Popular Shows by Rabbi Avigdor Miller ר' אביגדור מילר

Part I.Life of LaborLOTS OF GOOD THINGS FOR THE LABORERWe will begin with the well-known words of Rashi found in the beginning of ourparsha– but first thepossuk. It says אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ וְאֶת מִצְוֹתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ… וְנָתַתִּי גִשְׁמֵיכֶם בְּעִתָּם – “If you will walk in My statutes and observe My mitzvos… then I will provide for you your rains at their proper times” (Bechukosai 26:3-4). And not only rain; thepesukimgive a long list of rewards that Hashem promises to those who “walk in My statutes and observe My mitzvos.” וִישַׁבְתֶּם לָבֶטַח בְּאַרְצְכֶם – “You will dwell securely in your land, וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ, and I will provide peace in the land.” Take a look inside thechumash; there are a lot of good things that come when you walk in the statutes of Hashem.Only that we have to know, what does it mean towalkin themitzvos, towalkin the decrees of Hashem? And that’s the question that Rashi asks: What do these words, “Walk in My statutes” refer to?Yachol zeh kiyum hamitzvos, “I might have thought that it’s referring to fulfilling the commandments,k’shehu oimer, but it explicitly says: וְאֶת מִצְוֹתַי תִּשְׁמְרוּ – “And you should observe My commandments.”Thosewords are talking about doing themitzvos; so what do the words אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ – “You should walk in My statutes” mean? And so Rashi tells us: It means שֶׁתִּהְיוּ עֲמֵלִים בַּתּוֹרָה – “That you should belaboringin the Torah.”Teileichu– “You should walk; that means you should be moving forward, making progress. You can’t just be ‘keeping’ the Torah – you have to beameilin it. And that means we have our work cut out for us.EVEN AMERICANS MUST LABORIf you want to serve Hashem it takesameilus, labor. Now, I know that for our American ears, it’s something difficult to accept. We don’t want tolabor– maybe to work a little bit, OK, we’ll consider it; but to labor, to beameil, that we’ll leave for others. So the first thing we have to get into our heads is that we came to this world to labor.In Iyov (5:7) it states:Adam l’amal yulad– “Man was born into this world foramal, for toil.” Now, the truth is that all of creation must work in this world – birds, plants, reptiles, mammals; they also have to make a certain effort. But that’s not theirpurpose. They’re notbornfor toil- they’re born for utility. The world needs them; there’s an ecosystem where they fit in and therefore even an ant must toil to maintain himself, to preserve his existence. Animals must labor to find food, to find shelter, to survive; nevertheless that’s not their purpose. But Mankind is different:adam l’amal yulad, his purpose is totoil. It’s a very important principle you’re hearing now. In fact it’s the principle of principles.AMEILUS BATORAH!Now, to labor in Torah includes many subdivisions, but the first thing that comes to mind when we read the words of Rashi: שֶׁתִּהְיוּ עֲמֵלִים בַּתּוֹרָה isameilusinlimud hatorah.Learning Torah is very important! If you have any chance to learn – not just to learn, but to beameilin Torah – there’s nothing better than that. Because even when learning Torah, a person can choose the path of avoidingameilus; he could study easier things. He could bema’aver sedrah, and then he could learnMishlei. And afterMishlei, he sits and saysTehillim. And it’s all important, but if you were born to beameil, then you have to labor in learninggemaratoo.Gemarais never easy, you know; it’s never easy. לֹא כָּרַת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּרִית אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל תּוֹרָה שֶׁבַּעֲל פֶּה – Hashem made a covenant with our nation only because of theTorah sh’bal peh(Gittin 60b). And thegemarasays מִשּׁוּם דְּתַקִּיפוּ לְמִיגְמְרִינְהוּ – because it’s hard to learn theTorah sh’bal peh.Especially before they had printedgemaras, everything was done by heart; it’s very difficult to learnb’al peh.CHAZARA IS AMEILUSOf course, to labor means that you have to sit by thegemaraand learn for many hours, no question about that. And it’s not only what you learn but how you learn. To review what you’re learning, that’sameilusba’Torah. You should say the words of thegemaraover and over again. If you learn aperek, and you review it again and again until you know theperek, that’sameilus. And if you labor inTosfos,surely good. But even if you just labor in a plain piece ofgemara, and you can say it likeashrei, you’re a success. And actually there’s nothing sweeter than knowing a wholeperekinside – even thegemaraalone. If you can run through thepereklike you sayashrei, it’s asimcha, a real happiness.We say it every morning: וְהַעֲרֶב נָא הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ, “Make the words of Your Torah sweet in my mouth.” How does it become sweet? You know when you keep a piece of bread in your mouth longer it becomes sweeter; every time you chomp down, it becomes sweeter and sweeter. Because the bread is starch and the starch turns into sugar through the action of the saliva on the starch. The enzymes mix with the starch and it turns to sugar. The longer the bread is in your mouth the more sweet it becomes. And the Torah is no different – the longer the Torah is in your mouth, the sweeter it becomes. So review and review and review; theameilusofchazarais wonderful.THE MORE DIFFICULT THE BETTERThere’s a world of achievement for you. Every male should have a goal of learningkol hatorah kula.All of it!Talmud Bavli, Talmud Yerushalmi; there’s no end to what you have to accomplish. And you’ll only achieve it by means of hard work; it’s not easy street in this world and therefore you won’t succeed unless youlaborin Torah.And it’s the labor, it’s the hard work, that Hashem wants. That’s the great principle ofl’fum tzara agra,according to the difficulty is the reward. The more difficult it is, the more is the reward. Let’s say it’s a hardsugya;you don’t understand it and you’re discouraged – so you get more reward than when you do understand it. The morekashasyou have and the less you know about thegemara, so you’re struggling more and you’re working on it, so you get more reward.You know,Tosfoshad morekashasthan we have because he wasameilwhen he learned asugya.Tosfoswhen he finished thesugya, he would say, “I don’t understand thegemaraat all!” But we learn for a few minutes and “I got it; I understand everything!” – because we’re not working.Tosfoshas questions on thegemarabecause his mind was laboring, he was always thinking. SoTosfosgets more reward because he suffered more in his learning. Whatever it is, difficulty in doing good things certainly gives you a greater reward.WHAT’S “TO DO” ALREADYIn the beginning of the creation of the world, it says that Hakodosh Boruch Hu blessed the seventh day, כִּי בוֹ שָׁבַת מִכָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים לַעֲשׂוֹת – because on that day, He stopped all His workthat He created to do(Bereishis 2:3). Now, if you pay attention to thatpossukit seems likela’asosis a superfluous word; He createdla’asos, “to do”. That word “to do” is hanging on like a tail at the end of thepossuk. He created; that’s all! What is “to do”?Now, inpashtusit means that He created the world to function continuously; that means that after Hakodosh Boruch Hu established the entirebriyah, it continues to function. All living things work in tandem and this very complicated world runs on its own,k’viyachol, living, producing, functioning. A cow, for example. Cows are giving us milk and meat and leather, and other good things. There are baby cows, and they eat grass and become big cows and the process starts again. And Hashem made itla’asos, that it should continue to function this way on its own.WE DO MORE THAN COWSNow this explanation is a true explanation, no question about it. However, ourchachomimtell us that there’s something more important than that. Because man after all is the most important creation in the world and hisla’asosis a different kind ofla’asosthan that of the cow – he’s created not just to function; to eat and reproduce. Man is created to do something more than just live.On this word,la’asos, there’s aMedrashthat states as follows. “It’s amashalto a craftsman who is working in his shop and his little son is looking on. After the boy becomes older, so the father says, ‘Now you take over.’” That’s themashalin theMedrash.Now, what’s thenimshal?As follows.Before the creation of the world, man did not exist yet and therefore Hakadosh Baruch Hu was the sole doer; Hashem was the Creator, the only doer. But when He finished and He created man, so He said, “Nowyoutake over; now it’s you turnla’asos; I wantyouto get busy doing.And therefore the words אֲשֶׁר בָּרָא אֱלֹקִים לַעֲשׂוֹת – “He created –to do,”means that from now on, man must do.WELCOME TO THE WORKSHOPAnd so when you enter this world, you’re coming into a workshop.You’re not coming into a vacation place.It’s not a place where you’ll lull on the beach or sit in an easy chair. This is a place for work.That’s the lesson that is being emphasized here, that you were born into a worldla’asos, to do. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר כָּל אָדָם לְעָמָל נִבְרָא – Every person was created in order to labor (Sanhedrin 98b), and there’s no way to skirt your obligation if you want to fulfill your purpose here.Hakadosh Boruch Hu created the system whereby men must labor. בְּזֵעַת אַפֶּיךָ תֹּאכַל לֶחֶם – “With the sweat of your brow, you’re going to eat bread” (Bereishis 3:19); which means the Creator laid down a law that you mustworkfor your living.There’s no such thing as loafing through life because the loafers are the ones who leave the world quickly. And even if they hang around, it’s usually trouble – for everyone.Work is a fundamental part of our nature.When people don’t work, then something happens to them.First of all, their minds begin to falter.Without being busy, it’s almost impossible to maintain sanity.It’s an interesting aspect of human nature that man cannot tolerate idleness.Even the wealthy who don’t have to work, so they look for something to do as a substitute for work. They travel; some do more mischievous things.Whatever it is, they try to keep themselves busy in one way or the other.THE REAL WORKBut all this, you have to know, is really only a symbol of something that’s much more profound. Because man was not made merely to stand behind a counter or to drive a truck or to be a dentist.All these things are only amashal.They’re only a symbol of our true function. This instinct of the workdrive in human beings was given to men in order to let them know, in order to stimulate them, to labor forshleimus, perfection.Ha’kol tzrichin asiyah; man was not created as a finished product, is what the Medrash says. The wordla’asostells us that the work is not yet done; we’re not perfected yet.Bara Elokim, Hashem created you,la’asos, so that you should do something; you were created to make something out of yourself.That’s your job in life and there’s so muchla’asos, so much to do, that it means we have a big job ahead of us.THE TRUCKER WHO MISSED THE BOATIt’s not enough to refrain fromaveiros; it’s a very good thing to refrain from doing sins, but it’s not enough. You didn’t come into this world to not do sins. You’re here to do something positive, to labor inla’asos.I always tell you this story: You sent your trucker with a truck full of goods to deliver in Los Angeles. So he made the trip and came back and he tells you, “Boss, it was a successful trip. I didn’t get a single traffic ticket, no accidents. It went very well.” “That’s great,” you say. “And how did the drop off go? Did all the goods fit into the warehouse?” “Oh,” he tells you. “I forgot to deliver the goods!” So you’ll come back to Hashem and you’ll say, “Hakodosh Boruch Hu, I did no sins.” “Fine, very good,” says Hashem, “What aboutla’asos? What did you make out of yourself?” “Oh, that I forgot.”Now, I’m going to emphasize this a little more because when people hear they have to do, immediately they think they understand what to do.You have to domitzvos.Andmitzvos, that’s already a stereotype – nothing to talk about.Why waste any more time talking about it? Who doesn’t know you have to domitzvos?And the answer is,mitzvosis not what you think it is.Because whatevermitzvosare, they’re only the beginning, the bare bones of yourshleimus, of making yourself. They are only means that are given to help out.לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְווֹת אֶלָּא לְצָרֵף בָּהֶן הַבְּרִיּוֹת, the purpose ofmitzvosis to refine the person doing themitzvos(Bereishis Rabbah 44:1).Which means that people can domitzvos, but many times they lose sight of the purpose; and it’s a pity, it’s a frustration of the plan of Hashem.CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOULFor instance, themitzvahof Shabbos. If it’s done properly, Shabbos can change a man.Week after week, the Shabbos comes and goes and it changes people.Only that you have to know how to utilize Shabbos. That’s why there’s no other work allowed on Shabbos, because you’re expected to get yourmindworking, thinking. You can’t just eat the chicken soup like agolem. Now, you can’t expect to work the whole bowl of soup, but at least the first spoonful, you can beameilin! You think, “This spoonful is to celebratebriyas ha’olam yeish mei’ayin, the creation of the world from nothing.” Ah! Now you accomplished! You changed yourself!Tefillinshould change you. If you put thetefillinon your head with the proper understanding, you become a different person. Of course, it takes effort. You’d rather not have to think – on, off, on, off, every day, that’s it. But if you’ll beameil, if every morning you put some thought into whattefillinmean, so every day becomes a newla’asos. Not only are you putting tefillinonyour head, but you’re changing what’sinyour head; and that’s the realla’asos, to transform your mind into a Torah mind.When you weartzitzisand you utilize them, that’sla’asos. Not to just let them hang there and never consider them. It’s better than nothing but that’s not it.Adam l’amal yulad, you have to beameilin themitzvos! We have to utilize themitzvosforshleimus. You can’t do it all at once, but little by little, you begin to beameilin themitzvos, and that’s your success. You’re moving, you’re progressing every day.WALKING AMONG THE ANGELSThere was a certain Kohen Gadol, who had a vision once, a prophetic vision, and Hakadosh Baruch Hu showed him that there weremalachimwho were standing around.Angels were standing around.So Hashem said to the Kohen Gadol, “If you will go in My ways, then וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ מַהְלְכִים בֵּין הָעֹמְדִים הָאֵלֶּה, I’m going to give you the opportunity to walk among those who are standing here” (Zecharia 3:7).It’s a remarkablepossuk.Hashem isdescribing the angels asstanding, and He says, “You are going towalkamong these standing angels.” Not, “You’ll stand among the angels” or “You’ll walk together with the angels.”No, the angels are standing and you’ll be walking among them.So the commentaries explain as follows. Angels are calledomdimbecause they can only stand, they don’t move. Now, we know that they move from one place to another, whatever it is; they carry out whatever Hashem sends them to do. But still they’reomdimbecause they cannot change. An angel cannot become better; there’s nola’asosfor an angel.An angel will never improve himself.He’s a robot.Whatever he is, that’s what he’s going to be forever.You, however, are amehalech.You are walking.You’re not supposed to stand still!You’re not supposed to be anoimed.You cannot stand still.That’s the contrast,mihalchim bein ha’omdim.A human being is not anoimed; he’s amehalech.אִם בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ – He has to be walking; he has to be toiling.STEP BY STEPNow, walking means he has to journey. And journey means step by step.You don’t make a journey by one great leap. Even if you’re taking a plane, you’ll have to step up the stairs to the plane.You have to make steps and therefore, gradually a man is expected to change himself.And so we must understand that the system that is required of us is a system of gradual progress, gradual achievement. That’s whatbichukosai teilechuis saying. It’s a process, it’s step by step; nobody accomplishes things immediately. But it means that you have to be moving, always laboring and walking forward. There are no two ways about it –adam l’amal yulad,that’s why you were born.Part II.A Program for LifeDON’T YES ME!I’m not going to leave you with just this thought alone because it will have no effect. Because people say “Yes, yes,” and then they go home and forget about it.It’s easy to say, but it’s difficult to do the work. Now, work means you have to have a program.And you have to look for advice on how to work on it. Did you ever ask anybody?Ah nechtige tug.He never even thought of getting busy on it! Why should he? He’s sure he has it already.And that brings us now to a greateitzah, the great recommendation for how a person can change himself.So we’ll talk for a few minutes about a system, a system we can follow forla’asos. This system is exemplified by a certainsefercalled Cheshbon Hanefesh.Now, it’s not the only system there is, but it’s a system that works if you take it seriously. And peopleshouldtake it seriously because this is the most serious business of life – not to be anoimed, not to stand still. There’s a man in this synagogue who’s been here for forty years, almost fifty years already, and he is the same as he was when he walked in. Of course, that’s also an achievement; he could have become much worse – there are people like that too. But not spoiling is not enough. Hakadosh Baruch Hu didn’t create us to remain the same.Thegemaratells a case of tzaddikim who were taken out of this world, not because of anything wrong, but because they stopped improving. Life is only for improving, for changing.THE REMARKABLE SYSTEMSo let’s study this system, and we’ll take it seriously because that’s our business here; we were born to beameil. The author of Cheshbon Hanefesh was Rav Mendel Satanover.He lived in the time of the Gra and he was a man who exercised quality of thought.It’s remarkable what else he says in hisseferbesides what we’re going to say now. You’ll find there remarkable ideas about how to recognize thekochos hanefesh, the psychology of human nature, and how to harness a person’s qualities to do good things.When I was in Slabodka, there was ahistadrus hamussar. It was a gathering of Slabodka talmidim – Roshei yeshiva,kollelpeople andtalmidimwho came together from time to time to work onmussar.And one of the projects they undertook was to reprint some oldsefer.And they were considering – I was present at the meeting – they were considering reprinting Rabbeinu Yonah on Mishlei. And yet, even though Rabeinu Yonah is aRishon, finally they decided in favor of the Cheshbon Hanefesh.Do you know what that means? These people were experts in the subject, old Roshei Yeshiva,talmidei chachomim,and of all themussar seforimto reprint they chose the Cheshbon Hanefesh. You know, that Rav Yisrael Salanter in theseferOhr Yisrael, he says, עַיֵּן בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ“See Cheshbon Hanefesh.”It’s a remarkable thing.R’ Yisrael didn’t recommend anyseferand here you have a remark,agav orcha, he says, עַיֵּן בְּחֶשְׁבּוֹן הַנֶּפֶשׁ.That’s a tremendous recommendation.SLOWLY BUT SURELYSo here is the system that thisseferrecommends. There are easy stages; it’s a week by week program, so pay attention to what we say here now. Let’s say this week you decide you want to work on the quality of loving your fellow Jew.Now you can’t suddenly say הִנְנִי מוּכָן וּמְזֻמָּן and I’ll do it.No, you can’t do it; it won’t work. To succeed, you’ll do it by gradual stages. You commit yourself toameilus, to labor in loving your fellow Jew and you get going.You’ll pick just one Jew and you’ll concentrate on him this week.This one Jew, for this week, you’ll try to think as much as you can of his good qualities. Latch onto something! Even if it’s just his appearance, how he dresses.Somethingyou can find! Try to love him. Think of him as if he were your brother, or your son. Better yet think of him as if he were yourself.Now how much time are you going to spend?Naturally, you’re not going to spend much time.Spend two minutes a day thinking about that while you’re walking.For two minutes think about that person.And bemekayeimon him וְאָהַבְתָּ לְרֵעֲךָ כָּמוֹךָ at least two minutes.Of course, you won’t love him.At first it’s just externalities.But by the end of the week – seven times two, that’s fourteen minutes – it’s a lot of time fourteen minutes.I know that the decent people here, they say, “Fourteen minutes a week? That’s all?!” They do more than that.A nechtige tahg!Did they ever spend even one second on the subject?! Now, let’s say by the end of the week you did fourteen minutes on one person. You’re going to getschar, you’ll get a big reward for trying; just for the effort alone – besides for the perfection you achieved.NEW WEEK, NEW PROGRAMNow the next week.Next week, try something else.This week you’ll try themiddahof keeping your mouth closed.Work on that quality for a whole week; it doesn’t mean you’ll do itallweek, but at least during that week you’ll choose one hour a day. “This one hour, I’m going to shut my mouth and only open it for the necessity of saying a kind and helpful word to somebody, like good morning or thank you. Otherwise, I put a padlock on my lips for one hour a day.” That’s this week.Little by little, a person learns to control his tongue, to squelch the wisecrack, to repress some stupid remark.And when this week passes away, he’s finished.He can’t keep it up too long because the energy and ambition peter out. The Cheshbon Hanefesh says that; he says that thegevuras hanefeshpeters out and that’s why you go on to a newmiddahthe following week.But the effect stays with you even after the week ends. With a little bit of work this beautiful quality of keeping your mouth closed will make you a new man. You get home and your wife says something silly to you, you get excited and open your big mouth and it blows up. Learn to practice keeping themiddahof staying quiet. So when you’re taking hold of the doorknob, make up your mind, “No matter what she says I won’t answer back.” Make up your mind – the effect will last for the next five minutes at least. All right, five minutes is also a big achievement. And if you’reameilin it, then after a while it will last for five hours. Or the wife; she knows her husband is coming home from work soon, so she makes up her mind that she’s going to keep quiet today. So he’s quiet and she’s quiet, and it’s a beautiful evening. And not only a beautiful evening but they’re both transforming themselves into beautiful people.THE MEZUZAH PROJECTThe third week, another project. Project number three – as you pass a house where you see amezuzah, especially a bigmezuzah, bless those people.Now, they don’t know that you’re blessing them; even better.Bless the Jewish families who have bigmezuzoson their doors.The truth is you can bless any sizemezuzah.Isn’t that a beautiful thing to beameilin?For one week, as you pass bymezuzosyou pour out thebrachos.That’s living! That’s making progress!You’re traveling, not standing still.A man who does that for one week is fulfilling בְּחֻקֹּתַי תֵּלֵכוּ He’s actually walking through his neighborhood in themitzvosof Hashem.Now if you live in the frum neighborhood, there are so manymezusosyou can’t do it. So choose one block ofmezuzos; one full block. As I pass by, I look at the house and I say, “A blessing on them.”And if you want to be better, be explicit.“They should live long.” “They should be rich.” “They should be healthy.” “They should have happiness from their children.”Don’t be lazy; keep on alternating thebrachos.Get accustomed to blessing people who havemezuzoson their doorposts and do it all week. That’s this week; the third week.CHAZERINGFOUR TIMES A YEARNow, you’ll chose thirteen different programs for thirteen weeks because the year has about fifty two weeks. So four times thirteen weeks is fifty-two, so that means four times a year you’ll review these projects.Now, not everybody should work on the same thing.It depends on what you need, more or less.Some people have to refrain from spending too much time at the supper table or too much time on the couch. Here’s a man who sits down with a newspaper and a half hour goes by. Thirty minutes you need?! You have to read everything?! So for this week work on shaving off fifteen minutes. Shave fifteen minutes off that half hour every day – that’s already progress. And those fifteen minutes you can pick up agemaraand learn three lines every day. Three lines a day! You can go and make something out of yourself during those fifteen minutes. That’s alreadyameilus ba’torah. Don’t disdain fifteen minutes ofameilus; three lines every day and you’re already amehalech.This system that was outlined just now is a precious counsel that thisseferhas bequeathed to us; to work gradually on ourselves step-by-step and to be amehalech, to move all our lives, steadily ahead, even though it’s only one step at a time.However, despite everything I’m saying, most people will never do it. Most people will just ignore what we’re saying here. It’s a tragedy, but that’s how people are; they won’t do it.Theywon’tgo home tonight and take a notebook and divide it into thirteen pages and write a heading on each page – “This week I’m working on this, next week on that.” That’s what they ought to do, by the way.If that’s what you’ll do, so tonight was a very valuable night for you.And you keep that notebook with you. Even if you try it for one year or a half a year or a quarter of a year, it’s gold and diamonds.It’s already a life of accomplishment.And when people make a program in life, a program of making progress, of not standing still, that’s the greatness of succeeding in this world. That’s what you came here for! That’s your life!And therefore, do anything to start moving in the right direction!And even though you’re moving slowly, as long as you continue to move, to grow, that’s the fulfillment of the purpose of life and that’s the purpose of the world.The world was createdla’asos–for a man to make something out of himself.RABBI MILLER DISLIKES THE STYLENow, if you’ll put your mind to it, you’ll see that the opportunities forla’asos, forameilusin growth, are available all the time. Nothing is easy, and that’s the joy of life, that’s the success of this world. Let’s say, for example, theameilusof fighting against the modes of the day, the styles of the day. Now, I don’t want to go into details; I don’t want to make some people here feel slighted, but there are certain things that people do today that are a result of styles, of being in style. And I don’t approve of it. There are certain things that are only the product of theyetzer harahand for women especially – men too, but women especially, even frum women – indulge in them to make themselves look prettier. I don’t approve of thatat all.“It’s not easy,” you say. So what?! That’s what you’re here for; to beameil, to labor in the service of Hashem. You must fight back against the fashions of the day. It doesn’t mean you have to be old-fashioned, but the things that are done today in order to attract the eyes of other people, that I don’t like. A woman should never make herself too attractive in public. It’s very important, and that means that every woman, every girl, has to beameilbecause it’s not easy to fight the environment. It’s atza’ar, it’s anamal, but that’s what you came to this world for.THE EREV SHABBOS AMEILUS PROGRAMAnd the truth is that you don’t have to search forameilus– it’s always there. Here’s a woman in her house and Shabbos is coming. Shabbos is coming and she’s going crazy; she has a house full of children and she has to cook and bake and clean. But once she understands what we’re saying here tonight, so she’s not going crazy; it’s hard work, it’sameilusin Torah, absolutely, but she’s not going crazy. She’s full of joy because she knows that she’s accomplishing her purpose in this world.So she’s busy mixing the ingredients and the children are pulling at her dress. Some of them are fighting, and she’s telling them, “Don’t fight; keep quiet. Shabbos is coming,” as she puts the food in the oven. She’s building the Shabbos; it’s not easy to build but she’s doing it! That’s the meaning oflaasos, to accomplish, to live in this world for a purpose.Now here’s ayeshiva bochur; he’s not baking and cooking for Shabbos. His mother lets him stay in thebeis medrashon erev Shabbos to learn. But no matter, he can’t excuse himself from the function ofla’asos, ofamal. So he’s learning a piece ofgemara, and he labors to remember it. He goes over it again and again and again; that’slaasos, that’sameil, he’s accomplishing something. Maybe he’s tired; he’d rather lay on the couch with a magazine or a newspaper, a kosher newspaper. But he says, “No, that’s notameilus; I’m here in this world to labor in accomplishment.”Part III.Laboring in HappinessIS IT SO HARD TO BE HAPPY?And now we come to the one subject with which I want to conclude. I have so much to say to you aboutameilusstill, but I must conclude with this one subject. Because there’s another very important form of labor that is included in שֶׁתִּהְיוּ עֲמֵלִים בַּתּוֹרָה that many people don’t know about – and actually they’re surprised to hear that it requires any work at all. And that is the labor of learning how to enjoy this world.There’s no question about it that this world is full of happiness. But it’s not just something that happens; to some people more, and some less. No, it’s a part of the Torah; the Torah of happiness is a very bigcheilekof the Torah, and like all the subdivisions of Torah it requiresameilusto achieve. LikeRashiexplained, Hashem tells us that we have to beameilin Torah to acquire it. And what that means is that you have to study happiness; you have to labor in thesugyaof happiness if you want to appreciate this world. You hear thatchiddush? You can not become asamei’achb’chelko, you can not enjoy this world, unless you put in work.LAZY PEOPLE GO TO AMUSEMENT PARKSNow, the lazy people who never studied how to enjoy this world, they never labored in it, so they keeptryingto enjoy this world, but they find that this world is a place of disappointments. Even when they set out to go someplace for a good time, when they come back home they see it was a disappointment. You go to the movies, and the lights come back on again and you see it’s nothing but a fake; the story never happened. It’s only a film; there’s nothing to it. Others think that maybe that they’ll find happiness on roller coasters. And if you’re a high roller, you’ll have biggerhasagos, bigger dreams, so you’ll fly to the Bahamas to search for happiness. And trust me, you won’t find it; you won’t find happiness in the Bahamas. Bigger mosquitoes than here in Brooklyn, that you’ll definitely find. Maybe some new disease from the islands you’ll bring back; but happiness, no. Because for happiness you have to labor. And when you try to find happiness the easy way, by going to ball games and amusement parks, so it may be that you can find a thrill, some fun, yes. But happiness, no. Life becomes one big disappointment.Hashem says, “I gave you this world to enjoy itbut like all good things you have to labor for it.”הָעוֹלָם לֹא נִבְרָא אֶלָּא לְהִתְעַנֵּג – the world was only made for happiness (Mesillas Yesharim,Hakdamah). Of course the last word there is important – it says there לְהִתְעַנֵּג עַל הַשֵּׁם – to be grateful to Him, to think about Him, to appreciate what He’s giving you. We’re here to understand the gifts of Hashem and to enjoy them. And when you enjoy life by means of labor, by means of studying the gifts of Hashem, thinking about them, then Hakodosh Boruch Hu says, “You’re fulfilling your purpose.” And therefore you have no option; you have to put in effort. It’s only when people toil, when they labor to see the happiness of life, that’s how they become happy people. By means ofameilusyou can become a person who is actually overflowing withsimcha, with real joy.ENJOYING THIS WORLD WITHOUT A WRISTWATCHOnce a man ran over to me and he said, “Why are you always talking aboutOlam Hazeh?!” It was a kollel man – “You’re talking to them aboutta’anugei Olam Hazeh,” he said. I looked at him. He’s wearing a wristwatch – I don’t wear a wristwatch. He smokes – I don’t smoke. He drives a car – I don’t have a car. But I’m the guilty one who’s enjoyingOlam Hazeh!He doesn’t care forOlam Hazeh!The answer is that כְּסִיל בַּחֹשֶׁךְ הוֹלֵךְ, the fools walk in darkness (Koheles 2:14). He doesn’t know what happiness is. You don’t need wristwatches and cars to be happy; you don’t need anything to be happy exceptseichelandameilus.You must learn to appreciate the fact that you are able to breathe. Did you ever toil inlearninghow to enjoy how to breathe fresh air? Walk out of here tonight on the street and fill your lungs, those two balloons, with air. Breathe deeply; it’s a delight. The air oxygenates your blood and makes it red. The iron in the blood unites with the oxygen; the hemoglobin takes the oxygen in and it begins flowing in a form that’s easily assimilated by the body. Your whole body is delighting in that oxygen. There’s a happiness in breathing! You never thought about that? Practice it! Here’s a person who learned how to breathe deeply, and he enjoys life because of it. But it didn’t just happen that way; he labored in it. You’ll never be happy with breathing unless you work on it.SEEING HAPPINESSLearn how to enjoy the happiness of being able to see. You have two good cameras, camcorders, and as you turn your neck you can see everything around you. Isn’t that a pleasure? Isn’t it beautiful? You see everything; colors and movement and faces. Isn’t that a happiness? Of course it’s not, because you never labored in it. There’s nothing in the world as beautiful as seeing. If you think about that person you saw tapping his way in the street with a stick; he was robbed of this great happiness, and you have it!Boruch Atah Hashem, po’keiach ivrim; Ah! The happiness of seeing. If you labor in the Torah of how to be happy with your eyes so you’ll never be able to be unhappy all your life.Eizehu ashir,who is rich in this world?Hasameiach b’chelko, the one who learns to enjoy his eyes, and his lungs.Learn to enjoy the fact that you could walk.Boruch atah Hashem ha’meichin mitzadei gaver –He establishes my footsteps. What a pleasure it is to get around on my feet. Look at the man sitting in the wheelchair; he can’t walknebach. It’s a pity on him. He lost that great fun of locomotion; walking back and forth using those two Rolls Royces underneath your body! Ah, ah, ah, what a happiness! The simcha of walking, it’s a joy! The person who learns how to enjoy walking will always be full of happiness.THE HAPPINESS OF BREAD AND WATERLearn how good it is to eat a piece of bread. Eating a slice of bread is a very bigsimcha, it’s very great fun. And don’t think that it’s not a mitzvah.Boruch Atah Hashem, hamotzee lechem min ha’aretz.It’s a great fun to eat a piece of bread and to thank Hashem from the bottom of your heart. And you say that the purpose of the bread is בַּעֲבוּר שְׁמוֹ הַגָּדוֹל, for the sake of His great name. “I’ll enjoy the bread and think of His great name.”כִּי הוּא קֵל זָן וּמְפַרְנֵס לְכָל, You give food to the world. What a pleasure it is to chew on the bread. The pleasure of eating a piece of bread! How great is the daily experiences of a man who understands what it means to be able to chew a piece of bread and swallow it. What a benefit it is for the body to eat a piece of bread. It’s a blessing.Now, when you learn to enjoy the piece of bread and with it, a glass of water, that’s theameilusof a happy man. Water is a miracle; water is a combination of two gases. Can you imagine that? it’s two gases. It’s oxygen and hydrogen and neither of them on its own could quench his thirst. And then it comes together by an electric spark and it becomes water. That’s a miracle! Aneis! And thatneisgoes into your body and it lubricates all your joints; it makes your eyes sparkle; it causes your blood to flow so that it shouldn’t congeal. Water is life!Boruch Atah Hashem sh’hakol n’ihiyeh b’dvaro.Practice that; practice enjoying a glass of water. When the children are sitting at the table on Shabbos the first thing they stretch out their hands for is for the soda, for the juice, the colored water, the dirty water they want to drink. Teach them that the plain water is happiness.EVEN TZADIKIM DRINK WATER AND SLEEPEventzadikimeat bread and drink water; and Hakodosh Boruch Hu says, “I’m not going to reward you for not being happy. I don’t like grumpytzadikim. If you’re not happy, it’s your own fault.” Hashem doesn’t want him to be unhappy with the bread or unhappy with the water. They’re supposed to sayBoruch Atah Hashem.I could go on all night – if you don’t work on appreciating sleeping well so you’ll never know what happiness is. You young fellows, you put your head on the pillow and right away you waft off into slumberland.Ah geshmakehsweet sleep. But you’ll never appreciate it if you don’t labor in it. Ah, the pleasure of sleeping well; you wake up and you’re a refreshed, you’re a new person.And so little by little, when a man works to gain the insights that cause happiness, so the world becomes a happy place. So not only can a person succeed by beingameilin the words of the Torah itself, but he can succeed by beingameilin living a Torah life. And don’t think it’ll be deducted from your reward inOlam Hababecause you enjoyed Hashem in this world. Thescharof happiness in Hashem’s gifts cause you to sing to Hashemin this world and you’ll continue singing in happiness to Him in the world to come.THE END OFAMEILUSROADSo if we learned anything tonight, it’s how important this element ofameilusis for succeeding in our function ofla’asos. We’re here in this world “to do,” and doing is not meant to be easy. But once you begin to understand this vital Torah attitude, life becomes the place of the greatest pleasure because it becomes the place of achievement and accomplishments through small but steady steps.And that’s why the Torah says thatim bechukosai teleichu,if you labor in Mymitzvos, you will be rewarded with all good things: rains and produce and peace and long life. What does that mean that Hashem will give us plenty to eat? Does it mean that you’ll have the opportunity to eat more breakfasts and more suppers? Is that what it’s all about? No, it doesn’t mean that. The Rambam explains that all these rewards mean that you’ll have more opportunities to achieve something more while you’re in this world. Because the longer you live, the more produce and peace that you have, the more you can accomplish. Your station inOlam Habahdepends on what you do inOlam Hazeh.And therefore the greatest reward is וְנָתַתִּי שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ, peace in the land, because you’ll have more years to beameilinla’asos, and to make yourself into a new person. And once you begin walking down this path ofim bechukosai teileichu, of laboring in this world and achieving, so בַּדֶּרֶךְ שֶׁאָדָם רוֹצֶה לָלֶכֶת מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ – Hakodosh Boruch Hu will help you succeed at walking even more. And not only will you be fulfilling what Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants you to do – but you’re transforming yourself into something much more noble than when you were born – you’re remaking yourself! And so, on that final day, when you have to return yourneshamato Hakodosh Boruch You, you’ll be able to say, “Hashem, I spent my days beingameilinbechukosai teileichu –I fulfilledla’asos, and now I come back to You prepared to receive my eternal reward.” See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Part I.We’re TenantsEARTHQUAKE IN ERETZ YISROELAnyone who reads this week’sparshaknows that in ancient times there was a great “earthquake” that shook the land of Eretz Yisroel every fifty years. Now, the land did not actually shake but on the tenth day of the year, soon after Yovel came in, a loud shofar blast was blown in Eretz Yisroel, and it was a sound that reverberated throughout the land causing great turmoil. It was a blast that was the catalyst for such great commotion, such movement and upheaval, that it was as if an earthquake had shaken the land.What did the sound of the shofar mean? It was an announcement, a grand proclamation to all the residents of Eretz Yisroel that: וְהָאָרֶץ לֹא תִמָּכֵר לִצְמִתֻת – “The land shall not be sold forever” (Behar 25:23), and what that meant was that the fields and homes that had been purchased in the last forty-nine years were now returned to their previous owners. That’s how it was in Eretz Yisroel in the times of the first Beis Hamikdash; whenever someone sold a property, it would revert back to the previous owner when Yovel came around. And so, as the Yovel year began, many people who had purchased real estate during the last fifty years had to pack up all their worldly possessions and leave their homes. Many large families with many children were uprooted from their homes.THE REAL ESTATE TUMULTFifty years! That’s a long time! People had become accustomed to living on this property and they invested a lot of money and effort into beautifying their lands and their houses. And now, when that shofar sounded, it was a decree from the King that all the fields that had been purchased in the last fifty years were to be surrendered back to their original owners. And that meant that there was a great flow of people, a tremendous commotion, as people moved from one place to another. Many who had no land of their own for fifty years, people who had wandered like beggars because they had to sell off everything to pay debts, were now restored to their ancestral estates. And on the other hand there were those who had been living in style in big beautiful houses, on spacious grounds – but they had bought them – so now they moved out, back onto the street.Of course, it wasn’t a surprise; they knew it was coming, but as prepared as they could have been, we understand that it was a big disturbance for the nation. It had to be, because when real estate must change hands it’s not a simple matter. You’ll have to set records straight, and there are bound to be arguments to settle; this man says that the implements on the land – his plow or the livestock – belong to him, and the other one disputes that. There was a great deal of arranging to do and it wasn’t simple. The whole land was in a hubbub. The roads were packed with families; mothers and fathers walking, wagons filled with children and belongings, some heading back home, others leaving their homes. Nobody felt settled; the nation was in an uproar.IT’S ALL MINE!Now, such a ceremony, such a national displacement – multitudes of people leaving their homes and traveling the roads – had to have an important purpose! And therefore we should pay attention to what the Torah tells us about this great commotion of Yovel; why is everyone moving? So we take a look at the reason Hakodosh Boruch Hu gives: כִּי לִי הָאָרֶץ – “The land belongs to Me! You can’t sell My land outright!” כִּי גֵרִים וְתוֹשָׁבִים אַתֶּם עִמָּדִי – “You are merely sojourners, settlers, who are living by Me.” That means, “I am your host, and you are My guests.”And now we learn a reason for this great commotion. It was a message for the nation; all over the country, they were learning the lesson that the land has a landlord. And it’s a lesson that had to be learned. Otherwise, it would be easy to forget. Here’s a man who came in with Yehoshua bin Nun when they conquered the land and he had delighted in a beautiful fertile land that he found spread out before him. So he invested everything he had into it. All of his energies and all of his time, he put into the land, both he and his children. And so, after a while, they forget that this land once was not theirs and they therefore had to be reminded that somebody had given it to them.And so, once in fifty years all the purchased properties returned to their previous owners to show thatnobodyhas a right in the land. Everybody took notice. Even the people who had no minds, people who didn’t think, they became aware. They saw movement, moving off land, moving into the land. “What’s happening here?!” And that was the great drama of the Yovel that Hashem intended. In order to make everyone understand – not just understand, but in order that everyone shouldfeel in their bonesthat they are only visitors on the land.WILL AMERICA TURN SOCIALIST?Now, it’s not only the nation that practices and studies themitzvahofYovel, who are mere visitors in this world. The Germans and the Norwegians and the Eskimos are only visiting as well. The Pole who has been living in Poland way back as far as his history records is also a stranger. And the Hottentot climbing the trees in the same jungle where his forefathers have been running around for hundreds, maybe thousands of years, he’s also only a visitor in this world. They’re all visitors here and nothing is going to change that; when the time comes they’re also going to leave this world – the only question is where they’re going to leave to.But the gentile nations weren’t privileged to have themitzvah, the reminder of Yovel. If agoybuys or sells real estate in America or in England, so as long as the liberals don’t have their way, as long as the government doesn’t turn Socialist, so the gentiles could stay in their land forever. They don’t have to be reminded that the land is not theirs, because they are themishpechos ha’adamah, the families of the earth; that means – their functionis this world. Theirpurposehere isadamahpurposes – to farm the land, to put down roofs, to be firemen and everything else the world needs. But theAm Yisroelwas given the special privilege of being taught by Hashem that they have a different purpose altogether. By means of the special institution of Yovel we’re reminded that our stay here is only temporary and that what we’re aiming for is something much higher than this world.MR. P. NEEDS OXYGENNow, when you don’t get special instruction, or if you don’t listen to instruction, so you begin to think thatthisis your place. Like the man who moved in next door to me years ago; I remember him well because as we walked to shul on Shabbos morning, he would be outside in his garden clipping his bushes. So this man – he was quite elderly already when he moved in – he decided to put up a metal fence, an expensive wrought iron fence. And in the middle of the fence was a big metal circle – like a shield, an escutcheon – and he put his initial, a big P of cast iron in the middle. It was something that would last for the next two hundred years. And I was thinking, that initial is only good forhim, forhisname. But how long will he be there?Well, it wasn’t too long. One night, we heard outside somebody crying out. His son was running out of the house, running down the street, yelling “Oxygen!” He ran around the corner to the fire station and brought back a little oxygen tank, but it was too late; his father was finished already. And so the family eventually moved, and now somebody else bought the home. The colored man living there now has a big P on the gate in front of his house! It’s not his initial, but it’s still there in heavy metal, an insert in the gate memorializing the man who thought he would be around forever.A HUNDRED YEAR VISITNow, I never saw a Yovel in my life, but this message I did see. I saw it with my own eyes and I took it as a lesson from Hakodosh Boruch Hu that that’s what happens when a person becomes attached to one place; he begins to feel that it’s permanent, that this is security. People start thinking after a while, that they’re here for the next thousand years. It’s not an exaggeration; that’s exactly what they think! Of course, if you tell him so, he’ll ridicule you: “Don’t be silly; I know that one day I will be gone.” But in his heart of hearts, he still hopes, “Maybe I’ll make it. Maybe I’ll be around for a thousand years.” Everybody is like that; they think they’ll get out of it some way. “I’ll hang around; not like the other fools who get finagled into leaving this world.”The gentile, orchas v’chalila,the Jew who doesn’t learn the lesson ofYovel, so he puts his initial in wrought iron on his fence. But when you know, when you really knowthat you’re only a visitor here you live differently.Now, some people understand this lesson; they take the hint of Hakodosh Boruch Hu and live with the understanding that they are only visitors here. Like the Chofetz Chaim,zichrono livracha. I told you this story already, it’s a story you all know already, but I’ll say it again because it’s the point of our talk tonight. Once a visitor came in to the Chofetz Chaim’s house and he was waiting in what he thought was the anterior room, a waiting room. There was a table there made of a few boards of wood nailed together, and there were a few old benches there too, also just some lumber nailed together. So when the Chofetz Chaim finally came out to greet the visitor, the guest said, “Rebbe, you don’t have to talk to me here; let’s go inside.” So the Chofetz Chaim said, “This is the inside.” “Butrebbe, where is the furniture?” So the Chofetz Chaim said to the visitor, “Where isyourfurniture?” “My furniture?! I’m from America; I can’t take my furniture with me. I’m just traveling through.” So the Chofetz Chaim said, “So am I.”THE LANDLORD WANTS RENT TOO?!On the other hand, I visited a poor man once. He was earning about ninety dollars a week in those days; it was about twenty years ago. I was sitting on the sofa in his house and he told me – maybe he was trying to impress me – he said, “This sofa cost me eight hundred dollars.” Now today, it’s nothing, but in those days when I heard eight hundred dollars, I nearly fell off the sofa. I was sitting on a sofa that cost this man almost ten weeks of his life. Now, I don’t know if that sofa is still around like my neighbor’s P; probably not. But the lesson is still there – it means that the lesson of Yovel hasn’t been learned yet; it means that we don’t yet understand that we’re only visiting here.Number one is to know that you’re not a landlord here, you’re a tenant. Because of habit, people tend to forget that there is a landlord. Let’s say your landlord takes a trip to Eretz Yisroel and he stays away for five months and in the meantime he doesn’t collect rent, so it becomes a habit. If he would come back and ask for rent so you feel like it’s an imposition. In just five months you became accustomed to being the owner of this place. And we’re here for much more than five months! Seventy, eighty years, is a long time and so we begin to think that this is our place, that this is where we’ll be forever.THE VISIT HAS A PURPOSEAnd so, keeping in mind that we’re visitors here becomes a very important function of how we live. It’s not enough to say over a story of the Chofetz Chaim; you have tothinkabout it – it’s a very important subject and we should study it seriously.Olam Haba; that is our place! Here we don’t really belong – we’re just passing through, headed to a better place. And if you’re a person like the Chofetz Chaim let’s say, if you feel like a visitor in this world, so you have higherhasagosthan iron fences and expensive sofas. You consider your success to be in more important things, in things of the spirit.This is expressed in apossukin Tehillim (119:19) when Dovid Hamelech said: גֵּר אָנֹכִי בָאָרֶץ – “I am a stranger in this world, אַל תַּסְתֵּר מִמֶּנִּי מִצְוֹתֶיךָ – Don’t hide from me Your commandments.” What’s the connection between the first part of thepossukand the second? I am a stranger in this world and therefore teach me Your will?! It’s a non-sequitur.And the answer is this: “If I had no other function in this world than just to be here like a forest or a mountain, if I was from themishpechos ha’adamah,so my function would be fulfilled just by living here. I wouldn’t ask You for anything. But that’s not my function.Geir anochi ba’aretz– I realize that I am only a visitor here and I am headed for a different goal. And if that’s the case, I have a lot to accomplish in this world where it’s very easy to get lost in its ‘permanence.’ And that’s why I’m asking You to give me success here.Part II.Tenants with PurposeTHE BOOK OF MEDITATIONSAnd now we come to the subject of what is this success that Dovid was aiming for? What should be the result of this knowledge that we’re only visitors here? So for that we look into theChovos Halevavos, and because his words are always gems we should pay attention to what he says. HisSha’ar Cheshbon Hanefeshis a section in which he talks about subjects which people ought to meditate on; certain mental exercises that we are expected to think about. And he suggests thirty different ideas – thirty forms of contemplation which he recommends for people who want to make progress. Of course there are many things concerning which we should think, and those who are capable can add to the list, but he gives us thirty ideas to fill our mind with.Now, you can be a good Jew even if you don’t strain your mind too much, but if you want to be something better, if you want to be successful in this world, it’s necessary to contemplate certain ideas. There’s no doubt that to be something in this world you must spend some time thinking. And therefore, the list of the Chovos Halevavos is a boon for those people who want to make progress in this world.At the end of his list, he comes tohamashlim hashloshim, his grand finale, what perhaps is the most important attitude upon which he urges us to spend time thinking. And we’ll quote his words and try to understand them:Hamashlim hashloshim hu cheshbonha’adam im nafsho, the thirtieth thing that a man should think with himself is,b’tna’ei hageirus b’olam hazeh, about his circumstances of being a sojourner, a visitor in this world. That means that everybody is expected to set aside time for thinking, for contemplating the fact that he is only passing through this world temporarily and that he doesn’t really belong here. And therefore he should never feel completely settled and secure in life.TAKING MONEY FROM THE CHINESELet’s say a man went to China for business. He didn’t go there to mingle with the Chinese, or even to visit the tourist sites there. He went for business; in order to make some money to bring back to where hereallybelongs. He’s not interested in anything else – their language is alien to him, their customs are strange to him, their customs are queer in his eyes. He doesn’t belong to them at all. And even though he might want to go see the Great Wall of China; he’s curious after all, and it’s easier to look at walls than to close business deals. But he knows that he came for one purpose – to take as much money and goods from China as he can. And while he’s there that’s his sole interest.So he gets into the export business. He gets busy exporting as much as he could out of China. He doesn’t want to leave anything there because he knows that sooner or later he’ll be back home. And that’s us! Our job in this world is to get into the export business. We’re here to take out all that we can. Now, what to export, that’s a lot to talk about, but good deeds surely are valuables that you can take along with you. Thinking about Hashem, that’s definitely something you’ll take with you.Torahu’ma’asim tovim, that’s the cash you’ll take along with you. Ortzeddakahthat you gave. If you give away charity, it’s in your pocket and you’ll take it along with you forever.ALL FOR THE BOSSI once knew a Mr. Hermanzichrono l’vrachafrom the Lower East Side. Now, Mr. Herman was one of the very few devoted frum Jews in the olden days of America.B’leiv v’nefeshhe was devoted to Hakodosh Boruch Hu. And he told me once that when he saw that all his money was going lost, that his business was quickly failing – it was at the time of the Great Depression. So he right away took a thousand dollars – in those days a thousand dollars was a small fortune – and he gave it away totzedakahon the spot. He said, “Why should I lose that too? Why should I lose my chance at exporting more goods into the Next World?” And so Mr. Herman was a smart businessman and he quickly exported another container out of China.Now, what to do forthis worldwhile you’re still here – I’m not going to tell you right now what you should or shouldn’t do. Should you beautify your home? Should you try to make money? The businessman in China has to sleep somewhere! He can’t sleep on the street. He has to eat as well and keep himself healthy if he wants to succeed. And if he’ll be there for a few years so he’ll have his family with him and he’ll have to provide for them as well. And that costs money.YOU’RE ENTITLED TO A GREEN THUMBSo if you buy a beautiful home and you have a big garden around it, OK, I’m not saying you can’t invest into beautifying your place. Why not? If you like garden work, agriculture, if you have a green thumb, why not? If you can paint on your own, or you can hire people to beautify your home, why not? Maybe why yes? You’ll have to think that through. But whatever you decide, there’s a condition that you always must keep before your mind’s eye: That we’re only tenants. Even though you have a deed and it’s registered in City Hall, and even though you’re painting your house, and fixing your garden, you can’t forget that you’re only a tenant here.It’sHashem’shome and you’re visiting for a little bit; you’re a tenant. Certainly you should live a normal life; but it has to be the normal life of a visitor. You should keep in mind always this great principle, that you’re like a man in a railway station. Let’s say you’re in Grand Central and you have a chance to do some business there. You can buy from one person and sell it to somebody else at the station. Why not? No reason why not. But you have to know that soon you’ll be hearing a whistle and the conductor will shout, “All aboard.” And you won’t have a choice, you’ll have to get aboard. And so if you’ll keep that in mind, that the train is coming sooner or later, so there’s no reason why you can’t have a nice home as well. As long as you’ll be able to hop on board with a big amount of paper money or banknotes that you’ll be able to cash in when you get to your destination, so you’ve accomplished!And so, in order to remind theAm Yisroelof their condition in this world it was necessary to have aYovel. It was necessary to have this big commotion every fifty years as a national lesson.Everybodybecame aware. Even the people who had no minds, who didn’t think, became aware. They saw the tumult, the roads jammed with people, families moving out of homes, into homes. What’s happening here?! What’s going on? “It’s no secret,” says Hashem. “I’m telling it to you as open as could be. כִּי לִי הָאָרֶץ – “The land is mine”, כִּי גֵרִים וְתוֹשָׁבִים אַתֶּם עִמָּדִי – “You are only strangers and sojourners with me.” The land doesn’t belong to anyone, not to the one who bought it and not the original owner. It belongs to Somebody else; the real Landlord.”THE LANDLORD AT THE DOORNow, it’s true that we don’t have theYovelnowadays. We don’t have that privilege of being reminded with such an earth shaking event that turns theAmYisroelupside down. But there are other ways that we remind ourselves. We put the name of our Landlord on every doorpost. Did you know that? וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ (Devarim 11:20). That’s one of the important reasons for themitzvahofmezuzah. Whenever you pass through a doorway, it should remind you who owns the house (RambamHil. Mezuzah6:13). Of course, you saved up for years, and finally you got the deed to the house. For years and years you paid and paid to the bank until finally they mailed to you the deed – you’re free and clear. It’s finally yours!No, you’re not free and clear! Because every time you pass themezuzahyou’re reminded that you still have a Landlord who is the real Owner of the property. And so themezuzahis a remarkable opportunity for learning the lessons ofYovel. If you take advantage of themezuzah, even if it’s only once a day, you can succeed at acquiring the realization that כִּי לִי הָאָרֶץ, that the earth belongs to Hashem and that we’re only passing through; just as our forefathers did inEretz Yisroelwhen they still had the institution ofYovel.Part III.Friends of the LandlordONE HUNDRED MEANINGS OF “ONE”Now, the most important words inside yourmezuzahareShema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad– “Hashem is One.” You know that these first words in Shema have a number of meanings. I know onemechaberwho wrote aseferwith a hundred meanings and they’re all valuable, all very important. But we won’t try that much; right now we’ll concentrate on the onepeirushthat we need to better understand our subject.TheChovos Halevavos(ibid.), tells us that thepossukdescribing the Yovel, כִּי גֵרִים וְתוֹשָׁבִים אַתֶּם עִמָּדִי “You are sojourners with Me in this world,” is actually teaching us apeirushin what it means that Hashem is One. Because actually, Yovel teaches us much more than that we are travelers who don’t own our homes. כִּי גֵרִים וְתוֹשָׁבִים אַתֶּם – עִמָּדִי – “You are sojournerswith Me!” “With Me,” meansonlywith Me.Hashem Echad– as far as you’re concerned there is nobody else in the world except you and Me.And so, theYovelis letting us know that as we live out the years of our lives in this temporary world, we do so as lonely strangers, passing through this world. Nobody else exists in the world, except for Hashem. That’s the idea contained in this important meaning ofHashem Echad,that He’s the only One in our lives.BUT I DON’TFEELLONELY!Now, that’s not easy for a person to accept. He thinks thatb’soch ami anochi yosheves, that he has relatives, a community, friends. He doesn’t feel alone. Hashem? Yes, Hashem is also real, he’ll admit that, he’s a frum man after all. “But the people around me, that’sreallyreal,” he thinks. And what that means is that he’s missing out on the most important point of this entire drama of Yovel that Hashem is making. Yovel is telling you – that you are עִמָּדִי, together with Me, alone, all the days of your life.I want you to listen to the following words of Dovid Hamelech. Dovid appealed to Hakodosh Boruch Hu: תָּעִיתִי כְּשֶׂה אֹבֵד – “I am wandering like a lost sheep, Hashem, בַּקֵּשׁ עַבְדֶּךָ – “Search out Your servant” (Tehillim 119:176). That means, “Please find me Hashem because I’m lost; I’m all alone in this world.” Now, you know that Dovid was a man of very great success and power and we’re told that לִבּוֹ כְּלֵב הָאַרְיֵה – “He had a heart like the heart of a lion.” (Shmuel II 17:10). He was born with a nature of a lion, and fear was alien to him. He was energetic and brave, and that’s besides for hisbitachon, his trust in Hakodosh Boruch Hu. And yet, this great man revealed his soul when he appealed to Hakodosh Boruch Hu: “I am wandering like a lost and lonely sheep; please find me.”WHO IS THE RIGHT CANDIDATE?Now, if anybodywasn’tlost in this world it was Dovid Hamelech. Looking at him, you would say that he’s the last person in the world to be a candidate for the role of the lost sheep. But what we see is that Dovid understood more than other people what is man’s station in this world. He is enunciating here the great principle of our loneliness in Olam Hazeh – the great principle that there is nobody in the world except for you and Hashem.And that’s what Dovid said: הַבֵּיט יָמִין וּרְאֵה וְאֵין לִי מַכִּיר – “I look on my right hand and I see that there’s nobody who knows me” (Tehillim 142:5). “Nobody who knows me”!? Dovid of all people?! He was always surrounded by friends; he always had loyal men with him. And yet, when he looked around he saw that he had no one. He felt he was a stranger to everyone. I look at my right hand side and I see that no one knows me! You think they know you? No, it’s only a dream. That’s the real truth, and that’s what Dovid Hamelech was always telling himself. He would sit in the royal court, and look around at his many friends; his admirers, all the courtiers, and he would whisper to himself, “Ein li makir, there’s nobody with me; there’s nobody in this world except for You Hashem.”WALKING WITH HASHEMNow, some people think that Dovid was just saying words – he was just being poetic, creating prose for hissefer Tehillim. But that’s not who Dovid was at all; Dovid spoke words that came from the heart, words that would spring forth from hisneshamaafter many hours of walking in the fields with Hakodosh Boruch Hu. Dovid walked with Hashem making thatcheshbon ha’adam im nafshothat we spoke about. He thought many hoursb’tna’ei hageirus b’olam hazeh, about his condition of being a sojourner, a visitor, in this world. And he realized the truth that as far as a man is concerned there isn’t anybody in this world except for Hashem.There isn’t a soul around and that’s the real truth. It’s only imagination. All the forms around you are just ships that pass in the night that have no permanent connection with you. And the truth is – don’t say this over at home – but even your wife and your children are transitory figures. They’re not really whoyouare. It so happens that Hakodosh Boruch Hu took some protoplasm made from some of His chemicals and He gave you a father and a mother; He gave you brothers and sisters; and friends and neighbors. But it’s only protoplasm after all. It’s only Hashem’s imagination; it’s only temporary. They came out of the earth, and they were put there for you to deal with them according to the ways of the Torah. And that’s how they’ll deal with you as well, because you’re also only the imagination of Hashem.YOUR IMAGINARY ALLIESNow that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get married. