Behar

The father of one of my rabbeim at yeshiva was in the Nazi camps with the Klausenberg Rebbe, and maintained a relationship with him after the war.  Once the Rebbe said to him, "We know that when Moshiach comes, each nation will be judged according to how they treated the Jewish people.  However, what about all the nations that have had no connection to us whatsoever?  How will they be judged?  For that, He created the United Nations, where every country has the ability to vote on what should happen to the Jews."

Iran's president, known as the "Butcher of Tehran," the man overseeing terror around the world, died, and the United Nations lowered their flags and had a moment of silence (with US participation) in his honor.  And in the same week, the ICC prosecutor has asked for arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, charging them with more severe charges than they did with Putin, despite the fact that no other country has had such a low civilian death ratio than Israel has accomplished.

From here, we can see that Micronesia, and probably ONLY Micronesia, will be rewarded.

It's really interesting seeing where He is taking things.

This week's parsha brings up the mitzvah of Shmitta, one of my personal favorites, which requires us to cease and desist from agricultural work for a year.  And the Torah makes a surprising promise: Don't worry!  Hashem will take care of you!

Now, the concept of Emunah and Bitachon (faith and trust) in Hashem is a difficult mitzvah and is very personalized.  It's also widely misunderstood, misapplied, and misused.  Some believe by sticking their heads in the sand, they can have perfect faith.  Some believe that painting a smile on their face and repeating "All is good!" is perfect faith.  Some believe by making up inspirational stories (as unfortunately some English books in the Jewish world have done) can lead to perfect faith.

When I was in Yerushaliyim a few months ago, for example, making matzos, somebody from the group asked how things were "up north."  I told him about the situation and that we are simply waiting for that front to open up and play it from there.  He put up a smile and said in an assuring way, "Don't worry, your Torah will protect you!"  To which I snapped, "Like it did for those bigger than I in the Holocaust?"  His smiled quickly melted and he stood silently with nothing to say.

I was quite upset about that.  Am I waking up every day thinking and worrying about my family and me dying?  With the exception of when loud explosions wake me up in the middle of the night, no, I'm not.  I'm continuing on with life.  However, I DO know that things are expected to get worse and it very much can affect me in a not-so-nice way.  And I have to figure out how to balance that legitimate fear, with the legitimate thought of "what is the normal thing to do," with the legitimate thought of "Hashem knows what's best, even if I might not see or even … enjoy… it."  So, while he lives his life by saying nice mantras, I have to live my life figuring out how to meld different aspects, emotions, and views together.

Rav Yaakov Meir Schecter, probably THE acknowledged leader of the old Breslov community in Yerushaliyim wrote that when a person has hardship in life, and says "all is good," then that is called a lie, not faith.  Before anything, a person must truthfully acknowledge this situation.  It's tough, it's hard, it's scary… and then with that TRUTH, he can move forward with, "… but, ultimately, it's all for the best, whatever that may be."

We see such a proof from the Torah itself, which we recently said on Pesach night, "Hashem heard our cries…"  Why were we crying?  Because "all is good"?  If "all is good," then there is no need to cry!  Clearly, all "wasn't good," and it was through those cries, the redemption from Egypt was made.

Several years ago, a young man (I can't believe I'm using that term) who was single, asked me how I plan to marry off my children, given the today's monetary standards in Israel needed to do that.  I told him that it's something that I think and worry about, and quite frankly, I have no idea how I'm going to do so, so, Hashem will have to help me out on that one, because I don't know how.  And, he asked the same question that I have asked over and over again when I heard such things, "What does that mean, 'Hashem will help'?  Everybody says that, but … how?"

I told him, "I have no idea.  All I know is this.  When I moved to Israel 20 years ago, I had a few thousand dollars to my name and some skills.  I had no plan, financially or socially.  Over this time period, I did whatever I had to do to 'make things meet,' and He took me along, and in some cases in weird ways, and gave me what I have today.   I have no choice but to look at the proof of my own history and see how He's taken care of me so far, to know that He will somehow take care of me in the future.  How or to what level?  I have no idea."

I was happy yesterday, when I heard Rav Reuven Leuchter say something on these lines.  Without going into details, he was discussing why our lives (via Torah) are compared to that of trees.  Regarding roots, people think that they represent our family history.  But he said that that is not true.  The roots of a tree are constantly growing outwards as the tree grows.  The roots represent our personal history and experience.

He explained that while there are plenty of written works on emunah and bitachon, ultimately, the internalization of such concepts is not from the books, but rather our own personal stories.  As we grow, we draw upon our own pasts to see where and how Hashem has taken care of us in our own unique ways.  That is where our spiritual nourishment comes from.  When we look back and see, "Ah, I remember this period.  It was very difficult, but look how things worked out in the end."

