” replied the student, “Hashem will find a wife for me like everybody else… either way, I plan to get married, and of course we’ll have children-“

“Children? Who said you’ll be able to have children?”

“Is the Rav cursing me? I’m sure Hashem will give me children!”

“If you’re so sure that Hashem will help you find a wife and to have children, like He has with other people,” said Rav Lopian, “why are you doubting His ability to give you a livelihood as well?”

We “rely” on Hashem for many things, without even knowing it. Yet, livelihood, is understandably, the hardest one to trust Hashem with. Adam was cursed, and because of it, we need to make a living to support ourselves. But, let us remind ourselves, that it is a CURSE. It’s not something that should be our main focal point in life. It shouldn’t be something we should be aspiring to grow more in. It’s an obligation that we need to fulfill, and that’s it.

The more we (honestly) rely on Hashem to take care of things, so we can focus on our spiritual goals, the more He is willing to help. When we have an opportunity to make money at somebody else’s expense or in an illegal manner, we must remember that it is Hashem that provides, NOT our own hands. When we hold ourselves back and work our business as the Torah demands, Hashem will surely grant us success.

Have a great Shabbos!