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have friends. Oh no! You have to do everything that’s expected of you while you’re in this world. You can’t ignore everyone else. You can’t say, “My father and my mother are only transitory figures, so I’ll ignore them.” Nothing doing! Nothing doing! You have to discharge your obligations fully – only that you must not lose sight of your Best Friend in this world, Hakadosh Baruch Hu. You have a wife, and you have children, and friends, and neighbors, and teachers, but you can’t be fooled by it all. It’s a big danger, this world, because if you don’t ever make thischeshbon ha’adam im nafsho, if you never make time to think about your condition ofgeirusin this world, so life creates the impression that you’re surrounded with allies; fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, relatives, and friends.When things are settled, when life settles into the humdrum, so a person feels secure – he has his home, his family, his job – and he’s surrounded by people. And it’s among people, when a person feels like he belongs, that’s when it’s so easy to forget about Hakodosh Boruch Hu. Like right now, it seems like we’re together; we’re sitting together in the same room; maybe some of you are sleeping but more or less, it seems like we’re together. But it’s not true; really we are all at sea like ships passing in the night. They pass for a moment and then they’re gone. That’s how people are in this world. It seems that you have friends but the friends disappear in the course of time. And of course you also disappear. And all you have left is Hakodosh Boruch Hu.THE HOLY BACHELORSo even if you’re a loyal husband or a loyal wife, a loyal father or a loyal mother, and you have a house full of children,kein ayin hara, sometimes, when you find yourself alone, make sure to utilize the opportunity to exercise these thoughts. Let’s say the babies are all asleep, and the other ones went out to the yeshiva, and your husband is at work, and you’re alone. Or better yet, if you’re a bachelor. It’s not better to be a bachelor, but if you are, make use of the opportunity.You’re alone. Revel in that opportunity. Just think of how you’d be deprived of the awareness of Hashem if you were surrounded right now by a large family. You would have to exchange your thoughts of Hashem for banter with the children, and for talking with your wife. The telephone is ringing all the time. And here you are alone, nobody bothers you, nobody even knows about you; you’re sitting all alone in your little den, and you’re alone with Hakodosh Boruch Hu. You and Hakodosh Boruch Hu are alone together. That’s an opportunity! And when such opportunities come your way, you should grab them and utilize them.ALL ALONE ON THE CROWDED SUBWAYBut we’re saying here that you don’t have to wait for that quiet moment; for when the special occasion presents itself. Because even when you’re walking on the street, you’re all alone with Hashem. Let’s say you’re on Broadway at the end of the day, and a wave, an ocean of humanity is pouring out of the office buildings. And sometimes it’s so crowded you can’t even walk, you’re being carried along to the subway, with thousands of people. Just then, that’s when you should think, “Hashem Echad! I’m alone with You in this world.”And when you get onto the train, no difference. You’re hanging on to the strap at 5:30 in the subway – if you were lucky enough to get a strap to hang on to. And as you’re hanging on the strap, first of all make sure that your wallet is secure – don’t go off in dreams and forget practical things. And as you’re holding on tightly like this, with one hand on the strap and one hand on your wallet, think that you’re all alone here; it’s just you and Hakodosh Boruch Hu. Close your eyes and feel that the place is empty. All around you is a storm of humanity with all their little interests, their little worries, their conversations, their little minds; and you’re holding onto the strap all alone with your Best Friend.It’s an exercise – and it’s well worth it. And it comes highly recommended by theChovos Halevavos. He says that it’s possible to be in solitude in the midst of a multitude. That’s his expression, הִתְבּוֹדְדוּת בְּתוֹךְ הֲמוֹנִים – “In the midst of a multitude you can be all alone.” Because that’s the real truth; even when you’re in a crowd, you’re hanging on a strap in the subway, you’re all alone because everything else isonly a dream –kachalom ya’uf– like a passing dream. And the more you think, the more you’re exercising the flabby muscles of your soul. And therefore as frequently as possible try to remember that you and Hakodosh Boruch Hu are alone in the world.MOSHE RABEINU’S COMPOSITIONMoshe Rabeinu said that, and he said it in words that everybody knows. Only that most people never stop to think about these words. תְּפִלָּה לְמֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹקִים – It’s a prayer composed by Moshe, one of the rare things left over from the days of old, a memento of Moshe’s own composition that lets us peer into the mind of theishha’elokim, that great man of G-d. Moshe Rabbeinu, he said a lot of good things, but we don’t have them. One remnant remains from the precious mouth of this great teacher, and it’s a diamond. A prayer by Moshe; isn’t that an opportunity?! We should study that! Moshe’s own composition!And here’s what he said: הַשֵּׁם מָעוֹן אַתָּה הָיִיתָ לָּנוּ – “Hashem, You are our dwelling place” (Tehillim 90:1). It’s a remarkable statement. It means, “Hashem, we don’t have a place to live and so we livein You.” You know when that was? Ideally it was in the wilderness. We had no place to be in the wilderness. We didn’t have any land, no place to settle. Wherever we did settle, it was only temporary. We were surrounded by the Shechina, by the clouds of glory, and You were our dwelling place. We lived in You. And that was the training, the prototype for the rest of our history; because wherever we go we still live in You.That’s why theAm Yisroel,when they talk about Hashem, so they sayHamakom.Hamakom yinacheim,Hamakomthis,Hamakomthat.Makommeans place and Hashem istheplace. We live in Him. You think you live in a house; you think you live in a home with your parents or your spouse and your children. No, you live in Hashem, that’s all. He’s your home.THE ARABS TEACH US ABOUT YOVELWe have to be aware of that. That’s part of our job in this world, to remember that there’s no place in this world; it’s all imagination – there’s only one true place.Hamakom! Hakodosh Boruch Hu is the place. Even the place where we are is only a dream, it’s our imagination. We have no place but you!That’s why a Jew is always hounded in this world; the Jew walks on the street in Europe and thegoyimcast slurs on him; they tell him, “Get out of our country you dirty Jew. Go to Israel!” And if he does, so theArabstell him to get out, the U.N. tells him to get out. And it’s not for no reason – it’s important instruction to let him know that he really has no place in this world. And the purpose of not having any place in this world is to discover that we do have a place. And that place isHamakom Baruch Hu– Hakadosh Baruch Hu is called a place, because wherever we are, it’s only Him whom we live with.So what do we see? That the great ceremony of the Yovel was intended as a lesson for theAm Yisroel. It was a national demonstration of the most important truths – I say most important because it reveals to us the truth of our condition in this world. It’s really one lesson, but we separated it into two for the sake of better understanding it. First of all, theYoveldemonstrated to us that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is the Landlord and that we are only tenants visiting in this world. And in order that we should keep this lesson in our minds at all times the Torah instituted this remarkable practice – a great shuffle up once every fifty years – so that it would make the deepest impression into ourneshamos.OUR OLD FRIENDAnd the second lesson, the more subtle teaching, is that our Landlord is theonlyone we have in this world. We’re strangers, we’re all alone in this world andHakadosh Baruch Hu is our only Friend. And He’s the best Friend you could have. That’s what it says: רֵעֲךָ וְרֵעַ אָבִיךָ אַל תַּעֲזֹב – “Don’t forsake your Friend and the Friend of your father” (Mishlei 27:10). That’s אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֵאֱלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ. That’s our old Friend. He is tried and trusted and He’s the only one we have.And even though today we don’t have theYovel; we don’t hear the shofar blast, and we don’t feel the earthquake that once woke theAm Yisroelfrom its slumber, from the lethargy of not thinking, but we study it and we gain as much as we possibly can from its teachings.And the wise person always makes use of the deed to his home that adorns his doorposts. Every time we pass in and out of our homes we are reminded that our home is not really a home at all; it’s merely the place we’re visiting temporarily. It’s the place where we spend our fleeting lives preparing to enter our permanent home in the next world, where we will meet theHashem Echadwho was our one and only true Friend in this world.HAVE A WONDERFUL SHABBOS See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. 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Counting the DaysPart I.Counting for WisdomWHEN IS SHAVUOS?In this week’sparshawe are introduced to themitzvahofsefiras ha’omer, the counting of forty-nine days between the bringingof theOmerofferingand theyomtovofShavuos:וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם מִמָּחֳרָת הַשַּׁבָּת – “You shall count for yourselves from the morrow of the first day of Pesach, מִיּוֹם הֲבִיאֲכֶם אֶת עֹמֶר הַתְּנוּפָה – from the day that you bring the Omer offering, עַד מִמׇּחֳרַת הַשַּׁבָּת הַשְּׁבִיעִת – until the day after the seventh week when you will celebrateShavuos”(Vayikra 23:15). In the Torah theyomtovofShavuosis not designated by a certain day of the month; instead it depends entirely on the counting of days. “Today is day one,” “Today is day two,” “Today three, and so forth until we say “Today is day forty-nine,” and then we know thatShavuosis tomorrow.That’s how it’s been for all of our history; the whole Jewish nation stands up and countssefira. From the time Yehoshua entered the land until thechurban bayis rishon,the destruction of theBeis Hamikdash, we were counting. And even when we were exiled from our land and couldn’t bring theOmeranymore, they continued to count the days fromPesachuntilShavuos– we’re still counting today. For forty-nine days we become the nation that counts.But there’s a question here. Because if the purpose of this counting was merely to know when to celebrateShavuos– as it appears from thepossuk– so the Torah could have merely said, “And seven weeks after the first day of Pesach you should celebrateShavuos.” What’s the necessity of a special counting, a special ceremony of counting the days? And even more than that, why is it that weallhave to count? Let theBeis Dincount; letthemkeep count and let us know! That’s how it is with counting theshmittayears after all. Themitzvahto count the years forshmittaandyovelfalls exclusively on theBeis Dinand we don’t participate at all.THE NATIONAL COUNTING CEREMONYAnd yet, when it comes tosefiras ha’omerthe Torah goes out of its way to obligate every single one of us to participate in the counting. Thegemara(Menachos 65b) says regarding themitzvahof counting theOmer: וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם – “And you should countlachem, foryourselves; andchazaltell us that the plurallachemis used to teach, שֶׁתְּהֵא סְפִירָה לְכָל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד – that the counting must be done byeveryindividual.”So what’s this national business of counting? A whole nation of millions should stop everything to count days?! What for? Of course, you’ll hear many reasons you’ll hear – we’ve spoken about them here too – ideas that correspond to theOmerandMatan Torahand to the days in between. But we’ll focus now on a more general idea, an important attitude that pertains not only to these forty nine days beforeShavuos,but to the counting of all the days of our lives!613 PANORAMAS OF OPPORTUNITYThe brother of the Vina Gaon in his seferMa’alos Hatorah(Hakdamah) teaches us a very important rule – he says it in the name of the Gra, but it’s found in theRishonimas well – and it’s an idea that opens up for us a panorama of opportunity. He declares that although the six hundred and thirteenmitzvosof the Torah are commandmentson their own, yet they are also intended to be much more than that. He says that they are actually six hundred and thirteenklalim, general principles, that serve as models that should guide us in our everyday lives. And therefore, although we do not add to themitzvos, yet we can always surmise in which direction Hashem wishes that our minds should go by studying these general principles.Now, if themitzvahof counting days is intended as a model for us, we should spend some time trying – at least a little bit – to understand what we’re being taught here. In which direction is Hakodosh Boruch Hu guiding us by commanding us to count these days?DOVID HAMELECH LEARNS TO COUNTInTehillim(90:12) there’s apossukלִמְנוֹת יָמֵינוּ כֵּן הוֹדַע – “Make known to us how to count our days properly.” We say it every Shabbos morning, and we should take it to heart because it is of the utmost consequence to each one of us. Dovid Hamelech is saying here a supplication, atefillato Hakadosh Baruch Hu: “Please Hashem,” he said, “Please teach us how to count our days.”Now, just to count days, Dovid Hamelech wouldn’t need to call out to Hashem. You need Hashem to teach you to count days?! A littleyingelat home, even before he goes out to thecheder, can count days. You count, that’s all! So we look back at ourpossukand we see that it wasn’t that Dovid wanted to know how tocount. “Teach us how to count our days ‘kein’, how to count our daysproperly,” he said.The wordkeinmeans ‘properly’ like we findכֵּןבְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד דּוֹבְרוֹת – “The daughters ofTzelofchadare speaking correctly, properly” (Bamidbar 27:7). So לִמְנוֹת יָמֵינוּ כֵּן הוֹדַע means, “Make us know how to count our dayscorrectly.” It’s not enough to count; for themitzvahofsefiras ha’omerit might be sufficient, but for counting the days of our lives, Dovid understood that we need more than that. What Dovid wanted from Hashem was help in counting his days ‘kein’, correctly.Now what it means to count successfully, that’s a big subject, but the first thing we make note of is that there’s more to counting than merely ticking off the days; there’s something we’re aiming for here. And that’s what thepossukcontinues: “Teach us to count our days properly, וְנָבִיא לְבַב חָכְמָה – “and help us bring a mind of wisdom.” That means, teach ushow to produce a mind of wisdom.WHAT IS WISDOM?Now, if I would just stop here, we still wouldn’t know how to count. Because wisdom could mean many things. Maybe it’s technical knowledge? So, of course, immediately we would say no. Certainly it’s not a prayer that we should succeed in putting into our heads every day more facts of science, or the wisdom of ways and means of performing crafts or vocational skills. So the best among us would say that it’s referring to thechochmas hatorah; what else ischochma? We pray to Hakodosh Boruch Hu that we should utilize our days in filling our minds with knowledge of Torah. I’m sure everyone here would say, “Certainly! What else?!”And there’s no question that thechochmas hatorahis very important; when you add oneyedias hatorah, one detail of Torah, to your store of knowledge, then you were successful today, you became rich. No question!Chochmacan meanMesichtaBrachosand it can meanShabbosandEiruvinandPesachim. It can meanSukkahandRosh HashanaandYumaandBeitzahandMegillaandTa’anisandMoed KatanandChagigatoo. It could mean all ofShas! There’s no questionlimud hatorahis achochma.Butl’havdilwe must say the same if you gained some more facts about the sciences; if you studied books of biology or chemistry, whatever it may be; that’s also achochma. Of course, by no means on the same scale as Torah, but if you learn it in the right way, you recognize that you’re studying thedarkei Hashem,the ways of Hashem in nature and in history, לָדַעַת בָּאָרֶץ דַּרְכֶּיךָ, there’s no question that it’s also a certain achievement ofchochma. But here, when Dovid was counting his days to “to produce a mind ofchochma,” a different type ofchochmaaltogether is intended. The wisdom Dovid is speaking about here is one that is set far above all the other forms of wisdom in the world – and it’s that wisdom that will be our subject for this talk.THE LONG BEARDEDYAREI SHAMAYIMInIyov(28:28) it states:הֵן יִרְאַת הַשֵּׁם הִיא חָכְמָה – “Behold,yiras Hashem, fear of Hashem,hee, that is called wisdom.” Now, when I sayyiras Hashem, right away people think they know what I’m talking about. But they don’t; it’s not what you think it is. And therefore the wordyirahitself must be defined – otherwise you might imagine all types of wrong ideas. You see what the world thinks it is – people think that it means putting on externalities. Here’s a man who decides to choose the way ofyiras Hashem, so the first thing is he lets his beard grow long. And then, a black hat. Very nice! And then in some cases he puts on a long black coat. Beautiful! And in very many cases, that’s it! He thinks he’s graduated; he thinks he has it.And that’s why it’s important to emphasize thatyiras Hashemis much more than externalities. It’s achochma; a knowledge that must be learned; a science that must be studied and practiced. And it’s not easy. It doesn’t mean merely learning the technicalities of Torah. It’s wonderful to learnBava Kama! It’s great to learnMesichta Shabbos! It’s great to know all the details ofhalacha; it’s a very important wisdom. But it’s notthewisdom.GREEK FOR DUMMIESI’ll explain that. Thechachomim(Shabbos 31b) said on thispossukof“Hein yiras Hashem hee chochma,” that the wordheinin Greek means one. In pig Greek, in pig Latin,ainorunwas a way of saying one. And so we can read thepossukas follows: “Fear of Hashem is wisdom and הִיא חָכְמָה, וְהִיא לְבַדָּהּ חָכְמָה –that alone is called wisdom!”(Mesillas Yesharim, Hakdamah). There’s only one truechochmabecause all the other forms of wisdom pale into insignificance in comparison to thechochmaofyiras Hashem.The question remains though, how to achieve thatchochma? How do we achieve the wisdom ofyiras Hashemthat is more important than allchochmos? So the first step is to know what it is we’re striving for. You’ll recall that I expressly took the trouble to emphasize thatyiras Hashem, the fear of Hashem, is not what people think it is and therefore before we go on, let’s define this term; what is meant byyiras Hashem?Yaro, to be afraid, is actually derived fromra’ohto see. Because when a person doesn’t see, so he’s not afraid. “Ignorance is bliss,” says the world. A man is afraid only when he sees that something is actually coming, or at least he sees in his imagination that something is coming. Soyirah,fear, is a form ofr’iyah,seeing.LOVE, FEAR OR AWARENESS?And now we come to the point of tonight’s talk. When we sayyirah, when we talk about counting our days foryiras Hashem, what we really mean is that we are trying to make every day a day of “seeing Hashem.” Now, while you’re still in this world you’ll never be able to actually see Hashem, but what it means isbecoming aware of Hashem.Yiras Hashemis really ‘being aware of Hashem’ and once you understand that then you’ve grasped the fundamentalyesodof being afrumJew.Now of course,yirahmeans fear too. You have to fear Hashem! Today when a rabbi speaks about fear of Hashem, people think he doesn’t know English, and what he really means is “Love Hashem”.Nothing doing! When we say “fear,” we mean fear in its most literal sense. Only that true fear is founded on Awareness. And so, if we’ll translate it in one word,yiras Hashemis Awareness. Being aware all the time of Hashem! To feel, to actually be convinced, of the immanence of the Presence of Hakodosh Boruch Hu.And that is thereishis chochma, the highest of all forms of wisdom. To gain more and moreemunah chushis, more and more sensory feeling – not onlyemunahsichlis, intelligent understanding – but it should enter into our senses and our nerves until we are as aware of Hakodosh Boruch Hu as we are of anyone else. At least as much as you’re aware of your neighbor or your Uncle Morris in the Bronx, you should be aware of Hashem.QUESTION YOURSELF EVERY DAYAnd so, even if someone isfrum, even if he’s very pious, and he’s careful with every detail of Judaism, but if he never labored to acquire any real awareness of Hakodosh Boruch Hu, then he does not haveyiras Hashem. He’sfrum; certainly he’s devout, and we don’t begrudge that at all, but he doesn’t have anyyiras Hashem. Because specifically,yiras Hashemmeans seeing Hashem, living with an actual feeling that you’re standing in front of Him at all times. And the more you think about Him and the more real He becomes to you, the more you become ayarei shamayim –which is the purpose of our days in this world.That’s why we counted today! And that’s why we’ll count tomorrow, and the day after that. And that’s why we’ll continue counting our days even long afterShavuosends too. Becausesefiras ha’omeris theklal, it’s the rehearsal for the important function of counting the rest of the days of our lives – of making sure that every day of our lives is being used to achieve more and moreyirasshamayim. Every day that ticks off the calendar is important and must be counted; we’re expected to ask ourselves, “Did I bring moreyirahinto my heart today?”Part II.The Purpose of TimeTHE CLOCK HANGING 93,000,000 MILES AWAYNow, in order that we should comprehend the enormity of this function of counting days, the Torah doesn’t wait untilParshas Emorto let us know its importance. Way back in the beginning, when Hashem created this world, He taught us about this.Do you know what the sun and the moon are for? Why did Hashem create the sun and the moon? So we look back into thechumashand we see that there were a few purposes. And one of them is the one we’re speaking about now, the function of counting our days.וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בָּרָקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם – “And Hashem said: Let there be luminaries in the firmament, לְיָמִים – for days” (Bereishis 1:14). Now, to separate between day and night, that’s already mentioned earlier in thepossuk, לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין הַיּוֹם וּבֵין הַלָּיְלָה – “To separate between day and night,” and therefore we must say that the wordl’yomim, “for days,”is telling us something new altogether – that the purpose of the sun is for creating separate days; in order that we should experience the passing of time.Now, if you think about it, this is an astounding idea. The Torah is revealing to us a very surprising fact, something we would never have dreamed of by ourselves. Actually, it’s such a startling statement that even after hearing it, we’ll have to be very pious people to accept it. We, little human beings, on this tiny earth – compared to the sun it’s tiny after all – do we deserve to have a tremendous clock hanging for us way out in space? You know how big the sun is?! You know how far off it is?! And the purpose of that tremendous orb in the sky, that beautiful ball of fire, is merely to serve as a timepiece for us?! Absolutely! Hakodosh Boruch Hu declares it openly: it’s to let you know when a day has passed by.L’yomim. There you have it, black on white.THE LONGEST WASTED DAYIn case you would get caught up in life, in case you wouldn’t notice life passing you by, so the sun rises and sets, rises and sets, and it thereby lets us know that the days are passing. Another day is coming, and then another day, and now another one has passed us by. If not for the sun then life would be this one long stretch of time. We’d be born in the world and we would continue always, one long day or one long night, whatever it is. And time would go by, and before we know it, the time is up.You know, if it weren’t for the sun, so people, when they went out on a spree, it would almost always have a sad ending. Let’s say a man got into a fight with the boss, or a fight with the wife, and he ran out into the street from his home or from his job; he said, “Forget aboutit all! It’s a wasted day anyhow.” That would be the end of him altogether because that wasted day would never come to an end. Like one man from theyeshivatold me, he admitted to me that he was discouraged, and he went to the movies. A kollel man! He was so disgusted; “The day is ruined anyhow,” he said. “Let’s fall down to the bottom.” The moviesisthe bottom by the way. And if not for the sun he would have sat in the movies the whole week.LIFE IS LIKE A WATERMELONAnd so Hakodosh Boruch Hu breaks up life for us into little pieces so that we should appreciate and make use of them. It’s like the woman who has a lot of children, and the father brought home a watermelon. It wasn’t a big watermelon, and for thirteen children it wasn’t much. And she knew that if she would just put the whole thing on the table it would be finished up and forgotten about. So she cut it up into little slices and gave each one a little piece. “Tomorrow,” she said, “is another day. Tomorrow is another opportunity, but I’m reminding you to make sure to enjoy this little piece because that’s all you’ll have today.”Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave us life; life is the biggest watermelon there is. The trouble would be if life would be dished out in one long monotonous string. Hakodosh Boruch Hu could have given us a big watermelon of eighty, ninety or a hundred years, and it would feel like nothing. So what does He do? He dishes it out in portions. He cuts it up first of all into years. Every year you feel, “Oh, another year I’m getting?Boruch Hashem,” you’re so happy; another year of life, an additional opportunity for achieving success!! You’re more able to appreciate the opportunities of life when they’re broken down into the smaller pieces we call years.MORE GREEK FOR DUMMIESBut even that’s too much, it’s too big of a portion, so He chops it up into months. Life is chopped up into small portions, so that we should be encouraged to make the best use of it. And that’s why we say רָאשֵׁי חֳדָשִׁים לְעַמְּךָ נָתַתָּ –nasatameans that it’s a gift. Rosh Chodesh is a gift! What’s the gift of Rosh Chodesh? We sayzman kapara l’chol toldosam, it’s a day of atonement, a mini Yom Kippur. Do you know why it’s a day of atonement? Because all of a sudden we get a jolt – we become aware that a month has passed by!Oy vey, a month! What did I accomplish this past month? In very many cases, nothing at all! A tragedy! And that’s why it’s azman kaparah; you realize what an opportunity time is and you decide to make amends, to begin making use of counting time. And even that’s too big, so He chops it up into days. There’s an old Latin saying,carpe diem, snatch the day. Grab the day! Grab the day before it goes lost.It’s a great gift that time is broken up for us into sections by movement of the sun and the moon, and therefore the greatchesedof the luminaries should be utilized. Don’t throw away the gift that Hashem gives you every day. What a benefit, what a blessing it is to be reminded every twenty four hours. So tomorrow morning when you wake up and you see the sunlight pouring through your window, so keep in mind that’s one of the reasons why you’re going to say בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה הַשֵּׁם יוֹצֵר הַמְּאוֹרוֹת – “I thank You Hashem for the sun that reminds me of the passage of time.” The sun is rising and moving through the sky to keep you on your toes: “Don’t forget to make today count,” says the sun.MEGILLAH ALL YEAR ROUNDAnd once you understand that Hashem put that great ball of fire into the skyl’yomim, so you should be motivated to count your days, so now you’ll make sure to make use of it. Every day becomes a new opportunity, a brand new day for achievement. Like theChovos Halevavossays (Sha’ar Cheshbon Hanefesh – Cheshbon11): כִּי הַיָּמִים מְגִלּוֹת – “The days of your life are notebooks.” Every morning you get a new clean notebook to write in.You remember those days in theyeshiva, when you started with a new notebook, full of ambition. And you were thinking, “This notebook I’m going to keep neat and clean.” Every morning is a brand new notebook, says the Chovos Halevavos, כִּתְבוּ בָּהֶם מַה שֶׁתַּחְפְּצוּ שֶׁיִּזָּכֵר לָכֶם – “Write in those notebooks what you want to be remembered of you.” What are going to do with that notebook already? You’re going to scribble a little bit on the margins?! Is that how you want to be remembered in the Next World, by some doodling?! The thing that you will want most to be remembered by isv’navi l’vav chochma; by how muchyiras Hashem, awareness of Hashem, you produced each day.THANK THE SURGEON!Hakodosh Boruch Hu is מְחַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבוֹ בְּכָל יוֹם תָּמִיד מַעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית – in His kindliness He renews every day the work of creation. Every day is a new chance given to you by Hashem. So last night you went to bed and you were disgusted. Maybe you were falling off your feet and you felt like a failure; nothing went right yesterday. So you went to bed and Hakadosh Baruch Hu got busy on you. He brought a whole team of physicians who were working on you all night; they were ironing out your wrinkled emotions and they were straightening out your muscles; and they did a good job. In the morning you woke up and you’re a new man now.You get up in the morning, you open your eyes and you’re well rested – not that you get up with a yawn and a headache: “Another day to face, another day to go through the grind.” That’s what happens when you stay up late; you wake up knocked out and disgusted! That man is ameshugener– he doesn’t deserve to get up in the morning because he doesn’t know how important it is to count the days.When Hakodosh Baruch Hu delivers you safe and sound in the morning so you open your eyes and you have to say, “Thank you.” What do you say to the surgeon? You can’t just say, “Nice job doc; thank you.” That’s not enough. You have to write a big fat check; you get sick again when you see the bill! But Hakadosh Boruch Hu doesn’t give you a bill in the morning. He only wants that you should open your eyes and say: מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם – “I give thanks to You, O’ Living and Enduring King, שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה – that You returned to me my life in pity, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ – how great is Your steadfastness. What did I do to deserve another chance, another day to count, another opportunity to make use of?!Rabah emunasecha,how great is Your steadfastness.”MAKING MORNINGS GREAT AGAINAnd therefore, the morning is the best time, because you have new energies in the morning and the day starts all over again. The sun rises again in the morning and the birds are singing and everything is cool in the morning. It’s a new opportunity and life starts all over again. When you view the counting of time through the eyes of the Torah that’s when you can begin to understand the glorious achievement that every day of life is. “And now that You have given me another chance to achieveyiras Hashem, I’m going to make it a day that counts.”And so in the notebook of tomorrow morning – even before you get out of bed, you should begin writing down your achievements inyiras Hashem. You saymodeh aniand you’re already accomplishing inyiras Hashem. Now, if you just mumble it by rote, maybe not so much, but if you practice up that you’re actually saying thank you to Someone, so that’s already a big achievement inyirasHashem. Don’t think it’s nothing; with a little thought, with some awareness of Whom you’re speaking to,modeh anican make you great – it’s the first page in your notebook of today.A SIXTY SECOND EXERCISEIt’s a glorious experience – to wake up into this worldand to make use of it.Even to utilize a day for just one minute is an achievement. One minute of life is an opportunity for greatness! Imagine we were here for just one more minute; sixty seconds from now we’d have to say goodbye to this wonderful world of opportunity. If we had only sixty seconds left to count, you know what you could still accomplish?!We’ll try it together, an exercise – let’s utilize these sixty seconds and think together: “There’s aBoreiwho created the universe out of nothing and that means that there’s nothing that has any intrinsic existence except for Hashem. And He created me as well.Hashem Echad!He’s the only thing that matters to me. And He gave me this great kindness that for the following fifty seconds I can think about Him and achieve the prime purpose of my being here, the purpose of recognizing theBorei. So for the next forty seconds, I am going to become more and more aware of You and fulfill my purpose here. I’m looking outside at the setting sun and I know what You’re saying to me Hashem; time is passing by. So I express now my gratitude to You Hakadosh Baruch Hu for everything You’ve given me. I love You Hashem, and I speak to You, my King, my Creator and I express my gratitude to You for the beautiful world You made for me. Thank You for my eyes and my kidneys and my feet and I especially thank You for making me part of Your chosen people.” And now we have ten seconds left. And you say, “I thank You, Hakadosh Baruch Hu, who has given me this great opportunity to count the seconds in this world and achieve my purpose in this world of thinking about You.” And then time is up; you go out of this world having achieved your purpose. יֵשׁ קוֹנֶה עוֹלָמוֹ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת – “A person can become great in only one minute,” only that you have to know how to make that minute count.Now the fact that we’re still here, that we’re still breathingboruch Hashem,doesn’t mean that you can relax now and waste the minutes. No, our one minute exercise was just that – an exercise for the rest of our lives. Likesefiras ha’omer,it was a rehearsal for the many more opportunities we’ll still have! So now you can go out into the world for many more minutes and live successfully.Part III.Making Time CountWILL YOU THROW AWAY DIAMONDS?Now, you have to realize that there’s adin v’cheshbon;the gift of more time from Hashem is a tremendous opportunity, but it’s also a tremendous responsibility: בְּיָדְךָ עִתֹּתָי – “In Your hand, Hashem, are all my times” (Tehillim 31:16). That means, all my hours are in Your hands; all my minutes are in Your hand. It’s not mine, it’s Yours. And if I take out of Your hand another minute, another diamond, and I take it and throw out of the window, so Hakodosh Boruch Hu says “Oh, that’schutzpah! I’m handing you every minute, such a precious gift! It’sb’yadai, it’s in My hands, and you’re taking it from Me and wasting it?”Here’s a man, he decides to make a trip someplace. For what purpose? For enjoyment, for pleasure. A trip for pleasure? You’re going to waste part of your life on nothing?! You’re arotzei’ach, no question about it; you’re killing yourself when you waste time. I’m not saying that you can never go anywhere, but to just go withoutcheshbon, without remembering how precious time is, it’s acheit, a sin, because it means that you don’t recognize your purpose in this world.TWO QUEER STORIESNow this, I’m careful about telling it to you, but I’ll tell it anyhow. The Chofetz Chaim’s son wrote about his father, he said that his father was not such a bigmachnis oreich; he didn’t spend too much time with guests. You hear that? The Chofetz Chaim wasn’t a bigmachnis oreich! When a guest came, he made the bed for him; he brought in the big straw mattress and showed him where to lie down, but he didn’t spend time with him. He gave theoreicheverything he needed – if he needed to talk, he gave him his time as well – but he didn’t spend extra time because he was counting his days.The following is also a very queer story, but I have to tell it to you anyhow. The Gra had a sister whom he hadn’t seen for thirteen years. Thirteen years! And now his sister came to Vilna to see him, “Oh, my brother!” she called out, “It’s been so many years.” So the Vilna Gaon spoke a few words with her and then he went back to hissefer. So she was somewhat discouraged. He saw a tear in her eye. He said, “In the next world, we’ll sit and talk”. That’s what he told her: “In the next world, we’ll have time to sit and talk.” Now, don’t tell this to other people; it’s only for you to hear. You have to understand that it was the Gra who lived for a purpose.But even if you’re not the Gra, and you’re not the Chofetz Chaim either, still your time has to be precious in your eyes. Let’s say you and your wife go visit somebody else. So you sit down in the dining room, you and your wife, and he and his wife, and you talk and talk and talk. You’re a murderer. You’re killing yourself for nothing. You have to make excuses, “I can’t go tonight; I have to get some work done at home. And when somebody comes to waste your time, anudnik; let’s say, your next door neighbor wants to talk a little bit, he’s visiting you, so be friendly to him and then say, “I have to go to the bathroom” – something you have tell him so you can escape from him. Find someteretz! Save your life! Because he’s a holdup man; he’s a robber! It’s worse than stealing your money! Now, we don’t look at it that way because we are accustomed to following the footsteps of the unthinking multitudes who don’t care if they waste their time, but that’s the truth.YOUR TIME AT WORK IS AN OPPORTUNITYNow some people will say, “What are you talking to me about wasting time?! What do you want from me? It’s a pity, but I must remain in the office all day. I’d like to take off and go someplace to study Torah; I’d like to go to thebeis medrash, but I’m wasting my day in the office anyhow.” That’s a big error! Working in your office or in the shop, that’s your job right now, that’s where you belong, and even there you can make your days count. You know, being in the office, you can serve Hakadosh Baruch Hu in many ways. In many ways!I’ll give one little example. In today’s offices, there are a lot of things that you’re not supposed to see. And if you’ll make it a principle as much as possible to look only at kosher things and guard your eyes, so you have to know אַף לֹא פָעֲלוּ עַוְלָה בִּדְרָכָיו הָלָכוּ – “Also those who did not do any wrong are walking in His ways” (Tehillim 119:3). By restraining yourself from doing wrong, you’re also walking in the ways of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. You’re reminded of Hakadosh Baruch Hu; that’syiras shamayim. When your eyes encounter something that you’re not supposed to look at, well, it’s natural that your eyes have to move, but immediately you remove your eyes and remember that you’re a Jew. You’reoveid Hashemand you’re becoming a biggeryarei shamayimin the office.There are better ways than that too. You can think of Hakadosh Boruch Hu while you’re doing work. אַשְׁרֵי אִישׁ שֶׁלֹּא יִשְׁכָּחֶךָ – “Happy is the man that won’t forget You.” You can always be thinking about Hakadosh Boruch Hu. You don’t have to forget Him while you’re doing work; even complicated work. You can think that you’re punching the keys of a typewriter because you’re serving Hakadosh Boruch Hu; you want to support a kosher Jewish home where there are going to be kosher Jewish children who will be brought upb’derech haTorah; it costs money to maintain a Jewish home. It costs a bunch of money to pay tuition and that’s what you’re working for.THE GLORIOUS CAREER WOMENAnd the ladies and the girls have a glorious opportunity as well. While they’re stirring the pot in the kitchen, while they’re sweeping the floor or sewing, whatever they’re doing, they’re thinking of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. A glorious career! And I’m serious about that; it’s a glorious career! Instead of taking these minutes, these diamonds, and throwing them away, they’re cashing them in. They’re the most precious achievement.You counted a few seconds while washing the dishes?! You thought about Hashem while standing in the shop?! You’re a great person already! Try it; try thinking for one minute that you’re standing in front of Hashem. Even one minute of thinking during the day is so precious that you can already count that day as a success! Even if you don’t think all the time, even though you waste a lot of time, if you’ll spend one minute of thinking, it’s a tremendous achievement. You’re one out of ten thousand, you’re a head taller than everyone just because of that one minute.COUNTINGSEFIRAAT SUNSETNow, although there’s no end to the wisdom ofyiras Hashemyou can bring into your mind, but תָּפַסְתָּ מְרוּבָּה לֹא תָּפַסְתָּ – to undertake too much at once, so you won’t do anything. So we always go back to our lesson fromsefiras ha’omer; once a day – at least once a day to remember Hashem. At least when the sun is about to go down, remind yourself: “Did I count today? What did I accomplish today? Is there anything to count?” Is it just another day passing away, maybe wasted away, that won’t ever come back?It’s the end of one opportunity and we don’t have too many of them in our lives. And so when the sun goes down, that’s the time for a person to start thinking. Every day, from now on for the rest of your life, don’t be in a hectic pursuit of the business of life to such an extent that you cannot stop every day for a moment. You’re sitting in your office; it’s wintertime and it’s close to 4:30 and the sun has dipped beneath the horizon of the skyscrapers. Stop for a moment and think that the day is almost over and count that day.Ha’yom yom echadto counting the days of my life.Hayom yom sheiniof fulfillingv’navi l’vav chochma.Hayom yom shlishifor achieving Awareness of Hashem.Now, in case the day hasn’t been utilized, make use of the remaining moments before the sun goes down and the day is gone forever. In all eternity, it will never return again. Not once more in history will you be able to relive this day. There’ll be other days, yes. Hopefully you’ll wake up tomorrow morning and you’ll have another day, butthisday is lost forever. And therefore, before it’s gone irretrievably, stop for a moment, andcarpe diem,grab what you can.THE HOUSEWIFE AND THE BAKERHow do you grab? I’ll tell you. You know, a woman can bake muffins, she can cook chicken, and she can become heroic in the kitchen. Imagine a housewife standing in her kitchen as she is kneading the dough, she is thinking, “My hands are the hands of Hakadosh Baruch Hu; like it says, נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ – “Hakodosh Boruch Hu in His endless kindness gives food to all the living” (Tehillim 136:25). How does He give bread? Does He stretch his hands from the sky and hand us something? Thepshatis that it’s through the woman who’s making thechallah.So if you’re bakingchallahor if you’re selling bread over the counter, it’s a glorious opportunity for thereishis chochma, the most valuable of all wisdom. All the bakers should be here tonight because otherwise their lives are being wasted. Think what a baker could accomplish every time he hands a loaf across the counter, and he’s thinking: נֹתֵן לֶחֶם לְכָל בָּשָׂר – “I’m giving bread to all the living and I’m doing it as ashaliachof Hakadosh Baruch Hu.” The fact that he’s being paid for it, that doesn’t detract from the greatness of this accomplishment.And so, at the end of the day, the mother is standing in the kitchen, or maybe the baker or the grocer is standing behind the counter, and they look through the window and see the sun is going down; they should remember why Hashem made that great ball of fire. “Don’t miss even one day!” You remind yourself that once on Shabbos, you had prayed לִמְנוֹת יָמֵינוּ כֵּן הוֹדַע – “Teach me to count my days properly,” and so, in the last moment, as you put the muffins into the oven or as you hand the last loaf of bread across the counter to the boy who went on an errand for his mother, you do it with the thought that “My hands are the hands of Hakadosh Baruch Hu Who gives bread to all the living.”HASHEM SENDS PEOPLE TO DENTAL SCHOOLAnd suppose a dentist, a weary dentist who’s been standing on his feet all day in the office. There was a long line today in the dentist’s office and he’s been grinding one tooth after the other. And as he picks up the drill he looks through his window; he wants to see how many more hours does he have to work today. And when he sees the sun going down he catches himself for that last moment of the day. “What am I living for? Just to put more checks into my drawer? Is that it? Is that what the days of my life are worth? Just some more checks?” And he thinks,לִמְנוֹת יָמֵינוּ כֵּן הוֹדַע– “Hashem, help me to count my days.”So what does he think now as he drills into another tooth. “Pay attention to your work” – that’s the first thing he has to think. But if he can add the thought, “You, Hakodosh Boruch Hu, are רוֹפֵא חוֹלֵי עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל. You’re the one who heals Your people; and I’m just Yoursh’liach, Your messenger, doing Your work in this world. And therefore for the rest of the time that’s allotted to me today, I’m going to think this thought; I’m working for You Hashem, curing people of the ails of the teeth.” How does Hakadosh Boruch Hu heal after all? That’s one of His ways; by sending people to dental school. And so as the sun sets behind the building, the dentist says to himself, “I’m going to make people happy by giving them healthy teeth and I’m doing it because I’m Yourshaliach.”YOU’RE LOADED WITH WEALTHThe greatest wealth that a person has is a wealth of years and months and days and hours. That’s the real wealth! A young man is loaded down with capital. Hakodosh Boruch Hu sends him out into this world with a great wealth – he has many years ahead of him to benavi l’vav chochma. A young man of two, a young man of twenty, a young man of forty, a young man of sixty, a young man of eighty – he has wealth. As much as he has, it’s a wealth.The wealth of life is only for a few moments. Relatively, life is only a fleeting pause in eternity. And therefore is it any wonder that we pray to Hakodosh Boruch Hu, we beseech Him, we beg Him:limnos yameinu kein hoda– teach us how to count our days so that we shouldn’t spend our days being bemused! You know how many people spend theiryomimwith their minds preoccupied with nothing at all. Here’s a man who’s walking around thinking about ways and means of fighting with his boss; he’s spending his days thinking of ways and means how to get even with him.There are people going around, and they’re tense and they’re worried, thinking that they’re being persecuted by their neighbors and their mothers-in-law. They spend time bemused about the injustice that is being done to them. And their lives are being wasted away by silly and foolish imaginations. Not lunatics! I’m talking about sane people. And what about the people who waste their lives pursuing after imaginary wealth, instead of the true wealth ofyiras Hashem; people who waste their lives pursuing imaginary pleasures?!THE TALL GENTLEMAN’S VISITAnd then before they know it, themalach hamavess,a tall dark gentleman comes into the hospital room. And he’s lying in bed, this old fellow, and themalachhamavess taps him on the shoulder. So the old fellow says, “Can’t you just give me a few more days?NowI understand how precious days are. I want to count a few more days,please. And I’ll count them this time for the purpose ofnavi l’vav chochma.” So themalach hamavessturns to him, “Sorry, that’s what they all say, ‘Now I understand.’ I’ve heard that millions of times already. Come on, time to go now.” And your opportunity to belimnoshas come to an end.And because our counting will one day come to an end we were given the commandment in the Torah of וּסְפַרְתֶּם לָכֶם, “And you have to count for yourselves,” so that we should be reminded of this very important function. Themitzvahofsefiras ha’omeris a rehearsal for the counting of the days of our lives; it’s a model for the wise nation to countall of their days. And that’s why the whole Jewish nation was sure to be counting because we are expected to keep a record of our days. Every individual is expected to be able to count his days and to be able to answer the question, “What did I accomplish today?” Every day is a precious bauble. Whether it’s raining or snowing, hot or cold, whatever is doing in the world, it doesn’t matter – today is a once in a lifetime opportunity.And the fact that you came here tonight is already a step in the right direction; it’s asiyata dishmayato help you learn how to count the days. And therefore as much as possible we try to remind ourselves of the very great principle,לִמְנוֹת יָמֵינוּ כֵּן הוֹדַע – “Please, Hakadosh Boruch Hu, let us know how to count our days properly.” It’s a big study; it’s not simple at all. What you heard tonight is kindergarten talk. Of course, it’s useful kindergarten talk. And if you’ve never heard it before, then this is the kindergarten where you have to come! Becausereishis chochma,the most important of all wisdom you can achieve,yirasHashem, is Awareness of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. And it’s only if we count our dayskein, successfully, that we’ll benavi l’vav chochma, and acquire the wisdom for which we came into this world. 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Hearing Hashem’s MessagesYISRO LEARNS SOMETHING NEWOurparshahthis week begins with the story of Yisro leaving the comfort of his hometown to travel out into the dangerous wilderness to visit the encampment of theAm Yisroel. And for what reason did he undertake such a journey? Why would a man like Yisro, a man of nobility in Midian, forsake his home to go to themidbar? So the Torah tells us, וישמע יתרו – Because he heard something that stirred his mind. When Yisro was informed of what had happened inMitzrayimand at theYam Suf, there was some great ideal that was triggered in his mind. And it was that ideal that caused him to make that fateful decision to come out to the wilderness to join his son-in-law and theAm Yisroelin their happiness.Now when he arrived we know that he made abrachahon theneisthat happened to the people of Hashem: ברוך השם אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים ומיד פרעה – “Hashem should be blessed for having rescued you from the hands of Pharaoh and the Egyptians” (Yisro 18:10). And in the climax of his praises of Hashem, Yisro added apeirush, some details about theneisofKriyas Yam Sufthat we should consider carefully. עתה ידעתי – “Now I know,” said Yisro, כי גדול השם מכל האלוהים, “that Hashem is greater than all gods.” “I recognized Him in the past,” explains Rashi, “but now I know Him even more.” And that’s a remarkable statement because Yisro had already known ofHashem Elokei Yisroelthrough his own reasoning, as well by the traditions of his own family of Midian, who was the son of Avraham (Bereishis 25:2), and he had surely heard from Moshe Rabeinu as well. He knew very much about Hakodosh Boruch Hu, more than many of us sitting here. “But now,” said Yisro, “Now I know Hashem even more, with an Awareness, an understanding, that I didn’t have before.” And so we should be very interested in this – what exactly was it that Yisro saw; what was it that led him to say, עתה ידעתי, “NowI know.” Because that’s something that we should be striving for all the time; more and moreda’as Hashem; greater heights in knowing Hashem. If we could say, “NowI know,” like Yisro did, then we’ve already accomplished something great with our lives.WHY DIDN’T PHARAOH GET ALZHEIMER’S?And so we look to Yisro’s own words for an explanation: עתה ידעתי… כי בדבר אשר זדו עליהם – “Inowknow about Hashem…because in the thing in which זדו, in which the Egyptians have dealt wickedly, עליהם, it came upon them” (Yisro 18:10). Yisro had watched from the sidelines for many years as the Egyptians tried to wreak havoc on theAm Yisroel; and now it was many years later and Yisro was studying the great catastrophe that had befallen theMitzri’im. And Yisro thought about what he saw – he didn’t just let it go by. “Why were they drowned in water?” he thought. “What was the purpose of such a great destruction? Did Hashem drown the Egyptiansjust to save the Am Hashem?” If that was true, Hashem could have saved His people in a much simpler fashion. Pharaoh could have just made up his mind that he had enough. The tenmakkosshould have been the end of his futile escapades with the children of Hashem. What does he need moretzarosfor; to start up again withHashem Elokei Yisroel? And so, once he let them out of his land he should have saidbaruch shepatrani, “I’m glad I got rid of them and now I’m done!”And even if he lost his head and wanted to chase after theBnei Yisroel,Hakadosh Baruch Hu could have saved us in a much less complicated way.He should have made Pharaoh catch the flu or maybe He could have made him get Alzheimer’s disease. Everything could have happened in a natural way, and Pharaoh wouldn’t have pursued theAm Yisroelaltogether. But instead, Pharaoh changed his mind – and actually we’ll say more correctly that it wasHashem who changed Pharaoh’s mind– and he pursued them. He didn’t have enough; he was looking for more. And he got it!HASHEM DOES THINGS FOR A PURPOSE!And if you’ll say – and you’re right to say so – that Hashem wanted to show His might to theAm Yisroel,to give them the gift of moreemunah, and that’s why this whole charade had to play out; OK, but what’s this whole business with the water? Why didn’t some conflagration come upon them like it came, let’s say, on the camp ofSancheriv? A terrible fire could have came upon them when they set out to pursue the Am Yisroel and the Egyptian army would have become ash. Or a pestilence could have destroyed them, like it came upon other enemies of theAm Hashem.All this was going through the mind of Yisro. Why did it happen in this case that they were drowned?“It just happened that way,” you’ll say. But for people like Yisro that’snotthe way to think. Because he understood that there’s a principle in the dealings of Hashem, the principle that Hakodosh Baruch Hu does everything with a purpose. “And as much as I can,” reasoned Yisro, “I should aim to study events and their purposes as much as possible.” That’s how Yisro was thinking: “Hakadosh Baruch Hu always does things for a purpose.”So Yisro looked back at what had happened inMitzrayim. The decree, כל הבן היולד היאורה תשליכוהו, that every newborn son should be cast into the water to drown, had happened a very long time ago; it was eighty years already. But Yisro, when he saw the the final chapter of the career of Pharaoh and his Egyptians, he began to think. When he considered the fate of theMitzri’imwho were drowned in the water, he was wise enough to think that Hashem does everything with a purpose, and he looked back to discover for what crime the Egyptians were being punished. And he came to the conclusion that it was for the crime of casting Jewish children into the Nile that they themselves were now being drowned. Yisro said, “I see something here that I’m not going to ignore. I see a remarkable poetic justice here. Pharaoh and the Egyptians who had drowned little Jewish boys in water, are now themselves laying dead at the bottom of the Yam Suf because that’s what they did to the children of theAm Yisroel.”THE PRIMITIVE ANCIENTS KNEW BETTER THAN THE SCIENTISTSNow, we would be wise to think along with Yisro, and to achieve some of the perfection that he achieved on that day in themidbar, but first we must understand the principle which underlies Yisro’s words. And that is theemunahthat there are no accidents in the world. The very first lesson that a Jew has to learn is thatHashem Echad,that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is in charge of everything.HashemEchadmeans He is the only One who controls all the affairs of the universe; whatever happens comes directly from Him. And if that’s the case, everything has a purpose.Now what that means for us is that when a person attributes some happening merely to natural causes, what it really is is a sublimated form of atheism. Of course Hakadosh Baruch Hu acts through causes, absolutely. You know, the textbooks try to ridicule the old generations; they deride the ancient ideas of attributing epidemics to acts of G-d. The scientists think that they’re smarter because they know that there are bacteria; because they have the tools today to see microorganisms so they think they know much more. But that’s because they don’t understand how the ancients thought. Everybody in the ancient world understood just fine that Hakadosh Baruch Hu acts through agents. What the agents are, that’s a different story. But they believed in agents then too. Only that because the scientist today can see the agents better, he can study them, analyze them, and write scholarly papers about them, so what happens? This educated fool begins to believe in the agents themselves, that’s all. But all that is just a wicked mix of education, hubris and ignorance that leads him on the path toward foolishness; because there’s no question that you can be an up-to-date scientist and still understand that all the natural causes are agents of Hakadosh Baruch Hu. And therefore, the wise person, the one who lives withemunahin Hashem, is prepared to look at all the events in this world,even the small and seemingly unimportant mishaps in his own life,as messages from Hashem.TAKE THE DIRECTIONS!This however requires some explanation if we expect to apply it to our lives in its most practical form. And those of you who come here know that this is our goal, to break things down to its most simplest form so that we can best apply it in our lives. So we’ll start the explanation with thegemarain Makkos (10b). Thegemaracomments on the possuk יורה חטאים בדרך – “Hashem shows the sinners the way; He teaches the sinners the way back to Him” (Tehillim 25:8). And thegemarasays there, אם חטאים יורה צדיקים לא כל שכן – “If Hashem is kindly to the sinners, to those persistent rebels against the Torah, and nevertheless Hakodosh Boruch Hu gives them messages, then surely He is kind to His loyal servants.” He gives them messages too. Why would Hashem ignore His loyal ones?What that means is that in this life, everybody is getting constant direction from Hashem. Hakodosh Boruch Hu doesn’t forsake mankind and therefore when a person embarks on a wrong course in life, it could be a minor thing or a big thing, in any case, Hakodosh Boruch Hu does not neglect the opportunities to teach him. From time to time, He guides us by giving instruction and direction. And therefore everybody has opportunities to improve their ways and go on the right path. That’s a fundamental principle in how Hashem directs the life of man, that He’s teaching the sinners the way back to Him. And nobody therefore can claim exemption; everyone is going to be held responsible for ignoring the messages from Hashem. And if a man willfully closes his eyes to the directions of Hashem, so not only will he continue to go lost, but he’s simply a fool. Let’s say a man is driving to Cleveland and he loses his way; so if he has any sense, he stops at the gasoline station and asks for directions. Now suppose he ignores them; he doesn’t pay heed to the directions and he’s still lost. So he stops at a payphone to call his cousin for directions, and he ignores those instructions as well! So not only will he be lost forever, but there’s no bigger fool than he!THE NEXT WORLD IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CLEVELANDAnd the road of life, the road to the Next World, is much more important than a road trip to Cleveland. And it’s also much easier to make wrong turns on the road of life. And therefore, it’s most important to understand the mishaps of life in the sense of them being directions from Hashem. They’re not natural, and they’re not accidents – they are instructions being sent to us for the purpose of helping us find our way back onto the highway toOlam Habah. And if you’ll listen to Hashem’s voice, if you’ll study His messages and understand them, so you’ll know in what way you have to improve, and how to better walk the road of life.The question is, when a misfortune happens to a person how should he know for which wrongs this punishment is being sent? So what we’re going to study now is that Hakodosh Boruch Hu gives a clue. And that’s the famous principle ofmidah k’neged midah. He sends the misfortune in such a way that it gives you a clue as to what it came for. And that’s the discovery that Yisro made when he studied the hand of Hashem against theMitzri’iminMitzrayimand at theYam Suf.It was at this momentous occasion in history that Yisro discovered the way of Hashem that we callmidah k’neged midah. כי בדבר אשר זדו – “In that which theMitzri’imschemed against the Jewish people, עליהם – it came right back on their heads.”HASHEM INSTRUCTS THE SNAKESAnd he discovered it forourbenefit. Because if Yisro was able to come toda’as Hashem– after all, he said “NowI know,” – because of his study of this way of Hashem in this world, so we should consider it an obligation upon ourselves to do the same. Hakodosh Boruch Hu wrote thatpossukin the Torah because He wants us to recognize as much as we can that this is one of thedarkei Hashem, one of the ways that Hashem manages things in this world. And it’s an important principle that is constantly reiterated in theTorah, Neviim, Kesuvim,and in thegemaraeverywhere – and if we would look into our own history, we’d see it as well.So the principle we are discussing here is that Hakodosh Boruch Hu gives us clues – when something happens, it’s not merely a misfortune, it’s a clue. So if you want to know why something is happening, look at thewayit happened. We’ll take apossukin Koheles (10:8) as an example. חופר גומץ – “If a man digs a pit in the ground, בו יפול, into it he will fall.” If somebody wants to cause a pitfall to somebody else, and he digs a hole in the ground, sohe’sgoing to fall into a hole in the ground – sometimes in the same hole that he made, ופורץ גדר – “And he who breaks down a fence – a malicious man is trying to break down your fence, so ישכנו נחש, a snake will come out from the wall that he’s banging on, and it will bite him.” Now, a snake could come from somewhere else and bite him. But Hakodosh Boruch Hu tells all the snakes, “Stay out of this! I only want the snakesfrom this wall!” Because they have a very important job over here, a lesson has to be taught! And that’s the lesson ofmidah k’neged midah.And the truth is that it’s a principle of such overwhelming importance that it becomes one of the most significant actors in men’s lives.SHIMSHON HAD BEAUTIFUL EYESThegemara(Sotah 8b) says it like this: במדה שאדם מודד מודדין לו – “In the way a man measures out to others, so too is it measured out to him.” What does that mean? It’s telling us that the punishment that a man gets in this world in some way resembles the thing that he’s done wrong. Now you all remember when Shimshon wanted to convert thePlishtiwoman,Delilah, and marry her. His parents weren’t so excited; they argued with him about it. “Why don’t you take abas Yisrael?Aren’tthere enough girls from your own people to choose from?! What’s so good about a gentile woman that you have to choosedavkahher? But Shimshon was adamant about his choice. He said “Take her for me כי היא ישרה בעיני, because she is good in my eyes” (Shoftim 14:3).Now of course you have to know that Shimshon converted her. There’s no question about that. To marry Shimshon, any woman would be willing to be a convert; who wouldn’t fall for such a handsome and strong young man? And so she willingly became agiyores.Now I’m not going to tell you that it was such a high-class conversion, but she was converted, and you can be sure she kept the laws of the Torah.You must also know that Shimshon Hatzadik had beautiful eyes, the eyes of atzadik, and if he said that Delilah is “good in my eyes,” he knew what he was talking about. Why Shimshon took aPlishtiwife is because he wanted to mingle with thePlishtimas one of them; he became amechutannow. By this excuse he was able to mix with them, and to know their business and to intimidate them. He looked for excuses to humiliate them.TERRORIZING THE PHILISTINESAnd it was a strategy that worked; that’s how he kept them quiet so that they shouldn’t harm theAm Yisroel.Shimshon was able to harass them, and to terrorize them so much that he kept them quiet. Although they had power to molest theAm Yisroel, they were afraid to do so because of Shimshon. And Shimshon achieved all this by means of thisPlishtiwoman he married. By means of her relatives he got his way into the company of thePlishtipeople, and he succeeded. Because of Shimshon it was a quiet time for theAm Yisroel.And yet, it was still a very grave error. Because Hakodosh Boruch Hu didn’t agree with Shimshon’s strategy. “That’syourplan, but I don’t like it. I don’t like plans that involve your eyes looking at gentile girls.” Because no matter how much of al’sheim shamayimthere was, still there was some element there of “she is pleasing in my eyes.” And this, Hakadosh Baruch Hu didn’t like. For a man like Shimshon to say “She’s pleasing in my eyes,” Hakadosh Baruch Hu didn’t like that business. “She’s good in your eyes?! What about My eyes?!”THECHACHOMIMSTUDY HISTORYYou all know the story of how Shimshon lost his eyes. He was captured by thePlishtimand they poked out his eyes with forks. Just before he died they brutally took out his eyes. So here was the once powerful Shimshon, and now he weakened and blind, standing there with his hands bound, in the presence of thePlishtiaudience who were jeering at him and mocking him. Shimshon was about to die, and so instead of being tormented to death by thePlishtim, he asked Hakodosh Boruch Hu, “Please restore my strength to me for one last moment so that I can do one more heroic deed for my people.” And he pushed heavily on the pillars upon which the roof was supported, and he knocked them over and the roof came crashing down. And he killed a great number of the notables of thePlishtim. He threw down the building on their heads and he perished together with thousands of their great men. They had such amapalahon that day because of Shimshon – he squashed so manyPlishtinotables and dignitaries under that roof that thePlishtimwere quiet for twenty years after that. If one Jew could do that to them, they weren’t interested in the wholegesheft.That’s a remarkable story; even young children love this story. But there’s a much more important element to that story than just the revenge that Shimshon wrought on thePlishtim– and it’s an element that often goes unnoticed. Because why was Shimshon given such an end that he should lose his eyes? It’s amishnah: שמשון הלך אחר עיניו לפיכך נקרו פלשתים את עיניו “Because Shimshon followed after his eyes, that’s why he lost his eyes” (Sotah 1:8, 9b). Now we don’t know exactly what these words mean because Shimshon had very good eyes. But at least we have to learn these words very well – that Shimshon “followed his eyes,” and “that’s why thePlishtimtook out his eyes.”Now it doesn’t say that in the book ofShoftim, that this is the reason why his eyes were taken out. But thechachomimstudied history through the lens of the Torah and they came to this conclusion. Why did it happen that he lost his eyes, that his eyes were taken out? It can’t be that it wasb’mikreh, just an accident of fate. So they searched and they found thepossuk,כי היא ישרה בעיני, “She is goodin my eyes.”THE MIGHTY MAN STUDIES PARSHAS YISRONow don’t think that thechachomimwere wise enough to figure this out, but Shimshon wasn’t. I’ll tell you what was going on in the great head of Shimshon in the moments before he died. It’s important for us to know what he was thinking. He said, “Ribono Shel Olam, what happened to me that I am blind now? I, who was the great hero – all the enemies feared me – and now I’m a blind captive. Who made me blind, thePlishtim?! I’m not going to be such a fool and say that!”So you can be certain that Shimshon was making use of the great principle ofmidah k’neged midahin the moments before he died. Shimshon was following that principle, absolutely. And therefore he began to think, “Why were my eyes poked out? Maybe I misused my eyes.” In his last moments, he remembered the great lesson of theTorah. Shimshon also learnedParshasYisro, and he learned it better than we learn it here. And he remembered that he had once said: קחנה לי כי היא ישרה בעיני – “Take her for me because she is good in my eyes.” “Ahhh,” said Shimshon, בדבר אשר זדו, in that whichIsinned, עליהם, it came uponme. I shouldn’t have said, ‘She’s right in my eyes.’ What aboutb’einei Hashem,in the eyes of Hashem? Did I think about His eyes?!”So Shimshon struck his chest and said, “I sinned before You Hashem; please forgive me and restore my strength to me so that I can make amends, so that I can do one more deed of service to You.” And that’s how Shimshon left the world. תמות נפשי עם פלישתים, he perished with thePlishtim, after recognizing the way of Hashem in this world, and making himself better because of it.HASHEM TRIES SPEAKING TO THE FOOLAnd that’s what thegemara(Brachos 5a) says: אם רואה אדם שיסורים באים עליו, “If a man sees misfortune coming on him”, יפשפש במעשיו, “let him examine his deeds”. Chazal are telling us that whenever something happens to a man, he should utilize it as an occasion to become better. Now this doesn’t mean that some big catastrophe has to happen to him. Because, of course, if a man is dealt a big misfortune, he’s drowning in the Yam Suf let’s say, or his eyes were poked out by the gentiles, so he’d better wake up and get busy recognizing the messages of Hashem because there might not be too much time left for him. Nobody would be such a fool as to ignore the big messages.So if you’re laying on the operating table, there’s no question at all that it’s a very big message from Hashem. And let’s say he’s being strapped down and they’re putting the mask over his face, and even then he’s thinking. “It just happened this way; it just turned out that I have a weak heart or whatever it is.” He’s an Orthodox Jew but he doesn’t connect it with Hakodosh Boruch Hu at all! Hashem is showing him open signs, He’s being spoken to by Hashem, but he ignores Him. There’s no bigger failure than that!DOES SUFFERING HAVE A LIMIT?But we’re not even talking about that now; we’re talking about the better ones, the ones whowouldreact to big signs. We’re talking about intelligent servants of Hashem who want to spare themselves the rough treatment, the big messages. They prefer to hear Hashem speaking to them with smaller messages. What type of signs shouldtheyinterpret as messages from Hashem, as Hashem in His mercy trying to guide them in the right way?So for that we’ll look at agemarainArachin(16b). The question is raised there: עד היכן תכלית יסורים – “Until how far is the limit of suffering?” Now at first glance, we should be bothered – what kind of question is that? There’s no limit to suffering; people suffer in all types of ways, all forms ofyissurim. But what thegemarameans is this: How small can a misfortune be and still be called suffering that you should take it as a hint from Hashem? What thegemarais searching for are examples of visitations from Hashem, punishments or warnings,but in its most minimum form.THE TRAGEDY OF HAVING TOO MUCH MONEY IN YOUR POCKETאמר רבי אלעזר, Rebbe Elazar says, כל שארגו לו בגד ללבוש ואין מתקבל עליו, “If they wove for him a new garment, they made him a new shirt, but he’s not satisfied with it”. The shirt is able to keep him covered and warm, and it fits him too, but it just doesn’t satisfy him. Eventhatis called suffering, that’s calledyissurim. So Rav Z’eirah asked on that: Does it have to be such abig misfortunelike that to be calledyissurim? גדולה מזו אמרו – even a biggerchiddushwas said by thechachomim: “Even if he wanted his wine to be mixed with warm water and by error they mixed it with cold water. Or his intention was to mix it with cold water and by accident he put in warm water, even that is calledyissurim.” Even that is a misfortune! This man who wants his wine one way and gets it another way has already suffered, ואת אמרת כולי האי “and you’re discussing such a big misfortune like a garment that doesn’t please you?” After all a garment you don’t make every day. And now when you finally get it, it doesn’t please you. That’s your idea of a small misfortune?! Something like that, everyone should understand that it’s a visitation by Hashem. So you see that we’re looking here for the smallest possible thing that can be called a misfortune.And thegemarakeeps searching: מר בריה דרבינא אמר, Mar the son of Ravina said the following, אפילו נהפך לו חלוקו – “If he’s putting on his undershirt, and he accidentally put it on upside down.” So now he has to take it off and put it on again. That’s called a misfortune that should stir your mind! And just so you should know how small of a bother something could be and you’re still expected to learn from it, thegemarathere brings one more example of suffering that should bring a man to change his ways: אפילו הושיט ידו לכיס ליטול שלש – “He put his hand in his pocket to take out a three dollar bill, and there came out a two dollar bill,” That’s a misfortune and it means that you’re being called on by Hashem to begin investigating your ways. Now, this man has both in his pocket, he has enough money, it’s just that the wrong bill came out. And he’ll put his hand back in and take out the right bill. But no matter, that was already a call from Hashem.THE TROLLEY OPERATOR GETS SUEDSo we’re not talking here about some big mishap that might occur on the city bus. Suffering doesn’t mean that if you get on a bus – this is a true story by the way; it happened to a relative of mine – when he got on the bus, it was the trolley in those days, and he couldn’t find any money, so he got nervous and he lost his head. He didn’t know what to do so he said to the conductor, “I’ll write you a check.” The conductor didn’t think it was funny though. He took him by his neck and threw him off. Now to be thrown off the trolley onto the street in public, that even we understand is a misfortune. He landed on his backside and he was very embarrassed. The truth is that it happened that there was a lawyer on the trolley. So the lawyer got off the trolley and told my relative, “I’ll take your case.” And the lawyer collected good money from the city for him. So it turned out that even in this misfortune he found a pot of gold.But we’re talking now about things much smaller than that, tiny things that often go unnoticed. And the pot of gold that we’re looking foris not a check from the city – I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take a payout from the city, but we’re looking for something much better than that; we’re looking to make something out of ourselves in this world. And so the principle is that a man must always keep his eyes wide open, all the time, to find that pot of gold. Because these small messages are being missed all the time by most of us. And the most valuable wealth you can achieve is when you learn to take a hint from Hakadosh Baruch Hu.THE BUS DRIVER AND THE TAILORSo suppose you get on the bus and you have money. You have the thirty-five cents to pay for the trip, only that you forgot in which pocket you placed it. So you’re standing on the bus and the driver is waiting for you because there are people behind you. And you put your hand into the wrong pocket and you’re rummaging around trying to find it. Or maybe it’s the right pocket and you happen to take out a different coin. So you have to reach in again, and you’re somewhat embarrassed – people are pushing. So when you finally sit down, you have to think it over. Why did that happen? It’s a messagemin hashamayim! That’s how an intelligent servant of Hashem should react to even a small misfortune like that. ThegemarainArachinis teaching us thateven thatis called suffering. And why does thegemaratell us that? For what purpose? So that we should notchas v’shalomregard these small mishaps as accidents!It’s extreme? It’s too much to expect? Nothing is too much to expect if we accept the true principle ofyoreh chatoim baderech, that Hashem shows the sinners the way. And even those of us who aretzaddikim, Hashem is trying to teach us too, thegemarasays. He’s trying to teach us the time. So although you might be a bigtzadik, but let’s say something like that happened to you – you bought a new suit, and you took it home after the alterations and it doesn’t please you – that’s a message. Even a dumbbell has to react to that! That’s whyRav Z’eirahmade sure to stress that that isnotan example of asmallmisfortune; becauseanybodyshould notice that!What we’re learning here is that this is one of thedarkei Hashem; that in so many cases when He visits small misfortunes on people, He’s trying to guide you. And what Yisro taught us is that it always pays to study the misfortune because very often Hashem is using His way ofmidah k’neged midahto teach you.THE DENTIST DOES NOT SERVE ICE CREAMSo it happens sometimes; Hashem might send troubles. And that’s His way of letting us know that something is wrong, that we’re going on the wrong path. אם רואה אדם שיסורין באין עליו,“When you see trouble coming,” – a toothache! That’s enough trouble; so יפשפש במעשיו, “let him look into his deeds”. It’s an important principle; it’s a callminhashamayim: “Look into your deeds!”Often you’re able to discern the reason why it came. If you’re lying on an operating table, so before they administer anesthesia, you should be thinking, “What happened that I came to this?” And not only on the operating table – in the dentist chair too. If you suffer in your teeth, you’d better get busy discovering, maybe you misused your teeth. And if you’re suffering in your stomach, maybe you misused your stomach. So you can use the way of Hashem,midah k’neged midaheven in the bathroom when you’re constipated. And in the kitchen too. You got a little cut on your finger? Start thinking! You lost some money? You have a cold? You banged your toe? You have to do some investigating. Whatever it is – I’m not capable of interpreting everything – but you should most definitely use this way of Hashem in this world to become a better person.So let’s say you’re sitting in the dentist chair and he says, “Open wide!” And he doesn’t put a spoonful of ice-cream into your mouth. No, he puts his drill in there and he begins to drill away. So you should be sitting there and thinking, “Why did he tell me that I have to open my mouth to admit the drill? Maybe because I opened my mouth recently when I should have kept it closed.” That’s how you’re supposed to think. So you’ll be a smart aleck and say, “Oh no, that’s not it. In the course of time teeth tend to deteriorate.” That’s not smart at all – that’s thinking like animals think! You know a horse also sits in a dentist chair. It’s a different type of chair but a veterinarian also has to drill a horse’s teeth sometimes. And the horse is not thinking about anything. But that’s not the way a Jew is supposed to sit. When a Jew sits in the chair and the drill is going down and it hurts; whether it hurts much or it hurts a little, it’s in order that he shouldn’t waste his life.ALWAYS BRUSH YOUR TEETH!People have to think that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is giving them a tip, some inside information. Start examining yourself. “Chaim, maybe you were too careless with your tongue.” Of course we understand that whatever happens can have two reasons. Because naturally somebody will say, “Well, he probably didn’t brush his teeth. He ate candy before he went to sleep, and all that sweet stuff was settling around his teeth during the night and rotting it away.” And the truth is that youshouldbrush your teeth every night. Everybody, boys and girls, men and women, should brush their teeth at least once before going to bed. No question that it’s beneficial. But I know a relative of mine who hasn’t brushed his teeth since he was born. I’m not recommending it, but this relative of mine has never gone to the dentist and he doesn’t have a cavity. Now it could happen that he was born with an especial kind of mouth. Could be. But we have to get into our heads theemunahthat besides for the material reason, there’s no question that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is at the controls. Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t yield control of the universe to bacterias. He’s the boss over them too. And therefore whatever happens is a result of His decree.And when a Jew understands that and he takes the message directly from Hakadosh Baruch Hu to his heart, so a whole new vista ofavodas Hashemopens up before his eyes. And he utilizes it! So as he leaves the dentist’s office, he’s not only leaving with his cavity filled but also his mind is filled with a new resolve to change his ways. And that’s the biggest achievement in life! Much more precious than the fillings in his teeth.YOU DESERVE A PARSHA NAMED AFTER YOUNow if we’ll study this principle more, we’ll see that it’s everywhere. The examples are so many that we need days and days just to list them; and certainly to discuss them it will take an entire lifetime. In our lives, if something happens to us, even a little thing, it pays to investigate, “Why did this happen?” And if we look back, maybe we’ll discover something that was done that caused this thing to happen. Because even a little recognition of Hashem’s messages, and even a small resolve to change, is very precious. Even if the first hour he’ll keep his mind on his mouth, just for one hour after leaving the dentist’s office he won’t talk, he won’t talk, period, for an hour, he’s already a fortunate man. It’s worth having a cruel fellow put a drill into your mouth and to mine into your teeth just to remind you that for the next hour you shouldn’t talk. And if you will be careful with what you say for the next two hours, or the next two days, that’s a tremendous achievement – you deserve to have aparshanamed after you like Yisro had!And therefore as we go through life you have to keep your eyes open for the messages from Hashem. I recall once, I had just learned this, and somebody told me there’s a telephone call for me. So I was running and the telephone booth was very low. I banged my head against the top of the door, and I actually saw stars. Once in my life I realized what it meant to see stars. I saw lights. But I was still fresh off ofmussar seder. I ran out in the middle ofmussarseder. And so I had the presence of mind to think, “That’s what I got for running out of themussarseder. Ahh! You got what you deserved. That’s what you deserved!” Once in my life I was smart enough to take a hint. It just happened because I was in the midst of studying this subject so I was reminded about it, but that’s how we should be all our lives, and life will be one steady procession oftikun,of growth and improvement.GIVE THE BEGGAR A RAISE!If a man was put to shame in public then he has to consider that he has done that to other people. It doesn’t mean that it happened five minutes ago; maybe you have to think back longer than that. Begin looking; you’ll find. יגעת מצאת – If he looks, he’ll find; because there’s a lot to find. And if a man lost money, let’s say you had a hold-up. Or if you stick your hand in your pocket and you find instead of those few quarters you had there, you find a hole in the lining. So don’t be hard-hearted, don’t be like agoyand think that it justhappened. “I should have taken care of the lining in my pocket when I noticed it last week!” Youshouldtake care of your lining; certainly you shouldn’t walk around with a frayed pocket. But now that the quarters are gone, you have to think, “Maybe I was stingy when the poor man came to me in shul. Why did I give him a measly quarter? What’s a quarter nowadays?! Everything has gone up and I’m still giving a quarter? It’s time to give him a raise. And now Hakodosh Boruch Hu is collecting from me. That’s why the quarters left my pocket. Who found it now? Probably some bum found my money; what a waste! What am getting out of it now?!The truth is that if you think these thoughts then you’re getting a lot out of those missing quarters! You just turned seventy-five cents into a pot of gold! Because Rabeinu Yonah says that if as a result of a misfortune a man improves then he should always look back to that mishap with the greatest joy as if he had actually become wealthy as a result. Because improving yourself in this world is a pot of gold. There’s no greater stroke of good luck than if a misfortune happens and because of that you stop a bad habit, you change a bad trait, or makes yourself better in some way. Because that’s the greatest success a man can have in life.WHAT IF I’M WRONG?So if while you’re eating you give a good bite on your tongue, instead of cussing, give a thought. What’s your tongue to blame? Could it be that something is wrong with your tongue? Why not? You’re notsucha tzadik after all. Maybe you should have bitten your tongue earlier in the day when you wanted to say something wrong. נצור לשונך מרע, guard your tongue against saying what you shouldn’t. If you studymidah k’neged midahsomething is bound to turn up. It’s one of the systems by which Hashem lets us know what He wants us to discover, and therefore it’s one of the principles by which a Jew should live his life.“Oh it’s so silly,” somebody will say. A “chochom”will say, “Am I going to waste my life thinking about the things that happened, imputing them to sins which I don’t know about; saying that Hakadosh Baruch Hu is sending them upon me for this or that imaginary reason? Maybe it’s not because of that. It could be it’s not because of anything wrong for all I know.” The answer is that it pays to be silly. If you’ll discover a pot of gold, it pays to be silly. And there’s no question you’ll discover it. If you look very hard, you’re going to discover.THERE’S A LOT OF TRUTH IN FRUM JOKESAnd let’s say a person searched and he didn’t find – now that’s improbable. What it means is that he wasn’t searching. But let’s say he did, and he didn’t find. So the gemara says:yitlehb’bitul Torah– let him attribute it to neglect of Torah study, insufficient study of Torah. Torah study! You can always attribute it to that. And some say apeirush; if a man searches and he can’t find any sins,yitleh, he has to say, ”What’s the reason I can’t find any sins? Because ofbitulTorah. It’s because I didn’t study enough Torah, so I think I’m a pretty good fellow. If I would study more I would know what’s expected of me and I would discover a lot!” That’s only a joke – afrumjoke, but there is a lot of truth infrumjokes.And the truth is that if a person is going to search in himself and findanything, so whatever he finds is a success. It’s none of your business why Hakadosh Baruch Hu sent it. Your duty as a Jew is to attribute it to your own faults, and the result will be that you’ll become improved. That’s what counts.Let’s say he made a mistake, and really that’s not exactly why he is being punished. So what of it? Let’s say I sent you into the next room to look for a ten dollar bill. And so you’re looking around in that room, and instead of the ten dollars you find a big box of golden coins. So will you be disappointed? Will you be displeased that I sent you searching?If you’ll make use of the opportunity, even if you won’t guess the real reason, you still struck gold! Let’s say you’ll blame yourself for something else that wasn’t the real reason – but at least in that one thing you’ll improve. And that’s already a greathatzlacha. Rabeinu Yonah says inSha’arei Teshuvah: כאשר יקבל האדם מוסר השם, “If a man accepts the instruction of Hashem, וייטיב דרכיו ומעלליו, and he’ll improve his ways or his deeds, ראוי לו לשמוח עליהם, he shouldrejoice on his misfortunes, on his sufferings, כעל הצלחות הגדולות, as he would rejoice upon the great successes of life”. Because there’s no better fortune in life than to discover something wrong and to have the opportunity to fix things up while you’re still here.DID YOU HAVE A COLD IN NOVEMBER?Before we end our discussion I want to point out to you a very important lesson ofmidah k’neged midahthat often goes lost from our lives – it’s something that most people never think about, and yet it’s the most basic lesson that Hashem wants us to learn. Let’s take a little incident that happens in our daily lives. You picked up your keys from the table to put them in your pocket, but you fumbled and they fell on the floor. So you have to bend over. Now let’s say you’re past forty; when people are past forty they try to avoid bending over as much as they can. And now you have to bend over to pick them up. The first thing that should flash in your mind is, “Why did this happen? It didn’t happen yesterday or the day before. Usually I successfully hold on to the keys and put them in my pocket. Today I fumbled!Yoreh chatoim baderech– Hashem is teaching me something. What is he teaching me?So the first “sin” you should consider is this: Why isn’t it that you didn’t think when the keys fell down, “Look at that! It’s the first time in months that the keys fell down – they don’t fall down every day.” There are people whose hands tremble and most of the time when they pick up the keys, the keys fall out of their hands. But with you, most of the time they don’t fall out of your hands! That’s the first thing you should think about. Look, the keys fell out of my handsthistime. It’s the first time it happened in months, maybe years. If that’s the case, what’s the firstteshuvaI have to do? The firstteshuvais to remind myself how lucky I am; how fortunate Hashem has made me. He has blessed me that such a thing happened to me only once in years!And that is an aspect ofmidah k’negedmidahthat we can apply to our lives always. You caught a cold in the middle of the winter? Why did Hakodosh Boruch Hu do that to you? Your head is pounding, your nose is running, you can’t eat, you can’t sleep. What did you do already to deserve this? So the man who knows how to think, will think as follows: Did I remember to thank Hashem back in the beginning of the winter, after that first week in November, when I didn’t catch a cold? And when the second week in November ended and I was still cold-free, did I take even one minute to say thank you to Hashem? And the next week, and the week after, and all of December? Winter is already almost finished and I never spent two minutes thanking Hakodosh Boruch Hu for keeping me safe from the flu and other illnesses?! Maybethat’swhy I caught a cold.” That’s how to applymidah k’neged midahto our lives.LET’S PUT YISRO’S LESSON INTO PRACTICEBecause it’s not enough to see this way of Hashem in the big catastrophes of life likeKriyas Yam Suf. And it’s surely not enough to seemidah k’neged midahonly in the lives of others, like Yisro did when he heard about theMitzri’imwho were gargling as they drowned in the depths of the waters. This discovery of Yisro of one of the ways of Hashem is given to us as a model to emulate and it’s inour own liveswhere we can find the most success by applying the lesson.Because even if we understand everything we spoke about now, if we don’t begin putting it into practice, then it’s worth very little. It’s vital that we take the principle of Hashem beingyoreh chato’im baderechby means ofmidah k’neged midah,and begin applying it to our own private lives. Even if a person will choose only one thing a day, one small misfortune, one little mishap every day to stir his mind, then he is already a head taller than everyone else. Because he’s taking the great lesson that Hakodosh Boruch Hu taught us in this week’sparshah, and applying it to his own life as he prepares himself for his glory in the Next World by listening to the messages of Hashem in this world. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Learning to Love All Types of JewsONE NATION UNDER G-DWe all know already that the children of Yaakov were inMitzrayimfor two hundred and ten years and it was there that this small family of twelve brothers developed into one great nation. And because they didn’t have any territory to divide among themselves; they were primarily in the area ofGoshenand couldn’t spread out and settle into separate districts, we would have therefore expected that they should have lived together as one people, theAm Bnei Yisrael. L’havdil, like they say in America, “One nation, under G-d.” That’s whatwewould have anticipated.And yet, what do we see? That the developing nation of the children of Yaakov remainedtwelve separateshevatim. For more than two centuries they maintained the boundaries; everybody knew hisshevetand identified primarily with his own tribe. Everyone knew where he belonged.For two hundred years they didn’t give up their individual identity.Yehudah remained Yehudah, Reuven remained Reuven, and Shimon was Shimon. And that’s a remarkable thing because it was inMitzrayimthat they were supposed to grow intooneunified nation. And therefore we should study that; it’s a strange thing and it deserves a great deal of attention.THE GHETTO OF 1776Imagine that for two hundred and ten years Jews lived in America.Let’s say, in 1776 some Jews came to America from Germany and others came from Spain. Some immigrated from England and the Turkish Jews also arrived on the shores of America. So by the time two hundred and ten years would pass, by the time 1986 would come,halevaithey should still remain Jews! But that they should remain segregated into strict boundaries, separate people, living separate lives?!Such a thing couldn’t even be imagined! It’s one nation and the different families and nationalities would all be amalgamated after a while. They would merge together and the boundaries would disappear.And why not? After all, we’re all Jews, one tribe ofovdei Hashem. And yet we see that inMitzrayimit wasn’t like that. Not only did they remain Jews, but they retained their status as separateshevatim.So you’ll say maybe it was something temporary, something reserved for their stay inMitzrayim,when they were still a growing family of different brothers, and not yet a unified nation. But when they would come out ofMitzrayim, so now they’re a full-fledged nation already, so who needs this segregation anymore?THE SPRINGS OF SEGREGATIONAnd yet surprisingly, what we find is that this was the permanent plan ofHashemfor theAmYisroel; it was His conspicuous policy to maintain the individual identity of each tribe. We see that Hakadosh Baruch Hu insisted there should be separateshevatimeven when they came out ofMitzrayim. We find that in ourparsha: ויבואו אילמה ושם שתים עשרה עינות מים – “And they came to Eilim and there were twelve springs of water…and they encamped there near the water” (Beshalach 15:27).Now if the Torah goes out of its way to tell us the number of springs, then the number twelve is not superfluous. Twelve springs?!That wasn’t an accident; that was Hashem’s plan from the days ofma’asehBereishis– they didn’t dig the springs on their own. This was the hand of Hashem guiding His people in the way He wanted for them.So we’ll understand that the springs of much needed fresh water in the parched desert was the preferred place for people to gather. Everyone needs water after all. And therefore there is no doubt that it was the plan of Hashem to have separate springs for each of the twelveshevatim.The plan of Hashem was segregation. TheReuveineeshould spent their time with theReuveinee, theShimoneewith theShimoneeand so on and so forth.And we’re told about it; the separation is emphasized. More than emphasized; Hakodosh Boruch Hu made sure that it would remain that wayalways.ARE WE REALLY “KE’ISH ECHAD”?Because when you learn Torah, if you pay attention to thepesukim, you’ll note that this wasn’t an isolated incident; it was no aberration.You see a very clear thing that this is how theAm Yisroelalways lived in the ancient times- as distinct and dividedshevatim.You remember when they came to receive theTorahatHar Sinai.Everyone knows what the Torah says: ויחן שם ישראל נגד ההר – “And the nation encamped there, opposite the mountain” (Shemos 19:2). And Chazal are bothered by the wordvayichan– andheencamped, in the singular. And they say that the nation made camp כאיש אחד בלב אחד – “Like one man, with one heart” (Rashi, ibid.)However even there we find something very queer. They all encamped together “like one man, with one heart,” and yet Moshe Rabeinu,al pi Hashem,had different plans for them. When they were about to receive theTorah, it says (Shemos 24:4) that Moshe built twelvematzeivos,one for each one of the twelveshevatim.ויבן מזבח תחת ההר ושתים עשרה מצבה לשנים עשר שבטי ישראל – Moshe built – not onemizbei’achat the foot of the mountain, but he builttwelvematzeivosfor each one of theshevatimseparately!That was what Hakodosh Boruch Hu insisted on atkabalas hatorah.Twelve separate “standing stones.” Now that’s very strange. Why was it necessary?They’re all coming to receive theTorahtogether“like one man, with one heart.” What’s the problem with that? Let them come together as one nation!I’ll tell you something else that always bothered me. You know that thekohengadolcarried always on his chest thechoshen, the breastplate. And on the breastplate he had twelve precious stones, each one distinguished from the next; separate colors, set off from each other in separate settings. And on these twelve precious stones were engraved the names of the twelveshevatim.והאבנים תהיין על שמות בני ישראל שתים עשרה על שמותם… איש על שמו תהיין לשני עשר שבט – “The stones should be according to the names of the Bnei Yisroel, twelve according to their names… each man by his name they should be, for the twelve tribes” (Shemos 28:21). That’s what Hashem wanted to see – that in theMishkaneachshevetshould remain separate.And it wasn’t just the symbolicchoshenin theMishkan. It was actually how they lived their lives in themidbar! They lived in separate areas, under different colored flags, each one distinguished from the next. They lived and traveled for forty years segregated from one another – set boundaries, thisshevethere, this one here. There were no walls but there were always clearly defined boundaries.HASHEM WANTS STRONG BORDERSAnd a biggerkashah; even when they came toEretz Yisroel, they should have become one great nation. But no. There were twelve tribes, and each one got a separate territory.That’s a queer thing. Throughout all the generations the fact that they lived apart, within separate boundaries, caused them to have separate lifestyles.They all kept the Torah but each one hadminhagimthat were different.Anshei Galilhad thisminhag, anshei Yehudaa differentminhag. There weredifferent traditions and separateminhagim,and in the course of time many things became very deeply ingrained in them.It was like twelve different nations within one people. And for me, that’s really a very bigkasha –why did there have to be separateshevatimwhen they settled down permanently inEretz Yisroel?Nowlehavdil elef havdaloswhen the English first came to America so they settled here and there; they settled in Massachusetts, and in Connecticut and Virginia. Not because of any reason that they wanted to remain separate; that’s just how it came about. One colony settled here, one there. And after they settled, so in order to manage the collection of taxes, so the head government in England, divided them into states.In each state there was a tax collector, and they had separate offices for each state. But it was for the sake of convenience – not because there was any real difference between the states.They were all the same.All thegoyimare the same.Now it could be that in the course of time they developed certain dialects, certain differences, butlechatchilah, at the beginning they had no intention of being different people.Butlehavdil elef havdaloshere it wasal pi Hashem. The land was divided according to the command, the will, ofHakadosh Baruch Hu. He wanted His people to be separate.I don’t know if it bothers you but it bothers me very much. Now why didn’t they say we should all unite and be one people?Let’s all be one people now.Why should we be broken up into twelve different tribes?Why did they need twelveshevatim? They came out ofMitzrayimand now they’ream echad.They’re one nation.Why keep separateshevatim?And to my little head, that’s a very big question.Why couldn’t it be one country?That’s what we would do if it would have been our littleseichelmaking decisions.EVERYONE BRINGS SOMETHING TO THE TABLE!Now we have to understand; there are no accidents in this world.Hakadosh Baruch Hu has planned these things that way- and it’s a puzzle. And so we’ll try to understand why is that, what is the purpose of Hashem over here?And so we’ll say as follows: It’s clear to us that the purpose of maintaining the individual status of eachshevetis becauseeach tribe possessed its peculiar characteristics, which were its contribution to the general perfection of theAm Yisroel. And Hakodosh Boruch Hu insisted that eachshevetshould maintain its identity, and thereby contribute to the general perfection of theAm Yisroelas a whole.We get so many benefits from eachkehillah, because each group of frum Jews brings something else to the table, some benefit for theAm Yisroel. Our nation wouldn’t be the perfect nation it is, if it wasn’t for the variety of paths in the service of Hashem that make up our people. And that’s exactly why Hakodosh Boruch Hu insisted on the twelve springs inEilim. Because those separate springs signified Hashem’s plan to encourage each tribe to maintain its individuality. As they came to draw the much needed water, each tribe frequented its own well and was therefore able to avoid being swallowed up by the others. Each group retained their individual identity.Now you have to know that the differences among theshevatimwas a model for what would persist throughout the entire history of theAm Yisroel.Even when some theshevatimwent lost, or became diluted one among the other ingolus, we always remained a nation of different tribes; different ideals and attitudes, various preferences of paths in the service ofHashem.WHO NEEDS CHASSIDIM, MISNAGDIM AND SEFARDIM?I’m frequently asked: What’s the benefit of different types of servants of Hashem? Who needschassidimandmisnagdimandsefardim? Wouldn’t it have been better if we all walked together on one path towards Hakodosh Boruch Hu?So I always say: Why is it that you’ll find in the supermarket clover honey and orange blossom honey and buckwheat honey? There are at least ten varieties of honey! Who needs it?! And the answer is that it makes life more delectable! Variety is a pleasure! After all, Hakodosh Boruch Hu could have given us nothing but red delicious apples. Let’s say you’d pass a fruit stand and all you would see is bins and bins of red delicious apples. Now, red delicious apples are a treat; we can’t complain about them, but how much more fun it is when we have ten different kinds of apples! And even better, to have tens and tens of varieties of fruit. It’s much more fun when you can choose from a wide variety of good things.And therefore, there are all kinds of methods of serving Hashem, each one that has been cultivated by Hashem Himself, by the separation ofkehillos. Sometimes a person can choose one method and stick to it always. Or sometimes you can choose from the fruit store of the differentshevatim. Sometimes you’ll choose something from theGerrer, another thing you’ll take from Lakewood, something you’ll pick from Lubavitch, something you’ll take from Belz, and something else you’ll nosh from Satmer. And so on. Everyshevethad something to contribute. You can be sure that there are a lot of delightful fruit in all of these various places that help theAmYisroelin itsavodas Hashem.Everybody is helping out! Somekehillosbrought to theAm Yisroelthe great benefits ofmussarto theAm Yisroel, while otherkehillosbroughtchassidus. From some communities we learn to bekanaaimfor the truth and others impress us with theirhasmadahinlimudhatorahorgemillas chasodim.I myself have learned from one group of Jews in Flatbush what it means to bemichabeid talmidei chachomim.Because there’s no end to the variety of paths that theAm Yisroelwalk toward the One Hashem and there’s what to learn from everyone.MAKING ENEMIES FOR RAV MILLERNow I’m not going to tell you what’s best. Someone asked me, what does Hakodosh Boruch Hu want from me? Am I supposed to bechassidish, orlitvishor what? Now that’s some big order. He wants me to make enemies, the one who asked me that question.Hashem wants you to be the best that you can be. Some people can be their best if they’rechassidish. Some people can be their best if they’relitvish. Other people can be their best if they’resefardi. It’s like asking – “What is the best diet for all of mankind?” The best type of diet depends on each individual person. People are different. Some people are so different that their diets are radically different. So whatever it is that you choose, you should make it a principle in your life to always choose whatever it is that willgive you the most success in life– and success in this world means preparing for the Next World.EVERYONE IS WRONGEveryone is right. And everyone is wrong. Nobody is perfect in this world. And most important is to live with the principle of knowing that we ourselves are not altogether right.And we have to do our best to improve. Although we don’t have to adopt what everybody else does, and everyone should follow the customs and manners of hiskehillain the very best manner, nevertheless, he should know that there are things to be learned everywhere.Even though you’re achossid, when you walk into Telshe Yeshiva, you can learn good things there too. And if a Telshe bochur goes to Williamsburg, he can learn good things there, no question about it. Therefore, everyone should try to steal from others all the good things they can. Instead of going around and saying “Well, I saw in thisshteibelthat they talk during davening so it’s not so bad.” Or, “In the other place they daven fast, so I can also daven fast.” So this person goes around collecting all thewrongthingsfrom all the places. No! Go around collecting all the good things from everybody – that’s what they’re there for.BE JEALOUS AND STEALAnd that’s the person who will succeed. That’s what jealousy is for.Kinahmeans to bekoneh, to acquire, to be jealous of all the good things that you find. “Why is he saying a longshemonahesreiand not me?” “Why does he treat his wife so nicely and I’m so gruff?” “Why does he go out to learn at night and I’m still wasting away?” And everybody should try to steal from everyone else all the good things that they find.That’s our purpose – to acquire all the qualities that find favor in the eyes of Hashem. Because what Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants of us isshleimus– perfection.Shleimusin knowledge of the Torah, perfection in knowing His ways, perfection in recognizing Him in history and in nature. Perfection in character and self-control and perfection in kindliness to our fellow man. Every form of perfection that’s possible for a person to emulate, to imitate, to steal from all sides, he should do that. And the various groups that make up theAm Yisroelhave all of those things to offer.And so whenever a person comes comes into contact with people different than himself, othershevatim, otherkehillos, whenever he sees anything good in the world, he should recognize that these differences are exactly what Hashem was cultivating in theAm Yisroelwhen He separated theshevatim. And therefore he should emulate whatever good he sees and decide that he wants to take it for himself.MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IS TOO SMALLHowever there is another subject altogether – maybe even more important – that is vital for understanding why Hashem insisted on the separation of theshevatim. And we’ll begin this subject with the followinggemara. Thegemara(Brachos 58a) says thatהרואה אוכלוסי ישראל, if you see a big throng of Jews, you have to make a specialbrachah.What’s calleduchlusei yisroel?600,000 Jews.It’s azechiyah! We’re talking here about Jews who areshomrei Torah.600,000shomrei Torahs! Ahh!It’s an illumination of the mind,it’s such asimchathat you’re required to make abrachahon something like that.Now in thatbrachahyou mention a number of things.And among the things you say in thatbrachahis that אין דעתם דומה זה לזה ואין פרצופיהן דומים זה לזה – In this big throng, no two of them have the same faces. It’s a remarkable statement.The fact is that nobody has an exact replica of your face. Even twins are not exactly the same.And that’s only thechitzoniyus. Because even more than that, no two people have the samedeios, the same minds. People have various characters. Eventzadikim; no twotzadikimare the same. They think differently. When it comes to דעתם, their ideas, their attitudes, it’s a remarkable thing, that even twins who look so much alike, they’re actually very different from one another.THE MOTHER WILL ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING ABOUT THE NOSEIt’s a remarkable fact if you look at a family – let’s say you visit your cousins or it could be your own family – it’s remarkable how different the children are from each other.It’s one of the surprisingnissim.From the same parents, and yet brothers are so different one from the other.Here you have one brother.He’s handsome.He’s graceful.He looks like a real Lord Fauntleroy.He’s a beautiful boy, but a little bit sleepy, a little bit lazy.Now next to him is his brother; not good looking but a very good boy,full of energy.They look like two families, two different brothers entirely.They don’t look alike at all! Maybe you’ll find some resemblance in their nose – their mother will always find some resemblance – but otherwise they are entirely different. It’s a remarkable fact.And sisters also, sisters are very different one from the other.Now, some people think maybe it’s only their own family where this is a problem. He thinks that one of his brothers is too smart. And his little brother is too dull. One is akanoi, and the other one doesn’t care about anything. Maybe in other families it’s better. But the truth is that it was this way in the best family as well. Thegemara(Pesachim 56a) tells us when Yaakov Avinu was on his deathbed and his holy sons were standing around his bed, so he looked up at them, and he was very much worried.They were all different, remarkably different, and that concerned him as he was about to leave this world. After he would pass away, what would hold his children together? They’re so different, and he wouldn’t be around to hold them in place.YOUR HUSBAND’S LONG NOSEAnd so we see that this peculiar fact, that אין דעותיהם שוות and אין פרצופיהן שוות is no accident. Hakadosh Baruch Hu intentionally made people different from each other. Nobody in the whole world has the same face.Their voices are not the same. Their thoughts are different, their ideas, their desires. It’s a remarkable thing.And so here you have a man married to a woman, a fine woman, but he has a nose a little bit longer than she would like.She doesn’t like such a long nose. And he doesn’t like this or that. It gnaws at him. They don’t like the same foods. And I’m only mentioning some superficial things. There’s much more than that, many more differences. I know all about it because my phone is constantly ringing.Don’t ever expect when you get married that your wife will be like you.You will always discover that after all she is a woman and you are a man.נשים עם בפני עצמם, women are a different nation, thegemarasays (Shabbos 62a). Of course we shouldn’t try to emphasize the diversity.Before you get married it’s best to look for somebody who eats the same kind of food that you eat, someone who comes from the same background, as much as possible.Of course you should do that; there’s no reason to make it more difficult.It’s difficult enough as it is.But we have to know beforehand that no matter what, no matter what theshadchantells you, you’re going to be surprised to find many more differences than you ever imagined.And so what we’re seeing now is thatnotwo people are the same! One brother is different than the next, sisters can’t agree on anything, husbands and wives are from different “nations,” every neighbor is different than the next – theAm Yisroelis a nation of variousshevatim.And so we have to wonder, why is that?Wouldn’t it be so wonderful, so beautiful, if we all had the same noses. You’d be in love with your husband’s nose. And if we all thought alike?! Ahh, it would be a pleasure!Shalom al Yisroel!But no such luck. Nobody is the same. And so we see that there was some reason why Hakadosh Baruch Hu made all of us so different one from another. And we’re going to learn now that the answer to this puzzle is actually one of the most vital opportunities for perfection in this world.IF YOU’RE HERE, THERE’S STILL HOPENow to try to answer this puzzle, we’ll first study apossukin Koheles (9:4).We read there:מי אשר יחבר אל כל החיים יש ביטחון – “If somebody is still connected to the living then there’s still hope.” Now that seems like such a simple and obvious statement that we’re surprised that it’s even made – that if you’re still breathing, if you’re still alive, then there’s still hope for you to achieve something in this world.However, we’ll note a superfluous word in thepossuk. It says, אל כל החיים – “He’s connected toallthe living.” It could have said you’re connected “to the living.” Why mentionallthe living?If you’re among the living there’s still some hope for you, that’s all. If the person is already in the cemetery, it’s too late.And if he’s still with the living, if he’s still breathing, he can still accomplish something with his life. Why mentionkolhachaim,allthe living?GET ALONG WITH HIS BLUE HATWhat we’re beginning to see now is that all of these differences among ourselves that have been nurtured by Hashem throughout our history – the twelve springs inEilimare only one small example – are there in order to test us. By means of the wide variety of our fellow Jews, we are provided with the great opportunity of getting along with people who are different than we are.And that’s whatKohelesis telling us – that the one who still wants to retain somebitachon, some hope of accomplishing perfection in this world, it’s only if he understands that he must beyechubar el kol hachaim– attached toallthe living. Learning how to get along withallthe different types – the black hats and the blue hats, the long coats and the short coats, the Polish Jews and the Hungarians, the Syrian Jews and the Persians.El kol hachaim!Now of course if he’s friendly to you, you’ll like him.Or if he wears hispeyoslike you do, or he shakes during davening like you, so you’ll like him. Why not? If he’s your “type,” if he’s yourshevet, it’s much easier.But what will you do with theAm Yisroelin its totality – with all of thefrumJews who are your brothers? Hakadosh Baruch Hu expects you to have a certain attitude of affection,of love, for theAm Yisroelon a whole. It’s amitzvahmin hatorah.Veahavta l’reiachahdoesn’t mean this man right here who is a good friend of yours, who thinks like you do.Veahavtameans all of them. And that’swhywe have people in the world.In order to test us whether we’ll choose to overcome our natural tendencies to shun those different than ourselves, and instead train our minds toyechubar el kol hachaim, to feel connected to everyone.A LOVE FOR THE SEAWe are always being tested by the differences among people.The fact that some Jews saybureechand some saybaruchorboruch,is a test. You know that, don’t you? Even theshevatimpronounced the words oflashon kodeshdifferently. We see that in theTanach(see Shoftim 12:6). And there’s no question that they used idioms peculiar to themselves, ate different foods, dressed differentlyand thought differently. And it was the will of Hashem that the differentiation should persist. And itdidpersist! The distinctive physical features and characteristics of eachshevetbecame emphasized by the inbreeding, and to the untrained eye they appeared as different nations.Like thegemarasays inPesachim(4a) : ההוא דהוה קא אזיל ואמר , a man used to go around and say אכיף ימא אסיסני ביראתא, he loved the seashore.He loved the seashore.בדקו, they began to investigate.Why are you talking so much about the seashore?And they found out he came fromZevulun.זבולון לחוף ימים ישכון,Zevulunlived near the seashore and they loved it.It’s a remarkable thing.Hakadosh Baruch Hu put intoZevuluna love for the sea, and therefore they were a seafaring nation.They were sailors with boats and they loved the sea.SOME KIDS OBEY RULESAnother man used to go around saying דונו דיני – “Judge my dispute.”That means whenever there was some case between him and a fellow man, he didn’t want to arbitrate.He didn’t want to make apesharah.“No, let’s go to the judge and let’s hear what the judge says.”Now he said it so many times דונו דיני, דונו דיני it was suspicious to people. So בדקו אחריו, they searched after his pedigree, and they found that he came fromDan. You remember what it says byDan, דן ידין עמו.Danwas a strict fellow.He followed only the strict line of the law.There are people like that who are very strict with laws.They keep rules.Even little children sometimes are born that way. Some children are like that. They keep rules; it’s their nature. Other children, not so much.Now, all of these character traits were planted in our nation by Hashem – after all,Dandidn’t follow the strict line of the law because he went to a university of law and read the law journals. It was a trait that Hashem gifted him with. AndZevulunwasn’t reading Boat Fishing Monthly or whatever magazine it is, and teaching himself to like the sea; no, it was a characteristic that Hashem placed in his heart. And by maintaining its own territory and its own identity, each tribe tended to marry among themselves, and thereby maintain the characteristics that Hashem gifted them with. The character traits were planted by Hashem, and they therefore deserved to be cultivated.And therefore they remained different. Reuven was very different than Dan and Zevulun. Naftali, Levi, Shimon; they all looked different.They even made sure theirbegadimwere different, and they spoke a different language oflashon hakodesh.Their dialect was different.They lived separately, and they had different expressions. Eachshevetdeveloped different kinds ofmelitzosand language, differentmalbushimandminhagim.DON’T GET BOGGED DOWN BY THE DIFFERENCESSo we see that Hakadosh Baruch Hu put in theshevatimdifferent qualities andthe purpose was in order that they should all get together despite their differences. And when they would come up three times a year to Yerushalayim, it was supposed to beחברים כל ישראל, they’re all together as one family, despite everything that made them different. They were expected to achieve the perfection ofyechubar el kol hachaim, despite the difficulties involved.But it wasn’t an easy task. So when a person fromDanwas passing by and a boy fromYehudahsaw him, he might have ayetzer harato ridicule and say “Tatty, look at that man. Look at his funny clothing.” So the father scolded his son, ‘Oh no, don’t laugh at him.He’s our brother from the holyshevetof Dan.Have respect.Everyshevetiskadosh.” And when a boy ofshevet Reuvensaid, “Look Abba! Isn’t that strange how this person fromEfraimis speaking a queer language – he can’t pronounce the words,” so the father said, “Shh, we don’t talk that way.Shevet Efraimis holy.It’s a very holy tribe,” he said.“They’re our people, our brothers.” And theAm Yisroellearned to overcome theyetzer haraof factionism, ofmachlokes, of partisanship. They learned to respect each other’s customs and idiosyncrasies and trained themselves to refrain from mocking or ridiculing the language, the clothing and the manners of their brother tribes. They knew that Hashem favored these differences and that they were all “tribes of Hashem” (Tehillim 122:4).OPPOSITES: ATTRACT!And so we’re expected to learn from that, the lesson of how important it is to be connected to all of theKlal Yisrael.Because the many differences are there just for that – to give us the opportunity to train ourselves to respect each other’s idiosyncrasies.These have this way of talking and that way of dressing. And evenminhagim, as mentioned, inGallilthey had certainminhagim, while inYehudahthey did the opposite – otherminhagim.And theAm Yisroelhad to get used to respecting the differentminhagimof their fellow Jews.Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants to give us the great opportunity of perfection – the perfection ofyechubar el kol hachaim. Hashem wants us to struggle to beyechubarto all those who are living,el kol hachaim, to feel an affection for all the different types. We are expected to overcome the tendency to break up into factionsin our minds– that’s ayetzer hara, to actually feel that we are different factions. Now that’sa very bignisayonby the way, to retain the individuality that Hashem wants, and yet to feel attached with an actual affection to every frum Jew – it’s a very big test.BUMS IN THE BAR MAKE PEACENow, of course there will always be dissension because each one has his own mind. Each one is working toward a principle – when a principle is involved you can’t just yield. You know when bums get together in a bar and they have a dissension, so they could make peace more readily. They could unite with ease because what are they fighting about already? It’s nothing after all.Whereas people who have principles can’t unite. That’s why you findLubavitchergo their way and theSatmerertheir way. And theLakewooderand the otherlitvishehyeshivosdon’t go on either of those ways. Thelitvishehgo their own way and thesefardimwalk a different path. Andchasv’shalomthat they should become united in their principles!Chasv’shalom! Because if so, all principles would die out. Each one tries to serve Hashem according to the way he understands best – and each one respects and loves the other onejust because of that.YOU BETTER ARGUE!You know when Beis Hillel and Beis Shammai argued, nobody ever said, “Come on boys, let’s just settle down and come to an agreement. What’s the use of arguing over nothing?” No, it’snotnothing. It’s everything! It’s the most important thing to argue about – there is nothing else worth arguing about except how to serve Hashem. And each one sought to serve Hashem in the best way. And Hakodosh Boruch Hu intended that – it was no accident. From the beginning it was all planned – eachshevet, eachkehillahwith its own ways, because of the great opportunities for perfection it affords us. Because that’s what Hakodosh Boruch Hu wantsfrom us, theshleimusof learning to get along with those who are different from you.A grandson once showed him a picture in the newspaper depicting an apparent conflict between Jewish groups. “It’s trick photography,” said Rav Miller. “The media loves to drum up conflicts even where none exist. These Jews really love each other and so we love both groups.” “But they seem to be really fighting,” his grandson persisted. “I’ll explain,” Rav Miller replied. “The army has many divisions: the marines, the navy, the air force, etc. Each one is convinced that they are the best, and naturally they feel animosity toward the other branches. Yet, as far as the rest of the nation is concerned, they are one unified army supporting its country. And that is how everyone must look at them, for that is all that concerns them. Every soldier must know where he belongs and stay there – and so should you.” The grandson asked, “Who should I side with?” “You just have to know that you are in the army of Hashem,” Rav Miller answered. “and continue doing whatever service you are performing, keeping your own position. You don’t have to be concerned with the issues of others.” (Rav Avigdor Miller – His Life and His Revolution p. 292)You know, when Hakodosh Boruch Hu brought theLubavitcher Rebbe, the previous one,zichrono l’vracha, to America, it wasn’t an accident. Now, we think that he came here in order to bring back people toyiddishkeit. And it’s true – he wasmachzirb’teshuvaa lot of people. But that’s not the whole truth.And when Hakodosh Boruch Hu brought theSatmerer Rav,zichrono l’vracha,to America, people think it was for the purpose of helping rebuildchassidusin Williamsburg. They were theud mutzal m’eish; people who went through concentration camps, dejected people, broken families, ruined men and women. And he encouraged them to marry again and have children, and he almost single-handedly built up a bigkehillah. So people saw that he was sent by Hakodosh Boruch Hu to bematzila very greatkehillah. And he did! We can’t thank theSatmerer Ravenough for what he did for America. But that’s not the whole truth.THE LUBAVITCHERS ARE LITVAKSWe have to realize something that we don’t like to realize. There was another great benefit that Hashem wanted by bringing variouskehillostogether. And that’s the fact that theLubavitcherRebbecame to America to help theSatmererkehillah! And theSatmererRavcame to America to help theLubavitcherkehillah! You understand that it’s two separatekehillos. They can’t even talk together – their language is different. It’s hard to understand what theSatmererare saying if you’re not accustomed to their language. And they have differentminhagim. I’m not talking only about Torahminhagim– they have differentminhagimeven in eating – how they eat, what they eat. Many things are different about them. These arelitvakers– theLubavitcher chassidimare mostlylitvakers. They speak alitvisheh Yiddish, and theSatmerercome from Hungary and places like that – it’s a different language.So what did Hakodosh Boruch Hu do? He said, “I can’t let them remain that way. To be so separate that they never see each other, and never learn to get along despite their differences, that’s a failure. I want them to get ashleimus. So I’ll bring them to America. I’ll bring the Bobover and the Litvakers together, and the Syrians and the Persians too. I’ll bring them to one place so that they should continue to stand strong in their principlesSo that they should see the differences between them, and retain those differences,and yet at the same time they should get along with each other and love one another. Themachlokesis a great benefit for them, a great opportunity for perfection.RAV MILLER PREDICTS THE FUTUREBecause no matter how important are the principles that they stand for – and theymuststand their ground – but all of them have the same Hakodosh Boruch Hu and the same Torah. And the end will be that maybe they’ll intermarry too. They’ll dance together at weddings! It might take some time, a generation or two generations, but the perfection of being loyal to their principles at the same time as feeling a deep affection for one another, will come. At the end you’ll see that they’ll live together. And each one will gain a perfection that he could never have gotten otherwise.If you would sit inSatmarin Europe all your life and you would stew in your own juice – you’d never have any opposition, you’d never see people with differentminhagim– so you’re not being testedand you’re not being perfected. It’s the opposition that makes you great. When you’re sitting in your ownbeismedrashbut you come into contact with someone who has a differentRebbe, and different ways, that’s your opportunity for greatness.A BENT-DOWN HAT MAKES ME ANGRY!And sometimes it’s not even important things – it’s little things that bother you. Hisyarmulkehis this way and youryarmulkehis a different way. Maybe your hat is round and his hat is bent over. You don’t like that! A bent down hat you can’t stand; you’re angry at it! And when he sees your round hat, he thinks you look like aba’al ga’avah.“What does he think he is? Arebbeh?!” And so there’s friction. It’s אין “כובעיהם” ואין דעותיהם שוות – their hats are different, their faces are different and their ideals are also different.And with all that, they overcome those petty things like hats andyarmulkehsand coats, and they say “I choose to beyechubar el kolhachaim, to all of the various frum Jews, becauseit’s all just a test. And I’m going to pass that test and make myself more and more perfect every day.”EASIER SAID THAN DONENow all this is easier said than done. But once we begin to understand how important thisavodahis, so we begin to realize that this is one subject on which it pays to concentrate. Because it’s easyto say, “Get along with people,” but it’s not always easyto do. You have to have some motivation and that’s an important subject on which we should concentrate for a few minutes.So the question is how do you start working on that in order to fulfill thismitzvahfrom theTorah?Veahavtais aklal gadol betorah, it’s a very great rule of the Torah that you should have a feeling of love, of actual affection, for your fellow Jews. But how do we do it? How can we learn to love our fellow Jews?FELLOW JEW MEANSOBSERVANTJEWNotice that I’m not saying your fellowman.Forget about fellowman.Your fellowJew! Fellow Jew means only your fellowobservantJew.Thereshaimwe leave out.Achicha, reiacha, means people who areshomer mitzvoslike you are; theעבדי אלקי אביך – all the servants of Hashem, that’s theAm Yisroel.And I’m stressing that point because that is the answer to our question! I’ll explain that.I mentioned to you before about Yaakov Avinu’s worries as he lay on his deathbed. He saw children who were so different from one another, and he was concerned, “How could these children become one big unified nation?” So the sons understood their father’s worry and they consoled their father. Now listen to what they said because it’s what we have to always be saying if we want to overcome this problem and succeed atyechubar el kol hachaim, to be connected with all the living. They told Yaakov Avinu, “There’s nothing to worry about: שמע ישראל, “Listen our father, Yisroel, השם אלקינו, Hashem is our G-d, השם אחד, all of us have one G-d.” We might wear different hats and pronounce words differently. And we’ll even argue sometimes. But we’re all together “one nation under one G-d.” He’ll keep us together; He’s the “glue’’ that keeps us together. We’re all עבדי אלקי אביך – despite our differences, we’re all the servants of Hashem together.”And when Yaakov heard that, he said: ברוך שם כבוד מלכותו לעולם ועד.“If, notwithstanding all your differences you’ll be together forever, theAm Echaddedicated toHashem Echad, that will be a glory for Hashem, and I can go to the Next World in peace.”HASHEM ECHADIS THE ANSWERAnd so we’re learning now that the solution to our differences is the overriding knowledge that we’re theAm Echadserving theHashem Echad. We’re all one people and that’s something we have to not just say, but to feel.It’s very important for us to learn that, to love every part of theolam shomrei Torah, theAm Hashem,with all of our hearts.Now don’t just say, “I know that; I do that,” because youdon’tdo it. It takes work; it takes thinking and talking. You have to think about this whenever you see a fellow Jew who is different than you. He dresses different. He talks different. He davens different. You’re almost sure he’s from a differentshevet. So you have to begin planting thoughts in your head. Think about the fact that he’s ashomer mitzvoslike you are.He’s a brother in arms.We’re all fighting together to maintain theAmYisroel.We have a big army against us, enemies all around us.Thefrei yiddenare all enemies with us.The irreligious Jews hate us very much.You should know that.גדולה שנאה ששונאים עמי הארץ את התלמידי חכמים יותר ממה ששונאים אומות העולם את ישראל, “The irreligious people hate the frum Jews more than the gentiles hate the Jews” (Pesachim 49b).It’s a fact.We have to fight for our people and be the best of friends among ourselves because we’re surrounded by enemies on all sides.בכל דור ודור עומדים עלינו לכלותנו, everybody wants to overcome us.And therefore when we feel that we’re all fighting together for one cause, forHashem Echad, we’re all marching together in the same regiment against the same enemies, so it’s easier to have a love for your fellow Jew.BE PROUD OF EACH OTHER!And so now we have learned the necessity of identifying with theAm Yisraelof today. But you have to identify.If you’re ashamed of your people – of any of thefrummeh– then you’re not identifying.You have to be proud of all of your people.That’s important.And who are your people?All of us, all the good Jews.Not the liberals.They don’t belong to us.Not the reformers, no.They’re not proud of us, and we’re not proud of them. They want to be like gentiles and they’renichras mei’amav.They’re all cut offnebach.Pity on them.It’s a tragedy.What can we do?But we don’t want to identify with them.We don’t identify with Ben Gurion, and not with Herzl. And not with anybody like them. עמך means עושי מעשה עמך, those who do the deeds of your people.That’s what theAm Yisroelmeans.All the “heroes” that were not loyal to the Torah don’t exist for us. We limit our love to thosewho serve Hashem, those who love Hashem, because that is the only glue that binds theAmYisroeltogether despite our differences.We identify with all observant Jews, whether they’re Jews inTeimanor in Lakewood or inLubavitchor Bnei Brak or in Boro Park or Baltimore.Wherever they are, we identify with them.Whether they’re Sephardi Jews, whether they’re Syrian Jews, whether they’re Egyptian Jews.All Jews that are loyal to the Torah, that’s our people.That’s theAm Echad, and we have to identify with them.It’s important.You can’t feel like he’s a stranger.A Galicianer can’t think, “I’m a stranger to a Hungarian Jew.” No, we’re not strangers to anybody if they’re loyal Jews.It’s very important for us to learn that.DO YOU WEAR A TOP HAT FOR YONTIF?So now theTeimanimcome with their robes and their turbans and the Jews come let’s say from Canada with black hats.Some would come in with top hats yet.Some still wear top hats onyontif,silk hats.A man wearing a top silk hat and another man wearing a turban look at each other with the greatest respect.That’s my brother.Anothershevet,allshivtei Kah,holy people.Ohhh, now we’re talking! Because even though we all have our differences and our own lives, there always remains this glue of service of Hashem that binds us together in this kinship of brotherhood. It’s much more than a blood line; it’s a real bond, a bond of the mind, something that actually ties us together.We’re not merely connected to each other by blood, by DNA.A fellow Jew is a brother who is עמיתך, he’s עמך בתורה ובמצוות. Chazal tell us that אחיך means אחיך במצוות, “your brother in mitzvos.” It’s not merely a brother of the same ancestor; it’s a brother of the same mind! With the same ideals and attitudes; he’s your “brother in arms.” Among ourselves, we have to be the best of friends. Because no matter where you are; you could be Jew in Australia, aSatmererin Williamsburg, or a Jew in Tel-Aviv, we’re all in this world for one purpose, to serve Hakodosh Boruch Hu. When we feel that we’re all fighting together for one cause, to serve Hashem, we’re all marching together in the same regiment, so it’s much easier to have a love for your fellow men. How much of an affection are you supposed to feel for brothers who are of one mind with you!MODEH B’MIKTZASIS STILL SOMETHINGAll thekehillos, even the Modern Orthodox who are far away from what we consider the great ideals ofavodas Hashem, are our brothers. Absolutely! If a Jew is ashomermitzvos, he tries to keep themitzvos, then even though he doesn’t exactly do everything the way we do it, he’s still a brother. If he doesn’t doaveiros, I don’t care what kind ofyarmulkehhe wears. If he wears a knittedyarmulkehor if he wears something else, he’s still my brother. Even a small littleyarmulkeh,so he’s “amodeh b’miktzas,”but he’s still one of ours. A person who keepstaharashamishpacha, he eats kosher, he sends his children toyeshivaand not public school, he’s ashomer Shabbos, he hasmezuzoson his doors – so a person like that is our brother, and don’t make any mistake about it. And you love him like any other Jew.Now, don’t misquote me; I’m not saying that the modern orthodox man has to be your brother in the sense that you’ll move into the same house as him. It doesn’t mean that you should associate with him if you don’t have to.That’s something else altogether. If your brother has the flu, you don’t want to be too close to him because it’s contagious. But you still love him, no less. Over here, in this place, we say that we want to associate only with the best onesbecause we want to be the best.But when you see another frum Jew on the street, any frum Jew, he’syour brotherin the most literal sense of the word. And you have amitzvahof ואהבת לרעך כמוך – you have amitzvahto love him. That’s how to think about your fellow Jew. And even though he follows a different rebbe, or a different set of political objectives, nevertheless, don’t lose sight of the fact that fundamentally he belongs to your people and that therefore you’re obligated, to think well of him, to recognize him as your brother, and to love him.TRY TO SEE FROM HIS VIEWPOINTThat’s what it means לעולם תהא דעתו של אדם מעורבת עם הבריות – A person’s mind always should be united –mi’urevesmeans joined – with the minds of other people (Kesubos 17a). Now this I mentioned here more than once that it doesn’t mean you have to yield when somebody is doing something wrong; it doesn’t mean you should stand down when someone is doing sins. But when you happen to like one thing and somebody else is enthusiastic about something else, and you have no interest in that thing, don’t belittle it. Try to agree with people. Always try to see things from the other man’s side.Your mind is different – and Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants you to keep your mind. And his mind is different – and Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants him to keep his mind. But Hashem brought you together now just for the purpose of benefiting the both of you. That’s theshleimusof both of you.So if you walk in the streets and you see Jewish boys with yarmulkes and black hats coming out of theyeshivasor buses carrying children toyeshivos,so your heart should overflow with happiness.You’re looking at your people! Or you see a group offrumgirls dressedb’tzniuscoming out of the Bais Yaakov schools, walking with decency, and wearing long skirts. It’s a pleasure to see!Your heart is full of happiness to see theAm Hashem.You walk through blocks and blocks and see fathers with children going to thebeis hakenesesand you love to see it.Your heart swells with pride and happiness.You love your people.Hashem wants that.Some people are so happy when they see Jews.They just weep with joy when they see the Jewish people.My people,ami.THAT BOY WAS RUNNING TOWARDS HASHEMI’ll tell you a little story.There was a boy in Chicago.A true story – I won’t say his name but today he’s an important personality. He lived in a gentile neighborhood. He was a young boy and his heart yearned for his people so one day he got up, took a long walk to the east side of Chicago, to the Jewish neighborhood. And as he saw a Jewish child walking in the street, he burst into tears. This boy burst into tears.He was so emotionally happy.‘Ahh!My people.” He felt connected to his people.A boy like that is headed towards not just people.He’s headed towards Hakadosh Baruch Hu.That’s why it does you very good to walk through Boro Park.Bigmezuzosone after the other.Blocks and blocks of Jewish houses. And you’re thinking as you walk, “I’m walking among my people. בתוך עמי אנכי יושבת. It’s my people and I love them. I don’t care what hat he wears or what group he belongs to, it’s all my people!”You can’t even imagine what an opportunity you’re missing by not making use of this feeling ofachvah,of brotherly camaraderie, that is available to you all the time. The next time you walk intoshuland you see theAm Yisroelgathering todavento Hashem, you should put your mind to work: “This is my nation! My brothers! And we all share the common purpose of serving Hashem.”And when you’re shopping in the kosher supermarket and it’s crowded, and the lines are long – those are precious moments! You’re looking down the aisles and all you can see are your “brothers and sisters”.Women, men, children, all buying kosher food. That’s a nation dedicated with a singular heart to Hakodosh Boruch Hu. ישראל אין להם אלא לב אחד לאביהם שבשמים – “The wholeAm Yisroelhas but one heart devoted to their Father in Heaven” (Sukkah 45b). It’s not just poetry; that’s actually the greatness of theAm Yisroelthat binds us as brothers.THIS IS A CAREERNow this is not a small thing that you heard tonight.It’s a career.You have to be serious of course.You have to not only hear it, hearing is very important, you have to try to practice it.Now even though you do it a little bit, it’s a tremendous achievement.If you’ll think once a week about it, once a week, for two minutes on the subject of achieving a certain respect and love for kol hachaim, for all of your fellow Jews, then you know that you came to this world for a purpose!Now, all this might seem little queer for those who don’t know their purpose in the world. So when you go outside later and they’ll ask you, “What did Rabbi Miller speak about tonight?” So you’ll say, “He told us to love our fellow Jew.” They’ll laugh at you: “What’s thechiddush? Who doesn’t know that?!” But the truth iswho does it?! Who thinks about it? If he loves, he loves; if not, what could he do already? He’spatur,he thinks. But no, we’re learning tonight that you have to work on loving theAm Yisroel,with an intense love. And you’ll do it by first of all recognizing that we’re anAm Echad.You have a big career ahead of you because when it says ואהבת לרעך כמוך, it doesn’t mean that you should tolerate him, or even that you should get along with him. It means that you should generate aahavah,a love, a real love, for your fellow Jew. You have to understand how far away we really are from even beginning such anavodah.Of course, we’re willing to say that we agree with the idea. Maybe someday we’ll even come around to it. But we won’t. You won’t come around to it unless you start doing something about it. And when a person begins to understand that, and feel a little bit of love for all of his fellowovdei Hashem, then he has achieved the perfection that Hashem expected from him since that day many years ago when He prepared twelve separate springs inEilimfor theAm Yisroel.It’s the perfection of choosing for yourself the good from all theshevatim, as well as the perfection of feeling a love, a real affection, for all those different than you. And those two methods ofshleimus, are the main purpose of why Hakodosh Boruch Hu brought you into this world of the twelve differentshevatim.HAVE A WONDERFUL SHABBOSGo Back See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