A few years ago, I was part of a kollel.  I was there for a good nine years or so, always, ALWAYS one of the first to show up daily.  In the last year of when I was there, the kollel moved to the other end of our town, a two km walk.  Instead of trying to get rides with everybody in the morning, and being late, I would walk the two km and get there before everybody else with cars did.  And despite this, the person in charge of finance would often not only pay me what the kollel was paying, but he also withheld the government part of my stipend.  To make things worse, I agreed that 10% of what he paid me, I would give back as a donation to help the kollel.  So, for many months, I wasn't getting paid at all, and he was continuing to take the 10% of what he was "paying me."  Simply put, I was paying to learn in the kollel.

Needless to say, I wasn't happy with this arrangement.  I spoke to a certain rav here who knows everybody involved and the ins and outs of the community, and he recommended that I leave and learn on my own.  I asked him about the financial aspect and about personal worries on the spiritual end.  He told me not to worry about both things and why.  So, I left the kollel.  And three years later, I learn on my own, I receive only the monthly government stipend (around 650-700 NIS/month), and somehow, we're still financially afloat.  (Don't get me wrong, my wife and I still work very hard.  Our work starts right after Shabbos and continues until Friday morning.  We are doing whatever we need to do to make money.)  However, now, I get to learn what I want to learn, when I want to learn, at the speed I want to learn. I'm only a seven-minute walk from the house, which gives me the ability to run home in times of need, and gives my kids the ability to come and learn with me in the afternoon.  In the end, I gained a freedom that I did not have previously and at zero cost.  Again, I wasn't happy with what went down, but in the end, I see the good that came from it.

That's just one example of what has happened to me.  And when I worry about finances, I remind myself of this story.  This doesn't mean that I live with blinders on.  I live very much in the present, but such experiences help me keep myself from worrying about the future [too much].

However, if I begin to see that things are not working out financially (as in "right now in life"), then I know that perhaps I need to reassess my situation, speak to those bigger than me, and move accordingly.  Because perhaps, Hashem wants something different from me than what I'm doing now.

So, I guess it comes down to this:

We live in the present.  And we must live according to what is going on in the present.  We look around, make calculations and do the best we can.  However, regarding the future (both near and far), we must try our best to look at the past and use that past to not worry about the future.

With that, I wish you all a wonderfully quiet Shabbos.

You know… the Shmittah year ended on Rosh Hashana.  My friends in the center of the country said that they barely noticed it, being that they have access to all sorts of fruits and vegetables that come from outside of Israel or produce from the Arabs.  Yet here, the stores are packed with fruits and vegetables throughout the year that are worked on by Jews and therefore forbidden to eat.  So, during the year we're limited to going to one small store with high prices.

FINALLY … the bigger stores have been bringing in kosher vegetables!  It's been a year and a half!  Fruits are still limited and I see that we have to check wines and canned vegetables very carefully for the next year or so.  But it's pretty crazy that Shmittah can last so long.

However, I can't complain.  Decades ago, there were hardly any fruits and vegetables at all.  So, I'll take a little inconvenience and higher prices.  And besides … it's a pretty limited mitzvah, both in time and space.  Not everybody gets to keep it, so I consider myself lucky.

"Speak to the Israelite people and say to them: When you enter the land that I assign to you…." (Vayikra 25:2).

The Ramban writes that the real acquisition of mitzvos is in Eretz Yisroel.  Among the many statements in the Gemara on Eretz Yisroel, the Gemara writes "Somebody who lives outside of Eretz Yisroel, it's as if he has no god" (Kesubos 110b).

So, a big question comes up.  If living in Eretz Yisroel is such a big thing, why is it for thousands of years, there was no real push to live here?  How is it that Jews for generations would prefer to "have no god" and not "really acquire" mitzvos?  Yes, there were individuals, but certainly nothing en masse, pushing the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisroel!

Rav Pincus compares it to a recently married couple.  They don't have the money to buy a home, so they are stuck renting for a while.  While it's annoying to have to rent, the marriage isn't dependent on owning a house.  It's completely dependent on both the husband and wife working together to build a Jewish home.  So, if there is peace in the home, even without a physical house in their name, their family can still thrive.

However, if it's the opposite, where they do own a physical house, yet the bond between them is weak or worse, what good is the house?  Soon they will separate and the house will have to be sold!

The relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people is the main concern.  Eretz Yisroel is simply the house.  Yes, it is best to have both at once, but if the connection between Hashem and the Jewish people is weak, then what good does the house serve?

Intermarriage in the States is at an all-time high.  Jewish education in Israel (for the non-religious) is at an all-time low.  I remember having a conversation with an Israeli colonel who had no idea what a minyan was.  And intermarriage, which was once non-existent, is growing in Israel, thanks to the governments policy on "Who is a Jew."