The Guide to True HappinessMOSHE RABEINU REPORTING THE WEATHER?!When we read thepesukimthat describe the departure of theAm YisroelfromMitzrayimwe note the interesting fact that the time of the year, the spring-like weather, plays a quite significant role in the story. As they gathered to leaveMitzrayim, Moshe Rabeinu spoke to the people זכור את היום הזה אשר יצאתם ממצרים… היום אתם יוצאים בחודש האביב – “Remember always this day that you came out of Egypt…Today you are leavingin the month of spring” (Bo 13:4). Now, you know that in the Torah weather is a subject that is not discussed. This subject that becomes so important when you’re standing on the street talking to someone – when you meet the elevator man or the grocery man, that’s the first subject in America – but in the Torah it’s not discussed. And yet, all of a sudden, Moshe Rabeinu comes along and points out to us that it was a spring day.Now it’s quite strange that Moshe Rabeinu should make a big deal about it. There were many things he could have told theAm Yisroelas they gathered together to begin their journey towards freedom. I myself could think of some very importantyesodosthat Moshe Rabeinu could have given over at this most opportune time. But to point out the weather conditions?! He wasn’t a meteorologist. And if it was cold and rainy, would it have made a difference?! They were going out to freedom! Ask the man who is released from prison after fifty years if he cares about the temperature on the day he left; he doesn’t remember and he doesn’t even care to remember! He’s free at last!PERFECT WEATHER FOR FREEDOMAnd yet Moshe Rabeinudidsay היום אתם יוצאים בחודש האביב – You’re leaving today, and look outside; it’s a beautiful spring day. And Rashi asks: “Didn’t they know it was spring? אלא כך אמר להם, ראו חסד שגמלכם – So what was Moshe Rabeinu telling them? “Pay attention to the kindness that Hashem is bestowing upon you, שהוציא אתכם בחודש שהוא כשר לצאת – That He took you out in a month that is fitting for departure, לא חמה ולא צנה ולא גשמים – It’s not too hot, not too cold, and not raining” (Rashi 13:4). וכןהוא אומר מוציא אסירים בכושרות – Hashem took out His prisoners when it was fitting, חודש שהוא כשר לצאת – during the month in which it is most fitting to depart” (Mechilta).Now we should also take a peek intoShir Hashirim, at Shlomo Hamelech’s description of Hashem speaking to His people on that great day ofYetzias Mitzrayim. קומי לך רעיתי יפתי ולכי לך – “Arise, My love, My beautiful one, and go forth from Mitzrayim, כי הנה הסתיו עבר הגשם חלף הלך לו – Because now the winter has passed, and the rains are gone, and the traveling through the wilderness will be much more pleasant, הנצנים נראו בארץ – The days of spring are here when the trees begin to produce their flowers and those who travel, delight in their colors and fragrances, עת הזמיר הגיע וקול התור נשמע בארצנו – The time of birds singing and chirping has arrived, which adds the additional joy of sweet sounds for those who travel in the spring, קומי לך רעיתי יפתי ולכי לך – And so My beautiful beloved,” says Hashem to the Am Yisroel, “now is the timeto arise and leave Mitzrayim” (Shir Hashirim 2:11-13al pi Rashi).SCHEDULING FOR THE CHIRPING BIRDSSo we see that Hashem made a point of bringing out theAm YisroelfromMitzrayimdavkathen, during the days of spring. And even more so, the Torah tells us that the entire scheduling of the year is dependent on the Yom Tov of Pesach falling out during the spring to commemorate this event: שמור את חודש האביב…כי בחודש האביב הוציאך השם אלוקיך ממצרים – “You must guard the month of spring…for it was in the month of springtime that Hashem your G-d took you out of Egypt” (Devarim 16:1). And what does “Guard the month of spring” mean? Chazal tell us (Rosh Hashanah 21a) that the month ofNissanmust always fall out in the spring, and that sometimes theSanhedrinmust even add a month to the calendar just to ensure thatNissanshould not fall out when it’s still winter. And all this, so that theYom TovofPesachshould fall out in the beautiful days of spring, because היום אתם יוצאים בחודש האביב, and we want to remember and to commemorate that we leftMitzrayimin the spring.And that’s a very big question. Because what difference does the spring make for a nation that is escaping two hundred and ten years of bondage? The month ofchodeshha’aviv, the ripening of the grain would certainly be a joyous time once they would enter Eretz Yisroel, but here, as they were departing fromRameses, they were far from the promised land and had no benefit at all from the ripening of the grain.What difference is it to such a people, escaping slavery, loaded down with riches, that birds are chirping in the branches? So what that the flowers are blooming on a beautiful spring day? We’re talking here about real happiness – the excitement of escaping to freedom and great wealth, and you’re talking about chirping birds?!This isn’tmyquestion by the way. I heard this said over in the name of theAlter of Skabodkawhen I was in Europe. And because theAlter’sanswer is a foundation for how we are supposed to live successfully in this world, so we’ll spend some time understanding his words.THE ALTER’S CHIDDUSHTheAltersaid that the spring weather, with all of its varied pleasures was chosen purposefully by Hashem to enhance the occasion ofYetzias Mitzrayim. Even in the mountain-heap joy of liberation, and even though they were loaded down with the wealth of Mitzrayim, they were expected tonot overlookthe weather, and not to overlook the budding trees and the chirping birds.And why not? Because it was so important for theAm Yisroelto learn – right now, when they were leaving the bondage ofMitzrayimto becomeavdei Hashem– that the happiness of a true servant of Hashem won’t come from the great events of life. The great jolts of good fortune, the ecstatic moments of great happiness – a new car, a new baby, even if it’sYetzias Mitzrayim– that won’t make a person truly happy. It’s only the small gifts of life like a balmy spring day and a bird chirping in the trees that are the true happiness of life.What we’re learning from the words, “Today you are going out, in the month ofspring,” is that the joy of life isnotthe big things in life. Of course there is time for that too. It’s a bigsimchawhen you have a child. And it’s even a biggersimchawhen you marry that child off. You won the lottery? It’s asimcha! You got the job you wanted? You finished amesichta? These are all bigsimchosthat are a good reason to rejoice.But those aren’t the things that will make you a happy person!The happiness of transient events – evenYetzias Mitzrayimonly happened once – always slip out of your hands sooner or later, and you’re left with the day to day simple pleasures of life, like a spring day, that Hashem isalwaysbestowing on you. And it’s all of those small things that are supposed to make you a happy person.ROSY GLASSES ARE NOTHINGNow you can’t just tell a man, “Be happy; Learn to see the the good things in life.” It’s like saying nothing at all to him. This subject of happiness is a science, and like any important subject, its study takes effort on your part. If you’ll say to someone, “Just put on optimistic spectacles, and look at the world through rosy eyeglasses,” you’re not helping him a bit.There’s work to be done besides for putting on the rosy colored spectacles. What work is that? Every form of happiness is an obligation upon you to appreciate and become even more of a happy person. A person becomes a happy person because of the small things in life. Now don’t say that your experience contradicts this – because it’s not true, youdon’thave the experience. You never tried it! It’s necessary to dedicate your lives to the study of all the details of happinesses that you have in your life, in order to become the happy servant of Hashem that He expects.HOW TO GET RICHAnd so we’ll begin our career of happiness by reading together the words of amishnah; it’s amishnahthat most of us say, but none of us fulfill.איזהו עשיר- Who is a wealthy man? השמח בחלקו – Someone who is happy with what he has. Now, everybodyknowsthat, everybody says it; but nobodypracticesit.Themishnahis telling us here what Hakodosh Boruch Hu expects from us; that weshouldpractice it and that we should fulfill it. Hashem wants thatwe should become wealthy. Otherwise why did He tell us that. Why did He say איזהו עשיר? If it’s not important, why tell us? Just as a fact, some more information to know? No; it’s because that’s what you’re expected to become. Hashem wants thatyoushould become thatashirwho issameach b’chelko!BEING SATISFIED IS NOT ENOUGHNow, it’s important to point out thatsamei’achdoesn’t mean that you’resatisfiedwith what you have; it means thatyou’re happy, that you’refull of joy.Hashem wants you toenjoyOlam Hazeh, to be a person overflowing with happiness, and it’s an art that you have to get busy learning. Before we begin, the first thing is that you must get out of your head any thoughts thatprishusmeans to be unhappy. No;prishusmeans to be happywithout luxuries, to behappywith all the multitude of pleasures of living life itself. And that’s who Hashem says is the wealthy man.So איזהו עשיר – Who is the rich man? השמח בחלקו – the one who trains himself little by little to behappywith all of the things that he already has, the things that are available to him all the time. And who is the poor person, the perpetually sad man? The man who is empty; he never learned anything about the happiness of life. All he learned was to want more and more; “gimmee” and “gimmee” and “gimmee” – he wants more and more. And therefore his whole life is nothing but a pursuit after what he doesn’t have. And because of that, he fails to enjoychelko, what his portion is right now.All through life you’re missing the fun of life. Because wherever you turn in life, wherever you look, you’re going to encounter with your eyes on all sides, reasons to sing and dance with joy – if you know how to usethe details of lifeto become happy. We just have to open our eyes and apply our minds, and be willing to put effort into finding the real happiness of life. If we do that, the happiness within us would well forth and life would become full of fun. It would be endless fun and happiness without the new car, and without the trip to the zoo or the amusement park. It would be all the details of life itself that make you a happy person.STUDY A VARIETY OF SUBJECTSBecause the joy of life is not the big things; and it’s not one small thing either. Because what doeschelkomean?Chelkomeans your portion in life. And life is not one thing – life is a combination, a sum total of tens of thousands of phenomena – and it’s necessary to makeeachphenomenon a separate study so that whenever you encounter that phenomenon it will cause you happiness. If you study how two things make you happy, so now you’ll have two things that cause you happiness. If you’ve studied fifty things, so fifty things will cause you happiness. The more subjects you study, the more phenomena you appreciate, the more happiness you will get out of life. Like Dovid Hamelech said: כי שמחתני השם בפעליך במעשה ידיך ארנן – “I sing at the deeds of Your hand” (Tehillim 92:5) And the only way to do that is to put your mind to what you have, and all these things add up to being a wealthy man. Hashem wants you to be wealthy; if you don’t learn this, Hashem is disappointed in you.I’ll give you an example. If you study, let’s say, the wind. Let’s say a man would learn to enjoy the wind. Now, it may seem silly to you, but that’s because you’ve never studied the subject of happiness correctly. Because really, wind is a subject that can make you endlessly grateful and happy. There’s a lot of fun in a wind. But you have to study it.LET’S STUDY WINDStudy the winds?! Now, go tell that to people outside, they’ll laugh at you. But it’s agemara. Thegemaratells inMesichtaGittin(31b) that achochomwas once walking and he saw two sages who were sitting engaged in study. So he said to them, במאי עסקיתו – “What sugya are you learning now?” So they said, ברוחות – “We’re talking about winds.” Two sages of theTalmudare sitting talking about winds! That’s whatweshould do too. Maybe we should sit down sometime and talk about winds.Now, some people, eventalmideichachomim, didn’t learn the correctpshatin thisgemara. “Why would they talk about winds,” somemefarshimthought. So they developed other interpretations of this gemara, whatruchosmeans. But that’s not thepshat. Thegemarais telling us that they sat down to discuss wind! Because the study of the wind is a study of איזהו עשיר השמח בחלקו.If the wind didn’t blow we couldn’t live. אי אפשר לעולם בלא רוחות – “The world could not exist without winds” (Taanis 3b). Nothing would grow without the wind; you wouldn’t have a piece of bread if not for wind. You didn’t know that? Well, you should start knowing it right now.If not for the wind there would be no food, because the winds keep the air moving so that the minute proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, three parts in ten thousand, is made available to plants. Otherwise the plant would use up all the surrounding carbon dioxide and would die. So when it’s windy, and you have to hold on to your hat, that should be a cause for happiness. That’s your “watermelon” blowing by; your “bread” and your “meat”. It’s refreshing, invigorating and it’s also the key to life itself.A CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR CAREERIf the winds would be discussed and studied properly, so the next time there would be a zephyr, or a blow, or a hurricane, a breeze – whatever form it would come in – it’s going to cause us happiness. Now I’m not saying that we’ll go wild with happiness – it’s only one phenomenon, one detail; but it will make you happy, no question about it. And winds are blowing all the time, and they don’t cost much money either. So learn to enjoy it! It might take some time; it takes work. But after a while, after you begin studying the phenomena of wind, and appreciating it, so wind becomes a stimulus for happiness. So a person is walking in the street, and a slight breeze is tickling him – it’s refreshing and it also arouses in his mind all those pleasurable thoughts; so that’s one contribution to a career of happiness.Now, a breeze is only one thing. But this world is a gift of many happinesses for us. The trees and the flowers, the clouds and the rain. The blue sky, the sun and the moon, the soil and the leaves. Our hands and our eyes, our feet and our shoes. And you have thousands and thousands of other things. Hashem is giving you plenty of air and plenty of water. You have clothing and food. You have garments. You have a roof over your head, a place to sleep. You have a home. A home?! You can lock the door and sleep at night. Not like the homeless people who have to sleep near the railroad tracks and other dangerous places.Life is a veritable wellspring of happiness.But all this is justdevarim b’almah, it’s just words. You can’t just be a happy person because of “everything.” Everything is nothing. The path to true happiness is in the details. People have to teach themselves one thing at a time. Now wind is only one example of the happiness of this world. To learn the happiness of life you have to study all the details, moving from one subject to the other. One after the other, after another. And when you add together the sum total of many small phenomena, then they add up to a true happiness in life.BECOMING WEALTHIER AND WEALTHIERIf we would do this, we would actually learn together how to enjoy the phenomena of the world and become happy people all the time. And as life progresses we’d be adding new ideas into the treasure chest of our minds that cause us happiness. We’re adding riches into our mind and at the same time we’d review the old ones more deeply. Every day you can become happier and happier with the simple details of life, and slowly, little by little, you add one more thing and one more thing, and you become anashir, you become wealthy. And we’d find that from all sides we’re bursting out with song. You’d walk down the Brooklyn streetmeshugahwith happiness.And once you achieve this wealth, so you’ll never be unhappy again. You can’t be unhappy if your life is filled with thousands of small happinesses all day long. Because no matter what happens you feel you still have air to breathe. Air all you want. And water to drink, all you want. You still have a roof over your head. You still have shoes to wear. You have sunshine and teeth. And that’s only the beginning of the list.And once you become a happy person you’ll be able to withstand all thenisyonos, the trials of life. Life is not easy; there are always ups and downs. And if you don’t achieve this wealth ofsamei’ach b’chelko,so no matter what you can purchase and no matter how many cars you have, you will be a fundamentally unhappy person, because you never learned what real happiness is. But once you achieve the wealth ofsamei’achb’chelko, then no matter what, you’re a happy person for the rest of your life.THE MAIN PORTION IS … LIFE!And therefore, the first thing we must do is to clarify what it is that we’re supposed to be happy about; what doeschelkomean? Now, what is the first aspect ofchelkothat all of us sitting here now have? “Your portion,” means first of all thatyou’re alive!You never thought about thatpshat, did you? You were thinking that it means that when you finally make five hundred thousand dollars, so then you’ll be happy, you’ll besamei’achb’chelko, even though you don’t have two million dollars yet. No, that’s not whatchelkomeans. If you’re still alive that’s already your portion that you’re expected to be full of joy about.Because there is no happiness like being alive!The happiness of being alive is an intense experience, only that we’re so accustomed to it that we ignore it. Let’s say a person would enjoy the fact that he is alive. Oh yes! How lucky you are that you’re alive. Don’t say it’s nothing. It’s everything! A millionaire would give up all of his property to stay alive. You’re alive!And there are plenty of people you know, some of them even your age, who are not alive anymore. I myself look back, when I was a boy. Some of mychaveirimpassed away early. There was a fourteen year old friend of mine – he passed away. A twenty year old friend of mine passed away when I was in the yeshiva.WALKING ON CLOUDS!You know what fun it is to be alive! And there’s a simple way to discover it. Here’s a man who’s going to a specialist because his physician found something. And he’s afraid he has something terrible. So the specialist gives him a complete series of tests; blood tests and scans and everything else, and then he has to go home for a few days and wait for an answer. For those few days the man can think of nothing else except for the phone call he’s expecting from the doctor. What is anything worth if he won’t be able to live?! And finally the doctor calls him into his office and sits him down and tells him, “I’m sorry to tell you there’snothingwrong with you!”Now, when this man walks out of the doctor’s office he’s stepping on clouds. He’s walking through Brooklyn and he’s the happiest man in the whole city. Because now he’s enjoying the sweetness of life. How sweet it is to be alive! The happiness of walking a Brooklyn street knowing that you’re alive is unequaled in all the pleasures of the wealthy.THE QUICK LANDINGOnly that what happens? He walks on clouds from here to Avenue P(two blocks away from the shul)and then he’s back on the ground again. He’s walking on the sidewalk again because he forgets. And that’s a tragedy because the happiness merely of being alive is a tremendous happiness that can keep you walking on clouds all day long.If only people would bestir themselves and say, “Why should I let this treasure go lost?! Why should I wait until the day comes when I’m a hundred and nineteen years old, and I’m laying in a home for the aged, and I’m looking through the window at the people walking the streets outside. I see how beautiful life is, and I’m thinking, ‘That was once me. I never realized how much fun being alive and walking the streets could be. And now I only have one or two days left.’” You know that when a man is lying in the hospital and he knows that his days are numbered, he says “If I could get on the street again. I could once more walk around, once more. What a happiness it would be!” He’s jealous when he looks down from the hospital window and sees people walking in the streetand living, and for him, soon it will be all over.Of course if you have it every day after a while your mind becomes stultified. If you haven’t studied it then you don’t even appreciate it anymore. Like I told you earlier, it’s a science; you need to create a program for happiness. It won’t come merely because you came here to the lecture and listened to me. Because if you don’t get busy making yourself happy, all this talk here is a waste.YOU’RE AN OUTSIDER!You have to learn how to besamei’achin yourcheilekof being alive. And so when you pass a funeral parlor – on Coney Island Avenue there are a number of funeral parlors – as you pass by one you say, “Boruch Hashem I’m on the outside!” I’m not joking; I’m very serious now. And when you pass the next one, “Boruch Hashem, I’m on the outside.” There are three of them there. So by the third one also, “Boruch Hashem, I’m on the outside.” Say it with your mouth again, and again and again. To be outside of the funeral parlor is asimcha. Inside it’s a funeral home. A “home,” you might think that it’s comfortable, and there’s music for themeisim, and they serve lunch for themeisim. He’s in a box and that’s all. And you’re outside! “Boruch Hashem, I’m on the outside!”Now, being alive is a happinessad ein sof, no question about it. But you have to expand on that happiness, because there is much more than life itself. Because not only are you alive but you have functioning kidneys. I know a man who has no kidneys – it’s already years and years that he’s on the waiting list to get a kidney. Three times a week he has to go to the clinic for special treatments instead of a kidney. It takes hours and hours each time, and it’s expensive. But he’s happy to be alive; he’s happy to have a machine that keeps him alive. Because he knows that it’s ata’anugto be alive. And if he could just get one kidney, how happy he’d be.He wishes he could be you! He’d be delirious with joy!THE TRANSPLANT MANAnd here’s a man who finally was able to get a new kidney. He has one that he “borrowed” from his sister who was kind enough to give him one of her kidneys. So now he’s a “transplant man.” You think it’s so simple? This man cannot take certain medicines because they might upset his anti-rejection system. He takes a regimen of medicines to suppress the immunosuppressive reaction in him that would reject the new kidney. After all, the kidney is not his – it’s foreign matter inside his body. So the tendency of the body is to reject it. And so he’s always taking medicines to suppress the rejection apparatus.And there are some medicines that are sometimes vital to a person – maybe he gets an infection and he needs antibiotics – but now this man cannot take them because they would interfere with his anti-rejection medications. So this person may become subject to infections that he cannot combat because he can’t take medicines. And so all his life he is living precariously with his one kidney.THE CRAZY KIDNEY MANNow, how does this man look at the same world that you look at? If he sees somebody who is glum and downcast, you know what he thinks? He’s thinking, “That man is crazy! He has something to be sad about?! He has hisownkidney!” A kidney is a great happiness! A natural one that fits in exactly where it’s supposed to be! It’s suited to everything in his body. All the cells in his body have an especial peculiar individual makeup, and they accept his kidney. While the kidney that this poor fellow has, is being rejected by all the cells in his body. And he is constantly in fear that maybe somedaychas v’shalomthe cells in his body will win the fight – it’s a tug of war after all. And when this man sees you on the street he doesn’t understand how you cannot be ecstatic – not only do you have your own kidney, but you have two of them. You’re not only a millionaire, you’re a multi-millionaire!Now I’ll say it again because you have to get it into your heads. Hearing this is not going to make you happy – you have to get to work. So when you go to the bathroom and your kidneys are working perfectly, your bladder is functioning to perfection, you were successful in your “mission.” Are you thinking about it and becoming a happy person? You make anasher yatzar, but while you’re making thebrachahyou’re making motions to somebody in the house, “Wait, wait; I’ll be done in a second.” That’s the way to makeasher yatzar?! A man without kidneys; if he could makeasheryatzar, what a happiness it would be!HEALTHY BEGGAR OR SICK RICH MAN?You have to bestir the happiness in your mind – at least when you’re making thebrachah. And actually, even that is not enough. All day long you should be thinking about your kidneys. Of course, all day long you can’t do, but during the day when you’re walking the street, take a minute to feel like your walking on clouds because you have functioning kidneys. And don’t say it’s impossible to live that way. It’s possible. You have to just get busy doing it. It’s hard work. You do it one day and then the next day you have to do it even more. You pass by a dialysis clinic, stop for a half minute – a half minute on the clock – and thank Hashem for the joy of having a kidney. And if you do it, if you become happy with your kidney, so now you’re a millionaire. And if you’re ecstatic because you have two kidneys, so you’re a multi-millionaire.So now you’re a multi-millionaire. But that’s only the beginning. I know a man who had to have an operation and he can no longer eliminate by means of his anus. He now has a bag attached to his side. You have to realize that this man walks the streets envying everyone who has a rectum in the right place. If he could restore that natural function, that his orifice should be where it’s supposed to be, that man would give away all his earthly possessions. There’s no question that he would prefer being a beggar with a rectum to be being a millionaire with a bag on his side.THE SILLINESS OF MANKINDAnd now we see how silly all of mankind is if they don’t sing because of what they possess. And not only when you use that orifice, when you move your bowels, but all day. Frequently, as you walk down the street, you should bestir this happiness in your mind – how lucky you are; how convenient it is; how comfortable it is; how wealthy you are. It’s a joy to have the function of natural elimination and it’s a cause for actual tangible pleasure and for singing. A man who has sense, Torah sense, actuallyrejoicesin his ability to eliminate.Now the more you learn how to be happy from all these things, so it grows on you, it becomes part of your personality. Little by little it grows upon your mind an attitude of optimism, and you become a happy personality. “I’m so happy to be alive, to be on this side of the cemetery gate.” That’s what you should think about when you walk for the street. “And not only am I alive, but I have kidneys!” Now, that’s a wealth! “And not only kidneys, but I don’t need a bag on my side! I’m normal!” It’s a great happiness to be normal!THE DELICIOUS COCKTAILSo now we begin to see that it’s important for us to dwell on details. You have to take one thing at a time; maybe one week you’ll work let’s say on enjoying air. Getting the pleasure of breathing. The truth is that when you walk outside tonight, you should take a deep breath. “Ahhh!” you should say.” It’s really ata’anug.”No cocktail that you could buy in the store compares to the cocktail of fresh air. People walk in the street today and they drink in the street to show off they’re drinking. That’smeshugas.What do you need it for?! Drink in the fresh air. It’s free of charge and it’s much healthier. Fill your lungs. It makes your blood become red immediately, the fresh air.Get into the habit – one week learn to praise Hashem for air. This week whenever you can, think about the happiness of being able to breathe fresh air. After a while you’re happy when you think about the air. Breathing is fun! I once told you about a simple experiment, didn’t I? Dip your head in a bucket of waterthreetimes and take it outtwice! Anyhow, then wait till you can’t anymore, and finally you’ll take it out this time and you’ll take one deep breath – “Ahh, is that delicious!” The truth is that it’s always delicious. Breathing is delicious!So let’s say you’re walking to thebeis haknessesand you tell yourself, “Isn’t it a wonderful thing that there is air to breathe?!” Now at first it’s achiddush gadol. Air?! I’m afraid that even if you tell it totalmidei chachomimit’s a big chiddush. You tell him, “Yes, air is vital. I’ll prove to you that it’s what you need more than anything else. You can get along without food for days and days. Without water, for a shorter time, but you can get along without water too – for a few days maybe. But without air you can’t get along.”“HALF HALLEL” IS NOT ENOUGHIt says in the Medrash on the possuk כל הנשמה תהלל י-ה, that על כל נשימה ונשימה תהלל י-ה, for every breath you have to say Hallel. And myrebbisaid it meansgantzHallel. For every breath you owe Hashema full hallel. Now, you don’t have time for that – you’re too busy breathing – but at least you have to know thatthat’s how delicious it is!When a person is a little bit dejected, discouraged, what a good idea it is to go to the window and breathe deeply. We don’t realize. It’s like a drink of very strong medicine. Air comes into your lungs and the oxygen unites with your blood and makes your blood more red. It’s a fact. As you breathe, your blood becomes more invigorated with oxygen. The iron in your blood that makes it red, the hemoglobin, unites with the oxygen, and it carries the oxygen on its path through all the blood vessels everywhere in the body to invigorate all the cells. The whole body is different because you breathe. And therefore it’s a good idea to practice breathing just for the feel of it, just to appreciate that great gift of air.200 MILES OF CHESSEDThe world is full of air. That’s what it means מלוא כל הארץ כבודו. So a man will tell you, “K’vodo? That means the “glory of Hashem.’ Where does air come into it?” What do you think is “the glory of Hashem”? The glory of Hashem is Hischessed. Thechessedof Hashem fills the world. And what is one of the most prevalent kindnesses of Hashem? Air! Hakodosh Boruch Hu made two hundred miles of it. Two hundred miles up of air! Now the air is not one thing. It’s a cocktail mixed exactly with the right ingredients to make it not only beneficial to us but it tastes good too. It’s mixed with oxygen, about twenty percent. All the rest is mostly nitrogen and inert gas because you need something with which to carry the oxygen. If the air was all oxygen, you’d become drunk. If you would breathe oxygen alone, you would get dizzy, you’d become intoxicated. So you have to have the nitrogen to dilute the oxygen; and a little bit of carbon dioxide is essential because it’s an incentive to your lungs to breathe more deeply. And then traces of a few other gases together and it makes together a combination of the perfect material that’s suited for human beings.You know what we are? We’re like fish in the bottom of an ocean. Fish in the ocean. Fish don’t like air. They want water. We’re in an ocean, an ocean of air. The ocean is two hundred miles high. We’re like fish living in this ocean of air, and we love it. That’s our element. If we were to change places with a fish, we wouldn’t be happy, just like a fish wouldn’t be happy if he took our place. And therefore let’s enjoy this ocean while we have it.STRANGLED IN HIS SUMMER HOMESo practice up on this. On the way home, When you walk out of here onto Ocean Parkway – it’s a beautiful street, a parkway with trees and bushes. Now after the rain they’re exuding a fragrance, and the combined fragrance of different kinds of shrubs and trees, combined with the city odors – it’s a pleasure those city odors – and they combine to give a certain cocktail that you don’t drink; you draw it deep into your lungs and you can learn to enjoy it.You think a summer home in Maine and a winter home in Florida is going to make you happy? No, that’s nothing. What good would the home be if you were strangled without air, if you were suffocating for air. Breathing is a big simcha! Some people have difficulty breathing. You know that some people have difficulty breathing?(The Rav took a deep breath). Ahh! It’s a pleasure to fill your lungs.Mamishataanug! Don’t laugh at breathing – it’s a great happiness to breathe.WEEK #2: WALKING IS A HAPPINESSSo you’ve begun to scratch the surface of the happiness of breathing. It was only a week of thinking after all, but you’re a wealthy man already. Now suppose you would spend a week becoming happy that you can walk. So the next week change and start appreciating the fact that you can walk. Walking is asimchah. המכין מצעדי גבר, “How happy I am that I can walk.” Look how many people sit in wheelchairs. Walking is fun. Your thigh swings forward in effortless motion and all of your joints are functioning to perfection. You don’t hear any scraping as you bend your knee, do you? That’s asimcha! You don’t feel any chaffing? Ah, it’s a pleasure to walk. And it’s good exercise too. The entire body is moving. It’s good for your heart. It’s good for everything if you walk. And besides for that, walking shows you’re in control of yourself. All your muscles cooperate to walk and you learn what it means המכין מצעדי גבר.If you walk in the street and you see – like I saw yesterday – a girl who was hopping around on crutches. But the stump of her other leg didn’t stick out. That’s how much was cut off. Now that was an apparition, sent to memin hashamayim. Because how much would this girl give to regain her leg? No money in the world would be too much! And therefore, as you walk in the street you have to think about thatbrachahyou mumbled in the morning, ברוך אתה השם אלוקינו מלך העולם המכין מצעדי גבר – I thank You Hashem for establishing the footsteps of a man. “I’m able to take footsteps on my own feet!” It’s a happiness to be able to walk on your own two feet. You know how ecstatic a man is who has been confined to a wheelchair for a long time – he wasn’t able to walk – and finally he regained that ability! He’s overjoyed! So the second week, you’ll work on the happiness of walking.Now you’re an even wealthier man. You own a few apartment houses already. You have your lungs that are breathing in the great elixir of life we call air, that’s one apartment building that’s yours. Another apartment building is the happiness of being able to walk. That’s a very valuable piece of property! So you’re already a pretty wealthy fellow. You can walk in the street now and your pockets are full of cash. If your pockets would be full of hundred dollar bills bulging on both sides, it’s nothing compared to the person who spent two weeks working on the happiness of fresh air and on the ecstasy of walking. As I walk in the street balancing myself on two legs, and I’m breathing the air of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, I’m enjoying life!BE QUEER AND BE HAPPYSo we’re beginning to see now that in order to be asamei’ach b’chelkoyou have to be a queer kind of a fellow. You can’t always share your feelings with other people; they’ll laugh at you. באזני כסיל אל תדבר – “Don’t speak into the ears of a fool.” He’ll make light of these ideas and cool you off (Mishlei 23:9). “There’s a fellow over there, down Ocean Parkway, who’s happy that he has two kidneys! Ha!” Try to tell people that you’re filled with joy, you’remamish b’simchabecause breathing is fun, so they’ll think you’re wacky. Butthey’re the wacky onesbecause they’re missing all the happiness of this world.I know what the people will say when you go out of here. You’ll talk to people and they’ll tell you other things. Don’t be misled! Here comes along afrumtzaddikand says to me, “You’re teaching people to enjoy life?! The purpose of life ista’anugim?! To berodef ta’anugim,run after pleasures?!” He was upset at me. I looked at him and said, “Look, you have a wristwatch. I don’t have a wristwatch. Youdrive a carwhen you come to theyeshivah. Iwalkto theyeshivah. Who is running after pleasure, you or I? You’re running after it but you don’t have it. I’m not looking for pleasures. They’re coming to me. As I walk in the street with my “Rolls Royce” – my two shoes, that’s my Rolls Royce – and I’m breathing the air of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, I’m enjoying life. I walk past the cemetery on Ocean Parkway, and I’m filled with happiness that I’m on this side of the gate.” That kind ofkosherta’anugimis achiyuv,it’s amitzvahgedolahto enjoy life that way.ICE CREAM IN THE SUNAll this is serious talk. I know that if you go to akolleland you’ll tell them these things, they’ll laugh at you. That’s because they’re silly – they don’t begin knowing Torah. And don’t tell me that enjoyment and happiness is not fortzadikim. Oh no, you bigtzadik, you don’t want to enjoy the sun and the wind. He’s eating his chocolate cakes and ice cream, but to be happy with the sun, that’s too much.Happiness is not running after good times, not goingchalilahto entertainment, and fun places. No;chas v’shalom, chas v’shalom, that’smeshugas. People who are running after good times are never enjoying life – they’re always running after good times and fun, but they never find it. Never. They’re always busy running, pursuing, but they’ll never find it – because they’re looking in all the wrong places.“G-D MADE” EARPHONES, SPEAKERS, AND CAMERASWho needs places of entertainment to be happy when you have all the happiness right here! Look at yourself, “I’m alive,boruchHashem.” Look at your feet; “Boruch Hashem,two of them! And they’re both the same size!” Look at your ears; “Boruch Hashem!” They’re “earphones” hanging on the side of your head – and you don’t have to buy them in the store. You have teeth; slicing teeth in the front and the grinders in the back. Boruch Hashem! You have a functioning tongue that’s busy all day long in your mouth. You have a “speaker” in your mouth, vocal chords. Boruch Hashem. And eyes! “Cameras” in your head. Boruch Hashem! You can walk, Boruch Hashem! המכין מצעדי גבר. That’s some trick you have there being able to balance yourself as you walk. Boruch Hashem! And that’s only the beginning.You have to learn how to be happy with your clothing. It’s not enough to say thebrachahofmalbish arumimin general andpaturyourself. You have to study the details of your clothing in order to become a happy person. The pockets and the buttons, everything. Study it.THE SHOES IN THE TREASURE CHESTStudy your shoes. Shoes are a happiness. Did you ever think about that? You know that in some countries people don’t have shoes. Only one man wears shoes, that’s the king of the tribe. And not every day. Once in a while he puts on shoes, when a visitor comes from outside, a tourist, so he wants to show he’s a sport so he puts on shoes. Otherwise he doesn’t put on shoes. Shoes are a big luxury. It’s a very complicated achievement, a shoe. Look at the different kinds of leather. And rubber heels. And you need shoestrings. A shoe is a treasure.So let’s say a colonel from the American Air Force lands on that island, so the king takes his shoes out from his treasure chest, and he puts them on, and he marches with his short pants covering his naked body, with some feathers in his head to greet the colonel. And he shows him his shoes. He’s so happy; he’s “an aristocrat.”THE GREAT BLESSING OF SHOELACE TIPSWe should know that shoes are a happiness. It’s not an exaggeration at all. It’s no exaggeration; shoes are a happiness for us. Just because you live in a country where everyone can afford shoes, should that decrease the happiness in any way?!That’s why we’re expected to say every day, שעשה לי כל צרכי. But we’re lazy, we don’t think. Often we’re not even thinking about thepeirush hamilos.I’m not talking now about the “formality” of making thebrachahin shul. When you’re walking down the street, take a minute every day to be happy with your shoes. Think about the details. “How lucky I am to have shoelaces that have plastic tips. If there wasn’t a plastic tip, then I’d have a hard job fitting it into the hole. I’d have to spit on it, and twist it and try to push it through the hole. Boruch Hashem I have plastic on the tips of the laces.”THE DOCTORS ARE OVERCOME WITH EMOTIONOnce you begin thinking this way, you can begin to be happy with all the functions of life. I mentioned the sense of sight before. I can’t just gloss over it quickly. You’re able to see! If you don’t appreciate that, then take a look at the person walking in the street with a white cane tapping his way. What would he do if he could get eyes like you have today?! Even one eye!It was recently reported in the papers that a woman who had a cataract for many years and her situation was considered hopeless. She was a married woman, with children, but she had no sight. And then it was decided to attempt an experimental operation on her. For a long time the bandages remained on her eyes. And finally the doctor came in and he took off the bandages – just for a moment they were taken off so as not to strain her eyes – but in that one moment she screamed in delirium. She could see! And the doctors were weeping. They were overcome with emotion.Now isn’t it a tragedy that we don’t weep in happiness at this great gift of sight!Boruch atah Hashem pokei’ach ivrim, Who opens up the eyes of the blind every morning. Finally this lady saw her husband for the first time; she finally saw her children. And she said that she didn’t want anything more out of lifeexcept to be able to look!FREE LENS CLEANSING GERMICIDESThe happiness of sight, the happiness of seeing color! Seeing is life itself. Thegemarasays that סומא חשוב כמת – in one sense a blind man is like a dead man. He’snotdead – there are a lot of compensations in life – but in a certain way he’s dead. Because the great happiness of having two “cameras” is a joy that a living person shouldn’t be without. Even one camera! How lucky we are! And it’s a color camera that focuses by itself; all day long it’s working perfectly, focusing in, focusing out. Every time you blink you’re washing off the lens with a film of germicide that cleanses. It’s a perfectly functioning camera that has no equal among the best fabrications of Mankind.That’s how you’re expected to think – that’ssameach b’chelko. Not that you’re satisfied with “merely” five hundred thousand dollars. When a man learns to enjoy the fact that he has two good eyes, he is more wealthy than the man who has two million dollars. So how can we be satisfied in the morning with a dry as dust declaration, “pokei’ach ivrim”, which most times we don’t even think about what we’re saying? Isn’t that a tragedy?“I HAVE TWO ARMS!”Now we have to keep on going. Look all around you; did you ever see a man with only one arm? Two weeks ago I saw a man without any arms.Both arms were missing! And I said to myself, “Look, you learnChovos Halevavos, don’t you? How can you pass him by?” So I took another look. I waited till he passed by – I didn’t want to embarrass him – and I took another look to remind myself. And for at least a half a block I was walking on air, thinking how lucky I am to have two arms. Thinkchas v’shalomwhat it would be like if you didn’t have two arms. What would you do? For a half a block I was ecstatic. But a half a block is not enough – it has to be all the time!Not only do you have arms and legs, but your mind is normal. Oooh, what achessedthat is! So many people are very confused; mental illnesses, imbeciles, and depression. Depression is also a sickness, it’s also like being an imbecile. And therefore, ברוך אתה השם חונן הדעת! How can you sayshemonah esreievery day, and ignore thatbracha. It’s the first of the weekdaybrachos, and you’re thanking Hashem thatyou’re sane! Three times a day you say it; shouldn’t you appreciate that great gift?Chonein hadaas –You bestowed sanity upon me.THEY FROZE IN SLABODKAAppreciate the roof over your head. Did you ever stop to appreciate the happiness of a warm house? Once upon a time when a Jew came into his house, “Ah, avarme shtub,” he said. “Ah varme shtub!” In thebeis hamedrashhe was freezing. I sat in Slabodka and we were freezing in theyeshiva! We were freezing! It was hard to heat theyeshiva. The stove was over there at the end, behind the wall, and you put in some wood there till it burned out. It was barely enough to heat that little room. If you would stand next to the stove you would feel some heat – otherwise it was cold. And so you would come home and it was a great happiness to be in avarme shtub. You should be filled with joy when you come into a warm house. And today you can enjoy that happiness in thebeis medrashas well.Warmth is a great happiness. You can ask that poor woman sitting outside on the bench on Ocean Parkway. She has no home. I see her pushing a shopping wagon with all her belongings in that little wagon. She has no warm place to sleep. If somebody would let her rest in the vestibule of their home, it would be the greatest happiness for her. She’d bemeshugehwith joy.LYING ON THE KITCHEN FLOORNow that’s achiddushto most people. A warm house? Yes, a warm house is a happiness. It’s not easy to have a house that’s warm. When I was a boy we didn’t have warm houses. It was only warm in the kitchen where the coal stove was.You had to put coal in the stove. When the coal burned out you had to take the ashes out of the stove. That was the only room where there was warmth. If I wanted to read, I laid down on the floor in the kitchen. I laid on the floor all day, all night, in the kitchen by the stove. All the rest of the house didn’t have any warmth. We didn’t have any radiators. No such thing. The house was cold. If you wanted to warm a house, you put a kerosene stove in the rooms. The kerosene stove had to have oil there and sometimes it didn’t work. When you got up in the morning, the whole room was black, including your face too, it made everything black, the soot from the kerosene stove. This luxury of having a warm house is something the modern people have to realize.Ahhh! What a pleasure it is to have a warm house. So when you walk in with your children in the wintertime from thebeis haknesses, say “Chaim’ll, isn’t it good to have a warm house?” Rub your hands together. He looks at you like you fell off the moon. He doesn’t understand you. “How silly adults are,” he thinks. Never mind.That’s the way to bring up children and eventually he’ll thank you for that.THENEISOF THE FAUCETWhen I was in Slabodka nobody had running water in the house. You had to go a half block away to get water. And you couldn’t drink it; it was dangerous to drink well water. You had to boil it up first. And here in your house you turn the faucet and water comes out, pure water fit to drink! What a wealth, what a happiness that is! And even hot water! Hot water coming out of a faucet! It’s a luxury upon luxuries. Once upon a time hot water came only from springs, hot springs. If you didn’t have hot springs you couldn’t get any hot water unless you boiled it. Think about that every time you turn on the faucet, and you’ll start becoming asamei’achb’chelko.You have to talk to yourself about your home. As you walk on the steps, you should whisper to yourself, “Isn’t it good we have steps?” You know, I have steps upstairs, and many times I think about how in the olden days in thegemarathey didn’t have steps. They had a ladder, adargah. Try climbing a ladder to go upstairs; it’s not so simple. Now even a ladder is also a very good invention. Otherwise you would have to go with a rope, you’d have to lift yourself up. But even a ladder is not so safe. Steps are a luxury.A HANDRAIL ISPIKUACH NEFESHSo here you have a man walking up steps and he’s thanking Hashem for this luxury of steps, for the happiness of a staircase. But not only the steps, there’s a railing too! You know the building code requires you to make a railing, so somechachamim be’eineihemtry to avoid the building code and leave out the rail. They deceive the inspector. So what happens? Sometimes they’re walking up the steps and they’re a little busy and they fall down. You can break your neckchalilah.The railing is there; it’s a happiness,mamishpikuachnefesh. What a blessing a handrail is! You ever stopped to think about that? Never even once did the handrail make you happy?!“All this is silly,” you’ll say. Formeshuga’imeverything is silly. So let them bemeshugeh, and you be happy! You walk up the steps and you’re happy because of the handrail. And the older you get, the more you’ll enjoy it. Imagine a man enjoying the handrail. His life is full of fun, full of happiness.BECOMING A MILLIONAIRE TAKES WORKYou learn little by little. Of course it’s a career. You have to put in work. You could put in five minutes a day practicing enjoying air, five minutes a day practicing enjoying your eyes. Five minutes a day next week practicing enjoying walking. Five minute a day practice enjoying clothing. Little by little you’re gathering up in your bank account wealth and little by little you’re becoming a happy man of many riches, many treasures.But you have to do it, though. Just hearing me say it, is not enough. It takes work to be a fake millionaire, so to be the true millionaire of “hasamei’achbi’chelko”surely takes time and hard work. Like I said before, it doesn’t come by itself. You have to make up your mind that you’re going to pursue this career of happiness and that you’ll always be saying, “I thank You Hashem.” Always, “I thank You Hashem for giving me this breakfast. I thank you Hashem for being able to go to the bathroom.” And don’t rely on thebrachosyou make. You must say it with your mouth in your own language. Always. And then, המחשבה נמשכת אחר הדיבור – your mind will be transformed because of your speech and you will become a happy man. At first it won’t work. You won’t feel so happy. But you keep thinking and talking and these ideas will settle into your mind.RAV MILLER’S GUARANTEE FOR HAPPINESSThat’s what theMesillas Yesharimsays: החיצוניות מעוררת את הפנימיות – The outwardliness bestirs the inwardliness. It’s not sincere – you’re not so happy about breathing. But keep it up, and little by little you’re priming your well, and from the depths of yourneshamareal happiness will come out. Little by little, you’ll add more things. And all the things after a while start adding up you become the real millionaire. And after a while you’ll have forty, fifty things. And that’s nothing yet because there’s so much more than that. But you’ll be happy with forty things and you’ll be a rich man. You’ll be a rich man already. And if you’re a young man yet – even a young man of sixty – you’ll keep on this path, on this career, until you’re in your nineties and you’ll be a very wealthy person.I guarantee you that if you do it, you will become happy with the so many wonderful things that you have always taken for granted. And you will become a servant of Hashem and a great man. Not only will you become a happy person but you will become a great person.HASHEM TAUGHT US THE PATH TO HAPPINESSSo make sure to rejoice in all these things and life becomes so delicious. Life is so full of fun thatyou’re always at a party. People at a party are really morose! Let’s saychalilahyou were at a New Year’s party and you saw people reveling – singing and dancing and blowing whistles, jumping up and down. It’s nothing; it’s an empty happiness. They don’t haveanythingon the man who is really enjoying life. They don’t even begin to understand what you, the happy man or woman is all about. You’realwaysrejoicing!Now, there is a lot more to be studied on this subject – I have many more things listed here that I wanted to talk to you about, but I’m already way past time. But at least we began studying the subject. It’s a science that must be studied and practiced, but at least we know that there is such a thing as happiness the way Hakodosh Boruch Hu expects it, and it’s available to all of us.And don’t ask me questions: “Why don’t I see this from myrebbe, from this person or thattzadik?” Don’t believe it; therealtzadikimknow thatthis is the pathto true happiness in life. Because it’s the path – the way of happiness – that Hashem set down for us on the day we leftMitzrayim. And people who don’t walk this path set down by Hakodosh Boruch Hu are falling short not of greatmadreigos– don’t think they’re falling short of high levels of virtue and perfection. No, they’re falling short of the elementary requirements that Hashem taught us on that great day ofYetzias Mitzrayim:היום אתם יוצאים בחודש האביב – that it is the beauty of a spring day and the thousands of other ordinary details of our lives that are supposed to be the real source of our happiness. And therefore, they’re falling short of living happy lives infused with the endless joy of all the simple pleasures of life symbolized by the lesson of חודש האביב.HAVE A WONDERFUL SHABBOS See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Hashem’s Bitter MedicineIT’S TIME TO GO HOME!InParshas Va’eirathe seeds of our redemption fromMitzrayimfinally begin to take root and sprout. The time has come for the tenmakkos, the great retribution upon Pharaoh and his slavemaster people, and for theAm Yisroelto finally make their exit from the long and arduous servitude in the ארץ לא להם, the land not their own. Thegeulahof theAm Yisroel,the fulfillment of ואחרי כן יצאו ברכוש גדול, had finally arrived.And on what basis was theAm Yisroelgoing to be taken out ofMitzrayimnow? That we all know; it was thebris bein hab’sarim,the famous covenant that Hashem had made with Avraham centuries earlier. You remember when Avraham asked Hakodosh Boruch Hu: במה אדע כי אירשנה – “How do I know that the land will be mine”? (Bereishis 15:8). “Give me some guarantee,” begged Avraham, “a guarantee that I’m going to receive the land; that my progeny will one day inherit this land.” Avraham was worried; “Who knows? Maybe our merit won’t be sufficient. Maybe someday You’ll be unpleased with us. I want an unbreakable covenant with You!” So Hakadosh Baruch Hu told him then, “Take three calves, three goats and three rams, so that you and I can enter into a covenant.” And what did Avraham do? He took these animals and cut them in half and set the parts opposite each other.That was the practice in those days. It says that in Yirmiyahu (34:19). When you wanted to enter a covenant, when you wanted to commit yourself to a course of action with an unbreakable promise, you would divide an animal and pass between its pieces as a sign of your commitment to uphold the deal.HAKODOSH BORUCH HU SEALS THE DEALSo what happened? Hakadosh Baruch Hu sent down His Presence, His glory, in the form of a fiery furnace to “seal the deal.” Suddenly a greatdread and a darkness fell upon the scene. And Avraham witnessed how this fiery furnace – it was the Presence of Hashem – marched between the offerings. והנה תנור עשן ולפיד אש אשר עבר בין הגזרים האלה – “And behold, a smoking furnace and a torch of fire passed through the pieces” (ibid. 15:17).That was thebris bein hab’sarim, when Hakodosh Boruch Hu came down and entered into a covenant with Avraham. ביום ההוא כרת השם את אברהם ברית – “On that day Hashem made a covenant with Avraham” (ibid. 15:18). It’s something unequaled in the history of our people, even among the greatest prophets, that such a covenant was made. That Hakodosh Boruch Hu should come down and “shake hands” to close the deal?! It’s unheard of in all of history.And what did Hakodosh Boruch Hu tell Avraham at that moment? ידע תדע כי גר יהיה זרעך בארץ לא להם – “Know with certainty that your offspring will be sojourners in a land not their own, ועבדום וענו אותם… ואחרי כן יצאו ברכוש גדול- “And they will enslave them, and oppress them… and afterwards they shall leave with great possessions… to your descendants I have given this land” (ibid. 15:13-18). So it was an imperishable promise that Hakadosh Baruch Hu had made, that He would stand by His people and that He would eventually take them out ofMitzrayimand bring them to the land that He had promised to them.THE TIME FINALLY COMESAnd now, in the beginning of ourparsha, Hakodosh Boruch Hu is telling Moshe to let His people know that the time has come. Hakadosh Baruch Hu is invoking that great promise He had made centuries before. וגם הקימותי את בריתי איתם לתת להם את ארץ כנען – “I am upholding My covenant that I made for them to give them Eretz Canaan” (Va’eira 6:4). “The time has come for Me to fulfill My promise to the Bnei Yisroel,” says Hashem, והבאתי אתכם אל הארץ אשר נשאתי את ידי לתת אותה – “And I will bring you to the land which I raised up My hand to give it to you” (ibid. 6:8).But it’s very important that we should listen to the next verse, thepossukafter Hashem invokes the great promise:וגם הקימותי את בריתי – “And not only am I upholding the covenant I made with Avraham,” but also – now listen to these words: וגם אני שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל אשר מצרים מעבידים אותם – and I also heard the outcry of the Bnei Yisroel, ואזכור את בריתי – “And therefore, I am now reminded of My promise to them” (ibid. 6:5). What do we see here? That despite the covenant, despite the oath that had to be fulfilled – it’s the word of Hashem after all so there’s no way that He would fail to fulfill it –despite all that, Hakodosh Boruch Huwaiteduntil he heard their outcry.THE GREAT OUTCRYAnd not just one outcry; they cried out for a long time. It’s repeated again and again: “I have heard their crying out” (ibid. 3:7), “Their crying out has come before Me” (ibid. 3:9), “I have heard the groaning outcry ofBnei Yisroel.” And it was only when He heard enough outcries from them, וגם שמעתי את נאקת בני ישראל, it was only then that finally Hakodosh Boruch Hu decided to fulfill His covenant with them.And that’s something we say every day in thesiddurועונה לעמו ישראל בעת שועםאליו – “Hashemanswers His people Yisroel, at the time that they cry out to Him.” It doesn’t say merely that He hastens to their succor; thatHe is at hand to help them. It doesn’t say that. It saysv’oneh, “He is ready to answer them.” When?B’eis shav’ameilav, at the time that they cry out.Shav’ammeans “a great outcry.” ואת שועתם ישמע – “He hears their outcries,” ויושיעם – “AndthenHe rescues them” (Tehillim 145:19). So we see that it’s not sufficient merely to mumble a little prayer. And even to cry out once or twice is not enough. It’s important to make a big outcry to Hashem, and to do it again and again.DID WE MISS THE FINE PRINT?And actually that’s a very big question. Because whydidHashem need our outcry? He had already raised His hand and swore that He would take us out fromMitzrayim! So why is the crying out to Him for help under the heavy weight of oppression so important? And even more remarkable, the words of thepossukimply that our redemption wasdependenton our crying out: ועתה הנה צעקת בני ישראל באה אלי…ועתה לכה ואשלחך אל פרעה והוצא את עמי בני ישראל ממצרים – “The outcry ofBneiYisroelhas come to Me…AndnowI will send you to Pharaoh and take out My nation fromMitzrayim” (ibid. 3:9-10). Even the great covenant of thebris bein hab’sarim,the inviolate word of Hashem wasdependenton theAm Yisroel’sentreaties, on their crying out to Hashem. And that’s very strange because that wasn’t part of thebris bein hab’sarim;“crying out” wasn’t part of the deal that we “signed!”But first, there’s a fundamental question we have to ask about the entire subject oftefillah, of praying for something. We introduce many of our prayers with the wordsyehi ratzon– “May it be Your will, Hashem…” For instance, suppose somebody is in the midst ofshemonah esreiand he remembers there’s somebody ill,chalilah, in the family. Or it’s a person he knows and he wants to pray for him. So he adds these words:יהי רצון מלפניךהשם אלוקינו ואלוקי אבותינו שתשלח מהרה רפואה שלימה מן השמים רפואת הנפש ורפואת הגוף – “It should be Your will Hashem, our G-d and the G-d of our fathers, that You should send speedily a complete recovery from heaven, a recovery of the soul and recovery of the body,” that means mentally and physically. And we mention the person, his name, so that he should be healed among all the othercholeiYisroel. Now, we are sayingyehi ratzon, it should be Your will. That’s how we introduce thetefillah.ILLNESS IS ALSO CHESSED HASHEMNow we have to know that whatever “happens” to a person is Hashem’s will. Nobody is sick because of accident. It’s always Hashem’s will. Of course, sometimes a man can induce the illness by his own carelessness, but nevertheless it’s Hashem’s will. That’s his punishment for being negligent with his care, with his health, or his safety. If a man is careless, he’s being punishedby Hashem. No matter what, it’s Hashem’s will that decreed that this man should be ill.And when Hakadosh Baruch Hu makes a decree like that, we have a principle, a fundamental principle calledkol orchos Hashem chesed v’emes –all the ways of Hashem are kindliness and truth (Tehillim 25:10).צדיק השם בכל דרכיו – “Hashem is righteous in all His ways,” וחסיד בכל מעשיו –”And He is kindly in all His acts.” (Ibid. 145:17) Now, when you come in here you have to divest yourself of outside attitudes. Because here we want to studyTorah attitudes; and the truth of the matter is thatHakadosh Baruch Hu does everything for kindly purposes. Everything! And if it was His will that this man should be ill, then it must be for this man’s benefit. What the most important benefit is, we’ll study soon, but it’s out of the question that it shouldn’t be a kindliness. Itcertainlyis for the person’s benefit.“HASHEM, CAN I GET A SECOND OPINION?”So here it was Hakadosh Baruch Hu’sratzonto give this man the benefit of becoming sick. So the question arises, where do we get the audacity to ask Hashem to change His will? Suppose a man goes to a physician and the physician writes a prescription for some medication, let’s say it’s a foul tasting medication. Would the man say to the physician, יהי רצון מלפניך – “It should be your willnotto give me this prescription. I want to get along without the prescription.”? Only ameshugenehwould say such a thing! The doctor studied for years and years, his profession is medicine, his knowledge and experience is medicine. He’s the expert here. And you’re just an obstinate fellow, maybe ignorant too. Either the expense is too much for you, or maybe you don’t like the taste of the medicine. So you don’t want to bother with it. It’s ameshugasto even ask such a thing!And here is Hakadosh Baruch Hu, the great Healer, and He’s prescribing for a man certain pills – whether the pills are troubles, or headaches, or pains, or illness – big and small. Whatever it is, it’s certainlypills. There’s no question that Hashem is benefitting the man by giving him these troubles, these misfortunes, pains or illnesses. So how can a man say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, “I beg of you,yehi ratzon, that You should change the prescription, or not give me the prescription at all?” That’s a big question that needs to be answered. And actually that’s what all ourbakashosseem to be – an attempt to change the will of Hashem.WHY ALL THE TURBULENCE?And another question – just as important and maybe even more perplexing: What’s Hashem’s purpose in causing any disturbance, either in a man’s health or in his family life or in his business? It’s a question we want to ask of Him: “Why do You send anything to ruffle the tranquility of our lives?” After all, like we just said, Hashem’s ways are perfect, and He is kindly in all of His deeds. That’s a truism. So why is it that we see sometimes that Hashem does things that seem to be contradictory to these principles of kindliness?Actually it’s a question that all thinking men ask one time or another. Because chalilahsomething happens; sometimes it happens. Here’s a man who’s successful, and all of a sudden a freak misfortune happens to him and unfortunately he’s in the hospital. It’s not an accident, it’s Hashem! So he’s thinking, “Why did this happen to me? Before everything was going smoothly with me;boruch HashemI was a good frum Jew more or less. Why did Hashem do this?”THE GREATEST CHESED!And the answer is as follows: There is a great kindliness that’s most paramount, more important than all thechassodimin the world – more important thanparnasah, more important thanshalom bayis, and good health. And that’s the kindliness calledyiras Hashem.Yiras Hashem– which means to be Aware of Hashem, that’s the most important thing in your life. Now, this might sound queer to the ears of those who live with materialism, but it’s a fundamental principle that we must get into our heads.We are here to gain Awareness of Hashem.Now, if that’s the purpose, then what a tragedy it is when people let their lives go by and fail to utilize the opportunities to recognize Hashem. You forgot about Him?! To forget Hashem is the worst ruinationin life! To live without awareness is not a life worth living!So Hashem sees that you’re wasting your life – of course you’re afrumperson – you’re doingmitzvos,you’re ultra-ultra Orthodox.But that’s not enough for Hashem. He doesn’t want “Orthodox;” He wants to squeezegreatnessout of you! He wants to save you so that your life shouldn’t be wasted. Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants to give you the gift of being Aware of Him.HASHEM: A ONE DAY HEADACHE FOR CHAIMSo what does Hashem do? He orders a prescription; one headache. Prescribed: Chaim ben Dovid,one headache, for one day. It’s a pill. And so one morningyou wake up with a headache. And what’s the purpose of that prescription?The purpose of the headache is so that you should call out to Him and achieve the perfection of even a little more awareness of Hashem.And when you do that, you’re turning your migraine into diamonds!All the events in a man’s life are being manipulated by Hakadosh Boruch Hu; He puts disturbances in your life so you’ll call out to Him. And that is the chief purpose of every mishap in your life; to cause you to cry out for aid from Hashem and to thereby become more aware of Him. The outcry that comes from desperation, from unrequited needs and from anguished hopes for the future, causes Awareness of Hashem’s Presence, and it is that Awareness that is the true achievement, the chief purpose of Man’s existence in this life.“BETTER ANGER THAN LAUGHTER”And now we have an answer to the age old question of why “bad” things happen to good people: Because Awareness of Hashem is the greatestchesedthat Hashem can give man, and most often it is thetzaros,and the crying out to Hashem it encourages, that brings this Awareness. When you’re subject to adversity, that’s the great opportunity to bemakirHakodosh Boruch Hu, to recognize Hashem. When a man finds himself subject to mishaps and misfortunes – he needs things, so it’s much easier for him to raise his eyes to Hakadosh Boruch Hu and ask for it; and that is the great gift of Awareness of Hashem.And therefore, טוב כעס משחוק – Better anger than laughter” (Koheles 7:3). Now we know that’s not true. Anger is no good; it’s a very big mistake to get angry. But there isoneanger that is good – and that’s Hashem’s anger. טוב כעס שכועס הקדוש ברוך הוא על הצדיקים – That’s good. When Hashem gets angry at you, that’stov, that’s good for you. Don’t ask for it though. You ask for good times. הרחב פיך ואמלאהו, ask Him for good times and appreciate what He’s giving you. But still, “when Hashem shows his anger to thetzadikim, that’s better than the smiling Hashem does on thereshaim.” (Shabbos 30b) If there ever happened that atzadik,chalilahhad a setback, a misfortune, so you must know, and he must know, that it’s a stroke of good fortune. Now I know that it’s very hard to accept, but we have to learn that and understand that it’s achesed gadolwhen that happens to him.Tov, it’s better, it’s a greaterhatzlachathan had Hashem smiled.ברוע פנים ייטב לב, When the face is sad then the heart becomes better (ibid.). Now it doesn’t mean you should be sad and sour faced. On the contrary – if you’re sad faced it shows that you don’t appreciate what Hashem is doing for you. You don’t appreciate that things aretov. But sometimes a man against his will is sad because some misfortune has happened to him, so he should know however that ייטב לב, hisneshamais improving.DON’T TAKE THE WRONG MEDICINESo when Hashem sends you a headache, you have to know that it was for a great purpose. And if you take an aspirin, and after one day the headache goes away,and you never cried out to Hashem, so you wasted the prescription. You’ve wasted an opportunity! The purpose was for you to become Aware of Hashem, and you wasted the glorious opportunity.And so when we ask Hashem “Yehiratzon, let it be Your will that I be healed,” we are not telling Hakadosh Baruch Hu tochange His will.Yehi ratzonmeans this: “Hashem, I know that what You want from me is that I should become more Aware of You. And that’s what I’m doing now; I’m calling out to you. Let it be Your will that I can get better now – or mytzaarshould be removed, whatever it is you’re asking for –becauseI’m calling out to You. I’m becoming more aware of You. Whatever trouble You gave me, can go away now because I’ve achieved the purpose.”WHEN HASHEM DOESN’T ANSWERNow the truth is that sometimes you cry out to Hashem and He doesn’t answer. A man called me on the telephone and he tells me: He’s crying out and crying out, and there’s no answer. He wants to know what he’s supposed to think.He’s supposed to think thatHakadosh Boruch Huwants him to cry out even more. And suppose he cries out even more – let’s say a man is on his deathbed, he’s an old man, 119 years old, he can’t expect to live much more. But still he cries out on his deathbed. Did he waste his time? No! He achieved maybe in his last minutes more than he did in his whole life.119 YEARS IS NOT ENOUGH?!An old man is crying out on his deathbed, he says “Oh, Hashem, heal me!” “Oh it’s silly,” you’ll say. The bystanders think it’s ridiculous. “You want to be healed?! How long do you want to hang around here?! The children want to take over the business already, they want the “old man” out of the way already. 119 years is not enough?! No, for him it’s not enough. When you’re on your deathbed it’s never enough. He wants to live a thousand years. Why shouldn’t he? He has a great grandfather who lived almost a thousand years. Mesushelach lived almost a thousand years so why can’t he?So he’s crying out to Hashem. Why not? He has the right to cry out. And when he finally takes his last breath don’t think he didn’t accomplish with the crying out. He accomplished plenty.The crying out is the purpose.That’s the biggest achievement there is. So nobody is ever frustrated in hisdavenenwhen he’s not answered – because he has gained the most important thing, more Awareness of Hashem.DISCOVERING WINEMAKINGIt’s like a man who has a very good vineyard. He has blue-blooded grapes, good quality grapes “with ayichus, with a pedigree.” So when he takes his grapes to the wine press and he presses out the wine, it’s a pity to take that mash, the residue, and throw it away.So he decides to press it a little more; he takes that mash and presses it some more. He puts them on the wine press and gives akvetch. And a little more good wine squirts out. But it’s not enough for him. He says, “I can’t leaveanywine inside the peel. Maybe there’s some more good wine in there. So he puts it under the press again and puts some more pressure to get out the last drop.Now you have to know thatweare the good grapes and Hashem wants to press from usall the yiras Hashemthat He could get– for our own benefit. He wants to squeeze out some more “good wine of Awareness” from us because from good grapes you try to squeeze out all that you can.THE SOUL OF GOOD GRAPESAnd so Hakodosh Boruch Hu is pressing us with all kinds of pressure. One pressure might be trouble withparnasa, another might be trouble with your children, or trouble having children,chas v’shalom. And when you cry out to Hashem, that’s the good wine, the good wine of Awareness of Hashem dripping from the good grapes of yourneshamah. When your heart is torn with anguish, and you turn to Hashem for His help; you weep and you pour out your heart intefillah,that’sthe good wine that Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants from you. And sometimes He might press you again and again, and the good grapes will keep on giving good wine.Until finally Hashem will say, “Enough! You achieved exactly what I wanted from you.” And now רצון יראיו יעשה ואת שועתם ישמע ויושיעם – it means that Hakodosh Boruch Hu does the will of those who continue to grow in Awareness of Him, but first they have to cry out to Him.Shavasammeans that they cry out. They cry out! “Oh,” says Hashem, “If that’s the case, if you’re crying out to Me, so you’re becoming Aware of Me. So now, ויושיעם- “Now I’ll help you. Once you cried out, once you perfected yourself in Awareness of Hashem, so now I’ll answer you.”SO IT WASN’T FINE PRINT AFTER ALL!And that leads us to the answer that we were searching for in the beginning of our talk. Hakodosh Boruch Hu had given us His word at thebris bein hab’sarim; He caused Hisshechinato pass through thebesarim, the halves of the animals, and swore to Avraham that He would take us out of Mitzrayim. So how is it that now He could he make our geulahdependenton our crying out to Him? Is not the word of Hashem imperishable?!דבר אלוקינו יקום לעולם – “The word of Hashem stands forever” (Yeshayah 40:8).And so we’ll study again the words of Hashem to Avraham Avinu. ועבדום וענו אותם – “And they will enslave them, and oppress them” (Bereishis 15:13) The word וענו, “and they will oppress,” you must know actually means “and they will cause you to cry out.” The wordani, a poor or afflicted man, actually means “the man that cries out,” from the rootanah, “to speak up.” Thegemara(Bava Basra 10a) tells us that “the poor man is beloved by Hashem,” becausehe cries outto Hashem in his affliction, and he therefore becomes more Aware of Him.And so we have to say that the וענו אותם that Hashem promised us, thetzarosthat Hashem foretold would come upon us in Mitzrayim,were intended specifically for the Bnei Yisroel to reach greater and greater heights of Awareness of Hashem. That was its purpose. And how? By means of the עינוי, by means of them calling out to Him and thereby becoming more Aware of Him and of their dependence on Him.PREPARING US TO BECOME HASHEM’S PEOPLEHashem had brought the afflictions on the Am Yisroelfor the purposeof causing them to cry out to Him. He was preparing us inMitzrayimto become “My people,” and the oppression was His plan of conferring upon us the perfection of crying out to Him. The heavy affliction caused a great and unceasing outcry, which resulted in a heightened Awareness of Hashem. It was this keen Awareness which made them My people,and now the covenant with the Avos could be triggered, and become effective, in causing their deliverance from Mitzrayim.And until they would reach those heights, that achievement of Awareness, then the ועבדום might have been fulfilled, but the וענו אותם – “And I will cause them to oppress you until you cry out to Me,” would still be missing.In reality the entire bondage and affliction were intended to be stimulation towards the outcry to Hashem, and toward the achievement of a greater Awareness of Hashem, which would be demonstrated by their outcry to Him.PHARAOH, HASHEM’S WINEMAKERAnd if we wouldn’t have cried out to Hashem we would have remained there forever. Absolutely we wouldn’t have come out ofMitzrayim.Hashem said, “You have to cry out to Me if you want to get the salvation.” And that’s why Hashem applied pressure. When He saw that they were not crying enough so He told Pharaoh, “Get busy and apply a little more pressure to the wine press.” So all of a sudden Pharaoh comes out with a new decree: “Up till now you were making bricks and I supplied the hay, the straw. Now you go look for the straw by yourself.” That’s a double job. In addition to making bricks all day long, in your lunch hour, in your three minute lunch hour, go and look for straw too. Because את מתכונת הלבנים, the same amount of bricks has to be supplied, the same count of bricks you must continue to give.Now that’s putting pressure on the wine press with a vengeance!Even when they cried out, Hashem pressed more on the good grapes. So the Bnei Yisroel cried out more. And that’s what Hakadosh Boruch Hu wanted. “Ahh, my children. You remember Me now. You’re aware that I’m in existence – you know about Me now.” It’s like a man who is carrying his child on his shoulders – and this child was so happy riding on high; he thoughthewas the tall one. So he started kicking with his feet, kicking his father in the chest with his feet, he was so happy.So the father saw now that his son was not aware of him anymore, his child was riding on high. So when the father saw a dog coming, he put the child down near the dog, “Oh, Poppy, Poppy, save me.” “Oh,” the father said, “So I’m a Poppy now.”And so even after Hakodosh Boruch Hu took the Bnei Yisroel out from Mitzrayim, He was afraid –afraidfor them-that they might forget about Him. He took them out of Egypt, so it’s all over now. Now they can stop crying. So ויבוא עמלק – And Amalek came (Shemos 17:8). So they cried out to Hashem. “Oh,” Hashem said, “I’m still around, huh?!” Because that’s the arrangement of Hakodosh Boruch Hu in this world. It wasn’t a one-time event, in Mitzrayim. Forever and ever the plan of Hashem is to press the good grapes of the Am Yisroel a little bit more. And our job is to always utilize the opportunities and not make it necessary for the wine press to be pressed even harder.BE SMART AND DON’T WAITLet’s remember always that there aremadreigosandmadreigosin persecution – and wise is the man who will use all of them, even the smallest misfortune, to improve, by calling out to Hashem and becoming more Aware of Him.So you’re standing in your store and no customers are coming in. Why are you wasting the great opportunity?! You have to cry out to Hashem, “Ribono Shel Olam!Please give me some customers!” And those opportunities are endless, because all day long there are bumps in the road. Just because there’s no taskmaster standing over you with a whip, doesn’t mean you can’t use the opportunities oftza’arin your life – the smallest things and the biggest things – to call out to Hashem.YOU ARE STANDING IN A GOLD MINE!I’ll tell you something else. Don’t let yourshemonah esreigo to waste! You mean to say you’re going to spend your years just mumbling yourtefillosevery day by rote and not thinking about Hakadosh Baruch Hu?!?Shemonah esreiis a gold mine. And when you’re standing in a gold mine, even if you grab only one handful you’re already a wealthy man. But you have to know how to grab! כל שאינו אומרה בלשון תחנונים – “If you’re not begging Hashem for mercy, if you’re not crying out and begging, so your tefillah is not a tefillah” (Brachos 29b). When you daven, you have to daven כרש המבקש בפתח, like a poor man begging at the door of a rich man (Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 89:3). He’s talking here about a man without shoes, he’s hungry and cold, and he’s begging for something to eat. That’s a man who knows how to cry out! And that’s howwe’resupposed to daven.Now we can’t ask too much of you, but when you standshemonah esreiat least onebrachahfrom the gold mine you can choose to sayb’tachanunim. For one thing at least you can cry out to Hashem instead of running through the words. You have a cold? “R’faeinu Hashem, v’neirafei!”Cry out! Trouble withparnasah? Cry out, “Bareich aleinu!” There’s fighting in the house, machlokes with the neighbor?Sim shalom! Don’t just mumble the words to yourself; cry out to Hashem! At least in your mind you should be crying out; it should be a cry of the mind up to Hashem.And sometimes things get even more difficult. And what that means is that Hashem wants even more Awareness from you. When things are going hard withparnasah, so you get desperate – you were hoping this job would work out, or maybe this deal would go through – but nothing is going, you’re at your wit’s end! So what happens? בלית ברירה, you have no choice – your rich uncle won’t take your phone calls, the bank won’t lend you any more money, and welfare won’t pay the bills. So you have to cry out to Hashem. Ohh, that’s ahatzlacha– that’s more important than yourparnasah!LET’S LEARN FROM IYOV’S MISTAKENow, I want to expand this subject a little more. Because once we understand that the purpose of tefillah is Awareness of Hashem, so you’ll see that we’re not talking only abouttefillahwhen somethingalreadyhappened; I’m also talking abouttefillahthat itshouldn’thappen.Tefillah koidem l’tzarah, how important that is! When you falltachanun, you fall on your arm aftershemonahesrei, so it’stachanunim, you’re entreating Hashem for mercy.Rachum v’Chanun– “Hashem, You’re the Merciful One.”השם אל באפך תוכיחני – “Please Hashem, don’t rebuke me in Your anger,” ואל בחמתך תיסרני – Please don’t chastise me in Your wrath.” So you might think that thiskepitelis for Dovid maybe; he was in trouble so he was calling out, that’s why he said those words. No, don’t make that mistake; it’s for us! And we’re saying itso there shouldn’t come trouble. We want to be wise enough to call out to Hashem before thetzaraheven comes.Why waitchalilah? Maybe it’ll be too late then. You remember howIyovwas in trouble,gehokte tzaros. He lost his sons; he lost his daughters. He lost everything; he even lost his health. And he was sitting on a garbage pile; this wealthy man now didn’t have a home at all – he was sitting on the dunghill of the city and he was scratching his wounds. The puss was dripping from his wounds and he was scratching the itching wounds with a piece of broken pottery. Imagine the scene. It’sIyov, the “great richIyov,” sitting on a dunghill, with a piece of a broken pot scratching his itching wounds. He couldn’t even afford a salve to heal himself!So his friends came to visit him, hischaveirimwho knew him in his good days. And one of them said to him as follows: היערוך שועך ולא בצר – Did you set forth your outcrybeforeyou were in distress?” You hear that?! היערוך, “Did you set forth your outcry to Hashem, did you arrange yourtefillos, לא בצר,beforethe trouble came upon you?” (Iyov 36:19).That’s what he said toIyov: “Did you cry out to Hashembeforeyou were in trouble?” It was the good old days, when you could criticize a man who was suffering and he’d listen.THINK AHEADNow, I don’t know what the answer is; we don’t know whatIyovanswered his friends. Maybe he did. But we see what thegemarasays about that:לעולם יקדים אדם תפילה לצרה – “A man should always say his prayersbeforehe needs something, before the troubles set in” (Sanhedrin 44b). That’s a real sign ofyiras Hashem. The real sign of Awareness of Hashem is when you are always aware ofwhat could be– so many things could go wrong in a man’s life – and you cry out to Hashem so that He should save you from them all. Because that’s the system that Hakadosh Baruch Hu set up for mankind. That’s His prescription for the world. So if a man says to Hashem “Hakadosh Baruch Hu, I’m going to cry out to You even when there’s no trouble,” so that man is filling his prescription ofyiras Hashemin the best way possible.And Hashem says, “I’m satisfied – as long as you cry out. But to not cry out at all? I might have to give you a reason to cry out.The last year of his life, tragedy struck. His beloved grandson, Reb Yisroel Miller, was killed when his car collided with a bus while on the way to the Kosel with his bar mitzvah son. The news hit Rav Miller like a hammer blow. Living as he did in close proximity to his grandfather, Sruly had the opportunity to serve hiszeidein various ways and became close to him. From his youngest years, Sruly had learned privately with him. At theshivah, Rav Miller expressed his pain, telling the family, “I feel I should be sittingshivahhere along with you.” When his daughter asked him for a practical lesson the family could derive from the tragedy, Rav Miller responded that he felt that his dailytefillosfor his children and grandchildren were becoming habitual, so he needed to add more fervor when he beseeched Hashem to protect them. He suggested to his children to add morekavanahwhen they recited theberachahofHashkiveinu. (Rav Avigdor Miller – His Life and His Revolution p. 253)And so we say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, “Hashem, please don’t give me any headaches. And from now on I’m going to ask You as much as I can to save me from headaches.” “Oh,” Hashem says. “That’s a deal that I like. As long as you’re aware of Me; as long as you ask Me every day to protect you from illness, then I don’t have to give you any illness. Of course if you’ll let down your side of the bargain, if you start saying the words only out of habit, so sometimes I’ll have to remind you. Sometimes a little headache I’ll send again so that you should call out to Me with more sincerity.”THE BEST TIME FOR PRAYERAnd so we are never telling Hakadosh Baruch Hu to change His will. Who are we to tell Hashem what’s good for us?! Let’s say, He prescribed a person should have to be in a hospital. Maybe He prescribed a person should have to lose his jobchalilahor have trouble with one of his childrenchasv’shalom. So we say to Hakadosh Baruch Hu beforehand, before he fills the prescription, “May it be Your will that I shouldn’t have to ever go into a hospital – except to visit my wife when she has a baby.”“Yehi ratzon m’lifanechahthat I shouldn’t have any problems with my boss, and that I should have my job for as long as I want it.” “Ribono Shel Olam, please keep my children on thederech hayashar, thederech hatorah.”The best time to cry out to be saved is when everything is well! It’s important for you young people to think about that. You’re healthy?! Cry out to Hakodosh Boruch Hu that you should stay well! Your children are well?! Cry out to Hashem, “Ribono Shel Olam, please! It shouldn’t come upon me or anyone in my family what happened to that man in shul!”Parnasahis good? Cry out to Hakodosh Boruch Hu! Suddenly things couldchas v’shalomhappen. Out of nowhere things happen!When you say ושמור צאתינו ובואינו לחיים טובים ולשלום – “Hashem, guard our going out and our coming back, for good life and peace” (Birkas Kriyas Shema – Maariv) you should be saying it with an outcry. At least in your mind it should be ותעל שועתם אל האלוקים. Who knows what could happen on the road once you walk outside?! On the streets, people are speeding in cars through the streets. And sometimes the car jumps the curb onto the sidewalk where people walk. Who knows what could happen?! You cross by a building and suddenly a facade of the building, it’s been hanging on for twenty-five, thirty years, a big chunk of cement falls loose and starts coming down. It’s very important that you should be a few inches out of the way. And that’s what yourtefillahcan accomplish.I DON’T WANT ANY SPECIALISTSWhen you walk down Ocean Avenue so you see signs. A doctor specializing in this, a different doctor specializing in this, a doctor specializing in something else. It’s no accident that you saw those signs today. Look how many things they specialize in! It’s a reminder to cry out! Look how many problemscould happen. Even one thing wrong and you have to go to a big specialistchas v’shalom.Sometimes you have to go to Manhattan and it costs a load of money. And then some people get a diagnosis, the dreaded diagnosis.Ay yah yay, the terrible news. And now thetzarosbegin. And there are so many things that could go wrong, it’s endless. So cry out nowkoideml’tzarah: “Ribono Shel Olam, please save me from that dreaded disease” – I don’t want to say it, it starts with a C.And when you pass by the shingle hanging on the next building, let it be a reminder of anothertzarahthat you don’t want to come upon you. I recommend that – walk by one of these fancy streets where there are a lot of doctor signs and practice up on crying out to Hashembefore the troubles come!You pass by a big drug store – all kinds of medicines, creams, drops, with long names for different problems. Bargain prices! So cry out, “Hashem, please I should never need this type of medicine for kidney failure.” You know what it means tonothave a working kidney? It’sgehenim! Cry out to Hashem, “Ribono Shel Olam, please keep my kidneys working. I don’t want to be hooked up to a kidney machine; I want to be able to empty my bladder on my own, in my own bathroom, not in a hospital room.”THERE’S NO CHESS IN THIS HOMEEven when you pass a funeral parlor, you should cry out. You know, if you’ll take a walk with me down Ocean Avenue, we’ll pass three separate funeral parlors. Funeral “homes” they call it. They want you to think maybe that they’re inside there playing chess, or reading the newspapers!No, he’s laying in a plain wooden box, that’s all. So every time you pass by the funeral parlor, you can cry out to Hashem, “Please keep me alive. Please give me good health andarichas yomim; I want to stay for a long time outside of this home.” You have to cry out to Hashem with intensity!You know what a tragedy it is when people have to beg Hakodosh Boruch Hu for peaceafterthe war has already begun? I’m talking about domestic peace, peace in the home. You should be crying out to Hashem all the time, during the times of peace – especially when there’s peace. There shouldn’t be any “war” in your household. And that there should be peace in the households of your sons and daughters. You ask Hashem, “Please don’t let my telephone ring with bad news.”Sometimes a daughter calls up,chalilah, she’s having a fight with her husband. She wants to leave him.Ay yah yay,the tragedy of a broken home. Don’t wait! When it’s quiet on all fronts, your daughters are quiet with their husbands. Nobody’s complaining – maybe they are, but not to you. You hear nothing from your children. That’s wonderful, thegreat peace ofshalombayis. And that’s when you should cry out to Hashem, that He should continue to keep peace in your home and the homes of your children.HASHEM, SAVE ME FROM BLINKING TOO MUCHAnd if you don’t have any litigation with your neighbors, that’s the best time todaven. If you never went through that, you’re a lucky man, and you want to keep it that way. Troublewith neighbors, fighting and recriminations, going to court; it’s alltzaros. A man used to come in here. He used to come here and he was blinking all the time. I saw that the man was very nervous. And so I spoke to him and he told me he has constant legal trouble with neighbors. Jewish neighbors. About the driveway, about this and about that,and it got so acute that he was dragged into the court again and again. That’stzaros.And so we ask Hakadosh Baruch Hu,שלום רב על ישראלעמך תשים – “Great peace in every area of our lives you should put upon us.”“Please Hashem. There should be peace inside of our stomachs. Our stomach shouldn’t complain, shouldn’t growl, shouldn’t groan. Our nerves shouldn’t complain, our head shouldn’t complain.” The body has a lot to say, and when the body is quiet and it’s peace all throughout the body, people aren’t grateful. You don’t realize how lucky you are. Your brain is getting good messages from all parts of the body. Constantly. You’re not aware of the messages. When do you become aware? When even once the messages are not good. Even if one pinprick somewhere on your skin is taking place, it’s relayed to your brain and you’re acutely aware of it. And so, when nothing is happening, it’sshalom. It’s complete tranquility on all fronts. From your toes to the scalp of your head, it’s quiet on all fronts.And when all is quiet, that’s the best opportunity to cry out to Hashem that it should remain quiet.THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO YOUOnly that when you call out to Hashem before thetzarah,it has to be with the same intensity as during atzarah. The same Awareness of Hashem you have to accomplish in the good times! If you would think even a little bit about whattzarosdoes to a person, hospitals, and bills, and litigation, and so much pain and anguish! Cry out to Hakodosh Boruch Hu that it shouldn’t happen! At all times you should be crying out.And don’t think it’s excessive what I’m telling you now. You can never ask enough for Hashem to help you, becauseyou can never be too Aware of Hashem! Because what we’ve learned from ourparshais thatwe’re in this world primarily to become Aware of Hashem.That’s our perfection! The more we call out to Him the more ourneshamosare being purified.And therefore, usually we have two choices: You can become Aware of Him while He’s still giving you good things – while you’re healthy, while your wife and children are healthy, while you still haveparnasah, and so on and so forth – by crying out to Him and entreating Him that everything should remain as is; that’s the best way to squeeze out from the good grapes the wine of Awareness of Hashem.THANK YOU FOR ALL THE TROUBLES!However, in this world, Hakodosh Boruch Hu will always press the good grapes of theAm Yisroellike He did inMitzrayim; there’s always some more wine of Awareness to squeeze from you that you haven’tkvetchedout on your own. And so Hashem says, “It pays to give you trouble because the gain, the benefit for you when you’re thinking about Me, is the greatest of benefits. And when you come to the Next World, you’ll say, אודך השם כי אנפת בי – “I thank You Hashem for causing me that pain, for giving me thistza’aror thattza’ar, because it made me call out to You. And it was the crying out in that world that gave me the greatest success, Awareness of You, Hashem, so that I can bask forever in the Presence of Yourshechinah.” HAVE A WONDERFUL SHABBOS See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Part I.You’re a JudgeTHE WEALTHY MAN AND THE PAUPERIn this week’sparshathere’s amitzvahof בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ – “You should judge your fellowman withtzedek, with righteousness” (Kedoshim 19:15). Now, in its most simplepshatwhat that means is that if you’re a judge, if you’re adayanin thebeis din, so you must always be on guard that your first inclination, your emotions, shouldn’t be the reason for your decision. Don’t allow any superficial thoughts to lead you to conclusions; instead you must be careful to follow thedinof the Torah in all its details.Let’s say you’re a judge and now there’s a poor man standing before you; he’s one of the two litigants who came to thebeis din. Now, you’re a compassionate man after all – so you might say, “This poor fellow has a tough life – and I should go now and make him guilty and make it even worse?! Let me give him a break!” “No,” says Hashem, “Don’t do that”: לֹא תִשָּׂא פְנֵי דָל – “Don’t follow your superficial emotions in the courtroom and try to give an edge to the poor man” (ibid.).On the other hand, sometimes it might be a wealthy man, somebody important, and so your inclination might be to judgehimmore favorably. After all, he’s much more impressive, this well-heeled fellow, and just seeing him in his four hundred dollar suit makes his arguments seem stronger. “Nothing doing!” says Hashem: וְלֹא תֶהְדַּר פְּנֵי גָדוֹל – “Don’t show any preferable honor to an important person” (ibid.) If you’re a judge, it has to beb’tzedek. You have to follow the strict letter of the law; whatever Hakadosh Baruch Hu prescribes in the Torah. That’s the job of adayan– he has to subjugate his feelings, his emotions, to what Hashem expects him to think, and topasken b’tzedek.AN ADDITIONAL LAYERNow all of this appears to be irrelevant to us here. It’s an admonition todayanimwho sit in a court, but for us ordinary people, it doesn’t seem to apply at all. Where does thismitzvahofb’tzedek tishpot amisechacome into our lives? It could be that one or two of you will one day study the intricate details ofChoshen Mishpat, all thedinei mamonos, and you’ll get a certainsemicha, ‘yadin yadin’.And once you receive that permission to judgedinei mamonosso besides for all thedinimyou’ll have to know, you’ll also have to always remember these words of the Torah: בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ – “Don’t let your emotions get the best of you when you’re sitting in judgement in thebeis din.” But for most of us it’s not applicable at all.However, that’s not the full meaning of thepossuk. There’s an additional layer of meaning in those words that we’re going to study tonight, and it’s amitzvahthat applies to all of us,all the time.InMesichta Shevuos(30a) the sages tell us that בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ is also teaching us as follows: עַם שֶׁאִתְּךָ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְדוּנוֹ יָפֶה יָפֶה – A person who is with you in Torah and mitzvos, bemishtadeil, put effort into judging him favorably” (Shevuos 30a). It’s what we learned in Mesichta Avos: הֱוֵי דָּן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת – “You, every single one of you,should make sure to judge your fellow Jew with righteousness.”L’kafzechusmeans that you have to ignore thekaf chov, the side of guilt,and instead go out of your way to judge your fellow manl’kaf zechus, to the side of merit.DON’T BE A COW OR A LIBERALAnd what that means is thatevery personis a judge – it can’t be helped. As soon as you see somebody, you’re forming opinions. You can’t avoid it! If you were a cow,chas v’shalom, so you’d be able to go through life without thinking, without judging; but if you’re anadamthen you’re already adayan.Don’t be a liberal and say “Oh no, I don’t judge anyone; I would never do that!” It’s not true! You’realwayspassing judgement on people; don’t think otherwise. You’re judging your wife or your husband all the time! Why did he do this? Why didn’t she do that? Why did he say this or that? You’re judging your neighbors all the time! Why did he block my driveway? Why does he let his son ride his bike on my lawn? You’re judging your children all the time! And your co-workers, and yourchavrusa, and the people in shul, and the Rav of your shul. You’re even making judgements about strangers who pass you by on the street! You’rea full timedayan.And even though you’re not publicizing your decision, you’re not telling anybody what you’re thinking, nevertheless, Hashem isyireh l’leivav, He sees what’s going on in your thoughts. And so in the eyes of Hakodosh Boruch Hu, you’re acting as adayan. And so, if you want to succeed in your “career ofdayanus”, you had better get busy purifying your thoughts as much as possible, and doing whatever you can to make sure that you’re judging those around you favorably all the time.WE’RE OBLIGATED TO DRILLNow, if you’re paying attention you’ll note that themitzvahבְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ is a source for two seemingly contradictoryhalachos. On the one hand, the Torah is obligating a judge to issue his verdict on the basis of absolute justice, in strict accordance with the law. And yet, these same words are teaching us that outside thebeis dinwe are obligated in themitzvahהֱוֵי דָּן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת -“Judge your neighborfavorably,” which means that we are obligatednotto be strict and instead to do our utmost to justify the actions and behavior of our fellow Jews.And it’s the resolution to this apparent contradiction that will provide us with the tools we need to be successful at beingdan l’kaf zchus.Because whatb’tzedek tishpotreally means is that we expect from adayanin the courtroom not to be fooled by superficialities. So what of it if he’s a poor man dressed in rags?! Who cares if he’s mumbling or stuttering when presenting his claim?! And if he’s a wealthy man, if he’s dressed in a tailored suit and he’s so impressive looking – so what?! Are you going to pass judgement on the basis of such a shallow thing?! With half-baked ideas you’llpaskenon aYisroel?!Chas v’shalom! Thedayanis expected to ignore the veneer of superficialities and drill down to the core of justice – he’s expected to bedan din emes la’amito.It’s not easy for adayanto see past the superficialities in the courtroom. It’s not easy to ignore what’s right in front of his eyes – it’s there; it’s so real and concrete. What he sees in the poor man is real! What he sees in the wealthy man is obvious; it’s so tangible! And so, it’s very hard to push it all away, to ignore it completely, and come to the right decision. And yet, as difficult as it might be, that’s the obligation ofb’tzedek tishpot amisecha.WE HAVE A BIG JOB!And outside of the courtroomwe’reexpected to do the same! We have that same obligation outside thebeis din; absolutely. In all of your contacts withamisecha, with your fellow Jews – the ones you like as well as the ones you don’t like as much – you’re expected to ignore the superficial things that bother you and instead you’re obligated to drill down to the core of the person and judge him favorably. And that means that we all have a big job ahead of us! Because it means thatyou have to think!So don’t be lazy about it! Nobody said it’s easy; you might have to take a minute or two to think, but you have to do it. You’remichuyavto think, to search your mind for the answer that satisfies you, until you can give your fellow man the benefit of the doubt and walk away without anyhakpadahin your heart.WHO WILL CRITICIZE THE GREAT MAN?Let’s say your wife says a sharp word to you – it happens sometimes. So instead of getting upset, instead of being hurt, you’re obligated – it’s amitzvah d’oraisah– to search for reasons to give her the benefit of the doubt. First of all, maybe you deserved it – it could very well be you deserved to hear some criticism. Absolutely! When a wife criticizes a husband, you should know that she is doing a very great thing. Nobody will criticize this great man. Who’s going to tell him the truth outside the house? And after a while he begins to think, “Maybe I really am great.” So he comes home and right away his wife deflates him. She puts a pin in his balloon and it bursts. That’s a tremendous achievement. It’s a perfection to be cut down to size once in a while. And so, you can forget about being upset at her; you should thank her.And let’s say she was wrong – you didn’t deserve to be told off at all. So you’ll be a failure and judge your spouse because of something superficial; she criticized you; so what?! In two minutes she’ll forget what she said. You’re going to judge her because of that?! Maybe she was up all night with a crying baby while you were sleeping soundly. Maybe she had an impossible day with the children. Whatever it might be, you’re obligated to seek to justify what your fellow Jew does or says by giving him or her the benefit of the doubt.MEASURE FOR MEASURENow inMesichta Shabbos(127b) there is a statement which has to be examined by us if we want to understand this subject more thoroughly. Thegemarathere states as follows: הַדָּן אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ לְכַף זְכוּת הַמָּקוֹם יְדִינֵהוּ לְכַף זְכוּת – “If you judge your fellow man on the side of merit, somiddah k’neged middah, Hakodosh Boruch will judge you favorably.”Now, those words are somewhat difficult for us to understand. Because up until now we learnedpshatin beingdan l’kaf zechuslike this:if a person did something, and you’re in doubt – it’s possible that he meant well, it could be; but it also could be that he did it for a wrong reason, that’s also a possibility. It’s asafek, a doubt, so it’s amitzvahto judge him favorably. You should be charitable and give him the benefit of the doubt.But if judgingl’kaf zechusonly means that you’re obligated to give others the benefit of the doubt, then when thegemarasays that Hashem will pay you back in turn, it means that when Hashem is in doubt about you, He will judge you favorably. But how could we say such a thing? What sense does it make to say that Hashem isdan l’kaf zechuswhen He’s in doubt,chas v’shalom? Doubt?! He’s never in doubt about you! Hakadosh Baruch Hu knowsexactlywho you are. You can’t give the benefit of the doubt when there’s no doubt at all.LEARNING A NEW ATTITUDEAnd so we’re forced to learn another layer in thepshatof what it means to fulfill themitzvahofb’tzedek tishpot amisecha, and we’ll say as follows: To bedan l’kaf zchusis actually much more than learning how to clarify a doubt – it’slearning an attitudein dealing with other peoplethat leaves no room for doubt altogether! What that means is that we’re expected to acquire themiddahof seeking out the positive in people; to be a חָפֵץ בְּטוֹבָתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ, to want only good things for the people around us, and thereby train ourselves to see only good.When you appreciate people by focusing on theirma’alos, so you begin to actually like them and want them to be azaka’im –you want them to be free of all faults, to always be good. If youwanta person to be azakai– if youactually desireto look at people favorably – so you’ll find ways to explain his actions in a way that it should be az’chus. And even when you can’t do that, you’ll appreciate his otherma’alosso much, that it will weigh down the scale to thekaf z’chusand you’ll overlook the negative. “Who cares about that?! It’s only anarishkeit,” you’ll think. “I love that man!”“Oh,” Hashem says, “You want him to be azakai? So I want you to be azakaitoo.” And when Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants things to be good for you, you can be sure He has ways of accomplishing that; He has His ways. And so when you train yourself to look at the good, to overlook the superficial things that may bother you, somiddah k’neged middah, Hashem treats you the same way.THEY ONLY WANT DIRT ON THE PRESIDENTNow, in order to judge somebodyl’kaf zechus, if you want to succeed in seeing people aszaka’im, so you’re going to need training in becoming anoheivtzedek;you have to love to see people in a good light. You know, when people love to see trouble in the world, so they pick up the newspaper to see what crimes were done. No one is interested to see if somebody did a good thing; if somebody kept the law let’s say, or if somebody helped his fellow man. That doesn’t matter – they wouldn’t put that in a newspaper. “Who was caught doing something embarrassing?” “What new faults did they dig up in the President today?” That’s news! That’s what people want to hear.To say that here we have a President who is a decent man, who minded his own business – I’m talking about Reagan now – that he didn’t want to put big taxes on you and that he wanted to protect the country from the Soviet Union, that they won’t speak about. They won’t tell you that President Reagan didn’t mix into other people’s business. To say that he didn’t try to push theMedinas Yisroelinto making agreements with Arabs, no, that they won’t talk about.He wasn’t pressing anybody; he just wanted to keep Americans safe and wealthy. He was a quiet man and he was good natured and smiled to everybody. But that wasn’t good enough for the journalists, for themeshuganehliberals. No, that’s no good at all, nothing doing. “Reagan, no good!” “Reaganomics, no good!” “The Reagan years were the worst years! He’s no good at all.” Always looking for faults.A PRACTICAL PROGRAMAnd therefore the program for success is to rise above all the faults that you have the tendency to see in people, and to see thetzad zchus, the other side of the scale. Now, I know it’s not easy to think, to always be using your mind – it’s a burden – it’s much easier to make judgments on what you see superficially. But Hakodosh Boruch Hu says that you have to make up your mind to get along with anymeshugas, anything that you think is an idiosyncrasy, that you think is unreasonable. And so you have to, as much as possible, ignore all the faults you imagine you see because that’s what the Torah requires of you; to judge a person by hiskaf zchus,and to overlook thekaf chov.It’s so important to develop an appreciation of the good qualities of the people around you. I’ll give you a practicaleitzahfor accomplishing this – aneitzahthat’s been tried and tested. One of the most practical programs for success in this endeavor is to attach a goodmiddah, ama’aleh, to all the people you know. Your friends, your neighbors, your coworkers, everyone hassomethingthat makes them special. I had a rebbe once, a great rebbe, and he once told us that a person is not one thing, he’s a bundle of things. It was sixty years ago that I heard him say that and I remember it like yesterday. “A person is not onemiddah,” he said, “He’s a bundle ofmiddos.” So one thing might be not good, but something else is good in him.YOU’LL BE SURPRISED AT WHAT’S IN THE BUNDLEAnd so when we see the man in shul who is a nuisance, the one who gets on people’s nerves, wedon’tsee that. Instead we look for thema’alos, for thekaf zchus. He pays the electric bill for the shul. Quietly, without anybody knowing, he pays the bills for the shul. Now, when I see this man, I see the man who pays for the air conditioner; the man who pays for the lights.That’swhat I see and I don’t see anything else! Because our job in this world is to ignore the more difficult parts of the bundle and focus on only the good parts. And once you begin to look at people and see them only with theirma’alos, that’s your ticket to overlooking the superficialities of the things that would bother you, and fulfilling the mitzvah of beingdan l’kaf zchus.Now, if you’ll try to think about a person’smiddos tovos,you’ll be surprised there isn’t a person who doesn’t have good in him.Among theshomrei Toraheverybody has good qualities. In thismiddahhe could be excellent, whereas somebody else is excellent in a differentmiddah.So in case you can’t love the person entirely, love at least one aspect of his personality.Let’s say hedavens well.Love him for that. It says that Hashem is “oihevtzadikim.” Why does Hashem lovetzaddikim?Because they give Himkavod?!They pay him money?!No; He loves thembecause they’retzaddikim; they daven, they learn, they dress withtzniyus. So you can love them too! You see atzaddikthatdavens well. Love that man just because of that! In your eyes, from now onthat’swhat you see when you see him. Another person learns well.Another person givestzedakah.Another person is quiet and well behaved.Find what you can in each person and you’ll be surprised.You’ll be very surprised; people are full of good things. And that’s the only thing you should be looking at.PLANT THE SEEDSTheshomrei Torah,no question that they’re full of good things. They’re raising up families of children who will beovdei Hashem. They’re upholding theshulsand theyeshivoswith their money, with their participation.They themselves aremekayeim mitzvosevery day.There are many reasons why you should love these people. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu loves them for that, so with a little bit of thought you could do the same.Try to like him because of hisma’alos– whatever they are – and little by little it will enter into your heart and you’ll gain a certain warmth towards that person.And that warmth as little as it is, it’s a tremendous achievement.That’s why we came to this world.To learn to be happy with, to see favorably all kinds of people – even theba’alei ga’avah,andthe ka’asanim,and the nuisances; everybody!We’re learning now that themitzvahofb’tzedek tishpot amisechais really a program for life; and it requires planting the seeds of loving your fellow Jew in your mind, of seeing thema’alos– of seeingonlythe positive- of the people around you. It’s not easy; I understand that. But even if you’ll achieve only ama’shehu, a small fraction of this avodah, it’s a tremendous perfection of your character. And the more you plant and nurture the proper thoughts in your mind, the more you’re won over, and the more you’ll be able to fulfill thismitzvahin all of your encounters throughout your life.Part II.How to JudgeTHE JEWS YOU BARELY NOTICENow, thepossukdoesn’t sayb’tzedek tishpot es ‘your wife’ or ‘your neighbor’ or ‘the nuisance in shul’; it saysamisecha, ‘your nation’. “B’tzedek tishpot amisecha”means that “you should judge your fellow Jews– all of them –favorably.” עַם שֶׁאִתְּךָ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת הִשְׁתַּדֵּל לְדוּנוֹ יָפֶה יָפֶה – “A person who is with you in Torah andmitzvos, bemishtadeil, put effort into judging him favorably” (Shevuos 30a). If he’s a loyal Torah Jew, then you have to judge himb’tzedek. Thereshaimwe leave out; it’s not our business now. Beingmilameid z’chuson wicked people, that I’ll leave to somebody else, somebody bigger than I am. But the great mass of frum Jews, we’re obligated to look at them all with favor.So what do we do now with the wholeAm Yisroel– people you pass on the street that you’ve never even thought about, frum Jews that you barely notice? All thosefrumJews are your brothers and Hakadosh Baruch Hu expects you to have a certain attitude of beingdan l’kaf zchuswhen you see them.It’s amitzvahmin hatorah. Amisechadoesn’t mean this man right here who is a good friend of yours; it means all of all the frum Jews. And that means that even the people we don’t know; the strangers we pass on the street, the unfamiliar people we see in shul, everyone from theAm Yisroel, we’re obligated to see them in a good light. If he’s a loyal Torah Jew, if he’samisecha, then you have to judge himb’tzedek.But we’ll say here that the wordamisechais doing much more than including all of thefrummeh; what it does is give an impetus, a dynamo, forhowto fulfill the mitzvah. Because if you train yourself to look at all of your fellow Jews as the עַם שֶׁאִתְּךָ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת, as your comrade in arms – you’re on the same team after all – so you begin to develop a favorable attitude towards all of theAm Yisroel.TAKE A TRIP TO BORO PARKThis is a remarkable opportunity for success in this world. It’s something you can practice all the time in the street. You see a fellow Jew, so what should you think? “He’s my brother, this man. He puts ontefillinafter all. That’s enough!” When you see a Jew in the street with a covered head, whether it’s a black hat or a yarmulke, or a woman with a sheitel, you’re already sold out to that person. “He covers his head like me! He’s ours. He’s wearing a yarmulke, a cap, whatever he has, if he covers his head, he belongs to us.”I don’t care what kind ofyarmulkehe wears, he’s still my brother. And even though he follows a different Rebbi, or a different set of political objectives, nevertheless, don’t lose sight of the fact that, fundamentally,hebelongs to your peopleand that therefore you’remichuyav, you’re obligated, to think well of him. This alone that he isamisecha, that he is on your team, that should be enough for you to always look at him with favor,l’kaf zchus.Let’s say you’re walking in a far-off neighborhood, in Bedford Stuyvesant let’s say, where there are no Jews. And suddenly you see from a distance a man with ayarmulke. Ayarmulke! It’s exciting! So you feel a warmth towards him; it’s abrother, achaver. And it’s true; heisyour brother.But it’s a mistake to think that it’s a thought you only have when you’re in an Italian neighborhood or a colored neighborhood. In a strange neighborhood maybe you’re happy to see a fellow Jew because you feel safer that way. But that’s how you should think when you walk in Boro Park. Boro Park! Bigmezuzos,and everybody has beards andpayos. It’s a neighborhood ofamisechaso you should practice feeling warmth towards everyone on the street. I told you once before – if you have some time, I think it’s worth it to go to Boro Park and just stand there for a half hour appreciating the frum Jews. You watch as they walk back and forth, back and forth, and you’re thinking, “These are my people, and I love them all.” It’s worth every second.THE WORLD IS GOING CRAZYNow all this is work, but Hakadosh Baruch Hu expects that work. Otherwise, you’ll remain a person who sees only faults all of his life. Because when people have that attitude, when they’re looking for faults, so Hakadosh Baruch Hu says, “You’ll succeed,” and that’s what they find. Not only do they find faults in people, but they find trouble too. That’s what happens in this world. The natural tendency is to see the imperfections in people, and all the good, thekaf z’chus,is ignored.Constantly today people can’t get along with each other because they aredaneach otherl’kaf chova.If you’re a rabbi, you’ll sit at the telephone and it’s always ringing. Husbands and wives are fighting all the time today. And in some places – a man told me he was in a certain community; I don’t want to say where it was – and he said that there are divorces, and divorces and divorces. Among Jews! What’s doing here? The world is going crazy; everybody’s fighting.THE HUSBAND WHO IS ONLY TROUBLENow when you speak to them, you see right away that nobody has ahavahaminaof beingdan l’kaf zchus.Nothing doing! Onlythemselvesthey judge favorably. I spoke to a couple of women today. They called me up to tell me that their husbands are no good at all.I said, “Is he working?” “He works.” “Does he bum around?” “He doesn’t bum around.” “Is heshomer mitzvos?” “He’sshomer mitzvos.” “Does he give you money?” “He gives me money.”“So what’s the trouble?” I said. “Oh, he’sonlytrouble,” she says. He does this wrong, he says this wrong, he acts like this and like that – a whole laundry list she’s reading off to me. “He’s so mean to me; he’s inhuman,” she said. Now, if I askhimI’m sure he’ll give me a report about his wife. She doesn’t do her work. She’s nagging me; this and that. And I’m sure that everybody’s right. A little bit everybody is right. Butthey’re all wrongbecause they’re all sinning against this great quality which Hashem said you should try to gain – to judge your fellow manl’kaf zechus– to ignore the faults of people and train yourself to focus only on their good qualities.FORGET THAT HE FORGOT YOUR BIRTHDAY!When she thinks about her husband, she should think that he goes to work every day. He’d like to sit home instead. He’d like to go thebeis medrashto learn and instead he’s wasting his life in the shop where he’s working. It’s a great pity on him, but he’s doing it out of loyalty to his family. And she should think, “Look, my husband is anish ne’eman.” He works hard by day and then he comes home at night. There are so many loafers today in the world, unfortunately. Some people loaf around in Brooklyn and then they take a vacation from loafing to go to Atlantic City to loaf some more. The frum loafers, they go toshtiblachto loaf; they sit inshtiblachand open agemaraand get busy loafing – he doesn’t learn a word. You ask him, “Why don’t you get a job?” he says, “תּוֹרָתוֹ אֻמָּנוּתוֹ”, he says, “Myumnessis learning.” What he means is that “Loafing is myumness.”Butyourhusband is a decent man. He’s working, supporting his family; he’s giving away his life. His life! And the wise woman appreciates that. When she sees her husband walking up the steps to the door, that’s what she sees – the man who comes home and he gives her money she needs and she appreciates that. She should think, “I love that man! He’s working all day long to support my children.” “I admire my husband thetalmid chochom.”She doesn’t see that he opened his big mouth last night and said something stupid. She doesn’t see the man who forgot it was her birthday. She’s overlooking thekaf chovand she’s beingdanhiml’kaf zchus.CHOLENT FOR THE MINDThat’s your job in this world – to look for the good in each person. You’re going to say that you can’t find good in your wife?! You can’t find good in your husband?! Come on; come on!That’s nothing but wickedness!And Hakadosh Baruch Hu pays the wickedness with wickedness; they seeonlyfaults and they suffer as a result.Every man has a tendency to have complaints against his wife – it’s only natural; you’re living together and your tendency is to see the faults of a person. But theavodahwe’re learning now is to train yourself to always see thekaf zchusand to let the good side of the scale outweigh thekaf chov. Awise man understands that his wife is important; that she’s raising the children, and feeding the family. Not only does she fulfill her duties in the home; sheisthe home! But it’s not enough to know that in general terms – he has to study the details of that so that whenever he sees his wife,that’s what he sees!Let’s say your wife made for you acholent. Don’t say, “It’s nothing; it’s just food.” For the wise man, for the one who wants to bedan l’kaf zchus, even acholentis enough to win him over. If you think about it, your wife gave you cooked potatoes; but not only potatoes, she knows how to make it brown and tasty. She added in onions for you, and barley and beans too. It’s a whole meal that she prepared for you. And if while you’re sitting there and enjoying it, you think about that wonderful thing that she did for you, so it will become part of your personality. Not only does it go into your body – it becomes your hair and your bones and your eyes –but it goes into your mind.Your wife should be a different person in your mind after a goodcholent. And after every supper she becomes even more and more precious in your eyes.DON’T STOP THE DRILLINGThat’s how you should think about these things; the appreciation for the food she made for you should fill your mind at the same time it’s filling your stomach. Now, I’m just giving one little example. There’s no end to the appreciation you should be feeling for your wife; itsmamishendless. And once a person begins to think in these terms, he’ll find ways and means of assessing the importance of his wife in his life, the happiness that she’s giving him by taking care of the children and the house, and for what she creates in the kitchen. It’s an endless happiness that she brings to your life.And so you have to train yourself – it won’t happen by itself. So you see your wife you should say to yourself, “I love that woman over there.” You see her on the street from far away, she goes shopping, and now you see her coming back carrying shopping bags, so you say, “I love that woman over there, carrying home the food for my children.”Only that what happens? The husband ignores all the good that his wife does and he sees only the superficialities – she nagged him, she complained, she wasted money – he never drills down past the superficial things to the core of what his wife really is, and what she means to his life. And same thing with the wife – to be adan l’kaf zchusshe has to be adayanwho ignores all the superficialities of theba’alei din, and focuses only on the truth to fulfill themitzvahofb’tzedek tishpot amisecha.CANCEL THE THORNNow, I only mention a husband and wife because it is the most common interaction and the home is a great opportunity for perfection – but that’s how you should train yourself to look ateveryone, by focusing only on the good; even small things. You must look for good things. No question, everyone has good things. And even if one thing might not be the best, something elseisgood. And your job in this world is to ignore the more difficult parts of the bundle and focus on only the good parts.Here’s a man isroidef achar hakavod, he loveskavod. He’s aba’al ga’avah,he thinks much of himself. Naturally, that’s what sticks out at you – it’s a thorn in your eyes. And it will remain that way forever unless you cancel out thekaf chovby focusing on thekaf zchus. And if you’ll look you’ll find a lot of good! But if you’re busy looking only for what’s wrong, you’ll find that too and that’s how you’ll remain a failure.And the truth is that once you start looking, you’ll discover, you’ll find all types of good qualities. And that’s themishpat tzedek,the righteous judging that Hashem wants from you.בְּצֶדֶק תִּשְׁפֹּט עֲמִיתֶךָ – You should judge your fellow man withtzedek, by focusing only on thetzedek. You’re a judge all the time, and if you’re anoheiv tzedek, so you love to find good things in people, and that’s how you follow the program of Hakadosh Baruch Hu.THE MOST INTERESTING THINGNow, you have to know how to look at your fellow Jews – it’s anavodah! First of all, look at his face, and remind yourself that it’stzelem Elokim. Isn’t that reason enough to honor him and to think well of him?Hakadosh Baruch Hu gave that reason! He said, “The face of a man resembles Mine” (Bereishis 9:6).It’s not an accident. Every person you look at is atzelem Elokim.It’s a beautiful sight, the human face. Look at a person’s face. Eyes! Eyes are so expressive, so beautiful. You can see theneshama,you can see intelligence shining out of the eyes. Even the cheeks, the way the cheeks move, a smile or sadness; it’s expressing emotions.The nobility of the human countenance is unequal.In the entire universe, there’s nothing like it – if you’ll travel, let’s say, to the far off countries; if you’ll climb mountains and search the vast wilderness, you’ll never see anything in the universe as interesting as a human face.Now how to explain that, that’s a different subject. It’ll take us a lot of time to understand that. But we have to at least practice it up – it’s in the Torah after all.So when you look at the face of a fellow Jew, the very first obligation is to think that you’re seeing something very very impressive.Only that we’re very far away from theruach haTorah.The spirit of the Torah declares that when you look at the face of a fellow Jew, you should be very much impressed. Now don’t tell me, “Oh, it’s exaggerated.You’re blowing up, making a whole story out of nothing.” It’s in the Chumash! כִּדְמוּתוֹ – that’s the resemblance of Hashem. And Hakadosh Baruch Hu insists that we should learn the Torah and get into our heads, that when you’re looking at the face of a person, you should think that you’re seeing thetzelem Elokim.Men look in a men’s faces, and women look in women’s faces.And when you look, the first thing is to think, “Tzelem Elokim.”And no matter how much you’ll think, you should know, you’re not thinking enough.Don’t say, “I’m maybe overdoing it.”You’re alwaysunderdoing it! And even if you spend years of this effort, you should know, you haven’t reached the standards that Hakadosh Baruch Hu expects in appreciating what it meanstzelem Elokim.THE GREATNESS OF TALL SKINNY JEWSSo now you have what to be busy with.Instead of thinking what faults you can find in people – he has a comical face; he talks too much; he’s tall and skinny; he’s short and fat – instead of looking for things to ridicule, you have to get busy now looking at thetzelem Elokimin his face. If you can’t do it with all the people around, then start one at a time. You’re standing on the street and looking at your fellow Jews walk by and you’re thinking, “Tzelem Elokim, tzelem Elokim, tzelem Elokim.”Now I understand that these words don’t find an echo in your mind immediately. But you must understand that Torah must be learned; it’s Torah after all. There’s a lot of work to be done and don’t think you can shirk it. It’s expected of us that we should plant this seed in our minds and as the years go by it will take root and it will grow branches and fruit.Of course it’s artificial; in the beginning you’ll be a hypocrite, but הַחִיצוֹנִיּוּת מְעוֹרֶרֶת אֶת הַפְּנִימִיּוֹת.We make an attempt, and after a while, the spark will be kindled in your heart.הַבָּא לְטַהֵר מְסַיְּעִין לוֹ – Hakadosh Baruch Hu will give you assistance and you’ll gain a certain appreciation ofamisecha, the Am Yisroel.Now once you understand the greatness oftzelem Elokim– you don’t yet, it’s a tremendous idea; a skyscraper – but there’s another skyscraper that’s even greater than that one. ThemishnainAvossays (3:14)that while it’s true that all of humanity is blessed withtzelem Elokim,but there’s one nation in the world that is praised with an even greater title. It says חֲבִיבִין יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ בָּנִים לַמָּקוֹם – “How beloved areYisroelwho are called the children of Hashem.” A child of Hashem! Now, that’s something!The first skyscraper oftzelem Elokimgoes up to the skies, but this skyscraper goes all the way up to Hashem. “How beloved areYisroelwho are called children of Hakodosh Boruch Hu.”TORAH OR GARBAGE?We’re accustomed to saying, “We’re all children.” Let’s say the reform Jews get together on a stage with the NAACP, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and they say, “We stand in solidarity with our African American brothers because we’re all children of the same G-d.” That’s not Torah – it’sgarbage. Nobody is the children of Hashem except for theAm Yisroel.בָּנִיםאַתֶּםלַהַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵיכֶם –Youare children of Hashem and nobody else, and make no mistake about it.Now, we don’t care what the world says – they’ll say it’s chauvinism; maybe so, but we stick by the Torah, and the Torah says thatonly weare the children of Hashem.Suppose a man comes to see you. “I noticed that you married my cousin.”So you ask him, “Who are you?” “I’m the son of therosh yeshivaof Ponovezh,” he says. “Oooh-wha!I didn’t know I got such amechutan!Therosh yeshivaof Ponovezh became mymechutanby marriage.” You’re excited over him; he’s the child of somebody great! But you can tell him, “I’m the son of somebody greater.I’m the son of Hakadosh Baruch Hu.”He jumps up!“You’re the son of Hakadosh Baruch Hu?!”“Yes, I am”, you say.“It’s in the Chumash, בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַהַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵיכֶם.”THE VERY HEAVY JEWWe’reexpectedto think that way.It’s not written inPirkei Avosfor nothing.Chavivin Yisrael! We are the beloved ones! Now when it says we’re beloved, it doesn’t mean that Hashem likes us like we let’s say, like a second cousin or a nephew. It’s much more than that; it means He loves every single one of us more than anything else in the entire world.And we’re told this for an important purpose. And that is because we’re expected to think that way about every single Jew.Not in general, in a way that’s abstract. Yes, that you’re willing to say: “In general, on all Jews, I can saychavivin. I can love theAm Yisroelin general. But when it comes to this Jew, not this one. And that one? No, not him either.” And that’s a terrible mistake.Chavivin Yisroel,meanseveryone of them! Allshomrei Torah; even though he’s not from yourshtiebel, not from your community.A differentshtiebel, so you might think, he’s not in your neighborhood, maybe not yournusach; maybe he’s aSefardior aTaimani.Maybe he’s a Russian Jew or a Polish Jew, so you think, “Not him, not him.” No, when you see any fellow Jew, anyshomer Torah u’mitzvos, you’re looking at a person who is most beloved by Hashem.If you have a big scale, and you put on one side of the scale the sun, and also the millions of stars and all the planets too; and also all the nations – all the Englishmen, all the Americans, all the French, every other people on the face of the earth, all on one side of the scale. And on the other side is this oneYisroel, this one Jew that passes by you on the street, so he ismachri’a es kulan– he outweighs all of them. That’s whatchavivinmeans, and that’s how you have to think.DON’T BE LAZY!Now, I’m very sorry to say that all of this will not happen, nothing good will grow in your head, if you’re a lazy man. עַל שְׂדֵה אִישׁ עָצֵל עָבַרְתִּי – “I passed the field of a lazy man,” said Shlomo Hamelech. And what is growing there? הִנֵּה כָּסָה פָּנָיו חֲרוּלִים thorns and brambles; all types of weeds grow in the head of a lazy man. Maybe he was too lazy to come to these lectures altogether. Or maybe he came, but it was entertainment, to get out of the house a little, that’s all. That’s good too, it’s also good – but if you never work on these ideas, so what grows in your mind instead of delicious fruit? רֹאשׁ וְלַעֲנָה – “Poison growths.”Sinas chinam, miskabeid b’klon chaveiro, other thorns. But notb’tzedek tishpot amisecha; no, no, that won’t grow on its own.And so you have to always be on guard – you’re busy always weeding out your field, pulling up thorns that creep up in your mind. Let’s say a thought comes into your mind when you see this person, “Why is he wearingthat?” “Why did he do such a thing?” “Why did she say that?” You can’t let a poison weed like that fester in your mind! You can’t be anish atzeil,a lazy person, and allow that thought to grow. You have to do something about it! And so you get busy right away thinking the thoughts we spoke about tonight.Now, don’t think that it’s merely a thought. No, you’re actually planting seeds in your mind. And these seeds, once they take root, they grow into beautiful flowers ofdan es chaveiro l’kaf zchus. Try to judge a fellow man with a meritorious balance, to think well of him. And the more you do it, the more you’ll succeed at this program. And the more you succeed, then Hakodosh Boruch Huy’dineihu l’kaf zchus, the more you’ll succeed at gaining the goodwill of Hashem for yourself. Because that’s the purpose why Hashem brought you into this world, to give you one opportunity to plant a garden of delicious fruits and flowers in your mind, a garden that will last forever.HAKADOSH BARUCH HU WILL LOVE YOUNow how much can you do?! You’ll say, “I should love my neighbor? I should love mychavrusaand my boss? I should love the man who sits next to me in shul? That’s too much!” So Hashem says, “At least plant the seeds; as much as you can always look at that person with a favorable eye. Bedan l’kaf zchus; go out of your way to judge him favorably, to find a reason to make him azakaiin everything he does.” And הַבָּא לְטַהֵר מְסַיְּעִין לוֹ, if you try to be good, then Hashem will help you be good.And one of the ways He’ll help you is by giving you more and more opportunities to perfect yourself – He’ll send you all types of people, He’ll put you in contact with all types of frum Jews. And כָּל עִנְיָנֵי הָעוֹלָם נִסְיוֹנוֹת הֵם לְאָדָם, everything in this world is an opportunity; every person that you meet is a test for you to see if you’ll rise to the occasion and use the opportunity to plant the seeds ofb’tzedek tishpot amisechain your mind.And you’ll live a happier life because of it – you’ll be happy with your spouse, and with your neighbor and your boss, and with all your fellow Jews – the world becomes a happier place. And it’s a good investment as well, this business of thinking well of your fellowman, becauseHamakomyidineihu l’kaf zchus,Hashem will look at yourma’alosand He’ll be happy with you. Hakadosh Baruch Hu is going to love you too; despite the fact that sometimes you can be a nuisance too. Hakadosh Baruch Hu will overlook that and see that you have good things in you. בְּמִדָּהּ שֶׁאָדָם מוֹדֵד מוֹדְדִין לוֹ – “The way you treat others is how you’ll be treated.” And when Hakadosh Baruch Hu does that, He does it with a full hand, a heaping hand of reward in this world and also in the World to Come.HAVE A WONDERFUL SHABBOSGo Back See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Part I.Recognizing the GiftsTZARA’AS IS A GIFT?!