So, while the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisroel is a big mitzvah, it's really not like other mitzvos.  Each mitzvah seems to be independent of others.  A person who eats treif and puts on tefillin later in the day, gets the mitzvah of putting on tefillin.  A person who doesn't keep Shabbos, yet fasts on Yom Kippur, gets the mitzvah of fasting.  Yet, the mitzvah (or keeping) Eretz Yisroel, seems to be dependent on whether or not people are doing mitzvos properly--kind of a scary thought, and it would explain that general lack of "Zionism" over the centuries.

Have a great Shabbos!

here are these "klippim" (video clips) that are very popular in the "Ultra-Orthodox" circles here in Israel, called "Bardakim."  They are skits that last a few minutes, which joke around about life in the religious world in Eretz Yisroel.  My son showed me one, and I have to admit, it was really creative and funny.  The "star" of the clip had this really crazy look on his face and was able to keep his eyes wide open as if they were bulging out and about to fall out at any moment.  This certainly added to the jokes.

Then he tells me that this person stars in all of them and started the whole craze himself.  More interestingly, he told me, that the whole "eye-thing" is not on purpose.  It's some medical condition that he suffers from, and he has no control over it.

It turns out that when he was younger, other kids would make fun of him for this silly look he always had.  When he went to his Rosh Yeshivah about this, the Rosh Yeshiva told him that he should use this condition for comedy.  When he begins to laugh with it, others will laugh WITH him and not AT him.  And that's exactly what he did.  Thankfully, today he is married with children, doing well for himself, and is an icon for children throughout the Ultra-Orthodox world.

Can you imagine what would have happened had the Rosh Yeshiva not has the wisdom to say what he said?  He literally saved a life, and in turn, brightened many others.

"And when you come to the Land…" (Vayikra 25:2)ץ

Rav Pincus asks, why is it, with Eretz Yisroel in our hands, we have yet to see the entire Jewish nation move to Israel to participate in the mitzva of settling Eretz Yisroel (according to those who count it as a mitzvah)?  We see the religious world being stringent on this mitzvah and that mitzvah, yet there are so many that are still living outside of Eretz Yisroel, unwilling to take on this mitzvah?

He answers by comparing Hashem and the Jewish people to a newlywed couple.  Everything is working out between them and there is peace in the house.  However, they are missing one thing: an actual house!  They are currently renting, but they don't own any property themselves.  While this is a big thing, we know that the main thing in a marriage is that there is peace and love between the husband and wife, and not owning a house.  They can go 120 years together and raise a beautiful family without a house.  However, if they had a house without this peace and love, well, what good is the house?  It's certainly not going to help!

Unfortunately, there is still what to improve on with our relationship with Hashem on a national level.  This applies to both those living in and outside of Eretz Yisroel.  Many of us who have been fortunate to move here, have nonetheless brought in certain things and attitudes that don't really belong here.  So, who are we to say we are doing any better?  And those who were born here?  Well, they too have their things.

While according to some, there is a mitzvah to move to Eretz Yisroel.  Yet it seems that perhaps Hashem feels that before we buy a house, we need to work on our marriage first.  Hopefully, when that is on the upswing, we will merit seeing the entire Jewish people return to their proper homes.

With that, I wish you all a wonderful Lag B'Omer and a peaceful Shabbos.

People are strange.  Really strange.

There are two types of conspiracy theories.  The normal one, which has a possibility of being true, such as…I don’t know…that this virus was a result of being accidentally released by China.  It may never be provable, but given the history of nations and governments, it’s possible.  Or that some in the US government knew of Pearl Harbor before it happened but kept silent.  There’s a slew of these examples, which are possible, and some have actually proven true over time, while some have proven false.

Then there’s a second type: It’s usually about the New World Order, the Rothschild family, mind control, new cellphone towers, vaccines  out to kill us on purpose (yep, I went there), government takeover using nanobots, etc. 

Many of these not only have no basis (and are sometimes grounded in anti-Semitism), but science generally contradicts them, and when their "proofs" are looked at individually, they are quickly unraveled.

Yet, so many people, including frum people, still believe Corona is some New World Order thing, dealing with 5G technology, big pharm, government mind control, and possibly lizardmen, and therefore, they shouldn’t be following any rules.

And do you know why?  Because they cannot come to admit that yes, Hashem is running the world.  "Yes," the frum ones will say, “Of COURSE He is, but…” No "buts" needed.  It’s as if people need SOMEBODY to blame, since it cannot possible be from some REAL higher source!  Our response must be according to the Torah and our belief must be that Hashem was the one who brought this on.

Okay, back to the parsha!

I guess I’m still in my Rav Nachman M’Breslov mood.

“For the children of Israel are servants to Me; they are My servants, whom I took out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord, your God”  (Vayikra 25:55). 

Rav Nachman writes that most people eat, drink, and fulfill their desires, and this is not called being a servant.  Rather, following the Torah and its commandments is slavery to them.  Being, giving pleasure to the body, is freedom, and giving pleasure to the soul is slavery. So, the body is the king, who needs to be pampered, and the soul is the servant, who serves the king.