כִּי תָבֹאוּ אֶל אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לָכֶם לַאֲחֻזָּה “When you shall come to the land which I give you as a possession, וְנָתַתִּי נֶגַע צָרַעַת בְּבֵית אֶרֶץ אֲחֻזַּתְכֶם and I shall give a plague of leprosy upon a house of the land of your possession” (Metzora 14:34). In studying thispossukthechachomimtook note of the wordnosati, “I shall give to you.” “I will give” a plague instead of the more common, וְשַׂמְתִּי “I will place” implies a gift of sorts,and remarkably, that’s howchazalunderstood these words. “These are good tidings to them that plagues would come upon them”, thechachomimsay.Now, what good tidings could there be in a home that is contaminated withtzara’as, a home that has to be knocked down? Sochazaltell us that upon hearing that the Am Yisroel was advancing towards them, theCanaanimhad concealed their wealth; all of their gold and silver, in the walls of their houses (Vayikra Rabbah 17:6). And when the loyal Jew obeyed the law ofnig’ei battim, and eventually he knocked down the walls as commanded in this week’sparsha, he discovered the wealth that had been hidden there all along.And so, it was thetzara’asthat Hashem had “given” to the owner of this house that became the bearer of good tidings. Because this family had possessed a great store of wealth in the walls of their home, only that they weren’t aware of what they possessed. And it was only when thetzara’ascame that they realized what a treasure they had in the home all along. The family might have lost a wall, and sometimes even the house in its entirety had to be demolished, but what they found in the process was a treasure that more than made up for the loss.THE CASE OF THE MISSING GOLDBut you have to know that gold and silver were not always found. Not everyCanaanitehad treasures – there were middle classCanaanitestoo – and even the wealthyCanaanite, maybe his wife was a spendthrift, a high roller who squandered her husband’s money and didn’t leave anything to hide away. And even the ones who had extra gold and silver, not every one of them hid his treasure between the stones of his wall – some found better hiding places than that.Now that’s a question, because Hashem saysnosati, “I am giving you a treasure when I sendtzara’ason your home.” And for many people, there were no treasures of gold and silver hiding in their walls. So what was the treasure for the family standing outside in the cold and rain, watching the walls of their house being demolished?And so we’ll say as follows: Even when no gold was found, the family gained an even greater wealth, becausethey discovered the treasure of the home itself.When a person discovers that there were opportunities available to him, that’s when he has found the greatest treasure; the opportunities for greatness that he will now make use of for the rest of his life. And that’s why Rabbi Yehuda, when explaining what gift was meant bynosati,“I will give you “a present” oftzara’as,” didn’t mention anything about a hidden treasure;he merely said: “These are good tidings that plagues will come upon them” (Sifra ibid). He didn’t consider it necessary to add that they might discover hidden gold and silver because the treasure they discovered was even more important than that.WHERE ARE WE SLEEPING TONIGHT?The first and most obvious treasure that this family discovered was thathaving a house is fun. Did you ever think about that? Forced to stand outside of their home as thekohenwent inside to inspect the walls, the father and mother huddled together with their children, and they looked back to consider that maybe they had not been grateful enough to Hashem for the blessings of a home, blessings that were now slipping out of their hands. And it was cold outside; it would rain too. “It was so much fun to have walls; why didn’t we appreciate it when we had it?! Where are we going to sleep tonight?” And so the forlorn family standing there were now discovering the treasure that they had always had hidden “in their walls”; the treasure ofhaving walls! Of having a roof over their heads –the treasure of having a home.And this lesson alone, to unearth that treasure of appreciating the walls of your home, that’s already enough of a reason fortzara’asto come onto a person’s walls. And that’s the lesson that we’re all expected to learn as we read theparsha– that we have to get busy appreciating the four walls of our homes and not wait for the lesson to be taught to us in the way it was taught to this family.REMAINING A CHILD FOREVERYou know that a little child doesn’t appreciate a home.He thinks of the street as wonderful, the sidewalk is wonderful – outside, that’s where the fun is. Try to bring a little boy back from the sidewalk into the house; you have to pull him with horses into the house. And most people never grow out of those childish ideas; they remain children all their lives unless they begin the work of thinking, of dilating on each benefit, and discovering the great treasure that the home is.Walls are really fun! What would life be without walls?! You know that if not for the walls, the winds would be blowing all the time, and the rains would come pouring in as well! It would be very cold in the winter if all you had was a roof! You know that in this place we like the rain and the winds; we appreciate them to no end. But we appreciate them most happily from the window, standing on this side of the wall and looking out.I was walking this week with a friend of mine and the snow was coming down. I was carrying an umbrella but he wasn’t prepared, he didn’t have an umbrella. So he said to me; he’s one of my people, so he said, “Snow is like ice cream.”I said, “You are correct, that’s a wonderful idea but ice cream in your ears is not comfortable.” We appreciate the snow, but we appreciate umbrellas too! So we’ll stand on this side of the wall and we’ll enjoy the rain and snow and cold.Of course, we enjoy it; but we don’t have to dive into it.SLEEPING ON OCEAN PARKWAYAnd so you have to learn how to be happy that you have a roof over your head.Here’s a poor woman, a homeless lady, a little bit demented; I see her pushing a shopping wagon on Ocean Parkway. All her possessions are in that shopping wagon; she has nothing. She doesn’t have a bathroom, she doesn’t have a kitchen, she doesn’t have a bed to sleep in. Where does she go when it’s raining? A pity on her. You see, she’s bedraggled, it’smamisha heartbreak to look at her.If she could only have a place to sleep. But she sits down on a bench, it’s freezing weather, she’s trying to get a nap on a bench; on a park bench she’s trying to fall asleep. It’s freezing and she can’t warm up. And you, you have a house with a roof over your head! How lucky she would be if she could have a little place, a shack with a roof over her head; she’d be the happiest person right now. Even without any heat, she could lie down on the floor, at least, and sleep. She doesn’t have even that. So first learn to enjoy a roof over your head. It takes a long time. A roof over your head, what a happiness that is!FALLING OUT OF MY HOUSEAnd privacy! Ah, the pleasure of privacy that walls afford us! Life would be no fun at all if your neighbor would always be peeking over from his dining room into yours; it would be a miserable home. And I’ll tell you something else, and don’t laugh: Without walls it would be so easy to fall out from the house into the street. Life in the home would always be full of danger; you’d be living precariously all the time. I think about that all the time when I see the walls in my house. And I don’t live on the first floor; I live high up, so I enjoy my walls to no end.Now when you begin to think like that, so you realize that walls are not just walls. There’s a lot going on behind those walls. Plumbing pipes! Ah, asimcha! You have to tell your children the benefits of having running water in the house. When I went to Europe to learn in the yeshiva, the first thing that I noticed was that there was no running water in the house. You went out into the backyard, or a block away, where there was a well and you had to carry back a bucket of water with a yoke. It sat across my shoulders, one bucket hanging here and one bucket hanging there.It was a hard job to bring water to the house. And then you poured it into some kind of contraption that was nailed to a wall; and when you wanted to wash your hands you had to bang underneath on the nail, a big nail, and if banged hard enough some water dripped down along the nail. And you had to keep on banging to get your hands wet. You banged and banged as you washed your hands, so little by little the water came out. Each time the nail went up, a little water came out.TEA KETTLES AND BOOTS FOR THE BATHROOMAnd hot water in the home?! Hot water too?! Who could have imagined such a luxury?! In Europe when you wanted to take a bath, there was no bath in the house. So either you went to theschvitz baad, the public bathhouse, or they brought in a tin tub. Somebalabatimhad a big tin tub, and they boiled up water in a tea kettle; one after the other they poured it in, until the tub was half full. Then you bathed in that water, in a room someplace, in a bedroom. So you bathed in a tin tub in water which was boiled in tea kettles. When you got through with it, if you had a little brother, he bathed after you in the same water because they couldn’t afford to fill it up twice. I saw it happen that way.Nobody had a bathroom in the house! In the dead of winter, if you were unfortunate enough to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, so you had to put on your boots. We had to put on our woolen boots and stomp through the deep snow to go to the so called bathroom, there was no fancy toilet seat. And whatever was there remained there, until finally in the summertime when it already had a big aroma. That’s when a man with a horse and wagon came with a long wooden spade and he took it all out. And for miles around everybody knew what was going on that day, because of the fragrance that was wafted on the summer breeze.THOMAS EDISON AT HAVDALAHAnd you have lights in your home too, don’t you? I remember when there were no electric lights; we had gas lights. And fires used to take place because of them. I once was in a house and there was a fire; the ceiling caught fire from the gas flame. I was watching the firemen trying to put out the fire. And in the streets I remember the lamp lighters used to go around with ladders and light the gas lamps in the street. Of course, today if you speak about electric lights to most Jewish children they’ll laugh at you for appreciating such a thing; but that’s because they’re not being brought up as authentic Jews. An authentic Jew thanks Hashem for artificial light.Actually we do it every week; people don’t know that every week we thank Hashem for artificial light. Every day we thank Hashem for the natural light of the sun,Yotzer Ha’meoros, but for artificial light we thank once a week, on motzei Shabbos.Borei me’orei ha’aish. What’s that? Did you ever think about that? We’re thanking Hashem for artificial lights. Every week. Some people think it’s just a ceremony, afrumkeit. No! We’remakir tovfor fire, electric lights, and all other forms of artificial illumination. After all, in the olden days when it was night time, what could you do? You could sit down and learnba’al pehif you remembered. But if you didn’t remember you couldn’t learn. And now,boruch Hashem, Hakodosh Boruch Hu gave us lights.In 1879 Edison called together a company of scientists and he promised to show them a remarkable thing; for the first time in history an electric bulb was turned on, and they were amazed! They described it as if sunlight filled the room. There never had been such a light before! It’s important to explain that to children; It’s important to explain it to ourselves! To enjoy the light.And therefore you should constantly be telling your children, “Look how lucky we are to have a nice home to live in! It’s so much fun to have walls that keep us warm and dry and safe. Now the child might say, “What do you mean ‘a nice home’? This place is tiny! My friend Sarah down the street has a better house than we do. They have such a big kitchen and a better this and better that.” But you have to drown that out by constantly reiterating to your family all the benefits they are enjoying. They’ll keep complaining and you keep talking about thechasdei Hashem. And it sinks in; trust me it goes into their heads. And that’s the biggesthatzalahfor the family, because it’s the family that doesn’t appreciate thechesedof a home, that’s the home that thenega tzara’asis bound to come upon, in order to teach them about the great treasure that a house is.Part II.The True TreasureAN OPPORTUNITY FOR REPENTANCEHowever, everything we’ve been speaking about is only scratching the surface of what the happiness of a home truly is; and it’s only the first lesson that Hashem intended by the gift oftzara’asthat a family finds on the walls of its home. Because when a family found themselves homeless, they were expected to understand that it was an opportunity for repentance. They were expected to understand that the tribulation of losing their home was intended as a punishment for not using their home properly.Actually, a Jewish home is much more than the physical benefits of walls and a roof, much more than the blessings of privacy, shelter, plumbing, electricity and being protected from falling into the street. All of that is important, and it was the first and most obvious lesson that they learned. But it’s still only part of the treasure that a home is. The aristocratic home of theAmHashemis something much greater than four physical walls. And now when these walls are broken down, after such a drastic warning, this family was expected to exert themselves to begin to utilize the house as a place foravodas Hashem. What makes the Jewish home a true treasure is that it is the place where theAmYisroelis built.BUILDING THE BEIS YISROEL IN FLATBUSHThat’s what ourAvosandImahosdid – their career took place primarily in their tents. The Rambam says that: He writes that the sole intention of our Avos in everything that they did was לְהַעֲמִיד אֻמָּה הָעוֹבֶדֶת אֶת הַשֵּׁם – in order to establish a nation that would be servants of Hashem (Moreh Nevuchim 3:51). And therefore that’s the job of theAvosandImahostoday as well; we walk in the footsteps of our forefathers and we continue to build theAm Yisroelin our homes.And that is the greatest treasure, the greatest privilege, that could be afforded to anyone – the privilege of using the home foravodas Hashem.And it is that opportunity that was the great treasure that the family discovered when they were forced to leave their home. They were learning now that they had treated their home as just a place to live instead of a place of aristocracy, the palace that it really was meant to be. And that was the real treasure that they discovered by means of thetzara’as; and so when the family returned to their home again, theylived there with the knowledge of that treasure they had unearthed, and they were now ready to make use of it as intended by Hashem.DON’T KICK OFF YOUR SHOES JUST YETYou know, when we think of a home so we might consider it possibly as a place of relaxation; the place you come back to after a day of toil in the workplace, where you had to act towards people in an unnatural and artificial manner. And now you can come home and you can kick off your shoes, relax and behave naturally. Because your true career is in the home; it’s in the home that you should be acting your best.They tell about the old Telzer Rav, Rav Yosef Leib, that even in the hottest days of July and August – in those days they didn’t have air conditioners and not even electric fans – and yet he never took off hiskapotehin his house. All summer he wore his long coat, because in his house, he behaved like a prince in a palace. Now, everybody knew that in the house that Telzer Rav sometimes had to take off his coat. He wasn’t amalach;they knew he was a human being who couldn’t be a Rav in his long coat twenty four hours a day. But no matter; he didn’t want them to see him like that. Even for his wife and children he was always the Telzer Rav. He behaved like a prince in the home because he understood, and he wanted his family to understand, that the home is a palace, the place where the most important part of history was taking place – the building of theumah ovedes es Hashem.Yisroelis a name that puts the Jew far above all of mankind; and that means that the home where theBeis Yisroelis being built is a place where there should always be an aura of aristocracy, a feeling that this home is a place of nobility, a place set aside for accomplishing the most important of all endeavors. And when aYisroeltries to live up to this ideal of nobility so his behavior in the home is transformed. You know, it makes a big difference whether a man is a nobleman in his own esteem or whether he considers himself a commoner, a nothing. The things that a commoner will do, a noble man will not even consider. He can’t be be busy with novels and magazines – even Jewish magazines – that are filled with emptiness. He has more important things than that to accomplish, and so his mannerisms, his attitudes, and his aspirations are entirely different than the non aristocrat. The entire personality of a person is transformed when he realizes that he is a prince.EMULATING THE ROYAL FAMILYAnd when we live in a house where only princes live, so that house becomes something remarkable. Imagine there were princes who lived in a palace but because of some adversity they had to leave the palace. And now the princes, the royals, are living in a hut. But it’s not an ordinary farmer’s hut, it’s not a shepherd’s hut. It’s a hut of princes now. Their manners are of princes, they spend their time in the way of princes. Even their speech is that of princes.And therefore in a Jewish home it is of utmost importance to live up to the idea that we arebnei melachim.Before every move made in the home, they consult in their minds the model supplied by the awareness of their royalty; what they think royalty would do in such a case. A man and woman in the home should always be thinking: “What are the royal manners and the aristocratic ideals that should reign in the Jewish home?” Of course, we are all human beings and we can’t imagine that we will succeed in one fell swoop, but we have to always be aware of the perfection we are striving for. And it is those homes where this is kept in mind always that will never have to be plagued by the warning and lessons oftzara’as.THE JEWISH POLITICIANNow, in order to create an atmosphere of an aristocrat home, an institution where theAm Yisroelis being created, so a father and mother must appear before their children like actors on the stage. You can never be natural; no matter how you feel you must be to your children a hero. A politician,l’havdil, never appears in public acting like he really feels. He’s knocked out; he’s been traveling all night to get here after speaking someplace else. Now he’s over here and he has to get up on the stage; sometimes he even has to speak at the train station as soon as he gets off the train. You can be sure that he’s feeling grouchy and tired; all he wants to do is crawl into bed. Could be he’s just been told by his campaign manager that he’s trailing badly in the polls and that he’s headed for defeat. No matter, he’s waving and he’s wreathed in smiles as if all is wonderful. He displays cheer and confidence; he needs votes, what could he do?Now, a parent needs the votes of his children; he needs their votes to build the happy and successful home together and therefore he should always appear to them as confident; he always knows what to do. He’s never desperate or worried. “Never mind,” he tells his children with a smile, “Everything is under control; it’s going to be just fine.” He’s always happy. What he’s thinking inside, that’s not their business.You know thegemarasays that a person should betocho k’baro,his inside should be like his outside. Why doesn’t the gemara say that his outside should be like his inside?Chas v’shalom, that his outside should be like his inside! “Be genuine,” people say. No, if his outside would be like his inside, the home might become an Italian home, an Irish home. The ideal is that it should betochok’baro, his inside should be like his outside. The outside must always be good, only that the inside should attempt to follow the outside. But the outside always must be good!MUSSAR FROM PRESIDENT REAGANYou are the leader and leaders cannot be sad. A leader who shows sadness, who shows lack of confidence, is a failure. Evenl’havdilPresident Reagan, no matter how much he was insulted, he kept his bearings. Even when he was shot in the assassination attempt, as they were taking him to the hospital, he made a wisecrack to show he was cheerful. That’s because he knew how to act; President Reagan was a good president because he was a good actor. He didn’t concede, he wouldn’t admit that he had a setback.A good leader, a good mother and father, won’t show discouragement – they always maintain a good cheer. I’m not saying that you have to walk around with a big grin on your face, that’s nothing; but an underlying appearance, a facade of confidence and cheer, are essential in the home of aristocracy. It doesn’t pay for a leader to show discouragement; people don’t want discouraged leaders. A prince is a man of confidence. And even when he doesn’t have the confidence, he displays it in his demeanor and his countenance and in the way he talks, because the palace is too important for failure.ON STAGE: QUEEN MOMMYA mother should always appear like a queen before the children. Now, that’s not easy, particularly when the children are in the house all day long. But it’s not easy to be an actor; you have to go to one performance and then to another and then another. An actor would like to go home and kick off her shoes; to relax and lie down on the couch. But for glory you do it; or for money. So she appears on the stage each time like a shining queen. And that’s how a mother should view herself in the home, like an actor on the great stage, putting on the most important performance of her life.And therefore the ideal of aristocracy should be paramount when a couple builds a Jewish home. Not only should he consider his wife a queen and she should consider him a king, But they should considerthemselvesas kings and queens. And the children are princes and princesses. Always cheerful and confident and aware of their importance in building the Am Yisroel.THE FIVE MINUTEMESIBAHAnd it is that atmosphere that becomes the foundation for all the accomplishments ofavodas Hashemin the Jewish home – the home becomes the place, not only of happiness, but of accomplishment. The “mundane” days of the week become days of accomplishing; Shabbos becomes a day of achieving greatness;Yomtivis transformed intoavodas Hashem. How important it is for parents to train their children insimchas yomtiv!Now some parents think thatsimchas yomtivmeans taking out the children oncholhamo’edfor a ride to go to the park or the zoo. Nothing wrong, but that’ssimcha, notsimchas yomtiv.To train children, even little children, that today isyomtiv, today ischol hamo’ed, is so important for building the home. Sit down and make a littlemesibah, even a five minutemesibahl’kavod yomtiv; a little gathering. Wednesday afternoon, Thursday, Friday afternoon. A littlemesibahis more important than two hours in the Bronx Zoo or who knows where. Agoyalso has the Bronx Zoo, but we want to have an aristocratic home of princes and princesses. Sit down and talk for a couple of minutes aboutyomtiv; tell the children, “Let’s sing the songAtah Bichartanu,or a different niggun.” And then say, suggest to them, “Kids, aren’t we having a good time,kinderlach?” And they all chime in, “Yes. Now let’s go to the zoo!” But that’s excellent – you accomplished your mission! Because those few minutes have laid a foundation.He made a special effort to create excitement for Shabbos and yamim tovim. He would do a little dance exclaim with gusto, “We’re having such a good time!” “It’s so much fun to have Yom Tov!” and “Shabbos is so much fun!” Grandchildren recall that when they came to visit on Yom Tov, he made a circle and danced a little jig, singing: “L’kavod Yom Tov, choo, choo, choo!”When his children were young, he took them on Chol Hamo’ed trips, such as to the zoo, but first he would remind them that it was Yom Tov and that Yom Tov was so much fun. Then, with genuine enthusiasm, he pointed out the wonders of Hashem’s creations.He made his children a melaveh malkah filled with exciting antics and then served ice-cream which was a real treat in those days. He made a whole production out of it, especially when dividing up the portions, to make them excited. When putting out the pieces of chametz for bedikas chometz, he put a piece of chocolate in with each piece to make it exciting.With his grandchildren as well he tried to make motzaei Shabbos fun. He had the grandchildren make a recording of themselves singing and then he played it back for them. He allotted fifteen minutes for this, and when the time was up he simply said, “Ah guteh voch,” and went back to his learning. In his later years, on motzaei Shabbos, all the young children who lived nearby would go upstairs to his apartment, where he would give them each a dollar and prizes.-Rav Avigdor Miller: His Life and His Revolutionp. 240-241Part III.The Wise WomanWOMEN IN THE CONSTRUCTION BUSINESSNow, when we talk about building a home, about creating a home that finds favor in the eyes of Hashem, we are reminded of thepossukin Mishlei (14:1): חַכְמוֹת נָשִׁים בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ – “The wise woman builds up her house”. You know, Dovid Hamelech said: אֲנִי עַבְדְּךָ בֶּן אֲמָתֶךָ – “I am Your servant Hashem, the son of your maidservant” (Tehillim 116:16). He didn’t mention his father; his father was a great man, but Dovid said “I am your servant,becausemy mother was your maidservant.” You hear that?!That’s why one of the sages, Rabbi Yosi always called his wife: בֵּיתִי – “My home,” because she’s the one who really creates the home (Shabbos 118b); to a very great extent the success of a home depends on the atmosphere that is created by the mother in that home. Without her, the home is just a hollow shell, and she is the one who breathes the most success into the building of theBeis Yisroel.HOME OF PRAYERThe home should be a place oftefillahand it is the mother who must present herself as the symbol of prayer, the model oftefilahfor the Am Yisroel. Now, she can’t stand and pray long prayers; she’s busy with a lot of things in the house. But the mother must be a mother of prayer. Our mothers always prayed a great deal; a Jewish mother should pray even more than a man prays. Men have certain circumscribed duties and because of that, some of them, in order to discharge their duties, gallop through thedavenen. It’s just something that has to be done, so they do it. They gallop through a bigdavening. But Jewish mothers don’t do that. A Jewish mother in the home should be turning to Hashem all day long. The old-time Jewish women had a handbook of prayers – prayers for everything, for every kind of eventuality. She would be praying for help in the home, that her supper should come out tasting delicious. Or for a child who is not well and for a child who is not going exactly on the straight path. Today too, a mother prays constantly that the washing machine shouldn’t break down, that her husband should earn a livelihood, that he should find favor in the eyes of his boss and get a raise.So besides the fact that immediately, the first thing in the morning when the children wake up, they hear “Abba is davening inshul; Abba’s learning.” The children are always asking, “Did Totty come back fromshulyet?” and the mother tells them, “Totty is in shul talking to Hashem; he’ll be home soon.” That’s how the Jewish home starts out every day, but besides for that, the mother spends the rest of the day absorbed in speaking to Hashem about everything. In the olden days the Jewish mother actually was a symbol of prayer even more than the husband; it’s something that’s forgotten today but that is one of the greatest achievements in a Jewish home. A Jewish mother should always be praying and the children who grow up with that know that their house is a home where Hashem resides. The aristocratic Jewish home actually became a Beis Hamikdash.THE BRACHOS MASHGIACHThe Jewish home should be a place of sayingbrachos; all thebrachosshould be said out loud. Not long ago, it was the practice that when the family was about to eat, so they all washed, and the mother stood over them like amashgiachin ayeshivaand she paid attention as each child made thebrachaaloud, “Al netilas yadayim”; you could hear every word. And the mother said, “Amen.” And she had a watchful eye to see that nobody was cheating. And then they came to the table and each one had to makehamotziand the words resounded on all sides; every child thanked Hashem for the little piece of bread in front of him. And they sat around the table likekohanimaround themizbei’ach.When they live this way in the home, the children are raised with the understanding that they are living in something that’s more than four walls and a roof – they’re living in a palace and they begin to follow these principles.THE FOOLISH WOMANAnd now we turn to the end of thepossuk, חַכְמוֹת נָשִׁים בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ, “The wise woman spends her days building – וְאִוֶּלֶת, but the foolish woman, בְּיָדֶיהָ תֶהֶרְסֶנּוּ, with her own hands she overthrows the house.” No matter what ailment she is suffering, she must keep it to herself. Some people, usually women, but men too, think that if they constantly speak about what is bothering them it relieves them, they find relief. And it could be true, could be. But one thing is certain, it’s not relieving the home. The atmosphere of nobility, the atmosphere of aristocratic cheer and confidence is undermined by sadness and complaining in the home; the husband shuns his complaining wife’s company, and vica-versa when he complains, and the atmosphere of a place for achieving perfection is lost.Never pessimism, never complaining. Complaining is one of the forms of breaking down a home. Even if there is no quarrel between husband and wife and even if the children are behaving and are loyal, if there is a complaining person in the house – if the mother or father complain frequently – then the morale in the house is broken. You cannot have a successful home, even a non-Jewish home, if there is complaining.Nobody likes a complainer! And even though you feel you want sympathy, and you think that you deserve that they should lend their ears to your sighs and groans – and most probably you do deserve it – but you’re not making your home successful.THE JINGLE THAT RUINS THENESHAMASuppose you wake up one morning and it’s raining, sheets of rain are coming down from the sky, so the foolish mother complains “Oy, it’s raining outside. It’s terrible; I wanted to go out and now the rain spoiled all of our fun today.” So little Chanaleh, whenever she sees a rain come down, she’ll remember – without even thinking, she’ll forget where it came from, but her instincts hark back to that pattern that was first molded on her young plasticneshama, and she knows that rain is a disappointment, it spoils everything. Here you have a mother standing by the window with her children, looking out at the rain. And the children are waiting for the rain to stop; they want to go out and play already. “Rain rain go away.” They’re singing that foolish jingle. There are so many rainy days in life; isn’t it a pity for the child to be molded in the wrong way?If a mother could instill in her child the proper way to think; she says “Look Chanaleh, it’s raining outside. Isn’t that fun?” Chanaleh has no sense; she hasn’t developed an attitude towards rain yet. So Chanaleh says, “Yes it’s fun.” Her mother is still the fountain of all wisdom and so she agrees with her mother. And now for the rest of her life rain is going to be fun!This mother has the most wonderful opportunity. “Kinderlach,look at the beautiful rain coming down. Isn’t it beautiful?! Isn’t rain fun?! Hashem is sending us down all the food that we eat. It’s apples and cherries and danishes coming down from the sky. Rain brings down all good things for us. Let’s say together, ‘Thank You Hashem for the rain.’” Now the children might look at their mother with blank faces; Rain? Wonderful? But it sinks into their little heads that rain is beautiful; that Hashem is beautiful!YOUR NEVER-ENDING ROLEAnd so, no matter what the circumstances are, if a father and mother, a husband and wife, make it a principle always to display to each other and to the children a face of good cheer and confidence, then first of all they affect each other – they create in each other similar attitudes, and secondly they themselves become transformed.What you’re hearing now is of utmost importance. Always in the Jewish home there must reign an atmosphere of confidence and happiness. It’s very important to always remember that you have the role of an actor; you can’t be natural – being natural is not achochma, and you need chochma to build up the house. It’s easy to be sad, to be downcast. It’s easy to let your feelings go and ruin the atmosphere. It’s easy to be a failure.Don’t think that it doesn’t have any effect! When you speak of Hashem in the home, when you constantly talk about Torah ideals, you’re planting those ideals in their minds. Little by little you’re changing your children. You’re planting seeds in their minds and as they grow older, they will water those seeds with their own wisdom. And when they’re grown up, and they’re tending a beautiful garden in their mind, a garden of Torah attitudes permeated with thoughts of Hashem, that’s the garden that you planted so many years before with the words of your mouth.But to be a success, needs planning. And don’t think it’s not going to repay you. The happiness, the satisfaction of a successful day in the house is a reward without end. It’s a reward in this world and it’s a reward forever and ever in Olam Haba.THE TREASURE OF OPPORTUNITYAnd so, the misfortune of a home that was afflicted withtzara’ason its walls actually became the great gift of knowledge, the understanding of what a treasure a Jewish home is for a family. וְנָתַץ אֶת הַבַּיִת – “And he shall break down the house, אֶת אֲבָנָיו וְאֶת עֵצָיו, וְאֵת, כָּל עֲפַר הַבָּיִת – its stones and its timber and all the mortar of the house; וְהוֹצִיא אֶל מִחוּץ לָעִיר, אֶל מָקוֹם טָמֵא and he shall carry them out of the town into an unclean place” (Metzora 14:45). Athough a family might discover a treasure trove that was hidden between the stones of the wall, that was only symbolic of the true treasure that he was expected to discover as they watched the walls of the house being torn down.And that treasure is the awareness of what an opportunity a house is. The breaking down of the walls of a house is a tragedy of great proportions, but the greater tragedy is the breakdown of the Torah Home that had taken place there long before thenega tzaraasset in. The missed opportunities of לְהַעֲמִיד אֻמָּה הָעוֹבֶדֶת אֶת הַשֵּׁם in that home are what really tore down the walls of that home.And as the homeowner and his family watch the physical destruction of the home, the lesson they are learning is the greatest treasure of all. Now they look back at the great happiness that the walls of the home afforded them, and which they failed to appreciate while they still possessed it. And you can be sure that it wasn’t only this family that learned this lesson. When the house is being torn down, and while the family stands outside watching and then begin to carry out of the city all the stone and wood that had once made up their home, all the neighbors watched in sadness and empathy, and if they were wise they also took the lesson to heart.And certainly the lesson wasn’t intended only for them, but even we today are expected to learn the eternal lessons ofnigei batim.And the least that we can do is to remind ourselves constantly, day in and day out, of gratitude for the walls of our own home as well as for the superb institution of the home, the place where the Am Yisroel is being built. And the use of the home foravodas Hashemin countless ways is indeed the duty of gratitude which Hashem expects most; the home where parents and children understand its purpose becomes a place where the child learns optimism, confidence and happiness. And that’s how he goes out to view the world for the rest of his life. And that’s going to make him anovedHashem m’toch simchaand he’ll bema’arich yomim in happiness.Go Back See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Part I.Hashem is HereHE’STAMEI, HE’STAMEI, HE’STAMEIכל ימי אשר הנגע בו יטמא, טמא הוא, בדד ישב מחוץ למחנה מושבו – “All the days that thetzara’asis upon the person he shall betamei,tameihe should be. He should dwell alone; outside the camp should be his place of residence.” (13:46) When reading thispossuk, we are immediately struck by the repetition of thetameistatus of themetzora, “He shall betamei,tameihe should be” and that requires an explanation.So we’ll say as follows: The root “tum” denotes something that is “closed off”. That’s what the wordtumahmeans, and that is the principle underlying all the laws oftumah. Wherever we findtumahwe must understand that itis a decree of Hashem to teach us what should be avoided and shunned.So we read thepossukas follows: “All the days that thetzara’asis upon the person he shall be ritually unclean” – the first word “tamei” speaks of the status oftumah. He is anav hatumah. It’s information we have to know. It’s a technicality the Torah is teaching us; the basic law that this man istameiand makestameianything that comes in contact with him. But the second expression oftumah, “Tameihe should be,” is giving us thereasonfor thetumahbeing imposed on him; as if to say: “He shall betamei, because Hashem desires that he should beclosed offfrom society.” “He istamei”, because “tamei, shunned and avoided, he should be.”THE LONELY SEDER NIGHTNow that’s something we have to study. Because we’re talking here about afrumJew. He’s a father, a husband, a loyal servant of Hashem who puts ontefillinanddavensthree times a day with aminyan. His home is a kosher home and his children are allfrumboys and girls. He’s one of us! And yet, one morning he wakes up withtzara’as;and now he must take leave of his family and friends and make his way beyond the walls of the city to live alone. This friend of ours, a fellow Jew, is nowtamei; he’s closed off from the rest of Mankind.Badad yeishev– “He shall stay in isolation,” meaning that even othertamei’imare to avoid his company (Rashi ibid.).So our fellow Jew is now sitting alone outside of the walls of his city; and there he will remain until thetzara’asheals. He’ll miss the Shabbosseudoswith his family. He might even be spending the Seder night all alone! And it’s no accident of fate here. The Rambam says thattzara’asis not a natural form of leprosy; it’sa miraculous phenomenon. “Tzara’asis one of the miracles that Hashem provides to His nation” (Moreh Nevuchim 3:47) and that’s why agoycan’t becometameiwithtzara’as(Negaim 3:1).Hashem miraculously sends upon a Jewtzara’as,and now he has to be shunned. And it’s not because of contagion, or merely because he can bemitameiothers – it’s because Hashem wants him to be “closed off” from people. Hashem wants that he should leave themachaneh;that he should separate from society and dwell alone outside of the city.LOOKS CAN BE DECEIVINGAnd that’s because actually this man is a dangerous man; he may appear to be veryfrum, but thegemara(Eirechin 15b) says: כל המספר לשון הרע נגעים באים עליו. “One who speaks wrong words, he uses his mouth in the wrong way, is stricken by leprosy.” And so we understand that this man misused the gift of company of people; when he was healthy he sat around with his friends and wagged his tongue – not only that he ridiculed and belittled other people, but even just to talkd’varim b’teilimis misusing the tongue.And so in the great days ofnevuah, thenegaoftzara’asspoke to this man the word of Hashem: “He shall betamei, and he should be closed off from people and avoided.” He will dwell alone where he won’t have anyone with whom to speak; and now he will begin the study of how a person is to use his tongue, and he will understand thatthe proper way to use a tongue is primarily by not using it.BRING MANUFACTURING JOBS BACK!The Rambam gives us an insight into this: לעולם ירבה אדם בשתיקה– “A person should always beproducinga great deal of silence” (Rambam Hilchos Dei’os 2:4). You hear that? You have to produce silence as much as you can. Imagine you’re producing goods for a certain purpose. Let’s say you’re making toothbrushes, or you’re a tailor and you’re sewing suits. Whatever it is, you’re producing. So you have to keepcheshbon, “How many goods did I produce today?” “Did I do better today than yesterday?” “What could I do different tomorrow in the factory to produce more toothbrushes?” And it’s the same with silence. A man should always beproducingsilence in this world. You have to think about that! “How much silence did I produce today?”And it’s considered a service of Hashem: לך דומיה תהילה – “To you Hashem, silence is praise” (Tehillim 65:2). That’s an interesting idea, because we always understood that theHallelukahsand thebrachosare praise.Ashrei,HoduandModim, that’s how we praise Hashem. And now we’re being told thatkeeping quietis the real way to praise Hashem; to produce silence is actually a career of praising Hashem. And that needs a good explanation.A LESSON FROM THE WISE MANAnd so, who better to turn to than thechochom m’kol adam.Shlomo Hamelech tells us in Koheles (5:1): אל תבהל על פיך – “Don’t be in a hurry to express yourself, ולבך אל ימהר להוציא דבר לפני השם – Your heart, your mind, shouldn’t be in a hurry to say something in the Presence of Hashem”. When you’re sitting at the table with your family, your friends, Hashem is present. So keep quiet! כי אלוקים בשמים ואתה על הארץ – “Hashem is in the heavens and you’re down below on the earth, על כן יהיו דבריך מעטים – Therefore your words should be few”. Oh, now something else comes into the picture;Elokimis now in the picture!Elokimis inshomayim, above you, looking at you. And you’re down on this earth. על כן יהיו דבריך מעטים – “That’s why your words must be few.”If a man opens up his mouth and words flow out without restraint, so it means he doesn’t feel like he’s inanybody’spresence! Let’s say you were standing in the presence of the mayor, or in front of the president of the United States – he’s not such an important person today – but still you wouldn’t talk too much in his presence. You definitely wouldn’t be shooting off your mouth.DO YOU HAVE EMUNAH IN THE PRESIDENT?Now להבדיל אלף הבדלות, if you are talking with thegadol hador,with let’s say Rav Shach, Rav Moshe Feinstein, whoever is thegadol hador, would you talk much? If you have any sense you wouldn’t say a word! Let’s say you meet the Sigheter Rav, you’re standing in front of the Satmerer Rav, and somebody comes over to you, “Hey, Chaim! What time is it?” Would you say, “It’s three o’clock”?! No you keep quiet, you keep your mouth shut; you’re standing in front of yourrebbeh! Lethimtalk; you keep quiet. חכם אינו מדבר בפני גדול ממנו – “Someone withchochmadoesn’t open his mouth when he’s standing in front of somebody bigger than him” (Avos 5:7).So the fact that you keep your mouth closed indicates that you realize that you’re standing in the Presence of Hashem. It’s a demonstration that you possess a sensory perception of the closeness of Hashem; it’s not merely words, theories. Just like you wouldn’t talk in the presence of somebody important, you don’t open your mouth in the presence ofElokim bashomayim.You keep quiet, at least as quiet as you would be in front of the President. At least that! If the President of the United States was standing here, you’d be careful with every word that comes out of your mouth! That means you believe in the President more than you believe in Hashem!THE PECULIAR MAN OF OURPARSHASo now we can understand why thisfrumman is shunned by Hashem, sent out to live in solitude. If he’s hasty with words, if he doesn’t think before he speaks, so he needs to be sent out where he will have time to think about this great principle ofElokimbashomayim. Themetzorahad to cover his mouth, did you know that? It’s an openpossuk:ועל שפם יעטה, it means that he had to wear his cloak in certain way so that it covered his mouth. What for? Because he was proclaiming to the world this lesson! Part of hiskapparahwas to walk around dressed in this peculiar way; and he had to make a lot of noise too: טמא טמא יקרא, wherever he went he had to proclaim to everyone that he’stamei.So here’s a man with his cloak covering half his face, all the way over his mouth, and in his muffled voice he’s crying out: “I’mtamei, I’mtamei!” It was a strange sight, and anyone who saw him took his condition to heart and learned that he’d better get busy covering up his mouth before thenegacomes tohim. And so we gained a lot by seeing ametzorawith his covered mouth.GAINING EMUNAH; A GUIDEWhat we’re learning is that no matter howfruma person is, he has to havehargasha,emunahchushis, that he’s standing in front of Hashem and that’s why he doesn’t talk. What does that mean? Suppose you’re an ordinary Jew who never worked on these concepts; you don’t actually feel the Presence of Hashem. But you’d like to do it; you aspire to become ama’amin. Now, certainly you won’t admit that you’re not ama’amin, but at least you’ll admit that you don’t feel the Presence of Hashem all the time. And so by training yourself not to talk just for this purpose; each time you wish to open your mouth you remind yourself: כי אלוקים בשמים ואתה על הארץ על כן יהיו דבריך מעטים – “Hashem is listening and therefore your words should be few.” And little by little you bring into yourneshamaan awareness of this tremendous principle, and you thereby achieveyiras Hashem.When someone approaches you and makes a remark, don’t be in a hurry to answer. You’d like to talk; you have a wisecrack or a rejoinder, you want to say something. “No. I won’t say it because I’m standing in front of Hashem.” Sometimes you don’t have to answer at all. If someone says something to you, do you have to say something back? Let’s say a cow says moo, do you have to moo back? A dog barks as you pass by, you have to bark back? So if someone speaks to you, unless it’s necessary, don’t say anything. Just listen. Who says you have to answer?And suppose you must answer; sometimes youmustsay something, so you should count your words. You know, some people are like a faucet; they start pouring out all they have. All the emptiness they have in their minds comes pouring out. That means that they’re beingmasiach da’asfrom Hashem. A person must always keep in mind that Hashem is listening. Keeping your mouth closed, and keeping your words few when you do have to speak shows that you haveemunahthat wherever you are Hashem is listening. If you open your mouth and you talk without restraint so it means you think you’re a free bird. It means that you have noemunah,becausebelief in Hashem requires that we should keep quiet. He’s standing right here after all, and He’s listening.Part II.Your New ProfessionEXTRACTING HONEY AND GEMSNow in order to appreciate more this career ofyiras shamayim, we have to see how thegemarain Chullin (89a)darshensapossuk. As a matter of fact, the followinggemarawas once used by the Alter of Slabodkazichronol’vrachaas an illustration of how to appreciate every word of ama’amar chazal.The Alter thought about every word that thechachomimsaid and he sucked as much honey as he could from thema’amar.Thegemaraquotes the followingpossuk: אמנם אלם צדק תדברון – “The truth is, silence is appropriate; only speak righteous words” (Tehillim 58:2). That’s theposhut pshat,butchazaldiscovered some hidden gems in thatpossuk.First I’ll say the words of thegemaraand then I’ll tell you how the Alter explained them: אמנם – מה אומנתו של אדם בעולם הזה – “What is a man’s profession in this world?” From the word אמנם, comesumnus, profession. And thegemaraasks a question: What’s your job here inOlam Hazeh? And thegemarasays that the next word in thepossuk, אלם, that’s the answer: יעשה עצמו כאלם – “Make yourself as if you were a mute, as if you couldn’t speak.” So we read thepossuklike this: אמנם, what’s yourumnus, your profession? אלם, to be a mute. That’s your business in this world.BARUCH HASHEM FOR ACCOUNTANTS!The first thing we see is that man has aprofessionin this world. A “profession” means it’s not justa hobby to keep silent, it’s not even just a good thing, an added perfection. No; silence isyourbusinessin this world; that’s what we came into this world for. Now at first glance that’s hard to understand; because how could everyone have the same profession? If everyone was a shoemaker so we’d all have comfortable shoes, but we’d have to tailor our own pants. Without good Jewish accountants we’d be paying a lot of extra money to Uncle Sam.So what we’re learning now is that whatever you’re doing in your life; that’s only your second job, a side business; you have to pay the bills after all. But your mainbusinessin this world is to bek’ileim, to keep your mouth closed.Now, the Alterzichrono l’vrachamade the point that anumnusis not something that you just pick yourself up and do; you have to train yourself for a profession. It’s necessary to undergo a course of training to learn the skill of silence, just like you would for any other serious profession. If you want to be a plumber, let’s say, so you’ll just put on a pair of blue overalls, grab a wrench and that’s all?!BECOMING A PLUMBER IS NOT EASYNobody ever became a plumber by saying “I decided I’m a plumber.” You’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and get under a sink. And you’ll have to lie there on your back and watch the master plumber for months and months learning all the tricks of the trade. You’ll have to carry his tools for him and you watch: When do you use this tool? When do you open that valve? When do you close it? It’s achochma, and there’s a lot to learn. And if silence is our career in life, that means we have a lot to study.To become a professional mute, you can’t just buy a padlock for fifty cents at the corner hardware store, lock your mouth firmly, and then walk around the street without worries. It’s not that easy. If that’s all it was, it wouldn’t be a profession; it would just be a fifty cent expense and finished. But no it’s a profession, it’s the “profession of a person in this world.”Now the Alter points out something else in thisgemarathat’s worth our attention: It says “What is the professionsheladamin this world?” The profession of anadam! It’sthisprofession, making yourself into anileim, a mute, that will cause you to earn the title ofadam. Anadamis expected not to open his mouth unless it’s justified. And only the one who has mastered this art can boast that he’s made it, that he’s graduated. Otherwise, you’re not anadam. Maybe you’re a croaking frog, or a blue jay; something you are, absolutely; you’re making noise after all. But you’re not yet anadamunless you’ve mastered this career of silence.GET BUSY BANGING YOUR HEAD!Now, what usually happens when I speak on this subject? I’ll tell you. There’s always one idealist who wants to get busy accomplishing. Why not? Rabbi Miller said so! He said it’s a profession foreveryone. A young man who comes here and he’s inspired by the words of theAlter; he’s ready now to make changes! So he goes home after the lecture, and as soon as he walks into the house he hears his mother talking on the phone. So he bangs on the table, “Uh, uh, uh. Nu, nu!” He wants to make sure his mother knows whathernew profession is!So theAltertells us that we have to know how to learn ama’amar chazal.Thegemarasaysya’aseh atzmo– “Makeyourselfinto a speechless person.” Yourself! Oh, that’s a different story already. What are you banging on the table for? Get busy banging onyour ownhead! Don’t bother others!That means when a man comes home to his wife, and he heard my lecture tonight, and now his wife wants to talk, she wants to tell him about what happened with the children today. And also she’s talking about what her sister said and probably some other things as well. So he should let her talk about whatever she wants. He shouldn’t say, “Keep quiet; in this house we work on producing silence.” He’s a dumbbell! He’s working onhersilence!Ya’aseh atzmo!He has to makehimselfanileim; that’s who he has to worry about.TALK TO PAPA!Now this profession, this career we’re speaking about tonight, wouldn’t be so difficult if all you had to do was to buy a padlock. Mazel tov, you’re anileim! But that’s not what Chazal are demanding of you; it doesn’t say you shouldbeanileim, it saysk’ileim, likea mute. You know that the extra letterkafseems like an unnecessary addition. It could have just as well said, “Make yourself into anileim.” What’sya’aseh atzmo k’ileim, make yourselflikea mute?What it means is that youcan’tpadlock your lips shut! You have to make yourselfk’ileim,likea mute,as ifyou can’t speak. You have to talk, and sometimes you have to talk and talk, but you have to talk like somebody who is anileim. If you have to walk through the street, you have to say good morning or good evening to the people you see. You can’t just walk around with a deadpan face ignoring people. Why should your neighbor suffer because you’re learning a new profession?! You come into the home, so you have to walk in and say, “How was your day Chanaleh?” At least that you have to say! You can’t come in and be anileim. A boy comes in from the yeshiva, he can’t walk in quietly and go to his room. He has to say “Vus machstu mammeh?” “How are you Papa?”Somethinghe has to say! He’sk’ileim, not anileim mamish.That’s why thegemarasays,Yachol la’kol –“You might think that once you adopt this practice so you shouldn’t open your mouth foranything.” תלמוד לומר צדק תדברון – “So thepossuksays, ‘Speak righteousness.’” When it comes to words of righteousnessyou have to talk.”DivreiTorahyou have to talk. Words of kindliness you have to talk. If someone is sad and dejected youmustgo over and put your arm around his shoulders and say a few kind words to him.Tzedek tidabeirun. Good things youmustsay!DON’T COMPLIMENT THE CHALLAH…To say words of encouragement to your fellow man, to comfort a fellow Jew, that’s what you have a mouth for, that’s part of your profession. You don’t have to babble though. Think of ways and means of making people happy, by saying a timely word. If it’s a child then sometimes a littlegletton the cheek and a word or two can be a lifesaver. Tell him something that buoys his self respect, something that gives him the ambition to continue improving.If you tell your wife that she cooks well – that’s very important by the way – that’stzedek. You make sure to compliment your wife when she serves you anything: “Chanaleh, this challah tastes excellent.” Now if she bought it at the bakery, make surenotto praise thechallah; find something else to bem’shabeiach. “This chicken soup ism’ein Olam Habah,Chanaleh. Yi’yasheir koi’ach”Now usually itdoestaste good; you can find many things to compliment. Don’t be bashful! It’s not the time to bek’ileim– now it’s time fortzedek tidabeirun.And even if it happens, an unusual incident, when supper is not such a success, if you’ll say it’s excellent, there’s no harm either. Only that most people have it all wrong; when they have what to complain about, then the words come gushing forth, pearls of “wisdom.” But when it’s time fortzedek tidabeirun,then suddenly this “tzadik” remembers his profession of beingk’ileim.PRACTICE MAKES PERFECTIt’s an art. Sometimes you have to talk and talk, but you have to talk like anileim. You’re always careful not to say what you’re not supposed to say. But what you have to say, you must say. So when you come home tonight and your wife says, “What did he say over there?” Don’t say “Ummmmmm.” Say something. Say it briefly but say something. Don’t just keep your mouth closed.K’ileim,likea mute! Oh, now that’s already anumnus. It’s harder than just lying on your back under a sink studying how to plumb!And therefore we should get busy practicing this profession ofshtikahbecause it means that we’re practicing the career ofyirasshamayim! You’re sitting at the table at the Shabbosseudah, and everyone is prattling away. Talking and talking and talking. So what do you do? You say to yourself, “I’m going to train myself now for my profession in this world. I’m going to sit for two minutes – two minutes on the clock – and listenand not open my mouth.”Let’s say you were forced to go somewhere; sometimes you have to go to visit your in-laws in Boro Park. You can’t say no this time. So they’re eatingmelave malkaand everybody is chatting. Or maybe you’re sitting at achasunaand all around you all the tongues are clacking. While their minds are being ground to pieces by the idle chatter, you can grab the opportunity for getting to work on your profession. So you’re paying attention; you’re trying to seem interested, smiling at the right times. But you’re telling yourself, “Chaim, keep the mouth closed. As much as you can keep quiet becauseElokimisbashomayimlistening.”Part III.The Best MedicineVALUABLE HEALTH ADVICENow, to make a career out of silence because ofElokim Bashomayim, that would be enough. That’s our primary obligation in this world – to prepare forOlam Hababy training ourselves to become more and more aware of Hashem. But it’s more than that; it’s also your happiness and success inOlam Hazeh!There’s amishnahinAvos(1:17) that says the following: שמעון בנו אומר, “Shimon, the son of Rabban Gamliel said, כל ימי גדלתי בין החכמים, all the days of my life I grew up among the wise men, ולא מצאתי לגוף טוב משתיקה, and I found nothing better for the body than silence.” Now, if someone on the street would offer you some health advice, I don’t know how valuable it would be; could be it’s worth something, but you never know for sure. But here you have a man who spent years and years sitting at the feet of the sages. “All my days, I grew up among the sages.” And he heard many important ideas, many important attitudes, and he studied them all. And after many years of investigating he came to the conclusion that of all the things that are good for a person, the best one isshesikah,silence.Now if Shimon bequeathed to us this gem, it pays for us to study his words. He said, “I’ve found nothing better for thebodythan silence.” He didn’t say it’s the best for yourneshama; it’s certainlyisgood for your soul too, but Shimon is telling us here that for yourphysical health, there is nothing as good as keeping your mouth closed. If you’re worried about your health, if you’re a person who wants to live a long healthy life, then the first thing to think about is the remedy of silence. סמא דכולה משתוקא – “The best medicine of all is silence” (Megillah 18a).THE CAUSE OF MOST ILLNESSESYou know that most illnesses, most of the disturbances that take place in our bodies, are caused by emotions that have aroused a raw reaction in our bodies. It’s remarkable what a great effect emotions have on a person’s physical nature. We are full of glands and hormones that stimulate the functions of the body; and if the body is overstimulated by emotions like anger, tension, and nerves, then instead of being beneficial, these hormones are harmful.It’s established already in medical science. All over the body there are results that come from wrong stimulation of the emotions. And how are the emotions stimulated most? Talking! Someone says something and you answer back, then you talk and argue, and that’s when the trouble begins. The metabolism is upset and very many people become ill as a result. A world of illnesses are caused by talking. Very many cases of cancer are due to friction in human relationships.YOUR MIGHTY MOUTHA man told me, “Do you know why I’m blind?” A blind man told me this. Because he was so aggravated – these are his words – he was so aggravated because of troubles in the family that he acquired diabetes and became blind. Blindness many times comes from aggravation, from excitation. When people go to an eye specialist one of the first questions they’ll ask you is, “Do you get angry or excited?” Dovid Hamelech said (Tehillim 6:8) עששה מכעס עיני – “My eye became worn out because ofka’as, עתקה מכל צוררי, it grew old because of those who aggravated me.” So if you talk to people and get into arguments, it’s bad for your eyesight. And if it’s bad for your eyes that means that it’s wreaking havoc in your body; it’s bad for everything.Heart failure too! You open your mouth when you could have kept it closed and the heart becomes subjected to too much stress; the valves cannot take it and there’s a breakdown somewhere, a weakness in a valve someplace. Just by talking too much, there’s quarreling, there’s tension, nervous excitement, and your heart is suffering from it. I’m not saying that it happens all of a sudden, but gradually your big mouth is weakening your heart, and then one day,chalilah, it breaks down.WHERE DO PEOPLE DIE?I know of a man who dropped dead in the middle of an argument with his wife. He was a fine man, by the way, a good man. But if he would have studied thismishnainPirkei Avos,he would have known “Don’t answer back!” And that would have saved him; he’d probably still be alive today. Who told you to answer back?! If you can be a diplomat and say something nice, do it. But if not, don’t say anything. He was afrumyoung man – he probably even knew thismishna– but he never studied it, and so he acted according to his nature and he answered back. He said his piece, and she answered back, and it went back and forth, back and forth until he dropped dead.It happens again and again. Don’t you read sometimes in the paper – a certain man, so and so, died of heart failure. Where did his heart attack happen? Did he die in his business because of his competitors? No, people don’t die because of their competitors. Did he die on the street because someone in the street insulted him? People don’t usually die because someone insulted them. He dies at home! People die because of their wives! Of course the newspaper will never say that. The obituary published in the newspapers will never say, “Mr. Anderson dropped dead Sunday night after an argument with his wife!” No, no, it won’t say that! It says, “Mr. Anderson died peacefully in his sleep at his home this past Sunday.” But if you know how to read the obituary pages, so you already know what that means.COMMUNICATION ISSUES?Why didn’t he die at his business? Why at his home? The answer is at home he has a wife, and most people die as a result of words. I’m not saying he’s right – who told him to react?! Who told him to bump his head against a stone wall? Arguing with a wife? Do you know what it’s like? It’s like he’s sticking a needle into her, a real needle. And she’s sticking needles into him. Is that fun? All of their lives they are “needling” each other. Only that his heart, his constitution was a bit weaker than his wife’s. You can’t win an argument! You think you’ll win an argument with your wife?! You’ll never win! The only real way to win an argument is to avoid it. So don’t get excited over nothing. Keep quiet and that’s all. Just keep quiet! And both of you will live longer as a result. And you’ll live happier lives as well.Women call me up; they say, “We have communication issues. My husband doesn’t ‘communicate’ with me.” The trouble isthere’s too much communication! If they wouldn’t communicate so much they’d be much better off; in most cases people will profit by not talking.IGNORE THE BUMIn Mesichta Sanhedrin (7a) it says: טוביה דשמע ואדיש – “Happy is the man who hears people saying things that insult him, that bother him, and he ignores it, חלפוה בישתיה מאה – A hundred evils will pass him by.” Memorize those words; say them to yourself again and again. Learn to ignore any words you don’t like; somebody said something sharp to you, so שמע, you heard it, but אדיש, it doesn’t bother you. Pay no attention; make believe you never even heard it, and you’ll be spared from many troubles. If your husband is mean to you, pay no attention. If your wife is mean to you, pay no attention. And one hundred evils will pass you by. You’ll live together happily for the rest of your life.Most of the time, a punch in the nose is a result of opening up a mouth instead of ignoring. Suppose you’re walking in the street and a bum says something insulting to you. Forget about it! Don’t feel that you have to stand up and defend your honor. Oh no! Don’t do that. I know a man who did that and he got beaten up. Don’t even look at him; it’s dangerous. As far as you’re concerned you didn’t hear it, you didn’t hear anything. Keep walking and in another minute, you’re out of danger.And thank Hashem that you’re able to keep on walking. If it’s a goy who insults you, so you can give him abrachathat he should drop dead. Don’t let him hear you though! Don’t even mutter; don’t say it with your mouth. The mouth always stays closed!CHINESE WISDOM FOR LIFEI was walking in the street once, and twoshkutzim, two young men came over to me and blocked the sidewalk; they didn’t let me go further. I couldn’t walk; I was stuck. So I got out off the sidewalk and I kept going. I didn’t say anything, I didn’t even take a peek over my shoulder. Suppose I looked back and said, “What do you think you’re doing? What right do you have to do that?” Ohhh, what would have happened to me! Don’t be achacham, a hero. I always quote to you the wise Chinese proverb. The Chinamen say “The greatest hero is the one who runs away.” If you ignore and run away you’re a hero. And the one who opens up his mouth is not a hero, he’s a loser.I always say this story; it’s a tragic story. A young man from YU was going onchamisha asar b’shvatoutingto Madison Square Garden. He was with a group of younger boys, achaburahof boys with yarmulkes on, and he was leading them. And two twenty year oldshkutzimwere ridiculing the boys’yarmulkas. Now this young man, he didn’t take the advice ofchazal. At least the Chinese he should have listened to!Instead he looked at the gentile boys with anger and said something. Now agoy bleibt a goy,so theshkutzimwent back to their car, they took out a hammer from the trunk, and they attacked him. They hit him over the head with the hammer and they killed him. He died there on the street,nebach. That’s why it says, “There’s nothing betterfor the bodythan keeping quiet.”HOW TO DEAL WITH HATELet’s say somebody calls you on the telephone and insults you. It happened to me a number of times. People have called the house and cursed me. You know what I did? I didn’t say a word! Not a word! And they hung up. It happened again a few months ago and I knew who it was; I knew. And after that he came into myshulone evening todavenand I didn’t say a word. And it was finished. But once you start up with these people, who knows what’s going to be? A word for a word and it turns into who knows what! There’s no knowing how it’s going to end up! So just grin and bear it.How many people have lost their jobs by talking back to their boss? Sometimes their boss is in a bad mood, so just swallow down what he said and it could be that an hour later he’ll be a good boss. He might even promote you. I had that experience once. In my first position inrabbanus, a man once came into a meeting of the board of directors and he made a grand announcement: He said, “Rabbi Miller, I greeted you last week and you didn’t answer me! You didn’t answer me ‘Good Shabbos.’” He brought it up to the board of directors at a meeting; a complaint against the new rabbi. So the president of the shul came over and asked me about it. Now, it wasn’t true, but I didn’t say anything. I could have opened my mouth, but I remembered thisma’amar chazaland I kept my mouth closed.RABBI MILLER GETS A RAISE!I met this man again and again, he was a shul member, and I was always friendly to him. One day he gets up by the meeting of the board of directors and he makes a motion to give me a raise.Thisman! No one thought of giving me a raise except this one man! Now, had I answered him back it would have never happened. And so I learned the lesson that it “pays” to keep your mouth closed.I’ve seen it all! I’ve watched as people put themselves in danger by opening a mouth. Just because they answered back, I’ve watched good people lose jobs, lose customers. They lost their wives or their husbands, siblings and friends. And sooner or later they lose themselves; they excite wrong reactions in their bodies and they end up sick. Many lose years from their life because of their mouths.THE KEY TO A GOOD LIFEAnd that’s what Dovid Hamelech tells us (Tehillim 34:13-14): מי האיש החפץ חיים – “Who is the man who wants life?” We think it means eternal life, and that’s true; but it’s not the whole truth. There’s more to it: Who wants to livein this world? אוהב ימים – “You’re anoheiv yomim?” You like days, don’t you? You want more and more of them. לראות טוב – “You want to see happiness and good times during those days?” You want to see yourself getting along well with others? You want a successful marriage? You want to see good health? That’s all included inlir’os tov.“Oh,” you say. “That’s me! I want to live long! I want to see good times!”But you don’t! You’re not really interested in trying to live long. You’ll say it, you’ll repeat it, you’ll even sing it, but you don’t think about it. You have to take steps to live long, and one of the most important steps is tokeep the mouth closed. נצור לשונך מרע – “Guard your tongue against evil”. What does “evil” mean? Not only you shouldn’t say derogatory things about people or quarrel with them. The reallashon harais opening your mouth to say stupid things, to chatter and babble and say nothing. The general rule is to keep your tongue on the inside of the mouth and keep the mouth closed; that’s the rule you should follow. If we live according to that, our physical happiness in this world will increase and we will attain a life oflir’os tov,of seeing good times.A MOMENT OF SILENCESo we go back to the great principle that the job of a person in this world is to learn the skill of being quiet, the profession of being like anileim. And before we conclude we’ll listen to the words of a great man, the Vilna Gaon (Igeres Hagra); these words deserve to be remembered by us. שעל כל רגע ורגע – “For every moment, for every minute, שאדם חוסם פיו – that a man muzzles his mouth, זוכה לאור הגנוז – He’ll be rewarded by that secret brilliance, שאין כל מלאך יכול לשער – that no creature, no angel, is capable of measuring its magnitude.”The splendor of reward is so great for one minute of silence! We’re not talking about a whole lifetime of silence; he says there that for everymomentthat you keep your mouth closed, you’ll be rewarded with a splendor, a brilliance that is so great that even an angel is not capable of measuring the magnitude, the extent of its greatness. I know that this is a very extreme statement but the Vina Gaon is a very responsible personality. So it’s not only a profession ofyiras shamayim, and not only is it the best advice for good health and long life, but it’s a career that will reward you beyond your highest dreams.LEARNING THE LESSONAnd so we have to get busy. How can you read about themetzoraevery year, and continue to ignore the lessons for your own life? Even if today we aren’t privileged to see the miraculous hand of Hashem bringingtzara’ason a person, but the lessons remain as applicable today as they were then. When Hashem separated a good man, a loyal frum Jew, from his family and friends, he was expected to learn this lesson of “Elokimisba’shomayimlistening to you … therefore your words should be few.” And we, no less than him, are expected to learn that lesson as well.And so we have to delve into thesepesukimand apply them to our own lives. This man had to cover his mouth; what about me? Am I anadamyet? Am I producing enough silence? Am I succeeding at my profession of making myselfk’ileim? And so when we study thisparsha, we can’t just let it pass by. As often as you can during the day, a minute here and a minute there, you remind yourself that it’s your job to be as silent as you can. Not complete silence –tzedektidabeirun! But as far as everything else we will try to be as careful as possible and remember that לך דומיה תהילה, to You Hashem silence is praise, and thereby we gain the great reward of Hashem, a reward unknown even to the angels. 