But we believe the opposite.  The soul is the king and the body serves the soul.  Just as the servant serves the king, the body is to serve the soul, and is to negate itself to the needs of the soul.

And even though a person’s body, continues Rav Nachman, has these physical desires (being those that take a person away from Hashem), as long as a person is working on breaking himself free of those, he is praiseworthy.  Being, in order to be praiseworthy, one does not necessarily need to be free of all physical desires.  Rather, he must be working on breaking away from them, and directing his body to fulfill only the needs of the soul.

Have a great Shabbos!

I decided to finally go to Meron, the burial place of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochi, on the anniversary of his passing, this past Lag B’Omer.  I figured that since I DO live only 35 minutes away, AND it starts right after Shabbos, I can make it there before the hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country do.

Even though I arrived around 10:45 p.m., it was already packed with thousands of people, with music, food, lights, dancing . . . you name it.  I was able to get in and daven properly (as properly as one can do under such circumstances) and get home by 1:15 a.m.  It was amazing to see such a wide variety of Jews from all over converge all in one spot.  The police did a great job, along with whatever organizers there were.  At least at night.  I heard during periods of the day, nothing was moving.  But all in all, it was a very positive experience, one that I would do again in the future.  I put up some (blurry) photos and a video, so you have an idea (mbf.me/dlW1dd), and you can only imagine what it was like later in the night and the next day when everybody from the center and south of the country were coming in!

Okay, on to Torah!

Regarding Shmittah, that is being taught in this week’s parsha, the pasuk states that the fruit of the sixth year will be enough to live off during the Shmittah year.  Then it continues and promises that if anybody is concerned, Hashem will give them enough during the sixth year that will last the next three years.  Yeah, read that over again, it’s a bit confusing, but that’s what it says.  You will be given enough during the sixth year that will last through Shmittah, and if you are worried, you will be given enough for three years, during the sixth year.

The Seforno explains these pesukim as follows: Hashem promises that the small amount of produce left over from the previous year will satisfy those who trust in Hashem.  If somebody is doubtful, Hashem will provide him for three times the amount of his regular harvest during the year before Shmittah.  Therefore, the person who trusts in Hashem will "somehow" live with very little, and those who don’t will receive their normal fill.

We see that Hashem deals with those who trust in Him in a supernatural way, and deals with those with less trust in a less supernatural way.  He deals with us as we deal with Him.

It’s interesting to note that Lag B’Omer falls out on this week’s parsha.  Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai believed that a person does not need to work for a living.  If he sits and learns, Hashem will provide for him.  While the halacha is like Rebbe Yishmoel, that one is allowed to work in order to support himself to learn Torah, one IS allowed to live according to the standards of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, if he is up to the challenge.  The Gemara notes that many have tried like Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai and failed, and many tried like Rebbe Yishmoel and were successful.  So we see that this level is for the few.

When I was discussing this issue with a friend, I made a comment about how certain people are learning full time in kollel, with growing families, after many years, and must be students of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai.  He corrected me, quoting one of our rabbeim who said that somebody who is sitting and learning all day and night, can still be like Rebbe Yishmoel.  If he is being supported by others and IS RELYING on them, then he is not like Rebbe Shimon.  Only a person who is sitting and learning all day and night, and is relying on HASHEM, can be said to be a student of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai.

That cut down my list to two people that I can think of.  Both of them are not in the most comfortable financial situation, but are still “somehow” doing it, and putting food on their table.  Ask them how they are doing it, and they won’t be able to explain how, but they have seen miracles that have turned the little that they receive into enough to live on.  I’m not on such a level, but I’m happy that I know some that are.

The more a person’s trust is in Hashem, the more Hashem takes care of him . . . even with less.

I decided to finally go to Meron, the burial place of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochi, on the anniversary of his passing, this past Lag B’Omer.  I figured that since I DO live only 35 minutes away, AND it starts right after Shabbos, I can make it there before the hundreds of thousands of people from all over the country do.

Even though I arrived around 10:45 p.m., it was already packed with thousands of people, with music, food, lights, dancing . . . you name it.  I was able to get in and daven properly (as properly as one can do under such circumstances) and get home by 1:15 a.m.  It was amazing to see such a wide variety of Jews from all over converge all in one spot.  The police did a great job, along with whatever organizers there were.  At least at night.  I heard during periods of the day, nothing was moving.  But all in all, it was a very positive experience, one that I would do again in the future.  I put up some (blurry) photos and a video, so you have an idea (mbf.me/dlW1dd), and you can only imagine what it was like later in the night and the next day when everybody from the center and south of the country were coming in!

Okay, on to Torah!

Regarding Shmittah, that is being taught in this week’s parsha, the pasuk states that the fruit of the sixth year will be enough to live off during the Shmittah year.  Then it continues and promises that if anybody is concerned, Hashem will give them enough during the sixth year that will last the next three years.  Yeah, read that over again, it’s a bit confusing, but that’s what it says.  You will be given enough during the sixth year that will last through Shmittah, and if you are worried, you will be given enough for three years, during the sixth year.

The Seforno explains these pesukim as follows: Hashem promises that the small amount of produce left over from the previous year will satisfy those who trust in Hashem.  If somebody is doubtful, Hashem will provide him for three times the amount of his regular harvest during the year before Shmittah.  Therefore, the person who trusts in Hashem will "somehow" live with very little, and those who don’t will receive their normal fill.

We see that Hashem deals with those who trust in Him in a supernatural way, and deals with those with less trust in a less supernatural way.  He deals with us as we deal with Him.

It’s interesting to note that Lag B’Omer falls out on this week’s parsha.  Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai believed that a person does not need to work for a living.  If he sits and learns, Hashem will provide for him.  While the halacha is like Rebbe Yishmoel, that one is allowed to work in order to support himself to learn Torah, one IS allowed to live according to the standards of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai, if he is up to the challenge.  The Gemara notes that many have tried like Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai and failed, and many tried like Rebbe Yishmoel and were successful.  So we see that this level is for the few.

When I was discussing this issue with a friend, I made a comment about how certain people are learning full time in kollel, with growing families, after many years, and must be students of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai.  He corrected me, quoting one of our rabbeim who said that somebody who is sitting and learning all day and night, can still be like Rebbe Yishmoel.  If he is being supported by others and IS RELYING on them, then he is not like Rebbe Shimon.  Only a person who is sitting and learning all day and night, and is relying on HASHEM, can be said to be a student of Rebbe Shimon bar Yochai.

That cut down my list to two people that I can think of.  Both of them are not in the most comfortable financial situation, but are still “somehow” doing it, and putting food on their table.  Ask them how they are doing it, and they won’t be able to explain how, but they have seen miracles that have turned the little that they receive into enough to live on.  I’m not on such a level, but I’m happy that I know some that are.

The more a person’s trust is in Hashem, the more Hashem takes care of him . . . even with less.

Michael Winner

Somebody in the community lost A LOT of money with an investor that he’s used over the years, who decided to do something not so kosher. This resulted in 70 million shekels lost, and the man fled the country. This person now is in heavy debt.

He and his wife went to a rav to speak about the situation. The rav told him that in Poland when robbers wanted to rob a store, they would hand a few rubles to a teenager and have him steal something from the store and run out. When the storekeeper ran out to catch the youth, the robbers would come in and take everything.

He said that sometimes we get hit with teenagers stealing things from us, but it’s important to not lose control and let the important things slip away from us, such as our families, our health, our learning. Don’t lose everything else that is dear to you because of money, and make sure those always remain your priority.

This person admitted that before he never had a rav to go to, and he realized that he needed one all along. Now that he has someone to go to with big shoulders, he feels a lot lighter.

Okay, on to Torah!
“If you will go in My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them; then I will provide your rains in their time, and the land will give its produce and the tree of the field will give its fruit…” (Vayikra 26:3-4)

Rashi translates “if you will go in My statutes” to mean “that you should labor (amul) in Torah”

When the Torah states “amul,” it doesn’t mean simply opening up a book and learning, but rather to learn with intensity and focus. Everybody of course should learn what they can on their own level. We see from here that this “amul,” this labor, is the source of brachah in the world, and when people not only increase the quantity, but more importantly the QUALITY of their learning, more brachah is brought down.

When my Rosh Yeshiva first came to learn in Ponevech Yeshivah in Bnei Brak in 1959, he was seventeen years old. One day he received a letter from his mother telling him that a friend of hers would like to meet with him. So he arranged a time and met this 70-year-old friend of his mother's. She said to him, “So . . . during your daily break . . . do you go to the kibbutzim to help pick oranges?”

A bit taken by surprise, he answered truthfully, “I’m sorry, but there are no kibbutzim around Bnei Brak, so no, I don’t.”

“And what about during your break for Pesach? What do you do then? I assume you help then, no?”

“Honestly, no. I usually sit and review everything I learned over the past few months.”

She stared in his eyes and yelled, “PARASITES!!! ALL OF YOU ARE PARASITES THAT TAKE FROM OUR COUNTRY AND GIVE NOTHING BACK!!!”

He joked, “Back then, believe it or not, I was quite shy, and didn’t know what to answer her. However, now I would love to answer her: I agree with you, there are producers and takers. I also agree with you, parasites are a terrible thing. However, I don’t agree with you on who is what.

“The only reason there are oranges on the kibbutzim to be picked are because of those learning in Torah. The only reason there is rain is because of those learning in Torah!”

He also related a story of how he was once in Chevron Yeshivah shortly before the 1967 war. He saw two yeshivah students go to Rav Meir Chodosh and ask him if they should leave the yeshivah to volunteer to be ambulance drivers. Rav Chodosh, who normally spoke very softly and very slowly, roared, “If you close your gemaras to drive ambulances, they will need even MORE ambulances to carry the extra wounded that you are responsible for with your learning!”

This is the power of Torah.

And what type of Torah brings these brachos? In-depth learning.

When ArtScroll first came out with their translations of the Talmud, Rav Shach was very much against it. He wanted to put the whole thing in cherem (excommunication). It took Rav Gifter from America to speak to him and convince him that it was needed. Rav Shach backed down, but his opinion did not change. Of course he knew that through ArtScroll, tens of thousands of more hours of learning Gemara would be brought into this world. People who didn’t have a yeshivah background could finally sit and learn Gemara at a simple level. People working full time would be able to find it easier to learn. There is no question of the benefit that ArtScroll would bring. But at what cost? How many people who could be learning in-depth will take the "easy way out" and simply pick up an ArtScroll? True, he argued, quantity will increase, but what will happen with QUALITY?

Every person, when he takes time to sit and learn properly, without interruption and with proper focus, is responsible for the basic brachos in life. When a person, whether sitting in kollel or working during the day, uses his learning time properly, he is a producer in this world. If he is not . . . he’s simply a parasite.

Have a great Shabbos!

Michael Winner

Simcha is now one-and-a-half and is doing his best to age us. Last night (or was it technically this morning?), my wife wrote up a list of things that he did in one afternoon to send to her mother. It contains only the things she remembers:

-Got home from gan (day care), jumped out of stroller and slipped out of still-open front door. Ran up path and knocked on neighbor’s door. Was retrieved quickly.

-Went with Mommy and Chaim to meet RL (Rochel Leah), Tova and Abba who were coming home. Saw Abba and dashed into busy street to greet him. Mommy grabbed him really fast and attempted to teach “don’t run into street.”

-“Ate” lunch, asked for ketchup repeatedly, then took container of cottage cheese, ate straight out of it, dumped rest of food on floor. Mommy said, “No! No!” and Simcha pointed his finger at her and said, “No! No!” back. Took ketchup with him when he finished the meal.

-Went out back, dumped out one potted plant and threw rocks and dirt all over the tiles (which had just been cleaned this morning).

-While Mommy was cleaning up, he ran inside and grabbed the phone and started jabbing random numbers. Phone got covered in dirt. Then ran into bathroom and threw balls in toilet. Also dumped towel in toilet and pulled it out sopping wet and used it to “wash” the tiles (which had been washed this morning).

-While Mommy was cleaning that up, ran into kitchen and climbed onto counter and stole RL’s last piece of chewing gum that she had placed there for “safe keeping.”

-Refused to open mouth to give up gum, had to be bribed with chocolate.

-Climbed on counter, took kiwi and brought it to Mommy. Decided he wanted a second one and Mommy said no. Helped himself to kiwi—and sharp knife to peel it. Mommy caught him while he was hacking at kiwi with knife. Simcha gets new nickname: Kiwi Herman.

-Mommy went upstairs to do laundry, bringing Simcha along. He jammed the clean clothes in with the dirty clothes, then started throwing stuff in washing machine and pulled things down from rack while she was trying to hang them.

-Then went in Tova’s room and emptied contents of her “special prize drawer.” Pulled drawer out completely to make sure job was done. Started on sock and underwear drawer but got caught in the act. (Mommy bribes Chaim to clean up mess before Tova sees.)

-While Mommy was surveying damage, went into bathroom and started eating toothpaste.

-Mommy ran around closing doors and cleaning up toothpaste and heard sound of screen sliding. He was trying to climb out of one of the second floor windows – that doesn’t have bars!

-Mommy disciplined and again he yelled, “No, no!” and wagged finger at Mommy.

-Mommy finally finished laundry and started looking for Simcha. He came out of corner with some piece of clothing over his whole head and yells, “RARRR!” to scare her.

-Went downstairs to give him a bath and discovered that he had, at some point, completely emptied the playroom table of all of its contents. Mommy bribed Tova to clean up.

-Took off his clothes and was about to put him in bath. He ran away and pished in the corner.

-Mommy dumped him in bath and called for a shmatta. Finished with shmatta and went to wash hands (in same bathroom!) and turned around to find him pulling the pish-filled shmatta into the tub and SUCKING on it!!!

-Finally, finally, bedtime, whew! Mommy puts him down for a second and he runs away and hides, again screaming “no! no!” and wagging finger with huge smile. Mommy dumps him in bed, says goodnight and then he really starts screaming and yelling, lots more of the no-no genre.

He’s a big bracha in life…

Okay on to Torah!

Before we start, I would like to ask that we learn and daven in the merit of Dafna Yael bas Rivke who, as some might remember, is the young daughter of a good friend who has been hosting Frum.org for free on his company server. Over the years, she’s been fighting the good fight against a brain tumor and, unfortunately, things have taken a turn for the worse, at least according to the doctors. So please keep her in your davening, and perhaps the doctors, in the end, will be wrong.

“If your brother becomes impoverished and is sold to you, do not work him like a slave. He shall be with you just like an employee or a resident hand…This is because I brought the Jews out of Egypt , and they are My slaves…Do not dominate him to break his spirit since you must fear your G-d” (Vayikra 25:39-43)

“Such a slave shall thus be the same as an employee hired on a yearly basis. If you are aware of it, you may not let his (non-Jewish) master dominate him so as to break his spirit... All this is because the Jews are My slaves. They are My slaves because I brought them out of Egypt. I am G-d your Lord. Do not make yourselves false gods” (Vayikra 25:53-26)

The first set of lines is dealing with Jews who are slaves to Jews and the second set is dealing with Jews who are slaves to non-Jews. In both, the Jew and non-Jew are commanded to not treat their Jewish slave improperly. And then both sets are concluded with “I am G-d, your Lord, Do not make yourselves false gods.”

Over the years, I’ve had the honor and dishonor, like most of you, to work for different types of people. There are those who run dictatorship-style businesses, where the environment is poisoned, and there a those who are the complete opposite.

The following is an idea that came to my mind, and whether or not the Torah really means it, I don’t know. But, I think it’s a nice thought and nothing is lost by listening to it.

We see that the Torah commands us to treat our slaves properly and not to overburden them. All the more so, should we treat paid employees! There is a big difference between asking, or even demanding, excellence from ones employees and being petty and obnoxious on the other hand.

Many times employers begin to lost sight of who they are. They forget that they are employing other people so they can run a successful business, IN ORDER to support themselves IN ORDER to be able to serve Hashem properly. THAT IS WHY WE WORK!

When an employer loses that, he, as the Torah warns, “makes HIMSELF a false god.” He forgets that his work is not an “end all, be all,” and that all forms of income ultimately come from Hashem. Instead, he allows stress or ego to build up and eventually he takes it out on his employees. He no longer considers Hashem as his main supporter, but rather, himself.

Several months ago, the company I work for had a security breach. None of our customers were affected, but the company took a financial hit. My boss had to deal with insurance, the Secret Service, and all sorts of fun things. In the end, we realized that he and I shared the blame. Both of us became lax on security, and a hole was exploited.

Despite everything, he was calm the entire time (even though he was overworked and exhausted), he shared the blame, and he moved on. While it was a nice financial hit, he has always maintained that money is just money, and Hashem takes care of things. After five-and-a-half years of working with him, I can testify that he runs his business accordingly and is very careful, despite being a New Yorker, in treating people carefully, and being “lenient” on money issues. I credit this attitude as the reason that company has remained successful over the years, despite competition.

Ultimately, it is a huge test, but each person, especially employers, needs to remember that Hashem is G-d, and not himself. The Torah warns us not to make ourselves into false gods (my interpretation) and to treat employees properly and with respect. I’m convinced that a person who does that will see blessings in his endeavors.

Have a great Shabbos!

Michael Winner

"And the land shall not be sold in perpetuity because the land is Mine" (Vayikra 25:23)

If there is one thing that Israelis excel at over Americans is how they treat their Independence Day/Memorial Day. Americans generally treat them as shopping days, while Israelis actually make those days have meaning. On Memorial Day, instead of having picnics and watching television, they, as a country, stand silently for a minute to remember their dead.

However, there is one major fault in the Israeli mindset. There is a major focus on the military here on Independence Day. One of the biggest ideas behind the creation of the State is that only if we had our own army, we could protect ourselves, and Jews around the world would be forever safe. Despite this fallacy being clearly shown as such, the Israeli mentality remains the same.

"And the land He gave to human beings" (Tehillim 115:16).

According to the Seforno, this "land" does not include Eretz Yisroel, since it was not given over to human beings.

So, says Rav Shach, we have the following question: was it not given over to Avraham and the entire Jewish nation as an inheritance?

The answers lies in the fact that it does not BELONG to the Jews. Eretz Yisroel belongs only to Hashem, and by occupying with and following the Torah, do we have the right to live here.

We say every day in Shema, "If you will listen to My commandments... Your days and the days of your children will be increased upon the land". But... If "your hearts are seduced and you stray... You will be destroyed speedily from upon the goodly land".

In debates, we often bring the Torah to support our claim to Eretz Yisroel. Unfortunately, some of us are not learned enough to know exactly what type of claim we have on it.

The proper celebration for Israeli Independence Day would NOT be to show off our might and muscle, since our ability to stay in Eretz Yisroel is NOT dependent on it. Rather, it would be to show how Jews of all stripes and colours occupy and fulfill the words of the Torah. THAT is what the Torah tells us is the cost of "rent" in the Holy Land.

With that I wish you all a great Shabbos!

"You shall not rule over him with rigor but you shall fear the Almighty" (Vayikra 25:43)

Rashi cites the Sifra that this verse is a prohibition against giving a servant work that is not necessary.

A master is not allowed to give needless orders to his servant thinking, "No one knows whether this is really necessary or not, and I will tell him that this is necessary," therefore the pasuk ends with "And you shall fear the Almighty"

The servant doesn't know whether or not the work he has been commanded to do is necessary, however, Hashem knows.

It's important to remember that everybody, whether master or slave, was created in Hashem's image, hence everybody needs to be treated with some degree of respect.

Even if the servant doesn't know your reasoning, you do. And that inner reasoning will direct you in how much respect you will treat him and others.

Have a great Shabbos!

“When you come to the land which I give you, the land shall rest, a rest for the Almighty" (Vayikra 25:2)

One of the benefits of living in Israel is the fact that our produce is seasonal. For example, yesterday I had an orange in my lunch. Most likely, it will be the last orange I eat until the winter. However, last Shabbos I got to make a Shehechayanu on fresh cherries and watermelon, something I haven't eaten for six months or so. In America, since produce is accessible throughout the year, you cannot make a Shehechayanu. Nor can you truly appreciate different fruits as much as we do.

Being that it’s Shmittah right now, only adds to the benefits. Any foods that contain Shmittah products have an extra holiness to them and must be treated accordingly. That being, you cannot put them on the ground and any leftovers cannot be put in the garbage, but rather a “Shmittah bag”, where they are left until they begin to rot. After that point, they lose their holiness and can be thrown away.

So, while during any other year my Shabbos Chicken Soup(tm) is holy on two levels (it’s chicken soup and it’s on Shabbos); during Shmittah, it takes on a third level!
My Rosh Yeshiva noted that there were several dangers that a farmer faced when he first came to Eretz Yisroel and took possession of his land.

One of those dangers is the constant involvement in his work. While in the desert, the nation had no need to farm since they were taken care of directly from Hashem via the mun. Now as they move in, they will start toiling in the fields to get their food.

Now one of the farmer’s main occupation is work.

Shmittah forces the person to stop working the land, sit back and say, “Everything is in Hashem’s hands”. He is not allowed to own the field or work it. Any fruits and vegetables that happen to grow do not belong to him, but rather are open for the taking. Now the farmer has no choice but to think about where his food is not only coming from this year, but the previous (and next) six years.

We are to take this time to understand and comprehend that Hashem is THE provider. While it is true, we must all do “our part” in earning a living, it should never come at the expense of our spiritual growth and our family. Too many people feel the strain, real or imaginary, of earning a living, engross themselves in only that, and sacrifice their relationship with their spouse and children, and their relationship with Hashem.

Thank G-d, more and more Jews here in Israel are leaving their fields empty every Shmittah cycle; and thank G-d, we still have fresh fruits on our table, nor has the economy collapsed as so many ‘experts’ said it would. So too, will a person continue to have blessings on his table when he makes his spiritual life his priority and trusts that Hashem will provide him with food and clothing in return.

Have a great Shabbos!

My daughter is official bi-lingual.

Whenever you are doing something she doesn’t want, such as washing her hair, she cries out, “Die! Die! Diiiieeeeee!”

Now most English speakers would probably be worried over hearing such language from their children. However, and thankfully, in Hebrew, the word “Die” means: enough, or stop.

She goes to a babysitter for two hours a day, so she can play with other kids. Probably picked it up there...pretty neat…
"If your brother becomes impoverished and his means falter in your proximity, you shall strength him" (Vayikra 25:35)

Rashi comments here do not wait until he has fallen and must be picked up. It is difficult to raise someone who is down completely. Rather, one should support him, trying to catch him when he is faltering. Give him sustenance; lend him a helping hand, give him the courage to continue.

Rav Schach comments that chessed, kindness, begins with forethought.

Chessed does not necessarily mean that one goes into action when he sees somebody already down. It means that one must keep a vigilant eye out for others to see what help they need even before they need to ask for it. We must look, think, then act. We must recognize when somebody needs help, think about how to help him in the best way, and then act on that thought. The key is to be on the look out.

This is what Chazal meant concerning one "who closes his eyes from charity”; a person who closes his eyes, and doesn't see. If he doesn't see, he doesn't have to act. Many of us, when we see a poor man on the street naturally turn our eyes in another direction, in an unconscious move which young children often employ: "If I don't see it, it doesn't exist". A person who makes himself unaware of other peoples problems even before they hit rock bottom, not only robs himself of an important mitzvah, but also of helping out another person in need.

With that, have a chessidic Shabbos!