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Part I. Purpose of SorrowTHE DAY OF TEN CROWNSויהי ביום השמיני – “And it was on the eighth day” (Shemini 9:1). In the beginning ofParshas Shemini, we come to that glorious day of thehakamas hamishkan, when the Sanctuary, the Home of Hashem, was finally erected in this world. And theAm Yisroelwould now claim the exclusive glory of having Hashem reside among them. They would be the ones privileged to approach the home of Hashem and worship Him.Now, it’s important to understand that theYom Hasheminiwas a most majestic and joyful day for theAm Yisroel.There were very few days – we could even say no day ever – in the history of the world when there was so much rejoicing. And theGemara(Shabbos 87b) tells us that נטל עשר עטרות, it was a day crowned with ten crowns of glory; an exalted day like no other in our history. TheShechina, the Presence of Hashem, was now coming down to rest among them – and they wentwildwith happiness. וירא כבוד השם אל כל העם ותצא אש מלפני השם… וירא כל העם וירונו ויפלו על פניהם – “And the Glory of Hashem appeared to all the people, and a fire came forth from before Hashem…and all the people saw, and they shouted in joy, and they fell down on their faces” (Shemini 9:23-24).Imagine that! A whole nation; millions of men, women and children shouting in great ecstasy at the sight of theShechina. All together they stood and witnessed this momentous event, and they were electrified by what they saw! It was the thing that they desired more than anything else – to see with their own eyes that Hashem had chosen to reside among them forever. And they were thrilled down to their marrow. It was a remarkable experience – a happiness and a thrill that was never to be repeated. That was the great day of ויהי ביום השמיני, one of the most joyous days in the history of our people.THE HAPPIEST WOMAN EVERNow, themedrash(Tanchuma, Shemini: 2) points out that there was one person who was reveling in happiness more than anyone else; there was nobody happier than her – ever! And that lucky person was Elisheva bas Aminadav, the wife of Aharon HaKohen. For her it was the most special of all days,mamish me’ein Olam Habo. She was privileged to be the wife of theKohen Gadol,and she saw success that no other woman ever saw, before or after. Her husband was the High Priest who put on the glorious gold vestments, garments studded with gems and jewels to serve Hashemlifneiu’lifnim. And not only that, but he was anavias well, a prophet of Hashem.And her sons? Ahh, whatnachasfrom her sons! She had four sons, Nadav, Avihu, Elazar and Isamar, and all of them were chosen to work in the Mishkan, assisting their father. A mother’s dream! And not only was she glorying in the greatness of her husband and her sons but it was only the beginning; because she knew thatherdescendents forever would enjoy this privilege. The family ofkohanimwould descend from her for eternity. And that was a success that no other woman was ever given the privilege to enjoy.HAPPINESS ON ALL SIDESThe truth is that Elisheva bas Aminadav had even more than that. In addition to the greatness of her husband, her brother-in-law was the king of the Jewish nation. That itself is an honor and a greatness. “My husband’s brother is Moshe Rabeinu, the leader of our nation. And he speaks to Hashem face to face.” Her brother-in-law was the greatest prophet that ever lived. And in addition to that was her illustrious brother, Nachshon ben Aminadav, the leader of the twelve princes of theAm Yisroel.And on thisYom Hashemini, all of this pride and joy was coming together before her eyes. It was being encapsulated on the day of thehashra’as hashechina; when the Presence of Hashem entered into the Mishkan; and her husband and sons would be the ones officiating in the place that Hashem has designated as His home. And it was all taking place under the direction of her brother-in-law, the King, as well as her brother Nachshon, the leader of thenesi’im. And so while theYom Hasheminiwas a day of great happiness for everyone, this most fortunate woman was reveling in joy more than all others.THE PARTY’S OVER!And yet it wasn’t to last. Her joy – not only her joy, but the joy of the whole nation – was about to be marred by the worst of misfortunes a mother could ever suffer through. Because on that day, ויהי ביום השמיני, when two of her sons went in to officiate in thekodesh, they were struck dead by a fire that came forth from Hashem and consumed them. ותצא אש מלפני השם ותאכל אותם וימתו לפני השם – “And a fire went forth from Hashem and devoured them and they perished there before Hashem” (Shemini 10:2).Ay yah yay! What a terrible sadness! A most unfortunate event that will forever spoil the memory of this great day.Now most of us, when we study this terrible event, we regard it as a debacle, an unfortunate mishap that came at a most inopportune moment. We shrug our shoulders and commiserate. “It’s hard for us to understand thedarchei Hashem; that such a beautiful day, a most glorious day, should be ruined by a tragedy like that.” That’s how we think. But we’re going to learn now that it wasn’t a chance mishap, that it wasn’t an accident at all.To this tragic day ofYom Hashemini, theMidrash Tanchuma(Shemini 9:2) applies the followingpossuk,and we should pay attention very well now because it’s Hashem talking to us,and He’s revealing to us one of the fundamental ways He deals with us in this world: אמרתי להוללים אל תהולו – “I said,” proclaims Hashem, “to those who are revelling, ‘Do not be too merry’” (Tehillim 75:5). Hakodosh Boruch Hu gives an order here, an order for how this world should run; He says, “I don’t want people to betoohappy.”And that means that anybody, even the most virtuous man or woman – Elisheva and Aharon were virtuous after all – Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants to make sure that a certain element enters into their life, an element that is essential to the success of their career. And that one ingredient that is necessary for success in this world, in addition to all the other components of life, is sadness. Yes, sadness! Sadness is essential in life. And therefore: “I say to the merry, ‘Don’t be too merry.’”A STIRAH TO WHAT WE LEARN HERE?Now for us that’s a big question, a very big question. Because you know, especially if you come here, you already know that in this place we try to live according to the true principle that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is עולם חסד יבנה (Tehillim 89:3), that Hashem made a world of kindliness. After all, we know that Hakodosh Boruch Hu is atov u’meitiv. That’s number one! It’s fundamental, and we are required to assimilate the idea into our bones that Hashem created everything for the purpose of kindliness.I say “number one” because it’s something we learned way back in Bereishis: וירא אלוקים את כל אשר עשה והנה טוב מאד – “And Hashem saw everything that He made, and behold it was very good” (Bereishis 1:31). Not onlytov!Tov me’od. And when Hashem saysme’od, it meansme’ooooooooooooooooooooood! It means an endless good! It’s extremely extremely extremely good. We know it’s a very good world because Hakodosh Boruch Hu doesn’t give His seal of approval “very good” unless it is very, very, very – and forever we won’t stop saying very – good. That’s how good it must be if Hashem says it’s “tov meod.”So on the one hand we’re saying that Hashem is all kindliness, that He’s good, that He’s very good, and very very good. And yet this great goodness is not always readily apparent to us. Because Elisheva the wife of Aharon did not see thetov me’odshe expected. And most of us don’t see it either because Hashem is always tempering our happiness with some sadness. Our successes in life are almost always sobered by the hand of Hashem one way or another. We don’t have all the wealth we’d like to have. We’re not having the fun in life we’d like to have. We feel that we’re being deprived. There’s always some unhappiness that creeps into our lives. We have grudges against people, we feel we’ve been wronged. People don’t appreciate us, we’re rejected and so on and so forth, all the things that make a person unhappy. And don’t think it’s only you, that it’s only certain people. No; everybody has unhappiness like that. And so, it’s a good question: What happened to thetov me’odof Hashem?OLAM HAZEH IS FAKE NEWSIn order to understand this subject we’ll read a selection from ourrebbi, the Mesillas Yesharim. The Mesillas Yesharim, in the first chapter, wishes to impress upon us the importance of directing our thoughts towards the World to Come. And he begins as follows: ותראה באמת שכבר לא יוכל שום בעל שכל להאמין שתכלית בריאת האדם הוא למצבו בעולם הזה – “Nobody who has anyseichelat all could believe that the creation of man was for his situation in this world.” The Mesillas Yesharim is warning us here: Take note, this world is not your purpose. You hear this? This world is so good that the Mesillas Yesharim has to warn you not to get too caught up in it! There is so much happiness in life, there is so much joy in life, there is so much zest and fun in life, that it’s enough to deceive anybody into thinking that this world is it! And so the Mesillas Yesharim makes sure that you know that it’s not real, that it’s illusory and fleeting.And he explains it like this: כי מה הם חיי האדם בעולם הזה, או מי הוא ששמח ושלו ממש בעולם הזה – “Because what is the life of a man in this world? And who is there who is actually completely happy and who really has tranquility and peace in this world? ימי שנותינו בהם שבעים שנה ואם בגבורות שמונים שנה ורהבם עמל ואון – Our days are only seventy years, andb’gvuros,if a man has strength and a healthy constitution, then he can live maybe eighty years. But a great part of these years is filled with difficulties and toil. בכמה מיני צער וחולאים ומכאובים וטרדות, ואחר כל זאת המות – A great part is sadness; various kinds of vicissitudes, pain, illness, troubles and worries. And after everything, comes death.”RAV MILLER KNOWS ALL ABOUT ITFind me someone whose life is not visited with disturbances! There is no such thing! The disappointments; the troubles and turbulence are constant. Every family, every individual, suffers in various ways in this world and I know all about it. I get the phone calls all the time. People are ringing my bell constantly. I know much more than you do. Trouble withparnassah,shalom bayis, shidduchim, sicknesses, fighting with neighbors and mothers-in-law, debts and everything you could imagine – and more. Life is full of difficulties for everyone – even the “fortunate” ones suffer in this world.And even if one would live a long life, peacefully, without any disturbances, the end is almost always filled withtzaros.Before death there is infirmity and sickness. Almost everybody eventually ends up in a home for the aged. Many of those who imagine and hope that they will forever make their way merrily through life, will most likely find themselves one day lying in a bed wearing diapers. Some of them will be laying for years in a bed unable to move and unable to perform their functions without the help of a nurse. You imagined yourself to be a happy success in this world and now you find yourself in a nursing home and an apathetic woman is changing your diapers five times a day. “Made in your pants again? So soon?! I just changed you two hours ago!” It’s no longer fun, I imagine, when you get up to there. Could that be thetovme’odthat you pursued all the days of your life?NO NEED TO SIGN UP!And after all of those “pleasures”, what is waiting for him? The cold clammy clay of the grave.Ay yah yay, the grave! The thought that we push away and hope to ignore forever. Because, of course, onlyotherpeople die. There’s a “chevrah shtarbers,” a club for people who die, and people imagine they’ll be able to say, “I never signed up for that!” That’s how we think.And the truth is that even if you would live a thousand years, and it would be a life of no disturbances at all, OK, so now you’re a thousand years old and it’s coming to an end. So what good is it all now? Those thousand years are not enough when the last day comes. A thousand years is not terribly long. It might be long when you’re starting it, but when you come to the end it doesn’t seem long at all. Now begins sadness. And to a certain extent this sadness pervades the entire life. No matter how jolly a group of revelers seem to be; they’re jumping around, blowing horns, and drinking. It looks like they’re living it up, but they’re not living it up, they’re covering it up. Because all of them have at the bottom of their heart – no matter how much they try to cover it up with good times – laying there is the awareness that eventually there will be death.WHAT HAPPENED TOTOV ME’OOOOOOOOD?!And so the Mesillas Yesharim tells us that this proves that Hakodosh Boruch Hu must have intended for a different existence where that promise oftov me’odwill be fully fulfilled. Because this world may betov, and it may betov me’od,and it may betovme’od me’od,and with another thousandme’ods –but that’s where it stops. It will always come to an end. And the ultimate promise oftovme’odwill only be fulfilled in the Next World. It’s only the happiness ofOlam Habothatwill never end, and that’s where yourneshamahwill finally be satisfied.Now we must know that the Mesillas Yesharim is not talking to people who have to be convinced aboutOlam Haba. His words are directed tobnei Torah,toma’aminimwho already believe in the Next World. He’s talking to people who are born into an environment – this was two hundred years ago or more – an environment where the entire world, even gentiles, all subscribed to the principle of the Afterlife, the Hereafter.But belief is not enough! You don’t just sign on the dotted line הריני מאמין באמונה שלימה בעולם הבא and finished. No! That’s only the first step. And so the Mesillas Yesharim wasn’t writing this to convince us about theexistenceofOlam Habaper se, but to emphasize thatOlam Habais thesole purposeof our stay in this world. Because even ama’aminwho believes implicitly inOlam Habacould think that maybe this world isalsoan end in itself.THE SECRET TO ALL DISSATISFACTIONAnd that’s one of the most important explanations for all the disappointment and unhappiness we see in this world; because this world is not the final goal and we have to be reminded of that. We need to be reminded that there’s another place where the enjoyment will continue forever. And there, the enjoyment will take place in such a manner that we will never tire from it; we’ll always be happy with that pleasure and it will continue forever.And so what happened on thatYom Hasheminiwas part of the eternal plan of Hashem in this world, to interject sadness into the midst of great joy. And the purpose of that was to teach them, during their great joy, that you must always remain focused on the principle that true unadulterated joy will only come inthe Afterlife. Whatever sin the two sons of Aharon may have committed, the severity of their fate and the sadness it brought upon the people was decreed beforehand, to teach theAm Yisroelforever and ever the lesson of supreme importance, the great fundamental lesson ofOlam Haba.It was no accident; it wasn’t something that justhappenedto have taken place during a moment of great happiness. It was the plan of Hashem that especially on this great day of joy, theAm Yisroelshould be reminded of the true joy that they live for, their true purpose in life. And it isdavkasadness that comes about during moments of great joy that accentuates most effectively this great teaching ofOlam Haba.Hakodosh Boruch Hu is talking to thehollilim –that’s us – He’s talking to us all the time, and He’s saying אל תהולו – “Do not lose yourself in the addictive happiness of this world. Remember that you are here only to prepare for the World to Come.”TOO MUCH GOOD IS NO GOODAnd that’s what ourMedrash Tanchumameans when it describes the happy day that turned tragic with these four important words: שאין שמחה ממתנת לאדם – “Happiness does not last in permanence for anybody.” Joy in this world will not continue forever and the one who rejoices today is not necessarily rejoicing tomorrow. Like thepossukin Koheles says (2:2): לשחוק אמרתי מהולל – “About laughter I said ‘It is wild, it is too much’”. מהולל means gaiety, happiness. And Hashem says, “If someone is reveling in this world, if he’s making his way merrily throughOlam Hazeh, getting entangled and absorbed in the success of this world, then I say to him: ‘That’s too much, it’s not good for you. I can’t let a person get lost in his happiness, in his desire to achieve satisfaction in this world, because that’s how a person squanders his life away.’”You’re here for seventy, eighty years after all; it seems so permanent, and you begin to feel that it’s an end in itself, and that’s how a person misses out on the opportunity of life. And so Hakodosh Boruch Hu sends reminders. He gives His order of אל תהולו and He introduces into your life an element of sadness.And so when we study ourparshaand read about the great tragedy that took place on this happy day we understand that it was Hashem’s plan to inject sadness into the happiest day in the history of the world. Hakodosh Boruch Hualwaysbrings into people’s lives experiences that are meant to sober them. And He has in mind this general principle of tempering the happiness and success of life so that a person will be encouraged to keep his focus on the Next World.Part II. The Great ConsolationWHAT’S WRONG WITH A LUXURIOUS HOTEL?If life was merely one thing after another, one joy following the next one, people would get lost in this world. Like a man we once had in our congregation. A true story! In our shul! He and his wife lived in a beautiful home on a tree-lined street with gardens. It was a beautiful street and an expensive home. But they had to go for vacation to the country. I don’t know if the country was any better than their home, but they went to an expensive hotel in the country for the summer.The truth is that I didn’t understand the necessity at all. She didn’t overwork herself here in the city, and they didn’t lack anything in their spacious and luxurious home. But they went to the country to spend the summer in an expensive hotel. A luxurious hotel where they could find “happiness”. Butthen, they left the hotel for a vacation to Switzerland for two weeks. Imagine people who lived that way constantly. They thought that maybe in Switzerland they’d find the satisfaction they were yearning for. But the truth is that they would never find true happiness in this world. Because they were looking in all the wrong places –because they were looking in this world.So what happened eventually? Unfortunately she suddenly contracted cancer. She was quite young and after a long and painful illness she finally had to leave this world. And she didn’t leave as a satisfied and happy woman. Now we understand that Hakodosh Boruch Hu has many purposes; and I’m not the one to interpret any purpose. I’m just saying an illustration. Because even if people have everything in this world, they will keep on looking for other things. And Hakodosh Boruch Hu wants to remind them: “Kinderlach!” He says. “Children! Don’t get lost in this world. Because your appetite forOlam Habais going to be dulled. And I want you to prepare a big lusty appetite for things of the spirit.”HASHEM TAKES AWAY YOUR LOLLIPOPYou know, one of the surprises that little children get is when they discover how “mean” their mothers are. Here’s a little boy who was given, let’s say, a quarter. A whole quarter! He’s on top of the world now! So he goes to the store and buys two lollipops. He comes home so happy, and as soon as he comes home, his mother snatches them out of his hand. And he can’t understand why his mother who is always so considerate and so kind is now so mean to him. His mother can’t explain to him that it’s just before mealtime and she doesn’t want him to spoil his appetite for nourishing food, and therefore she deprived him of hisnosherai.And so too, Hakodosh Boruch Hu sometimes takes away happiness from people in order that they should not lose their appetite for what’s coming later; to keep them focused on the great happiness they should always be anticipating, and that’s the World to Come.THE BOOK RAV MILLER NEVER WROTEToo much success is unhealthy. It’s like too much sweets in your diet. You can’t live on sugar; you need proteins and other nutrients and vitamins too. And you need a little bit of bitterness in life too. And that’s what themedrashis teaching us – it’s an illustration of the lesson that nobody should expect that this life will be nothing but pleasure and good times.You know, many times I was thinking about writing a book. I wanted to write a book called The Pursuit of Happiness. I have a lot of material on the subject and I knew that it would be a successful book because this world is a very happy place. But I didn’t write it because I didn’t want to mislead people. Because this world isnotfor the pursuit of happiness. Although this world is full of happiness, but people would read that title and think that happiness is a purpose in itself. No, it’s the pursuit of achievement, the pursuit of perfection, that’s what we’re here for in this world.THERE’S A LOT OF FUN IN THIS WORLD BUT…And therefore,Hashem has in store a lot of these treatments for everybody; it can’t be helped. Because the treatment oftzarosis the biggesttovahpossible when it causes a person to think ofOlam Habah.When people see that there is no complete happiness in this world, and they understand why that is so, that’s already a perfection of character. And therefore it’s important that Hashem remind people that this world is not for enjoyment and pleasure; although there’s a lot of fun in this world, but there’s a special world that was made for enjoyment. The Next World is especially set up for pleasure – it’s a world of happiness. And this world is not the place for that; this world is set up especially for achievement. And that’s the great consolation of this world –that this world is not it!Like Dovid Hamelech said when he saw that difficulties were coming upon him: אם אמרתי מטה רגלי – “When I thought that my foot was slipping,” חסדך השם יסעדני – Hashem, it was Your kindliness that supported me” (Tehillim 94:18-19). That means that I cried out to You that Your kindliness should help me. And many times it did. And then Dovid continues: ברוב שרעפי בקרבי – “In the multitude of my thoughts in my midst.” Dovid had thoughts, worries, of what was going to happen. He was confronted with peril at every footstep. Shaul was seeking Dovid with armed men; he was ambushing him and Dovid was hiding like an animal in caves and thickets. He was constantly beset with worries. And what did he say? ברוב שרעפי בקרבי – “Because of the many worries within me, תנחומיך ישעשעו נפשי – Your consolations were the delight of my soul.” Which consolations? What consolations?THE ONLY TRUENECHAMADovid was thinking aboutOlam Haba! Because he knew how to utilize his troubles in this world. He knew that one of the most important functions of sadness is to loosen your grasp on this world a little bit. So he made use of his troubles to create for himself a mind that was anOlam Haba’dikehmind. And it’s only the man with anOlam Haba’dikehmind who can weather the storms of this world.Somebody called me up now; he lost his son. A couple lost a son and they wanted to talk to me. Now, if they want to come sit with me, I could speak to them various words of consolation, I could do that. But the only true consolation is the words that we’re speaking here tonight. This world is a place where everybody loses something. But your world shouldn’t collapse for you because of what happened. When you concentrate your life onthisworld, even if you believe superficially inOlam Haba, but you live here with a feeling of permanence, that’s when the world turns out to be not what you wanted. Everything turns dark and it all collapses into nothing.THE BEREAVED FATHERHere’s another man who lost his son; this man was amispallelhere in our shul. And his son was atachshit; a sweet and brilliant man. He was married with a big family and he was eminently successful; successful in the Torah world and in the scholastic world as well. I still remember how the parents were having from this son a tremendousnachas. He really was an example of success and everything was the best that could be. And then suddenly in the midst ofYomtivrejoicing he died. An unexpected tragedy!And the father took it to heart; it broke him and he never really recovered. He didn’t live long after that. He was a healthy man but he left this world soon after that. And that’s because this father made a fundamental error. He was a good father, afrumman, but he made a mistake. The father had concentrated too much of his hopes on this world. And when this world collapsed, he collapsed with it.WEATHERING THE STORMS OF LIFEBut Aharon Hakohen and Elisheva, when their two beloved sons perished on theYom Hashmini, they didn’t collapse. And that’s because they understood the nature of this world; they understood that it’s a world of disappointments. And they concentrated on the thought that they would see their sons again. They would continue making their way successfully through the hallway of this world – what is it after all except for a hallway of seventy, eighty years – and then they would meet their sons again in the world of eternity.And that’s what everyone has to know. You can’t expect to be able to weather the difficulties of life, the small disappointments or the tragedieschas v’shalom, if you’renot prepared beforehand with the proper Torah attitudes. It’s the person who lives withOlam Habaon his mind who is able to make his way successfully through everything that life brings his way. Because he knows that he will see his family again and rejoice with them in the Next World. And he knows that he will receive his just and everlasting reward there, no matter what type oftzaros –big or small – he undergoes here.THE SNEAK ATTACKAnd that’s why the Chovos Halevavos tells us that of all the principles theyetzer haratries to weaken in a man, it is this one, the belief in the next world, that he attacks first and foremost. Because he knows thatOlam Habais theyesodof our lives. It’s our purpose here. So all the other things theyetzer haracan ignore – believe in Hashem, good; believe inMattanTorah, good; believe inYetziasMitzrayim, good; believe inTorah she’bal peh,good; believe in the wholegemara, believe in everything! You can even believe in arebbeh,atzadik! But be weak in just one thing; just be weak when it comes toOlam Haba.“Be weak in that,” says theyetzer hara. “Don’t talk about it; soft-peddle it. Be embarrassed to mention it.” BecauseOlam Habais everything! If theyetzer haracan weaken your awareness ofOlam Habathen everything else falls away. If yourOlamHabais weak, then your Torah is weak, yourmitzvosare weak. Everything else is weakened ifOlam Habais not constantly at the forefront of your thoughts.THE THOUSAND YEAR PHONE CONVERSATIONAnd let me tell you something – theyetzer harais doing a good job on us. There are plenty of frum people who are very weak in this principle. Now you may argue with me but I’m telling you that very many of us have succumbed almost entirely to theyetzer hara.And I can prove it to you immediately by a simple experiment. Let’s listen in to the conversations in an Orthodox home.All they talk about is this world. And they talk about it a lot! With details; all theolamhazehdikehdetails. The little girl listens to her mother on the telephone. What does she hear already?! Sheitels! This kind ofsheitel, that kind ofsheitel. And dresses! The mother is complaining about how hard it was to buy a dress. “I couldn’t get a dress anywhere. I went all over town to find a dress.” Finally she found it in a “special” place – around the corner. This is an Orthodox mother?! And that’s all the child hears. Sometimes recipes, and maybe makeup. All things fromthisworld. She can sit next to her mother fora thousand yearswhile her mother talks on the telephone, and she won’t hearOlam Habamentioned even once.And I’m afraid next to the father is no better. I’m not talking now about the father who is a connoisseur of wines, of bourbons. He has a cabinet filled with all different types of wineand he knows their names! That man I’m not speaking about now. He’s already sold out toOlam Hazehcompletely. He’s already sinking in quicksand; he’s in grave danger and he has to take emergency precautions to save himself.WHERE IS ZEIDY?I’m talking now to thefrummeh, the best. Here’s a father, and his children, all with black hats, sitting around the table talkingdivrei Torah.Maybe the father will say overpilpulimif he’s atalmid chochom; if not he’ll say over someguttaverter, some comments on thesedrah. ButOlam Habah? It’s a rare bird. You can sit sometimes for twenty years at a table and not hear even onceOlam Habahmentioned! Little children growing up don’t even know there’s such a thing. Unless someone dies and so they tell the child that “Zeidehis inOlam Habahnow.” But even then, the child is thinking, “What? Where?” Because nobody is talking about it. And there’s a good reason for that. Because theyetzer harahis most interested that it shouldn’t be mentioned.And so we have to do whatever we can that we shouldn’t fall into the trap of theyetzer hara! We should make it a point to speak aboutOlam Habaat the table. You have to plan ahead, with wisdom, with cunning. “How am I going to sneak in the subject ofOlam Habatoday?” And when you succeed, so you start making plans for the next meal. And even more than that – how long will we have to wait to hear them talk aboutgehenimat the Jewish table? Now that would be a Jewish table! The father and his family discussGan Edenandgehenim. And the father is always pointing out that למחר לקבל שכרם, in the Next World, that’s where we’ll be rewarded for our life’s work. “Chaim’ll, in the Next World Hashem is going to give you everything! Only Hashem can make you truly happy. And you should know, Chaim’ll, it’s notstama reward. A person won’t be able to handle thesimcha! Hashem is going to have to revive you again and again in order to continue bestowing His goodness upon you.” Now that’s table-talk for the Jewish home!YOUNG ISRAEL OF SLABODKAThe truth is that even in the shuls there’s nobody talking about it! How long will we have to sit in the shul and listen to the rabbi’s speeches before we hear a dissertation on the great subject ofOlam Haba? I remember when the Slobodka Rosh Yeshiva once came to America and they invited him to a Young Israel convention – it used to be held here in a hotel in New York City. He didn’t know what Young Israel means; he didn’t know, otherwise he would have surely not gone. So he went and they asked him to speak. Speak?! What is the Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva going to say to them already? Which subject should he speak about? He thought, “I should speak about what the Jews of America need to hear most.” And so he spoke on the subject ofgehenim.But you won’t always have the Slobodka Rosh Yeshiva to tell you those things. And there aren’t too many rabbis who are willing to tell you the truth. First of all, many of them are themselves weak in theemunahofOlam Habah. And even if not, he can’t tell you the truth. You’ll run to the other shul down the block, and your rabbi will lose all of his congregants. I told you once that in my shul we make a “membership drive” once in a while. I tell the shul members the truth, and I drive them out to all the other shuls in the neighborhood. That’s why the otherrabbonimin my neighborhood love me.IT’S NOT JUST THE OLD PEOPLENow I know that many people don’t like to hear about this subject and I don’t blame them. You might think, “That’s all Rabbi Miller is going to tell me?! That this world is not a happy place?!” I know some people don’t want to hear about the Next World; it makes them sad when I talk about it. They want to imagine that they’ll live forever and ever.But what can I do, my friends? It’s so important to internalize that this world is not forever; that everybody will die sooner or later. So a man comes back to the house after thelevayah; the mother of the house is now gone and he’s going to her home now to sitshivah. He sees a nice quiet home; it’s very neat because last week she was still cleaning up. And now she’s gone. What a pity! What a pity! Thealtermotheror thealterfather is gone. They always said such good words to us; it’s such a pity they’re gone now. But he has to know however that someday he’ll be gone too. Everybody mustknowthat he won’t live forever. And therefore we’re in this world only for the purpose of preparing.And the truth is that it shouldn’t make you sad; because when you know you’re living for a purpose, so every moment in this world becomes more precious to you. You enjoy this world even more because of the opportunities it provides for achieving the eternaltov me’od. And so the wise man, thechochomwho isro’eh es ha’nolad,doesn’t invest his hopes in this world. Because he knows that if he puts his hopes intoOlam Hazehso he’s going to be terribly disappointed. And that’s why you find a lot of old people are very soured onOlam Hazeh; because that’s all they were concerned about and now they see that it turned into nothing.THE HAPPY OLD MANI once visited a home for the aged and I was looking around at the old people. It was filled with American style old Jews,burim,amei ha’aretz, and it was a pity to see them. They were sitting around, staring. Life had turned out to be a disappointment. “This hurts me,” “I have none of my own teeth left,” “I can’t go here, I can’t do this or that.” It was nothing but disappointment. Only complaints, that’s all you could hear.And in the corner I saw an old man with a white beard, sitting at a table with agemaraopen. And he was busy getting ready for the next world. He was reviewing everything he had learned in his lifetime. And he was the happiest man in the place! He was busy, he was accomplishing, because he knew that he had a purpose. You know why he was happy. Because none of the disappointments in life had disappointed him! Everything was turning out exactly as expected and now he was getting ready now to cash in. He was busy counting all of his bonds before going to the bank, making sure he wouldn’t leave anything over. He was a happy man!WE DON’T LIKE TRAGEDIESAnd it wasn’t because he searched for happiness his whole life – it was because he recognized all the bumps of life for what Hashem intended them, as reminders from Hashem to remain focused on the true goal. Because he understood the important lessonal taholu,he knew not to get lost in the happiness of this world,and he therefore was the happiest man in this world.How can you be preparing forOlam Habaif you never even think about it, no less mention it? Isn’t that a tragedy? So we’re not going to let that happen to us because we don’t like tragedies. And so, we’re going to have to muster our resources, all of our energy, to fight this battle: Like the Rambam (Teshuva 8:7) says, “A person should always yearn forOlam Haba; he should always think aboutOlam Haba. Like Dovid Hamelech did. כמה כמה דוד לעולם הבא, How greatly did Dovid yearn for Olam Habah, כאיל תערוג על אפיקי מים, like a deer thirsting for drink.” (Tehillim 42:2)THE OLAM HABA PROGRAM – ONLY THIRTY SECONDS A DAYSoinstead of just talking about becoming great, we’ll actually do something about it. Instead of being like the people who just talk about doing things, we’re going to get busy immediately thinking about the World to Come. Together we’ll start anOlam Habaprogram. We’re going to spend at least thirty seconds every day thinking aboutOlam Haba,reminding ourselves that we’re in this world only as a preparation for the World to Come. For one half a minute, remind yourself that this world is just a vestibule, a place to put your things in order, before the World to Come.Every day at least thirty seconds on the clock, we’re going to think aboutOlamHaba. Whether you’re hanging on a strap on the subway, or driving to work; maybe you’re waiting to see the doctor, or even if you’re standing on the corner waiting for the light to change – whatever it is – look at your watch and let it tick off thirty seconds while you are now in the World to Come, thinking about the purpose of life.THE SWEETEST SHALOM ALEICHEM YOU’LL EVER HEARAnd then, when we come into the Next World so they’ll ask you, “What do you want here?” And you’ll say, “I prepared; I thought aboutOlam Habahin the world where I’m coming from. I worked on it!” “Oh!” they’ll say, “Shalom Aleichem! Welcome!” Because you’re superior to everybody else. You’re adagul mei’rivavah,you’re one in ten thousand. You’re a head taller than everybody else because you understood the lessons of what happened onYom Hashminiand you’re thinking every day about the World to Come. Now, whether they’ll give you a front seat, or a middle seat or a back seat, that will depend on how much effort you put into the things we speak about here. But they are going to welcome you; that’s guaranteed.And so, if anyone asks you what you are doing in the world – whether you can tell him or not – you at least have to know for yourself that we’re here to prepare for the great career of everlasting happiness in the Next World. That is the foundation upon which we build everything in this world. It’s theyesod hachasidusv’shoresh ha’avodah,and if you have this before your eyes then you can build. But if not, or even if you do but it’s weak, then you’re building without a foundation. The whole foundation of being a Jew is the clear conviction that our purpose isOlam Habah,the Afterlife. Not that the Afterlife is an annex, something that isalsogoing to be given to us. No –the Afterlife is it!It’s onlyOlam Habahthat counts! That’s your great joy! And do you know what’s going to happen when you train yourself to think this way? It’s going to illuminate your life. It will put asimcha, a deep and profound happiness, into your life. Because no matter what happens, from the smallest bumps of daily life, tochas v’shalomthe most terrible of tragedies, you know that you are being reminded by Hashem of your purpose in this world, and you know that you’re headed for success. And once you assimilate this idea ofOlam Habahinto your bones, then you’ll be capable of weathering all of the turbulence that life brings. And you’ll grow even greater from the constant lessons of אל תהולו that Hashem brings upon you as He prepares you for the great day when you will finally leave thisprozdor, the hallway that this world is, and you’ll enter into the טרקלין, the great palace of the World to Come. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   We learned in the mishna (26.4): If its berries are more numerous than leaves, it’s possul.   Rav Chisda: The following was said by our great teacher [Rav], may he receive Divine assistance in his great work [spreading Torah in Bavel]: This is only if the berries are numerous in one area, but in several areas, it’s kosher.  Rava: If the berries are scattered, then it’s a spotted hadas and it is surely possul. There was an error in the way the statement was reported, it must be as follows:  Rav Chisda: The following was said by our great teacher [Rav], may he receive Divine assistance in his great work: This is only if the berries are already black, but if they’re still green, it’s kosher, it’s just like green leaves.  Rav Papa: Red berries are like black berries. As taught by Rabbi Chanina: Black blood is essentially red blood only that it suffered a change.  We learned in the mishna (26.4): If he reduces the amount of berries, it is kosher.   Question: When did he remove the berries? Tentative Response: Before he tied the hadassim into the bundle, it is certainly kosher. The mishna must be teaching that it’s kosher if the berries were removed even after agad. We thus see that taaseh does not apply to the lulav (because it’s kosher), and that dichui mei’ikara* is not applied to mitzvos.   Response: We cannot bring proof to the principle of dichui because agad doesn’t matter, it is only a preparation for the mitzvah. The mitzvah only actually begins when Yom Tov comes in, by which time he had already removed the berries; that’s why it’s kosher. * Rashi: There are two components to the concept of dichui in korbanos which the gemara seeks to apply to all mitzvos: A. Dichui mei’ikara - Something that was never acceptable for the mitzvah [from the time it was ‘made’]; and is now seeking to be accepted. B. Nireh v’nidcheh - Something that was at first acceptable, then experienced dichui; and is now again seeking to be accepted. The gemara here seeks to prove that at least “Dichui A” does not apply to mitzvos. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  *https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=*  Summary   We learned (29.4): A black [Ethiopian] esrog is possul.   Challenge: Beraisa: An Ethiopian esrog is kosher, if it looks like an Ethiopian esrog [it’s black], it’s possul.  Abayye: Our mishna is referring to a black esrog that didn’t grow in Ethiopia, it merely looks Ethiopian.  Rava: For us [in Eretz Yisroel] it is possul [even if it’s actually from Ethiopia] for them [in Bavel, where they’re accustomed to Ethiopian esrogim], it is kosher.  We learned (29.4): An unripe esrog*: is possul according to Rabbi Akiva. The Chachomim permit its use.   Rabbah: Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Shimon are in agreement.  Rabbi Shimon: A small esrog is pottur from maaser [this agrees with Rabbi Akiva that it is possul with regard to esrog].   Abayye to Rabbah: Perhaps it is not so, perhaps it is only possul according to Rabbi Akiva with regard to esrog which must be hadar. And perhaps Rabbi Shimon only holds this position with regard to maaser which must be able to reproduce.  It is therefore not a valid comparison.   We learned (29.4): If it was grown in a form and is now shaped like some other creature, it’s possul.   Rava: If it was grown in a form but is shaped like an esrog, it’s kosher.  Question: It states explicitly “If it was grown in a form and is now shaped like some other creature”, but if it’s shaped like an esrog, it’s kosher.  Response: This is a case where ridges developed because of the form, Rava is saying that it’s still kosher. * Tosfos explains that an unripe esrog cannot be used regardless of its size, the unripeness alone disqualifies it. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored As a zechus for the Refuah of Yekusel Yehudah ben Perel  Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://torasavigdor.thechesedfund.com/2021/teams/yeshivahbneiavigdor  Summary   We learned in the mishna (28.1): If the pitom is broken off, it’s possul.   Rabbi Yitzchok ben Elazar: The pestle was broken off (1. The pestle means the part that goes in - what we call the ukatz. 2. It refers to the stem of the pitom, if the flower falls off, it’s kosher but if the stem breaks off, it’s possul. 3. It refers to the part of the ukatz that’s in the esrog).  We learned in the mishna (28.1): If it was peeled, it’s possul.   Rava: An esrog which was somewhat peeled, like a browned date, is kosher.  Challenge: But in our mishna we learned, it’s possul.   Resolution: It depends if it’s peeled off completely or partially*.  We learned in the mishna (28.1): If it was split, or it was pierced and a bit is missing; it’s possul.   Ulla bar Chanina: If it was pierced through and through (not in middle where the meat of the fruit is, there even a bit is a problem), even the smallest bit missing, disqualifies it. If it is not through and through, the hole must be the size of a small coin called Issar.    Click here to listen with Tosfos: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fMEWhajesGrMr0rXJZhlVs IWrwd8pCQ/view?usp=sharing * Rashi: If the thin covering is peeled off completely, the esrog is kosher, because the entire fruit is uniform in color, otherwise it looks spotted (28.5).  Rabeinu Chananel (Tosfos): If it’s peeled off partially, it’s kosher, as we learn from Chullin. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today is the final day! Please make a generous donation at RabbiMillerCampaign.com   Please consider adding $18 in honor of Yeshivah Bnei Avigdor or $10 in honor of the 10 Minute Kevius at gemara.RabbiMillerCampaign.com  Today is the day!  The TORAS AVIGDOR 48 Hour fundraiser is now live! Please make a generous donation at https://torasavigdor.thechesedfund.com/2021/teams/yeshivahbneiavigdor Please consider adding $18 in honor of Yeshivah Bnei Avigdor or $10 in honor of the 10 Minute Kevius at *https://torasavigdor.thechesedfund.com/2021/teams/yeshivahbneiavigdor*  Summary  We learned in the mishna (28.1): An esrog of maaser sheini in Yerushalayim shouldn’t be used, but if it was used, it’s kosher. According to the opinion (regarding terumah - 28.4) that it becomes muchshar; such an esrog becomes muchshar. According to the opinion that it is ruined; such an esrog is ruined.  We learned in the mishna (28.1): An esrog of maaser sheini in Yerushalayim shouldn’t be used, but if it was used, it’s kosher. According to the opinion (regarding orlah - 28.2) that it must be fit for consumption; such an esrog is fit for consumption. According to the opinion that it must be his property; such an esrog is his property according to the Chachomim (who argue on Rabbi Meir, 28.2).   We learned in the mishna (28.1): If a chazazis came on most of the esrog, it’s possul. If a chazazis came on a small part of the esrog, it’s kosher.   Rav Chisda (See 27.2): The following was said by our great teacher [Rav], may he receive Divine assistance in his great work [he was still alive at the time]: The esrog is only disqualified by this blemish if the chazazis is in one area, but in several areas, it’s kosher.  Rava: If it’s in several areas, then it’s a spotted esrog and it is surely possul. There was an error in the way the statement was reported, it must be on the second part of the mishna - that a chazazis on a small part of the esrog is kosher:  Rav Chisda: The following was said by our great teacher [Rav], may he receive Divine assistance in his great work: The esrog is only kosher if the chazazis is in one area, but in several areas, it’s possul.   Rava: On the nose of the esrog, any minute flaw makes it possul. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today is the day!  The TORAS AVIGDOR 48 Hour fundraiser is now live! Please make a generous donation at https://torasavigdor.thechesedfund.com/2021/teams/yeshivahbneiavigdor Please consider adding $18 in honor of Yeshivah Bnei Avigdor or $10 in honor of the 10 Minute Kevius at *https://torasavigdor.thechesedfund.com/2021/teams/yeshivahbneiavigdor*  Summary   We learned in the mishna (28.1): “An esrog of terumah temeiah is possul”.  Because it is forbidden to eat.   We learned in the mishna (28.1): An esrog of terumah shouldn’t be used, but if it was used, it’s kosher.  The reason for this is a debate between Rabbi Ami and Rabbi Asi.  According to one: Because it may become muchshar (the lulav was stored in water and would wet the esrog; setting it up for contracting tumah - see 11.4).  According to the other: Because it is ruined (the peel becomes brown from handling).  The difference would be in a case where he proclaimed the entire fruit - except for its peel - terumah. It would still have the problem of making the fruit muchshar, but not the issue of ruining the peel.  We learned in the mishna (28.1): An esrog of terumah shouldn’t be used, but if it was used, it’s kosher.  According to the opinion (regarding orlah - 28.2) that it must be fit for consumption; such an esrog is fit for consumption. According to the opinion that it must be his property; such an esrog is his property.   We learned in the mishna (28.1): An esrog of Demai: Beis Shammai: It is possul. Beis Hillel: It is kosher.  [Demai is food produced by amei ha’aretz. We generally don’t eat it because we don’t trust that they separated terumos and maasros. But actually the majority of amei ha’aretz did separate terumos and it was thus permitted for paupers to eat without separating terumos].  Beis Hillel permits this esrog since one can become a pauper at any moment by giving away all his property, Demai is thus technically permitted for him to eat (the problem with an esrog that cannot be eaten is that it’s not considered ‘lachem’, but here since he has the potential to eat it, it is permissible). We learned this in a mishna: We feed paupers demai. We also feed soldiers demai (according to some this refers to non-jewish soldiers, if terumah needs to be separated from a food, you cannot give it away to a gentile. According to others this refers to Jewish soldiers, although they may be landowners, they’re considered paupers as long as they’re on active duty). According to Beis Shammai, demai is not permissible for paupers, as we learned: We feed paupers demai. We also feed soldiers demai.   Rav Huna: Learn it this way: Beis Shammai: Paupers and soldiers cannot be fed with demai. Beis Hillel: Paupers and soldiers are fed demai. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by   Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= An esrog of orlah is possul. The reason for this is a debate between Rabbi Chiya bar Avin and Rav Asi. According to one: Because it cannot be eaten*. According to the other: Because it is not considered your property** (because it is ossur b’hana’ah). Everyone agrees that the esrog must be suitable to eat. They only differ as to whether it must also be the owner’s property. The difference is that according to Rabbi Meir: Maaser Sheini is considered Hashem’s property which we are allowed to eat when we are in Yerushalayim. Such an esrog is not one’s property but is permissible to eat.  Summary   A proof that Rabbi Asi is the one who says ‘Because it is not considered your property’. Rabbi Asi: An esrog of maaser sheini cannot be used according to Rabbi Meir but it may be used according to the Chachomim.  Response: Indeed, it is a proof. Full Statement: Rabbi Asi: An esrog of maaser sheini cannot be used according to Rabbi Meir but it may be used according to the Chachomim.  Matzah of maaser sheini cannot be used according to Rabbi Meir but it may be used according to the Chachomim. Dough of maaser sheini is not chayav in challah according to Rabbi Meir but it is according to the Chachomim.  Challenge: Rav Papa: Regarding dough, the possuk states “arisoseichem” - that it must belong to you. Similarly, regarding esrog the possuk states “lachem” - that it must belong to you. But where does it state that matzah must “belong to you”?  Rabbah bar Shmuel or perhaps Rav Yeimar bar Shlamya: We know from a gezeirah shaveh, since both matzah and challah are called lechem. Just as challah must be yours and not maaser sheini, the same goes for matzah*.  Suggestion: Perhaps a proof can be brought from the following: “Dough of maaser sheini is not chayav in challah, according to Rabbi Meir. Chachomim: It is chayav in challah.   Challenge: Why is it only a possible proof?  Resolution: It is certainly a proof regarding challah. The question is only if we can deduce that the same principle applies to esrog and matzah. Perhaps Rabbi Meir only holds this view regarding challah where the possuk emphasizes that it “must belong to you” twice. Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1A-4M31kqYxUmxd9md4plSm42n5c-RHul/view?usp=sharing * Tosfos explains that since the Torah states ‘lachem’, one must be able to derive benefit by eating it. Tosfos resolves a difficulty on this from masichta Shabbos. * *Tosfos explains that this requirement only applies to the first day. This is why the gemara prefers to give a different reason for disqualifying an esrog of Asherah or ir hanidachas.  * Tosfos explains that this cannot be given as the reason to disqualify matzah of revel since tevel is technically the property of its owner, it’s just that the kohen and levi who are owed terumah are looked at as partners. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  The gemara brought proof that “Pri eitz hadar” refers to the esrog.   Summary   (Throughout the ages, the esrog was known [26.2], but the Chachomim are finding hints in the possuk).   Rebbi: “Hadar” is similar to “Hadir - The flock”. Just as a flock is made up of large and small animals, healthy and maimed animals, so too, the esrog tree has all types of esrogim. Although other trees also have all types of fruit, since the esrogim stay on the tree from season to season, the large fruits are there at the same time as the small fruits.  Rabbi Abahu: “Hadar” is similar to “Hador - He who dwells”. This refers to the esrog who dwells in his tree from year to year.  Ben Azai: “Hadar” is similar to “Hydor - Hydro” which means water in Greek. The fruit which requires an excessive amount of water is the esrog.   We learned in the mishna (28.1): From an Asherah tree or from an ir hanidachas is possul.  Since it must be burned, it is already considered ashes and thus not a proper shiur (25.5).  We learned in the mishna (28.1): An esrog of orlah is possul.  The reason for this is a debate between Rabbi Chiya bar Avin and Rav Asi.  According to one: Because it cannot be eaten. According to the other: Because it is not considered your property (because it is ossur b’hana’ah).   Challenge: We learned in the mishna: “Terumah temeiah is possul”. This seems to follow the opinion that something is disqualified when it cannot be eaten. But terumah temeiah is still considered the owner’s property and can be used as fuel!  Resolution: Everyone agrees that the esrog must be suitable to eat. They only differ as to whether it must also be the owner’s property.  Question: What difference does it make?  Response: According to Rabbi Meir: Maaser Sheini is considered Hashem’s property which we are allowed to eat when we are in Yerushalayim. Such an esrog is not one’s property but is permissible to eat. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored by  Avraham Guber  In memory of those who died in the horrific Meron tragedy Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Mishna:  A stolen or dried out esrog is possul. From an Asherah tree or from an ir hanidachas is possul.  An esrog of orlah is possul.   Terumah temeiah is possul (because it is forbidden to eat).  An esrog of terumah shouldn’t be used (because it may become tamei), but if it was used, it’s kosher. An esrog of Demai: Beis Shammai: It is possul. Beis Hillel: It is kosher. An esrog of maaser sheini in Yerushalayim [where it may be eaten] shouldn’t be used (because it may become tamei), but if it was used, it’s kosher. If a chazazis - a growth of tiny blisters - came on most of the esrog, or if the pitom is broken off, if it was peeled, if it was split, it was pierced and a bit is missing; it’s possul.  If a chazazis came on a small part of the esrog, or if the ukatz is broken off, if it was pierced and nothing is missing; it’s kosher. A black esrog is possul.  If it’s green like a vegetable: Rabbi Meir: It is kosher. Rabbi Yehuda: It is possul.  A small esrog: Rabbi Meir: It must be the size of a walnut. Rabbi Yehuda: It must be the size of an egg. A large esrog: Rabbi Yehuda: He must be able to hold two in one hand. Rabbi Yosi: Even if he can only hold one in both hands, it’s kosher.  Gemara:   Beraisa: “The beautiful fruit of a tree” - this is the esrog whose tree tastes like its fruit.  Challenge: What about the pepper tree which also shares this quality, as we learn in a beraisa: “You will plant all [fruit] trees of food” - why does the possuk add ‘of food’, don’t all fruit trees give food? This teaches A. that even the pepper is included in the mitzvah of orlah. B. that nothing is missing from Eretz Yisroel as it states “you will lack nothing”.  Resolution: Our possuk cannot be referring to pepper. One peppercorn is too small to “take”, and the possuk refers to it in the singular, so more cannot be taken. Therefore “a fruit whose tree tastes like it” must refer to the esrog. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored In honor of Rabbi Moshe Horowitz Shlita in appreciation of all his great work at Toras Avigdor  Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Beraisa: What is the difference between an aravah and tzaftzafah?  The aravah’s stem is red and its leaf is elongated and its edge is smooth. The tzaftzafah has a white stem, its leaf is rounded and its edge is like a scythe [it has sharp teeth]. (In some cases, kosher aravos have some of these characteristics but since they have some of the kosher signs, they’re kosher).  Challenge: Beraisa: If it has points like a scythe (the teeth look like waves), it’s kosher, but if it has teeth like a saw it’s possul.   Abayye: This beraisa is discussing Chilfa Gilla [which is kosher even though it has spikes].  Abayye: We see from here that chilfa gilla may be used for the lulav.   Challenge: Isn’t that obvious?  Resolution: One might have thought that it’s possul since it has an attached name (26.5).  Question: Why indeed is it kosher?  Response: The Torah says ‘arvei nachal’ which implies all aravos.   Rav Chisda: Since the churban these three things have swapped their names: The aravah is now called chilfa, while chilfa is called aravah. So only chilfa is kosher for the lulav.  The shofar is now called chatzotzros , while chatzotzros is called shofar. So only the chatzotzros is kosher for Rosh Hashana. A pesorta (small table) is now called a pesora, while a pesora is called pesorta. It makes a difference with regard to buying and selling [one needs to know which he is ordering]. (The idea here is that when we had a Sanhedrin they would appoint inspectors to oversee everything in the land. They also took care to ensure that the language remained the same, because lexical changes can affect halachos and business).  Abayye: I’ll add one as well.  Bei kosi is now called huvlila, while huvlila is called bei kosi. It makes a difference with regard to a needle found in the beis hakosos [bei kosi in Aramaic]. (When a needle is found in the body of an animal, the animal is treif, but when it’s found in the stomach it may be kosher. If it is stuck in the wall of the stomach called the hemses - a thin wall - it is treif, but in the beis hakosos which is thick and fleshy, it is still kosher). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Mishna:  A stolen or dried out aravah is possul.  If it comes from an Asherah tree or from an ir hanidachas, it is possul.  If the tip is broken off, or the leaves are broken, or a Tzaftzafah (another similar species), it is possul.  If it is wilted, missing some leaves, or it is watered by man (it doesn’t grow near a stream), it is kosher.  Gemara:   Beraisa: When the possuk says “Arvei nachal - willow of the streams” it means the species that grow near streams. A different peshat: A willow whose leaves are elongated like a stream.  Another Beraisa: “Arvei Nachal” indicates something that grows near a stream, but since “Arvei” [plural] denotes multiple willows, it teaches that aravos which are watered [by man] or grow on mountains are also kosher.  Abba Shaul: The plural Arvei teaches that there are two mitzvos of aravah, one that is taken with the lulav and one that is taken separately in the Mikdash. The Chachomim learn about the aravah in the Mikdash by tradition; halacha l’Moshe miSinai. As was taught by Rabbi Asi quoting Rabbi Yochanan: [These three halachos were handed down from Sinai together], The law of ten saplings [in a certain area may be plowed up to shmittah], the law of aravah [the special mitzvah in the Mikdash], and the mitzvah of nisuch hamayim.   Beraisa: When the possuk says “ Arvei nachal - willow of the streams” it means the species that grow near streams, this excludes the tzaftzafah - the species that grows in mountainous areas.  Rabbi Zeira: This is alluded to in the possuk “To take tzaftzafah in place of what grows on the waters”. (It means that when the Jewish people forsake their natural habitat in the mighty waters of Torah, they become an entirely different species, even though they may still look similar).  Abayye to Rabbi Zeira: Perhaps the possuk is saying that tzaftzafah is the species which grows on mighty waters?  Response: The wording of the possuk precludes that explanation.  Rabbi Abahu: Hashem says: I intended for the Jews to be like the aravah dwelling on the mighty waters of Torah, but they have made themselves into the tzaftzafah of the mountains (although they didn’t do any true sins, but a Jew must dwell on copious waters of Torah).  Some learn this possuk as a beraisa [not a statement of Rabbi Zeira] and then the question was asked by Rabbi Zeira [not Abayye]. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by  Daily Tehillim An inspirational possuk every day by SMS/text with English translation (Starting after Shavuos)  Text 'Join' to 833-244-6181 Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= We learned in the mishna (26.4): If he reduces the amount of berries, it is kosher. There are two components to the concept of dichui in korbanos which the gemara seeks to apply to all mitzvos: A. Dichui mei’ikara - Something that was never acceptable for the mitzvah; and is now seeking to be accepted. B. Nireh v’nidcheh - Something that was at first acceptable, then experienced dichui; and is now again seeking to be accepted. The gemara sought to prove from this part of the mishna that at least “Dichui A” does not apply to mitzvos. The gemara explained that this part of the mishna is no proof since it is not yet Yom Tov and the mitzvah is not yet extant to be nidcheh.  Summary  We learned in the mishna (26.4): If he reduces the amount of berries, it is kosher. It is forbidden to remove the berries on Yom Tov.  Question: What if he did remove the berries on Yom Tov? It seems that the hadas would be kosher. That can only be if we say that dichui does not apply to mitzvos:  If the berries become black (to disqualify the hadas, 27.2) before Yom Tov came in [thus a case of dichui mei’ikara], we can learn from this mishna that dichui mei’ikara does not apply to mitzvos. (But it seems from 27.2 that our mishna cannot be a proof to the question of dichui mei’ikara).  If they become black on Yom Tov [thus a case of nireh v’nidcheh], we can learn from this mishna that even nireh v’nidcheh does not apply to mitzvos.   Response: Indeed, we can learn from here that dichui mei’ikara does not apply to mitzvos but we have no proof regarding nireh v’nidcheh.   Beraisa: It is forbidden to remove the berries on Yom Tov. Rabbi Eliezer b’Rabbi Shimon: It is permissible.  Challenge: How can it be permissible to remove the berries on Yom Tov? He is ‘fixing’ the hadas!   Rav Ashi: This is a case where he removes the berries in order to eat them, Rabbi Eliezer follows the opinion of his father that “an unintended act is permissible”. [Since he didn’t intend to fix the hadas, he didn’t transgress anything by doing so].  Challenge: But Abayye and Rava both said that Rabbi Shimon agrees in a case of “chopping off a head without causing death” [when the consequence of an act is unavoidable, it is not permissible just because it was unintended].  Rav Ashi: This is a case where he has another hadas [he thus does not need the melacha, placing this in the category of melacha she’eina tzricha l’gufah which Rabbi Shimon is lenient with. Although even Rabbi Shimon doesn’t generally permit melacha she’eina tzricha l’gufah, here it is permitted because its a mitzvah. Tosfos).   Beraisa: If the bundle of the lulav set came apart on Yom Tov when tying is forbidden, it may be bound like a vegetable bundle (it is wrapped rather than tied).   Challenge: Let him make a bow? (Like we do for gelilah on Shabbos, we actually make a bow all week because according to some, it would be forbidden to untie on Shabbos otherwise).  Resolution: This follows the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda who includes making bows in the prohibition of tying.  Challenge: But Rabbi Yehuda holds lulav tzarich agad (10.1) - that it is a Torah requirement to bind the lulav, thus he certainly requires a proper knot?  Resolution: The beraisa only agrees with the first position of Rabbi Yehuda [regarding making a bow] but not with the second [regarding agad]. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here: *https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=*  Summary  An esrog that was pierced by the teeth of rats: Rav: It is not hadar [and thus possul].   Challenge: But “Rabbi Chanina would dip the esrog [in oil] [and chew a piece of it] and then use the esrog”. (So we see that even an esrog pierced by teeth is kosher).  Question: Isn’t Rabbi Chanina opposed by the mishna (28.1) which disqualifies a pierced esrog?   Response: The mishna can be referring to the first day of Yom Tov, while Rabbi Chanina used the esrog on the second day. But according to Rav, since it’s disqualified by not being hadar, it should be possul on the second day as well (the arba minim are disqualified for all of yom tov only if it is possul because of ‘hadar’, see 24.5)?  Resolution: An esrog that was pierced is kosher on the second day, but if it was pierced by rats, it’s disgusting and not hadar.  Some say: An esrog that was pierced by the teeth of rats: Rav: It is hadar despite being chewed upon, because “Rabbi Chanina would dip the esrog [and chew a piece of it] and then use the esrog”. (So we see that even an esrog pierced by teeth is kosher).   Question: Isn’t Rabbi Chanina opposed by the mishna (28.1) which disqualifies a pierced esrog?   Response: The mishna can be referring to the first day of Yom Tov, while Rabbi Chanina used the esrog on the second day.  We learned in the mishna (28.1): A small esrog: Rabbi Meir: It must be the size of a walnut. Rabbi Yehuda: It must be the size of an egg.   Rafram bar Papa: The same machlokes can be found regarding avanim mekurzalos (stones that are used as toilet paper, either ‘smooth stones’ or ‘elongated stones’. While stones may not be used on Shabbos, Chazal allowed for what is necessary for personal hygiene):   Beraisa: Three avanim mekurzalos may be taken* in to the restroom on Shabbos. Rabbi Meir: Stones the size of a walnut. Rabbi Yehuda: Stones the size of an egg. We learned in the mishna (28.1): A large esrog: Rabbi Yehuda: He must be able to hold two in one hand. Rabbi Yosi: Even if he can only hold one in both hands, it’s kosher.  Beraisa: Rabbi Yosi: Rabbi Akiva once lugged an esrog to the synagogue on his shoulder [it was so large]. Rabbi Yehuda: That is no proof, the Chachomim said to him that he cannot fulfill the mitzvah with such an esrog which is not hadar.  Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1o0LtEvylz1gZIZ3sBYUYUWFVh 4bIeac/view?usp=sharing  * According to Rashi the issue here is muktzeh, because he is carrying it less than 4 amos in a karmelis [they relieved themselves on open fields].   Tosfos: The beraisa states “to take in”, additionally, the word ‘beis hakisei’ is used which does indicate a room. Tosfos explains that the permission regarding these stones was to carry them from a karmelis to a reshus hayachid. Actually handling muktzeh is more severe than carrying in a karmelis, so Rashi should admit that it is permissible if he believes muktzeh was permitted here. Nowadays when it’s possible to prepare before Shabbos, this special permission does not apply. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Rabbi Yirmiyah inquired: Does dichui apply to mitzvos or only to korbanos?   Summary   Suggestion: Perhaps this is already debated by these Tannaim:  “Rabbi Elazar ben Tzadok: If one transgresses the laws of Yom Tov to remove the berries that grew on his hadassim, it is possul. Chachomim: It is kosher.” We can say that ‘lulav ein tzarich agad’ [the lulav need not be ‘made’ by tying it together with the hadassim and aravos], but even if it does need to be ‘made’, the ‘taaseh v’lo min ha’asuy’ of sukkos does not apply to lulav as well. Thus, Rabbi Elazar ben Tzadok holds that dichui applies to mitzvos [and since the hadassim were possul with the advent of yom tov, they can no longer become kosher], while the Chachomim hold that dichui does not apply to mitzvos.   Response: No, everyone agrees that dichui does not apply to mitzvos, they argue over whether the ‘taaseh v’lo min ha’asuy’ of sukkos applies to lulav or not* [this implies that we hold lulav tzarich agad].   Or we can say: If we hold lulav tzarich agad, then certainly the taaseh applies, but the Chachomim hold that lulav ein tzarich agad.   The debate about lulav tzarich agad (10.1):  Beraisa: “A lulav is kosher whether it’s bound or not. Rabbi Yehuda: A lulav is kosher if it’s bound and possul if unbound”.  Rabbi Yehuda learns a gezeirah shaveh; The word ‘lekicha’ is used regarding lulav and regarding the hyssop bundle [used in the preparation of the korban pesach in Mitzrayim]. The Chachomim do not learn the gezeirah shaveh.   Question: Whose opinion does this beraisa follow? “A lulav should be bound, but is kosher even if it remains unbound”?  Answer: It follows the Chachomim. Binding is not a requirement but it’s recommended so as to beautify Hashem’s mitzvos.   Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HRzbd KGiwtwZABosLW fm5Qh-9DzaLv/view?usp=sharing * Tosfos: If this is the debate, the beraisa need not have discussed a case where one removed the berries on yom tov. But we still learn something else, that according to the Chachomim there’s no dichui. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= Rabbi Yirmiyah inquired: Does dichui apply to mitzvos or only to korbanos?  Summary   Challenge: Isn’t the answer found in this mishna [and the subsequent discussion]?  If he covered [the blood] and it was uncovered [by the wind], he need not cover it again. If it was covered by the wind, he must cover it himself.  Rabbah bar bar Chana: Only if it was uncovered after it was covered by the wind, but as long as it remains covered, he need not cover it. The question was raised: Why would one be required to cover it after it was uncovered by the wind, it was already nidche when it was covered the first time!  Rav Papa: We see from here that dichui doesn’t apply to mitzvos.   Resolution: Rabbi Yirmiyah’s inquiry was made regarding the strength of Rav Papa’s statement. Was he certain that dichui doesn’t apply to mitzvos even when this results in leniency [such as pronouncing the snipped hadassim kosher (26.5)], or was he uncertain and he therefore said it only when the result was a stringency [to require the covering of blood].  Suggestion: Perhaps this is already debated by these Tannaim:  “Rabbi Elazar ben Tzadok: If one transgresses the laws of Yom Tov to remove the berries that grew on his hadassim, it is possul. Chachomim: It is kosher.” We can say that ‘lulav ein tzarich agad’ [the lulav need not be ‘made’ by tying it together with the hadassim and aravos], but even if it does need to be ‘made’, the ‘taaseh v’lo min ha’asuy’ of sukkos does not apply to lulav as well. Thus, Rabbi Elazar ben Tzadok holds that dichui applies to mitzvos [and since the hadassim were possul with the advent of yom tov, they can no longer become kosher], while the Chachomim hold that dichui does not apply to mitzvos.   Response: No, everyone agrees that dichui does not apply to mitzvos, they argue over whether the ‘taaseh v’lo min ha’asuy’ of sukkos applies to lulav or not. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  The hadas must have three leaves growing in one row.   Summary   Rav Kahana: Even two [in one row] and one [in the row beneath] is kosher.  Rav Acha brei d’Rava would seek out specifically such hadassim because it came from Rav Kahana’s mouth (we don’t pasken this way).   Mar bar Ameimar to Rav Ashi: My father would call such a hadas, a hadas shoteh (Shoteh means something that’s out of ordinary).   Beraisa: If most of its leaves fell out but a minority remained, it is kosher, on condition that the braided effect remained.  Challenge: This is a self-contradictory statement. If most of its leaves fell out, how can it remain braided?  Abayye: It is possible in the case of Egyptian Hadassim which have seven leaves in each row.  Abayye: We learn from this beraisa that Egyptian hadassim can be used, despite the fact that it has an attached name (11.2). The Torah doesn’t tell us to take hadassim but eitz avos, these are eitz avos as well.  Beraisa: If the hadassim are dried out, but three stems with [three] fresh leaves remain, it is kosher.  Rav Chisda: This fresh row must be at the top of these stems. We learned in the mishna (26.4): “If the tip is broken off, it is possul”.   Ulla bar Chinena: If the tip broke off and a little bulb grew at the tip, it is kosher.  Rabbi Yirmiyah inquired: If the tip broke off before yom tov and the bulb grew on yom tov, what is the law? Does dichui (once it was possul when yom tov came in, it can no longer become kosher) apply to mitzvos or only to korbanos? This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Mishna:  A stolen or dried out hadas is possul.  If it comes from an Asherah tree or from an ir hanidachas, it is possul.  If the tip is broken off, or the leaves are broken (according to Rashi, they’re not connected to the ‘shedrah’, others explain that the leaves are drooping downward) it is possul.  If its berries are more numerous than leaves, it’s possul (because it’s lacking in hadar). If he reduces the amount of berries, it is kosher. It is forbidden to remove the berries on Yom Tov (because he is fixing the hadassim).   Gemara:   Beraisa: “Anaf eitz avos” This means a branch that is covered in plaited leaves; it must refer to the hadas.   Challenge: Perhaps it means an olive branch which is also covered in leaves.  Resolution: The olive leaves do not lie on the twig and cannot be called “avos”.   Challenge: Perhaps it means dulva?   Resolution: Its leaves do not cover the branch.  Challenge: Perhaps it means hirduf (which does fulfill all the requirements)?   Rava: (26.2) It states “The ways of the Torah are sweet and all of its paths are peace” but the hirduf’s leaves are pointed like thorns. (Although the Torah sometimes requires us to sacrifice, in general, its ways are pleasant and this cannot be the meaning of anaf eitz avos).  Abayye: We learn that from another verse, “The Torah is Truth and Pleasantness”  Beraisa: [The hadas is identified because it’s] braided and like a chain; that’s the hadas.   Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov: Anaf- Eitz means that the anaf (what comes from the tree) is the same as the eitz (the wood of the branch); that’s the hadas whose berries taste like its branch.  Beraisa: A hadas which is avos is kosher. If it’s not avos, it’s possul.   Question: Which hadas is avos?   Response: If it has three leaves growing in one row. (This is how Tosfos explains it, and this is what we follow in practice. Rashi explains that there should be three leaves coming out of one stem). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by   Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here Summary We learned in the mishnah (24.4) “A lulav whose length is 3 tefachim [and another tefach] so that it can be shaken, is kosher.” Rav Yehuda quoting Shmuel: The hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim, and the lulav should be 4, so that it rises a tefach above the others. Rabbi Parnach quoting Rabbi Yochanan: The shedra must reach 4 tefachim. Challenge: We learned in the mishnah (24.4) “A lulav whose length is 3 tefachim so that it can be shaken, is kosher.” Resolution: It should be read as: “A lulav whose length is 3 tefachim [and another tefach] so that it can be shaken, is kosher.” The extra tefach can either include the leaves (Shmuel) or include only the area of the shedra (Rabbi Yochanan). Challenge: Beraisa: “The hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim, and the lulav should be 4”. It seems to include the area of the leaves as well! Resolution: It means the shedra itself should be 4 tefachim. Beraisa: “The hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim, and the lulav should be 4. Rabbi Tarfon: The hadas and aravah should be a full amah [although we can be lenient and use an amah] of 5 tefachim”. Rava: It is difficult to find hadassim with 3 tefachim of plaited leaves and Rabbi Tarfon expects us to find ones with 5 tefachim?! When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisroel he explained: Rabbi Tarfon’s intention was that the hadas and aravah should be measured with larger tefachim, as if a 6 tefach amah is only 5 tefachim, making each tefach a tefach and one fifth. Challenge: But then Shmuel is contradicting himself. Rabbi Yehuda quoted Shmuel as saying that the hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim. But Rav Huna quoting Shmuel: The halacha follows Rabbi Tarfon [that the hadas and aravah should be 3 and ⅗] Resolution: Shmuel was not precise. Challenge: You can’t be imprecise and round off to a lower number (6.5) which would result in a leniency! When Ravin came from Eretz Yisroel he explained: Rabbi Tarfon’s intention was that the hadas and aravah should be measured with smaller tefachim, as if a 5 tefach amah is actually tefachim, making 3 tefachim only 2 ½ tefachim. Challenge: But then Shmuel is still contradicting himself. Rabbi Yehuda quoted Shmuel as saying that the hadas and aravah should be 3 tefachim. But Rav Huna quoting Shmuel: The halacha follows Rabbi Tarfon [that the hadas and aravah should be 2 and ½], Resolution: Shmuel was not precise, in a more stringent manner. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is  Dedicated to Leslie Simpson, Paul Simpson, my dear Bubbles, and most of all to HaShem  Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary  We learned in the mishnah (24.4) “If the leaves are broken off, the lulav is possul. If the leaves are spread away from the center, it’s kosher. Rabbi Yehuda: It must be tied together and not allowed to spread out.”.  Rav Papa: Broken off - means it’s like a broom, “chufya” (according to Rashi, they’re not connected to the ‘shedrah’, according to Tosfos, it means that each leaf was separated. There’s a third pshat that the leaves are drooping downward).  Spread out - means that the leaves fan out.   Rav Papa inquired: What if the ‘tiyomes’ (the central twin leaf) is split? (According to Tosfos, and most poskim, it means that it’s split all the way down to the spine, some say that it means most of the leaves are split on top. Others say it means even the most minute split in the middle of the top leaf, and we try to follow this l’katchilal).  Response: “Rabbi Yochanan quoting Rabbi Yehishua ben Levi: If the tiyomes is torn out, it is possul”. It seems that the same law would apply to a split tiyomes.   Response: Not necessarily. It could be that it is only possul when the tiyomes is missing entirely.   Ikka D’omri [Some say]: “Rabbi Yochanan quoting Rabbi Yehishua ben Levi: If the tiyomes is split, it’s as if it is torn out, and it is possul”.   Beraisa: Rabbi Yehuda from Rabbi Tarfon: The word kapos which is used by the Torah with regard to lulav to denote branches, can also mean tied together; this teaches that the lulav must be tied.”   Ravina to Rav Ashi: How do we know that Kapos Temarim refer to Lulavim? Perhaps it means the stage called Charusa when the leaves stiffen?  Rav Ashi: Charusa can no longer be tied together, and the word kapos implies that it must be tied [even if we don’t accept Rabbi Yehuda’s view that it must be tied, it still should be capable of being tied].   Challenge: Perhaps a block of wood from the trunk of the palm tree should be used [since it’s a block, it is certainly tied together as strongly as possible].  Resolution: Something that can be tied together must have been loose, but a block is tied forever. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is  Dedicated to Leslie Simpson, Paul Simpson, my dear Bubbles, and most of all to HaShem  Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   We learned (24.4) “If the tip of the lulav is broken off, it is possul”.   Rav Huna: This is only if it was broken off, but if the tip is split, it is kosher (although we are stringent nowadays with any minor split in the center twin leaves, most poskim consider it kosher unless it’s split down to the spine).  Challenge: But we learned in a beraisa: A bent lulav [at an acute angle], or one that is thorny (or shrunk), or split, or crooked [at an obtuse angle]; similar to a scythe, it is possul. If the lulav is like a branch, it is possul. If it is beginning to become hardened like a branch, it is kosher.   Rav Papa: A split lulav is possul when it is split like a Himnak (a pruning fork which has a “V” shape).   A crooked lulav similar to a scythe is possul:   Rava: If it’s bent backwards at an obtuse angle, it is kosher, that’s how it grows.  Rav Nachman: If it’s bent to the side, it’s as if it is bent frontwards. Some say, backwards (in practice we’re stringent).   Rava: A lulav which has leaves only on one side, is possul. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is Dedicated to Leslie Simpson, Paul Simpson, my dear Bubbles, and most of all to HaShem Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= Rava: An Esrog must be Hadar. According to Rabbi Yehuda a lulav must not be Hadar. Summary Challenge: Rabbi Yehuda doesn’t hold that an esrog must be hadar. Beraisa: “One cannot add to the 4 minim just as one may not subtract from them. If one does not have an esrog he can’t use a plum, pomegranate or a different fruit. If [the minim ] are wilted they’re kosher, but if they’re [completely] dried out, they’re possul. Rabbi Yehuda: Even if they’re completely dried out they’re kosher. Rabbi Yehuda: It happened in the big cities that they would bequeath their lulavim for generations. Chachomim: That’s no proof! They didn’t have anything else!” We see here that Rabbi Yehuda approved of using a dried out esrog, which is not hadar. Resolution: That part of the beraisa is discussing only the lulav. We learned: One cannot add to the 4 minim just as one may not subtract from them. Question: This is obvious? Response: Since Rabbi Yehuda says “a lulav must be bound” we would think that the extra min is not counted. We learned: If one does not have an esrog he can’t use a peach, pomegranate or a different fruit. Question: This is obvious? Response: One might want to use a different fruit so that the necessity for an esrog is not forgotten, but it might cause a ruination if people become attached to using different fruit. Beraisa: An old esrog is possul. Rabbi Yehuda holds it is kosher. This clearly disproves Rava’s premise (25.3) that Rabbi Yehuda agrees an esrog must be hadar. Challenge: An esrog does need to be hadar, as we learn in the mishna: “If it is green like a vegetable* [cress] (and it doesn’t have the potential to ripen and become yellow) it is kosher according to Rabbi Meir but possul according to Rabbi Yehuda.” Isn’t that because Rabbi Yehuda holds it must be hadar? Resolution: No, it’s because it must be a finished product, and if it was cut when so green, it will never ripen. Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos *https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fP3Su4uJcWOLcded4SKUzZvqGzxHaZ6w/view?usp=sharing* * Tosfos: The word Yerek can be used to denote yellow, green and blue. Here it means green. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is Dedicated to Leslie Simpson, Paul Simpson, my dear Bubbles, and most of all to HaShem Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= Summary Beraisa: A dried out lulav is possul. Rabbi Yehuda: It is kosher. Rava: An Esrog can certainly not be dried out because it must be “hadar - handsome”. Their debate is only regarding a lulav: the question is if it’s compared to esrog or not. Challenge: We learned in the mishna (24.4) “Rabbi Yehuda: The lulav must be tied together”. Isn’t the reason so that it should be hadar? Resolution: Rabbi Yehuda has a different reason, as we learned: “Rabbi Yehuda quoting Rabbi Tarfon: The word kapos which is used by the Torah with regard to lulav to denote branches, can also mean tied together; this teaches that the lulav must be tied.” Challenge: But we learned: “Rabbi Yehuda: The lulav must be bound with its kind”. Isn’t that because the lulav has to be handsome? Response: No, after all, Rava taught: “It can be bound even with a bark or root of its own kind.” These are obviously not hadar. The reason a lulav must be bound with its own kind is because according to Rabbi Yehuda, lulav tzarich agad (25.1), since that’s the case, binding it with another kind would mean that you’re taking 5 minim instead of 4. (Tosfos adds that the minim must be taken derech gedeilasan, so if a lulav does not require binding, we wouldn’t be interested in a reed wound around it that is in horizontal position, since it’s not derech gedeilasan, and not part of the mitzvah. But since a lulav must be bound, the ‘binder’ must be horizontal, thus if a reed is used, it would be considered a fifth min). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by: Dedicated to Leslie Simpson, Paul Simpson, my dear Bubbles, and most of all to HaShem Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= A stolen sukkah or one built on the street: Rabbi Eliezer: It’s possul. Chachomim: It’s kosher. Summary All agree that if wood was stolen and used as schach, the sukkah is kosher and he merely owes the value of the stolen wood*. We know this, because the law of “a stolen sukkah” is taught together with the law of “a sukkah built on the street”. A sukkah built in the street is not on his land, so too a stolen sukkah is not one built on his land with stolen materials but a case where someone else’s sukkah is actually seized. An old woman came before Rav Nachman with a complaint, she said that the Reish Galusa and all the rabbonim of his household were using a stolen sukkah, because the Reish Galusa’s slaves had taken wood from her fields and built the sukkah with it. She cried out but Rav Nachman paid no attention to her. She said “I’m a woman whose father [Avraham Avinu] had 318 servants, and you daon’t pay attention to me?” Rav Nachman: She’s just a loudmouth, she’s only entitled to the value of the wood. Ravina (he came after Rav Nachman): A stolen wooden beam that was built into the sukkah is included in the takanah of Marish. We might think that since a beam is hard to find and the sukkah is not permanent, the takanah shouldn’t apply, so we learn that during the seven days of sukkos it is included in the takanah. But after yom tov the beam must be returned. But if it was attached with clay, he may pay with money and keep the beam. Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P3E aASEngSTGybV osnFgHIfnpHaAqv/view?usp=sharing * Rashi: Here there is yiush, shinui maaseh - shinui shem as well as takanas hashavim, and so the wood must not be returned, only its value. When we learned above (22.5) that a stolen sukkah cannot be used, it was referring to a portable sukkah in which the entire sukkah was stolen. Tosfos: A stolen sukkah that is disqualified d’orayso may be referring to a sukkah made of stolen wood since it’s not an actual shinui and is only considered as belonging to the thief because of takanas hashavim. There is another case where a sukkah can be considered stolen, when someone builds a sukkah on his neighbor’s lot, when the neighbor uses it, he is considered a thief. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Rav Chisda: Since the churban certain things have swapped their names.   Summary   Rava Bar Yosef: I’ll add one as well.  Bavel is now called Bursif, while Bursif is called Bavel. It makes a difference with regard to gittin*.  Mishna:   Rabbi Yishmael: Three hadassim, two aravos, one lulav and one esrog. Even if two hadassim are missing their tips, it is kosher.  Rabbi Tarfon: It is kosher even if all hadassim are missing their tips.  Rabbi Akiva: Just as we take only one lulav and one esrog, we take only one hadas and one aravah.   Gemara:   Beraisa: Rabbi Yishmael: “Pri eitz hadar” is singular “Kapas Temarim” is singular “Anaf eitz avos” is triplicate, “Arvei nachal” is plural, which indicates two aravos. The hadassim are kosher even if the tips of two are broken off.  Rabbi Tarfon: They’re kosher even if all three are broken off.  Rabbi Akiva: Just as we take only one lulav and one esrog, we take only one hadas and one aravah.   Rabbi Eliezer said to him: The esrog is not bound together with the others because it is not joined to them by a vav. We know that all four must be taken together because the word “v’lakachtem” is used which indicates “lekicha tamah”.   Challenge: What does Rabbi Yishmael want? If a broken hadas is possul, then all three should be whole, if not, why does one need to be whole?  Bira’ah quoting Rabbi Ami: Rabbi Yishmael regretted his original opinion [but they continued repeating it as memorized, they merely added his later opinion]. (At first he held that broken hadassim are kosher, but later he held that one whole hadas should be used).  Rav Yehuda quoting Shmuel: The halacha follows Rabbi Tarfon. Shmuel follows his opinion: Shmuel said to the hadas sellers: Be moderately priced, otherwise I will announce that the halacha follows Rabbi Tarfon.  Question: Isn’t that because Rabbi Tarfon’s opinion is lenient? Rabbi Akiva’s opinion seems to be more lenient**.  Response: It is easier to find three broken hadassim than to find one whole hadas.  Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fXFJEWkqihBOolB5bC7IP67JRod7KoRS/view?usp=drivesdk * Rashi: There are certain laws that apply only outside of Eretz Yisroel. Bavel [or Bursif] is considered Eretz Yisroel in this regard. Tosfos: This explanation is correct, but Rashi elsewhere explains that the law was said regarding writing the names of their cities. Tosfos points out that Bavel is not a city but a country, and the country is never written in the get. * *Tosfos: This is not a side question but rather part of the proof that Shmuel follows Rabbi Tarfon’s opinion, otherwise he should have threatened them with Rabbi Akiva’s opinion! This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Mishna:  On Shabbos, a woman may take the lulav from her son or husband (this is when there was a mitzvah to take the lulav on Shabbos too) and return it to the water.   Rabbi Yehuda: On Shabbos it may only be returned to water. On Yom Tov water may be added . On Chol Hamoed the water may be changed.   A child who knows how to shake the lulav, is obligated in the mitzvah.  Gemara:   Challenge: Isn’t it obvious [that a woman may take the lulav]?  Resolution: Since a woman is not obligated in the mitzvah of lulav, we would have thought it becomes muktzah for her; the mishna teaches that it is not so. (A lulav is muktzah, only that on Yom Tov it may be used for the mitzvah. The wild boys who dance with lulavim on Simchas Torah should be told that it’s muktzah. But for a woman it’s not muktzah on Yom Tov, since it’s useful on Yom Tov for others).  A child who knows how to shake the lulav, is obligated in the mitzvah.   Beraisa: A child who knows how to shake the lulav, is obligated in the mitzvah, if he knows how to wrap himself in a four-cornered garment, he is obligated in tzitzis [on that garment, there is no obligation to buy such a garment in order to add tzitzis]. If he can watch his tefillin [not to fall asleep, or release gas], his father buys him tefillin [because he cannot use his father’s tefillin; he wore them all day]. As soon as he can speak, his father teaches him Torah and krias Shema [to get him accustomed to the idea that speech is only for Torah and Tefillah].   Question: What kind of Torah is he taught?  Rav Hamnuna: The Torah that Moshe commanded us is an inheritance for the entire congregation of Yaakov (The first lesson we teach a child is that Torah is the property of every single Jew).   Question: What is meant by krias Shema?   Response: The first possuk [Shema Yisroel].  Beraisa [continued]: If he knows how to guard his body from serious forms of tumah, he doesn’t disqualify taharos by means of his body. Once he knows how to guard his hands, the taharos may be eaten even if he touched them with his hands. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= We learned in the mishna (33.2): “Rabbi Yosi: On the first day of Yom Tov which falls on Shabbos, if one forgot and carried out his lulav, he is pottur because he took it with mitzvah-permission.”  Summary   Rav Huna: Rabbi Yosi: If a kohen ate an Olah bird thinking it was a Chatos bird, he is pottur [he need not bring a korban meilah because he was “mistaken with regard to a mitzvah”].   Challenge: Why must this be taught again? It was already taught in our mishna.   Resolution: With regard to the lulav he actually did a mitzvah but the kohen who ate an olah didn’t do a mitzvah.   Challenge: Rabbi Yosi: If one slaughtered a Tomid on Shabbos, which wasn’t properly checked (it must be examined for 4 days first to ensure that it does not have a mum), he is guilty and another Tomid is necessary.   Rav Huna: That case cannot be considered here, because it was learned about that: Rav Shmuel bar Chasoi amar Rav Hamnuna Sava amar Rav Yitzchok bar Ashian amar Rav Huna amar Rav: It is a case where the animal was taken from the place of unexamined animals*. [It is thus not an error in a mitzvah matter but carelessness and negligence].  * Tosfos: Even if it is later found to be unblemished, the sacrifice is still not valid, because the 4 day examination is a condition in the korban which is derived from korban pesach. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Mar bar Ameimar to Rav Ashi: My father would grasp the arba minim while praying.   Challenge: One shouldn’t pray while holding tefillin or a sefer Torah (because it will disturb his concentration), nor should he urinate or sleep while wearing tefillin.   Shmuel: Nor should one hold a knife, a plate of food, a loaf of bread or money while praying.  So how can one hold the arba minim while praying?   Resolution: Those are not a mitzvah to hold and they distract from the prayers, but the arba minim are a mitzvah and not a distraction.   Beraisa: Rabbi Elozor bar Tzadok (he was a veteran of the old Yerushalayim): The custom of anshei Yerushalayim (30.1) was: One left his house holding his lulav, he entered the beis haknesses holding his lulav and that is how he would recite krias shema and tefillah. If he had an aliyah or he would say birchas kohanim, he would put it down for a moment. If he went to visit the sick or comfort mourners, he would be holding his lulav. When he entered the beis midrash (there you can’t hold the lulav while learning), he would send the lulav home with a child, a servant or someone.  Question: What are we learning here?   Response: The great alacrity with which the ancient Jews practiced mitzvos (33.2). We learned in the mishna (33.2): “Rabbi Yosi: On the first day of Yom Tov which falls on Shabbos, if one forgot and carried out his lulav, he is pottur because he took it with mitzvah-permission.”  Abayye: This is only before he was yotzei.   Challenge: He is yotzei as soon as he picks it up!   Abayye: He can pick it up upside down, and not be yotzei.   Rava: He can be holding it right side up, but in a box.   Challenge: Rava is the one who says (30.3) that “Holding by means of something else, is still considered holding.”!   Resolution: Only when it is held in a respectable way, but not in our case. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Mishna:  If the first day of Yom Tov was on Shabbos , everyone would bring their lulav to the Beis Haknesses before Shabbos. Then they would come in the morning, everyone would recognize their lulav and take it. This is since one must own his lulav on the first day, and cannot use someone else’s lulav. On the other days of Yom Tov [after the churban; 32.6] one can use his fellow’s lulav.  Rabbi Yosi: On the first day of Yom Tov which falls on Shabbos, if one forgot and carried out his lulav, he is pottur because he took it with mitzvah-permission.   Gemara:   Beraisa: “Ulekachtem” is plural, it means everyone must take the 4 minim*. “Lachem” means it must be your own. This the source for the law that one cannot fulfill his obligation with his fellowman’s lulav, unless it was gifted to him**. It once happened that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Yehoshua, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaryah and Rabbi Akiva were on a ship together (they were travelling to Rome on behalf of the Klal) and only Rabban Gamliel [who was the nasi] was able to procure a lulav for a thousand sus. He used it, then he gifted it to Rabbi Yehoshua [who was the Av Beis Din], he used it, then he gifted it to Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya [who was the assistant nasi], he used it, then he gifted it to Rabbi Akiva [who became the Chochom of the Sanhedrin after Rabbi Eliezer was deposed], he then returned it to Rabban Gamliel*.”  Challenge: Why are we taught that he returned it in the end?  Resolution: It is to teach us that a conditional gift is considered a gift. As we learn:  Rava: “Take this esrog on condition you return it to me”**. If he returns it after using it, then he has fulfilled the mitzvah. If he doesn’t return it, he has not fulfilled the mitzvah.  Challenge: Why are we told the price Rabban Gamliel paid for the 4 minim?   Resolution: To teach us how they loved mitzvos.   Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ByUbItmsGfBJlHutsp0 tusalMv50yOv/view?usp=sharing * Tosfos: Regarding sukkah, the Torah says openly “Every citizen must sit in the sukkah, and a limud is not necessary. * *Tosfos: It is our practice to buy one set of 4 minim which is shared by the whole town. Since everyone buys it with the intention of being yotzei we say that their intention is surely to gift it to the person who is currently using it. * Tosfos: The original gift was given with the understanding that they would all be able to use it before returning it. ** Tosfos: Although this wording doesn’t follow the technicalities of tnai, the gemara isn’t concerned with that now, but it must surely be made properly. This condition is not considered an “impossible condition” like the case of a get which is given on condition that the paper is returned. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Another takanah established by Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai after the churban: that the day of the Omer offering should be forbidden to eat chadash all day.   Summary  According to the shittah of the gemara now, chadash is permitted at the break of day on the 16th of Nissan, since there is no Omer offering*.  The reason for this takanah is: When the beis hamikdash will be rebuilt people will remember that in the previous year (eshtakad is a portmanteau of shatta kodmo) they ate at daybreak and they will not know that now it is necessary to wait for the Omer.  Challenge: When will the beis hamikdash be rebuilt that would pose a problem? If it is rebuilt on the 16th of Nissan, then it already became permissible at daybreak!  If it is rebuilt on the 15th, then it should be permissible by chatzos already, as we learned in a mishna: “Those who live far away are permitted from chatzos and on, because beis din does not tarry with the Omer”.  Resolution: In case it is rebuilt late in the day on the fifteenth or on the night of the sixteenth and they won’t have time for the Omer process.  Rav Nachman bar Yitzchok: Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai follows the shittah of Rabbi Yehuda that chadash on the sixteenth is forbidden min haTorah [not like we learned previously that it would be permitted at daybreak] because it’s written “up until the day itself”, it means up to and including that day.  Challenge: But Rabban Yochanan doesn’t follow the shittah of Rabbi Yehuda, as we learned: “After the churban Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai instituted that the day of the Omer offering should be forbidden to eat chadash all day.  Rabbi Yehuda (the word “lo” is omitted because he came later): But it is a Torah prohibition as it states: “up until the day itself”, it means up to and including that day.”  Resolution: Rabbi Yehuda was in error, he thought Rabban Yochanan was referring to a rabbinic enactment, actually it was the Torah law.  Challenge: But it states that Rabban Yochanan “instituted” it?  Resolution: He instituted it in practice on the first year after the churban, but the practice was based on the law of the Torah.  * Tosfos: A Beis Hamikdash is not necessary for korbanos but there must be a mizbeach, since we don’t have the mizbeach we cannot bring korbanos. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary  When hekdesh is redeemed, it becomes chullin and the money becomes kodesh. With Shvi’is the original shvi’is always remains kodesh (32.5), but the money it was redeemed upon may become chullin when it is redeemed. How to redeem it is a matter of debate between Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yochanan.  Rabbi Elazar: Shvi’is can only be redeemed by means of “sale” (not by “redemption” using your own money only by selling it to someone else).  Rabbi Yochanan: It can be redeemed both by means of “sale” or by “redemption”.   Rabbi Elazar bases his opinion on the possuk “When you sell your things” which is written near Yovel (which has the same laws as shvi’is).   Rabbi Yochanan bases his opinion on the possuk “Yovel is Kodesh” this means that the same means of redemption which apply to Kodesh, apply to Yovel and Shevi’is.  Challenge: Why doesn’t Rabbi Yochanan learn Rabbi Elazar’s hekesh?   Resolution: It is necessary for the teaching of Rabbi Yosi bar Chanina in the beraisa:   Rabbi Yosi bar Chanina: Come and see how heavy is the dust of Shvi’is (because using shvi’is improperly is only an issur eseh, it’s considered like dust): One who deals with fruit of shvi’is will be forced to sell off all his chattel (if he tries to make money on shvi’is, Hakodosh Boruch Hu will impoverish him) this is why the possuk “When you sell your things” is written near Yovel. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= There was a machlokes with regard to how fruits of shvi’is may be used. According to the Tanna Kamma they may only be used in a manner similar to eating in which “It is destroyed as it is enjoyed”. According to Rabbi Yosi it can be used for anything other than medicinal purposes which are only necessary for a minority of people.  Summary   Question: Which Tanna does the following beraisa follow?  “For eating”: But not for medicinal purposes. Nor for squirting [wine on the fire to create a pleasant aroma]. Nor to be used for apiktuzin [a vomit inducer to enable the noblemen to eat more].   Response: This follows Rabbi Yosi. According to the Chachomim, soaking and laundering is also forbidden. This is a proof that the statement (32.1) “Firewood does not have kedushas shvi’is” is actually debated by the Tannaim. According to the Chachomim, this is true, since firewood is not enjoyed while it is destroyed. But according to Rabbi Yosi, firewood is also limited by the laws of shvi’is. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored  Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Since the major use of wood is as firewood, it does not have kedushas shvi’is.   Summary   This is a matter of debate between the Tannaim, as we learn in a beraisa:* Fruit of shvi’is cannot be used to soak flax, or for laundering. Rabbi Yosi: It may be used for these purposes. The Tanna Kamma bases his opinion on the word “For eating”: these fruits may not be used for any other purpose. Rabbi Yosi bases his opinion on the word “For yourself”: so the fruits may be used for any purpose.  The Tanna Kamma explains the word “For yourself”: that all uses “for yourself” have to be similar to “For eating”- in that it is enjoyed as it is destroyed (32.1). Rabbi Yosi explains the word “For eating”, that it cannot be used for medicinal purposes [which is only necessary for a minority of people]. This is further explained in a beraisa brought by the gemara. * The proof will be explained tomorrow. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= An esrog of shmittah cannot be bought from an am ha’aretz. If he doesn’t wish to give it for free, the price of the esrog may be included in the lulav’s price. This is because the lulav used on shmittah is still from the sixth year.  Summary   Challenge: If the lulav would be from the seventh year, it would be forbidden? It is mere wood which does not attain kedushas shvi’is as we learn in the beraisa:  Leaves of reeds and leaves of the grapevine, that were collected in a silo: If they were collected to be eaten, they have kedushas shvi’is. If they were collected to be used for firewood they do not have kedushas shvi’is.   Resolution: There is a special exception for things used as firewood. This is based on the possuk of “For you, for eating”, it means only something that is used by you in the same manner as food - in that it is enjoyed as it is destroyed. But the benefit of firewood comes only after it is destroyed. [Rashi: But a lulav is enjoyed as it is destroyed, since it is used as a broomstick, it decays as it is being swept].  Challenge: Oily woods (used for illumination) are used while they’re being destroyed?  Rava: Ordinarily wood is not used for illumination; the majority use of wood is only after it is destroyed. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= 31.4: An esrog of shmittah cannot be bought from an am ha’aretz. If he doesn’t wish to give it for free, the price of the esrog may be included in the lulav’s price.  Summary   Challenge: What about lulav, why may one pay an am ha’aretz for it?  Resolution: The lulav used on shmittah is still from the sixth year.   Challenge: The esrog is also from the sixth year?  Resolution: With regard to an esrog we follow the time of its picking.   Challenge: Both Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Eliezer agree that the time of picking is disregarded and only the time of its growth matters. As we learn in a mishna:   Rabban Gamliel: The Esrog is like a tree in three ways and like a vegetable in one way. It is like a tree with regard to Orlah, Revai and Shvi’is [all these depend on the time of its growth]. It is like a vegetable with regard to the year of maaser - it depends on the time of its picking.   Rabbi Eliezer: It is like a tree in all respects.   Resolution: Our Mishna follows a different Tanna, in the beraisa:   Rabbi Yosi: Avtulamos ruled in the name of five zekeinim, that the esrog follows the time of picking with regard to Maaser. But our teachers in Usha [the Sanhedrin] ruled that it depends on picking with regard to both Maaser and Shvi’is.   Question: Who said anything about Shvi’is?  Response: There were some words missing from the quote. It should read:  Rabbi Yosi: Avtulamos ruled in the name of five zekeinim, that the esrog follows the time of picking with regard to Maaser and the time of growing with regard to Shvi’is. But our teachers in Usha [the Sanhedrin] ruled that it depends on picking with regard to both Maaser and Shvi’is.   Esrog is compared to yerek because it’s different from all trees in that it requires more watering, like a vegetable garden. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= Summary Rav Huna instructed the hadassim merchants to have the gentile farmers cut the hadassim rather than cut them themselves. Generally speaking, gentiles steal land, but land can never be considered “stolen” and still belongs to its original owner. The hadassim though, can be stolen. So if the gentile cuts it, the yiush can take place and then the ownership is transferred to the merchants. But if the merchants cut it, they won’t be able to use it. While they would have yiush, there would be no transfer of ownership. There is also no “transformation of the stolen object” because “a lulav need not be bound” (10.1). Even if a lulav does require binding, binding alone cannot be considered a “transformation of the object”. There is no name change here since hadassim are called hoshanos even before they’re used for sukkos. Beraisa: A stolen sukkah or one built on the street: Rabbi Eliezer: It’s possul. Chachomim: It’s kosher. Rav Nachman: They’re discussing a case where the owner’s sukkah was seized. Rabbi Eliezer follows his opinion that another’s sukkah cannot be used [even with permission]. According to the opinion that land can be stolen, it’s another’s sukkah. But even according to the opinion that land cannot be stolen, it’s like a borrowed sukkah which is also possul according to Rabbi Eliezer. The Chachomim follow their opinion that another’s sukkah can be used. Since land cannot be stolen, it is like a borrowed sukkah and it is kosher. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU= Beraisa: Three meals worth of shemittah-fruit-money may be given to an am ha’aretz… provided the am ha’aretz is leaving it hefker, but if his garden is kept locked, then even the smallest coin shouldn’t be given to him.  Summary   Rav Sheishes: But we learned a mishna which lists seven types of wild grown produce, and permits them to be purchased from anyone [even an am ha’aretz] (so we see that there’s no limit on how much can be spent on hefker produce).   Rav Sheishes answered his own question: This mishna is referring to a quantity of Mann [the amount of food necessary for meals].   Rabbah bar bar Chana quoting Rabbi Yochanan: This mishna is referring to a quantity of Mann.   Question: Where do we find that mann refers to meals?  Response: “Vayimann lahem hamelech”. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Mishna:  If one buys a lulav from an [am ha’aretz] in the Shemittah year, the seller should give him the esrog for free because one is not permitted to buy fruit from an am ha’arts during Shemittah. (Since sukkos is at the beginning of the seventh year, the lulav is a sixth year lulav and permissible, but the esrog is counted from the time of its picking, making it a seventh year esrog [31.6]).  Gemara:   Question: What if he doesn’t wish to give it for free?  Rav Huna: The price of the esrog may be included in the lulav’s price.  Question: Why can’t one just pay for the esrog straight out **?  Response: Because money of shemittah -fruit cannot be given to an am ha’aretz*.  Beraisa: More than three meals worth of shemittah-fruit money cannot be given to an am ha’aretz [because the money has kedushas shevi’is and is transferred to whatever is bought with the money. So we don’t trust the am ha’aretz to use it only for food. Since he may need to purchase three meals at a time - before Shabbos - we allow him this amount of money]. If he was given more money the giver must make a pronouncement that the money should be redeemed for other fruits.* Those fruits then acquire kedushas shvi’is. But this is only if the am ha’aretz is leaving it hefker, but if his garden is kept locked, then even the smallest coin shouldn’t be given to him (because if it’s not hefker, it’s ossur b’hana’ah - [the Tosfos on this is included in tomorrow’s shiur]).  Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RQt72CWDtlAq-wLw5-VO26sBzXbksLlv/view?usp=sharing * Tosfos: He can’t make transactions with his property which is no longer in his possession. This is a punishment for him because he gave the money to the am ha’aretz.  * *Tosfos: It isn’t considered business with shemittah -fruit as long as the seller didn’t pick the fruit to sell. The Yerushalmi adds that even if one picked the fruit himself, he may sell it, if it’s mixed with fruit picked by someone else. The “sochrei shvi’is” criticized by the gemara is a case where they set up an official shop which is always forbidden. Or perhaps it refers to people who buy and sell at a profit. * Rashi: Since the money has kedushas Shevi’is it must be spent before the zman biur. Tosfos: What about the things that don’t have biur? The reason is because we’re worried he would spend the money on things he is not allowed to use shevi’is money for. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here: https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   They asked of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba: If one heard [hallel] but did not say it, what is the law?  Rabbi Chiya bar Abba: Everybody is in agreement that he was yotze.   Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi quoting Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi from Bar Kappara: The principle of shomeia k’oneh is learned from the verse “The words read by the king” but actually Shafan read it to the king.  Challenge: Perhaps he read it himself afterwards.   Resolution: The other verse states “When you heard”, it means he heard them but did not read them.  Rava: One shouldn’t pause between “Baruch Haba” and “Bsheim Hashem”. (We don’t welcome everyone who comes just to form a crowd, only those who come b’sheim Hashem). [The parenthetical remark in the gemara here should be skipped, its proper place is later].  Rava: One shouldn’t pause between “Yehei Shmei Rabbah” and “Mevorach”.   Rav Safra: “Moshe! Are you saying correctly?!” (He’s talking to Rava, Moshe means “Great man”) In both cases he is merely concluding his phrase*. We learned in the mishna (30.6): “Where the custom is to repeat verses, he should repeat, and where that is not the custom, he should not repeat.”  Beraisa: Rebbi Would repeat the Ana Hashems. Rabbi Elazar ben Porta would add more verses.  Abayye: He would add from Odcha and on.   We learned in the mishna (30.6): “Where it is the custom to recite a bracha he should recite a bracha.”   Abayye: This refers to the final bracha [melech mehullal batishbachos] but beforehand one must say a bracha as Rav Yehuda quoted from Shmuel: One must recite a bracha before [the Hebrew word “over”] doing the mitzvos.   Question: Where do we find that the word ‘over’ means ‘before’?  Rav Nachman bar Yitzchok: Vaya’avor es hakushi.   Abayye: V’hu avar lifneihem.   Or: Vaya’avor malkom lifneihem vaHashem b’rosham.  * Tosfos : From the gemara in Sotah it seems that Rava came to accept Rav Safra’s opinion. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Rava: Mighty halachos can be learned from the minhag of hallel.  Rashi: Originally, not everyone was able to say Hallel on their own, this is why our mishna (30.6) teaches that if one hears it from an adult male he is yotzei and if he hears it from a woman he must repeat the words himself. In Rava’s time everyone was able to say Hallel on their own, but they still followed certain customs to remember how Hallel was originally said. The original custom was that the crowd [of the uneducated] was silent while the Shatz recited Hallel aloud [and the educated said the words silently along with him], and after every phrase, they [the uneducated] would respond “Hallelukah”. The first “Hallelukah” was proclaimed even by the educated. They [the uneducated] would also repeat the first verse of every chapter. Rava now delineates the current custom [of his time]: The Shatz says Hallelukah, and everyone shouts Hallelukah. This shows that originally everyone responded to the first Hallelukah. The Shatz says Hallelu avdei Hashem and everyone shouts Hallelukah. This shows that originally the uneducated responded “Hallelukah” after every phrase [read to them by an adult male]. The Shatz says Hodu LaHashem and everyone repeats it. This shows that originally the uneducated repeated the first verse of every chapter. The Shatz says Ana Hashem hoshia na and everyone repeats it. This shows that originally the uneducated repeated the entire Hallel [if it was read to them by a woman]. The Shatz says Ana Hashem hatzlicha na and everyone repeats it. This shows that if one wishes to repeat the verses he may do so (30.6). The Shatz says Boruch Habo and they [are silent and] respond “B’sheim Hashem”. This shows the principle of shomeia k’oneh for people who cannot repeat at all. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Gemara:   Beraisa: B’emes Omru [this is an expression that denotes a law accepted by the Sanhedrin] a boy can be motzi his father with Birkas Hamazon*.  An eved can be motzi his master and a wife can be motzi her husband with Birkas Hamazon, but a curse should come upon such a man (because he’s scorning Avodas Hashem, he should be the kohen gadol in his house).   Rava: Mighty halachos can be learned from the minhag of hallel**. * Rashi: In masichta Brachos the gemara explains that this is only if the father is not obligated in birkas hamazon d’oraysa. ( Tosfos there discusses whether the child can be motzi his father, if his meal also only has a d’rabanan obligation on birkas hamazon, because then he has two d’rabanan obligations). * *Rashi: From our custom nowadays, we can learn what the original customs were, see tomorrow’s shiur. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  The mishna discusses shaking the lulav; the naanuim.   Summary   We learned there (a mishna in Yevamos): [There is a mitzvah of tenufah for the] Shtei Halechem and the Kivsei Atzeres, this is how it’s done: The loaves are placed on the lambs, and everything is lifted up together. He moves them to and fro, up and down, as the possuk states: ‘Hunaf’ [horizontal movement] and ‘Huram’ [vertical movement].  Rabbi Yochanan: It is moved around in honor of He to Whom all directions belong. It is raised and lowered in of He to Whom heaven and earth belong.  In Eretz Yisroel they said: Rabbi Chama bar Ukva quoting Rabbi Yosi b’rebbi Chanina: It is moved around to protect against storm winds. It is raised and lowered to protect against bad dew.   Rabbi Yosi bar Avin or Rabbi Yosi bar Zvila: This teaches us that the remnants of a mitzvah protect against adversity; although the shtei halechem and the korbanos are kosher without tenufah, this extra part of the mitzvah is a protection against adversity; stormwinds and bad dews [see here for more on this subject]. https://torasavigdor.org/parshas-reeh-3-nation-of-volunteers-2/  Rava: The same procedure [and protection] applies to lulav  Rav Acha bar Yaakov would point his lulav as he waved it, he would say “This is an arrow in the Satan’s eye”. This practice should not be emulated as it can cause the Satan to bring great tests upon one who does so (it is a principle not to curse the Satan because he is a malach doing his job faithfully).  Mishna:  Someone who was travelling and did not have a lulav, he should take the lulav when he comes home [even] at his table. If he did not take the lulav in the morning he can take it in the afternoon, all day is kosher.   Gemara:   Challenge: It seems that one must stop his meal in order to shake the lulav, but we learned [in Shabbos]: “If he began his meal, he need not stop [to pray]”.  Rav Safra: He need not stop when there is still time to finish the meal, but here it is already close to nighttime.  Rava: There is no difficulty; lulav is d’oraysa, tefillah is d’rabbanan. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=  Summary   Rabbah: The lulav shouldn’t be pushed into the bundle, because the leaves that come loose will form a chatzitzah.   Rava: Min b’mino eino chotzetz - Leaves of the same kind cannot be considered a chatzitzah.   Rabbah: The lulav shouldn’t be sawed off once it’s in the bundle, because loose lulav leaves will remain and form a chatzitzah.   Rava: Min b’mino eino chotzetz - Leaves of the same kind cannot be considered a chatzitzah.   Rabbah: The hadas set aside for the mitzvah should not be smelled, but the esrog may be smelled. The hadas is used for smelling, so it is set aside from smelling, but since an esrog is for eating too, it is set aside only from eating. [When one does a mitzvah with an object, he elevates that object. He thus sets it aside from its normal use in order to elevate it].  Rabbah: The hadas may be smelled (on Shabbos) while it’s attached to the ground, but the esrog may not be smelled. The hadas is used for smelling, so we’re not worried he will cut it off, but since an esrog is for eating too, he may cut it off the tree in order to eat it.  Rabbah: The lulav should be held in the right hand, and the esrog in the left hand. The lulav has three mitzvos but the esrog only has one.  Rabbi Yirmiyah to Rabbi Zrika: Why do we mention only the lulav in the bracha on the 4 minim (Al netilas lulav)?   [Rabbi Zrika]: Because it is taller than the rest.  [Rabbi Yirmiyah]: Let him lift the esrog up high?  Rabbi Zrika: It is the tallest object and most conspicuous.  Mishna:  Where are the naanuim made? At the beginning and end of [Rashi: the chapter of] Hodu LaHashem. Beis Hillel: And at Ana Hashem hoshia na. Beis Shamai: Also at Ana Hashem hatzlicha na.   Rabbi Akiva: I observed Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Yehoshua; although the people shook their lulavim, they only shook their lulavim at Ana Hashem hoshia na.   Gemara:   Question: Who said anything about shaking?   Response: This is following up on the mishna (24.4): “A lulav whose length is 3 tefachim [and another tefach] so that it can be shaken, is kosher.” So the question here is, when is the lulav shaken. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=   Rabbah: One shouldn’t hold the lulav with a towel, it must be held fully - lekicha tamah.   Summary   Rava: Holding by means of something else, is still considered holding.  (According to Tosfos, the towel extends beyond the lulav and creates a sort of handle which he is holding; but merely grabbing it with a towel wrapped around one’s hand is not under discussion here).  Rava: I have proof from the following mishna:  “If the bundle of eizov (11.2) is too short to be dipped, it can be lengthened by means of a thread or it can be held with a fork.”  But the Torah uses the expression of lekicha with regard to Eizov, so we see that it is still considered holding it.  Challenge: There it is attached to the eizov, but in our case the towel is not attached to the lulav? -(According to Rashi, this mishna is discussing a completely different case than holding something wrapped in a lulav, but according to Tosfos, the cases are similar because the lulav isn’t just wrapped in a towel but extended by means of a handle). A different proof:  “[If the ashes of the Parah] fell from the tube into the vessel [where it is to be mixed into the Mayim Chaim], it is possul.  It seems that if one spilled the tube intentionally, it would be kosher even the though the Torah uses the expression of “lekicha”.  This is indeed a satisfactory proof. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning is sponsored by Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here *https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU=*  Summary   Mishna:   Rabbi Yehuda: The lulav may only be tied with its own kind.   Rabbi Meir: Even with a string.  Rabbi Meir: The anshei Yerushalayim would bind their lulavim with gold wire.  They said to him: It was actually tied with its own kind, they covered it with strips of gold for ornamental purposes.  Gemara:   Rava: Even the [loose] bark of the palm tree, or its roots [is considered ‘its kind’ by Rabbi Yehuda].  Rava: Rabbi Yehuda’s reasoning is that “Lulav tzarich agad”, since that’s the case, binding it with another kind would mean that you’re taking 5 minim instead of 4 (see 25.3 for the explanation of Tosfos).   Rava: I have proof that the bark and roots are considered the lulav’s ‘kind’ from this beraisa:  “You should dwell in sukkos” Rabbi Meir: It [the schach] can be made of any kind. Rabbi Yehuda: Only from the 4 species of the lulav. This can be derived logically. Since lulav which is only taken during the daytime, must be of the four species, certainly sukkah which applies even during the night, must be of the 4 species.  They said to him: A kal vachomer [a logical argument which intends to apply a stricter standard] which results in a leniency, is not a valid kal vachomer. This will result in a leniency, because what if he doesn’t have the 4 species, should he remain without a sukkah? The Torah says “You should dwell in sukkos”, it means that everybody, even those who don’t have access to the 4 species, should build sukkos.  Additionally there’s a proof from the possuk in Ezra which mentions other species as well “Go out to the mountain and bring olive leaves, oil leaves, hadassim, lulavim and aravos” (10.3).  (Rava’s proof will be continued tomorrow) This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Rabbi Meir: Ana animal cannot be used as a sukkah wall. Rabbi Yehuda: It may be used. Rabbi Meir’s reasoning: Abayye: The animal might die. Rabbi Zeira: The animal might escape. Summary Everyone agrees that a tied elephant would make a valid wall [even according to Rabbi Meir]. Even if it dies, the mound of flesh would be higher than 10 tefachim and since it is tied it cannot escape. They argue regarding a loose elephant: According to Abayye, even if it dies, since it’s an elephant it would remain a valid wall. According to Rabbi Zeira, since it is untied, we’re concerned it may escape. Challenge: Why wouldn’t Abayye be concerned that it may escape? Resolution: Everyone agrees that a loose elephant would not make a valid wall since it may escape. They argue regarding a small tied animal [not an elephant]: According to Abayye, we’re concerned that it may die. According to Rabbi Zeira, since it is tied, we’re not concerned it may escape. Challenge: Why wouldn’t Rabbi Zeira be concerned that it may die? Resolution: It is uncommon for an animal to die. Challenge: How can an animal be used as a wall? What about the space under its stomach? Resolution: It is filled with a mat of sticks and branches. Challenge: Perhaps the animal will lie down? Resolution: The animal is held up with ropes. Challenge: If it held up with ropes, why is Abayye concerned it will die? It will still be held up! Resolution: It may be held up just within 3 tefachim of the schach. When it dies it may slouch imperceptibly and it will no longer be lavud with the schach. According to Rabbi Yehuda, one may use an animal as a sukkah wall. According to Rabbi Meir, one may not. Abayye explains the reasoning of Rabbi Meir: since the animal might die. Apparently then, according to Abayye, Rabbi Yehuda is not concerned that the animal may die. Challenge: Is Abayye’s opinion that Rabbi Meir is “concerned about death” and Rabbi Yehuda is “not concerned about death”? We learned in a mishna: A woman who was married to a kohen may eat terumah even if his whereabouts are unknown; we assume he’s alive. We learned in a beraisa: The wife of a kohen who stipulates “This get shall be valid a moment before I die”, is immediately forbidden from partaking in terumah. Abayye: The mishna follows Rabbi Meir who is “not concerned about death” and the beraisa follows Rabbi Yehuda who is “concerned about death” — as we learn in a beraisa: “Rabbi Meir: If one bought [a hundred log of] wine from Kusim [who are not trusted with regard to terumos and maasros and they must be separated. But since it is almost Shabbos, there is no time to do so], he may say 2 log (1/50) that I will separate [after shabbos] are terumah. 10 are maaser rishon (1/10). 9 are maaser sheini (1/9. These numbers aren’t precise since after terumah was taken there is only 98 log left) l which can be redeemed immediately. He can now drink the wine [following the principle of ‘yesh breirah’ a portion of the remaining wine will retroactively be established as the terumos and maasros]. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Shimon: do not allow this.” Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Shimon are of the opinion that the keg of wine may break [Rabbi Yehuda is “concerned about death”]. Rabbi Meir is not concerned that the keg will break [Rabbi Meir is “not concerned about death”]. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by   Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU   Summary Rav permitted Rav Acha Bardela to sleep in a canopy bed in the sukkah [the canopy was flat roofed and 10 tefachim high, which is considered problematic according to all opinions (see 8.5-9.2)] because the mosquitoes were bothering him. Rava permitted Rabbi Acha bar Ada to sleep outside of the sukkah because he was bothered by the odor of the soil. This is in accordance with the opinion of Rava: One who is distressed is exempt from sukkah. Challenge: The mishna says that only people who are sick and their attendants are exempt, not just anyone who is distressed? Resolution: When someone is sick his attendants are exempt as well, when he is in distress, only he is exempt. Mishna 21.2: Eating and drinking casually is permitted outside of the sukkah. Question: How much is considered ‘casual’? Rav Yosef: The volume of 2-3 eggs. Abayye to Rav Yosef: People are often satiated with that amount and it should be considered a full meal? Abayye: The amount that a talmid chochom eats as he rushes out to the shiur (Tosfos explains that it’s the volume of 1 egg). Beraisa: Eating a little bit, casually, is permitted outside of the sukkah but sleeping a little bit is forbidden. Question: Why is a little sleep forbidden? Rav Ashi: Because we’re concerned that he may end up oversleeping. Abayye to Rav Ashi: What about this beraisa: “One may take a quick nap in his tefillin, but he may not go to sleep in them”. Why isn’t the beraisa concerned he may oversleep? Rav Yosef brei D’rav Ilai: The beraisa of tefillin is discussing a case where he asked someone to wake him. Rav Mesharshia: “Your guarantor needs a guarantor!” The waker may also fall asleep. Rabbah bar bar Chana quoting Rabbi Yochanan: The beraisa of tefillin is discussing a case where he put his head between his knees (he is sleeping in an uncomfortable position and is bound to wake up). Rava: There is no differentiating between “sleep”s [a nap and a sleep are the same thing]. We learn in one beraisa (1) “One may take a quick nap in his tefillin, but he may not go to sleep in them”. Another beraisa (2), “You can even sleep a real sleep”. Another beraisa (3), “You can’t even nap”. 3 refers to a case where he’s holding the tefillin in his hands so he can’t even nap lest he drop them. 1 refers to a case where he’s wearing the tefillin, if he sleeps for a while we’re concerned he may pass gas while wearing the tefillin. 2 refers to a case where the tefillin are near him and he covered it. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored   Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here   https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Summary We return now to the principle of teishvu k’ein taduru (21.2) — a sukkah should be regarded as one’s home. In all cases where one would not seek a home to lodge in, he is absolved of his obligation to dwell in the sukkah. Beraisa: Wayfarers who travel by day, are exempt from eating in the sukkah by day but are obligated in the nighttime. Wayfarers who travel by night, are exempt all night but are obligated by day. If they travel by day and by night, they are exempt by day and by night as well. If they’re travelling for a mitzvah (even if only by day), they are exempt by day and by night as well (Tosfos explains that the necessity of seeking a sukkah at night would be a deterrent to doing the mitzvah). This is illustrated by the case of Rav Chisda and Rabbah bar Rav Huna who lodged on the shore of Sura when they came to the Reish Galusa for the Shabbos of Yom Tov (The Reish Galusa was the Jewish king and there was a big shiur given during Yom Tov so it was a big mitzvah to join). They explained: We’re emissaries of mitzvah. Beraisa: City watchmen who work by day, are exempt from eating in the sukkah by day but are obligated in the nighttime. Watchmen who work at night, are exempt all night but are obligated by day. If they work by day and by night, they are exempt by day and by night as well. People who guard their gardens and orchards are exempt both by day and by night. Challenge: Let them make a sukkah in the orchard? Abayye: Teishvu k’ein taduru since they wouldn’t ordinarily put up a booth while they’re guarding, they’re exempt on Sukkos as well. Rava: “A breach invites a thief” a sukkah is an obstacle to guarding properly. Question: What’s the difference between them? Response: A case where he’s guarding a grain pile. It can be easily guarded from inside the sukkah. But according to Abayye, since he wouldn’t put up a booth ordinarily, he’s not obligated now either. Mishna (21.2): Sick people and those who are tending to them, are absolved of the sukkah obligation. Beraisa: Even if he is not in danger, but he has pain in his eyes which is exacerbated by sitting out in the sukkah, he is exempt. Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel: Once in Caesari, my eyes were hurting me and Rabbi Yosi Brivi (it means the great Rabbi Yosi) permitted me and my attendants to sleep outside of the sukkah (since he was the nasi his attendants were deemed essential and allowed to sleep with him). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Bizfluence — The New Standard in Business Networking https://join.bizfluenceapp.com/ Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Summary Rabbi Abba bar Zavda quoting Rav: A chosson, his shushvinin [close friends] and everyone who comes to the chuppah are exempt from the Sukkah all seven days that they’re celebrating. This is because they have to rejoice [with the chosson in the chuppah]. Challenge: Let them eat and rejoice in the sukkah?! Resolution: Proper rejoicing is only in the chuppah . Challenge: Let them eat in the sukkah and rejoice in the chuppah?! Resolution: Proper rejoicing is only where there is a festive meal.* Challenge: Why can’t a chuppah be built in the sukkah?! Abayye: [Since a sukkah is built on the roof where there aren’t many people] it may cause yichud [if the chosson had to leave when only one of his friends were present, he would be left alone with the kallah]. Rava: Because of the chosson’s distress. [Since a sukkah is open from one side, the chosson doesn’t feel comfortable caressing his kallah which causes him distress]. Question: What is the difference between the two explanations? Response: A case where people come and go; there is no issue with yichud but there is distress for the chosson. Rabbi Zeira: I ate in the sukkah and rejoiced in the chuppah and I was doubly happy, because I had both the mitzvah of sukkah and simchas chosson v’kallah. Beraisa: A chosson, his shushvinin and everyone who comes to the chuppah are exempt from tefillah and tefillin but they’re obligated in Shema (when it’s possible to accomplish both mitzvos, one is not exempt. Since only the first possuk of Shema is an absolute obligation, one can recite it without interfering with the festivities). It was quoted in the name of Rabbi Shila: The chosson is exempt but all the guests are obligated. Beraisa: Rabbi Chananya ben Akavya: Sofrei Stam, their salesmen and their retailers and all providers of mitzvah articles [such as those who sell techeiles], are exempt from Shema, tefillah and tefillin and all mitzvos, (Tosfos explains that this only applies when there is no way to delay delivery of the mitzvah articles, e.g. the client is departing on a journey, but otherwise they are certainly obligated) as Rabbi Yosi Haglili said “One who is busy with a mitzvah is exempt from other mitzvos”. Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1 1Zyg-4DitOLK6i93C4Hc6ea-Qn3LcTr/view?usp=sharing * Tosfos wishes to derive from here that Sheva Brachos cannot be made outside of the place of the Chosson and Kallah, but Tosfos themselves are unsure of this and we don’t follow this opinion. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Bizfluence — The New Standard in Business Networking https://join.bizfluenceapp.com/ Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU One who is on a mitzvah errand is exempt from reciting the Shema as it states “when you’re at home” this excludes someone who is out on a mitzvah errand. Summary Challenge: Is this the source that one who is occupied with a mitzvah is exempt from other mitzvos? We learned it from somewhere else, as in the beraisa: “There were people who were tamei [and couldn’t bring the korban pesach]” Who were they? Rabbi Yosi Haglili: They were the bearers of Yosef’s coffin. Rabbi Akiva: Mishael and Eltzafan who had assisted with the bodies of Nadav and Avihu. Rabbi Yitzchok: The bearers of Yosef’s coffin had ample time to purify themselves (they were camped in one place for a while), Mishael and Eltzafan also had plenty of time (there were 8 days between Nadav and Avihu’s death and the korban Pesach, they could have purified themselves in just 7), rather these were people who had busied themselves with a meis mitzvah seven days earlier, as it states “They couldn’t make the Pesach on that day” but on the next day they would have been allowed to do so.” So we see that one who is involved with the mitzvah of burying the dead is exempt from the mitzvah of Pesach! Resolution: Had this law been taught only regarding Pesach, one might think that caring for the dead trumped the mitzvah of Pesach simply because it was not yet Pesach when the opportunity came up but one cannot do a mitzvah when he should be reciting the Shema. Had this law been taught only regarding Shema, one might think it’s because there’s no kareis penalty for failing to recite the Shema, but since there’s kareis for skipping the Pesach, it is never allowed; This is why we need both sources. We learned (21.2): Rabbi Abba bar Zavda quoting Rav: “A mourner is not absolved of any mitzvos with the exception of Tefillin which are called ‘glory’. As the Merciful One said to Yechezkel: ‘Don your glory’ [it means] only you – the prophet – should don your glory at this time but other mourners do not wear tefillin. This is only on the first day of aveilus as it states ‘a day of bitterness’ [but a mourner on subsequent days must keep everything]. (Until the corpse is buried the mourner is absolved of all Torah obligations. After the burial, for the remainder of the first day he is exempt only from tefillin. For the remainder of the week he is obligated in everything). Rabbi Abba bar Zavda quoting Rav: A mourner is obligated in the mitzvah of sukkah. Challenge: Isn’t that obvious? Resolution: One might think that since Rabbi Abba bar Zavda quoted a law from Rav: “One who is in distress is absolved from sitting in the sukkah” so a mourner should be absolved as well; that’s why he teaches that a mourner is obligated. One who is distressed means that he is distressed by circumstances beyond his control (he is nauseated by the odor of the schach or he is ill. His pain doesn’t have to result from the sukkah – as it seems from Rashi – rather any type of pain would absolve someone from the sukkah), but a mourner is distressing himself, he should pull himself together [because a man is in control of his mind]. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Summary There is a principle of teishvu k’ein taduru (11.1) — a sukkah should be regarded as one’s home. In all cases where one would not seek a home to lodge in, he is absolved of his obligation to dwell in the sukkah. Mishna: People who are on a mitzvah errand* [shluchei mitzvah], are absolved of the sukkah obligation. [Rashi and Tosfos give an example that they’re travelling to learn Torah. People who are learning already are surely obligated to go sit in the sukkah. They must stop for kiddush levanah, they must stop for every minhag! The purpose of learning is to bring us to do mitzvos, so if they won’t stop for mitzvos they’re not really learners. But one who travels to learn is not learning but doing a mitzvah and is thus absolved from other mitzvos during that time.] Sick people and those who are tending to them, are absolved of the sukkah obligation. Eating and drinking casually is permitted outside of the sukkah. Gemara: Question: What is the source for these exemptions? Response: Beraisa: “The possuk states ‘[Recite the Shema] when you’re at home’ — this excludes one who is on a mitzvah errand ‘And when you’re travelling on the road’ — this excludes a chosson** (because he has ‘anxiety about a mitzvah’ which is also a mitzvah). This is the source for the rule that ‘One who marries a virgin is exempt from Shema, but one who marries a widow must recite the Shema’ (breaking through the hymen is not a simple matter and causes anxiety to the chosson, but with a widow there’s no anxiety).” Question: How does this verse exclude one who is on a mitzvah errand [perhaps it excludes anyone who is not comfortably at home]? Rav Huna: It states “on the road”, travelling on the road is not a mitzvah, so it includes anything that is not a mitzvah. Challenge: Perhaps the possuk is referring to one who is travelling for a mitzvah, so we see that he does have to recite the Shema? Resolution: It states: “When you’re at home and when you’re travelling”, it could have said “when one is at home or when one travels” the usage of ‘you’ implies that it is for your personal needs but for a mitzvah, one is exempt. Challenge: Why is one required to recite Shema when marrying a widow, isn’t that also a mitzvah? Resolution: One who is marrying a virgin; his mind is occupied with it, not one who marries a widow. Challenge: Anyone whose mind is occupied is exempt? What about one whose ship sunk at sea? He is surely not absolved as we see from the statement of Rabbi Abba bar Zavda quoting Rav: A mourner is not absolved of any mitzvos with the exception of Tefillin (for the first day) which are called “glory”*. Resolution: The chosson is occupied with a mitzvah but the merchant who lost his ship is not. (Although a mourner also has a mitzvah to mourn, Rashi explains that he doesn’t have a mitzvah to get anxious and lose his presence of mind). Click here to listen to the shiur with Tosfos https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PFwu8Vtbl78da7W18Piq2PlVQLp84dFg/view?usp=sharing * Rashi: If they’re travelling to learn Torah, to visit their rebbe for Yom Tov (even the travel is a mitzvah) or to redeem captives, so even when they’re not actually travelling, they’re exempt from sukkah. Tosfos: We can prove this from the gemara “one who travels for a mitzvah is absolved from sukkah by day and by night”. This obviously refers to someone who only travels by day. Anyone who is on the road travelling, even if not for a mitzvah, is absolved from sukkah because of teishvu k’ein taduru. So there is no need to teach that one who travels for a mitzvah is absolved unless it means that he is absolved at night because of his daytime travels. But this is very difficult, since they can accomplish both mitzvos, why should they be absolved of one?! Would we say that anyone wearing tzitzis is now absolved of all other mitzvos? Tosfos also raises another difficulty from masichta Nedarim where we see that one is not absolved from the mitzvah of tzedakah while a lost article is in his house. Tosfos thus concludes that one who is involved in a mitzvah is only absolved of sukkah if sleeping in a sukkah would keep him from accomplishing the mitzvah. * *Rashi: Although he is also doing a mitzvah, it doesn’t seem like he’s doing anything or going anywhere, it is merely a preoccupation in his mind. * Tosfos: There is a possuk that teaches the exemption of an avel from tefillin and we would learn all mitzvos from tefillin. That’s why the gemara explains the reason for the exemption is because of a svara. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Rav Acha bar Yaakov: A wall that cannot withstand an ordinary wind, is not considered a wall. Summary Challenge: “A tree, a wall or a thicket of reeds can be considered a dyumad” (3.4. If the wall is thick enough that a dyumad can be cut out from it, it is considered a valid dyumad). But reeds sway in the wind? Resolution: The reeds are interlaced with sticks which hold it in place. Challenge: “A tree with low hanging branches [its branches come down all around, sort of like the walls of a hut], if its foliage comes within 3 tefachim from the ground [so it’s like complete walls] is considered a house and one can carry inside of it on Shabbos”. But the branches wave in the wind? Resolution: The branches are interlaced with sticks which hold it in place. Challenge: So then it’s a man-made home! Why did Rav Huna brei D’Rav Yehoshua say: One may only carry in that area if it’s smaller than 2 se’ah? Resolution: It’s a home for the purpose of the outside (See 14.4, 18.5) [it is made for watchmen or shepherds who do not want to be indoors]. Any home that is not built for residence is only considered ‘indoors’ if its size is up to 2 se’ah. Challenge: “If one spent Shabbos on a plateau that is 10 tefachim steep (if it’s slanted it may not qualify as a wall) and is between 4 amos and 2 sea’h in area; or if he spent Shabbos in a pit that is 10 tefachim deep and is between 4 amos and 2 sea’h in area; or if he spent Shabbos in a field surrounded by a wall of standing grain, then the entire space is considered his home, and he can walk the entire area plus an additional 2000 amos in every direction”. But the stalks wave in the wind? Resolution: The stalks of wheat are interlaced with sticks which hold it in place. (Tosfos explains that only previously there was an additional challenge “So then it’s a man-made home!” because here, there’s no roof). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Rav Acha bar Yaakov: A wall that cannot withstand an ordinary wind, is not considered a wall. Summary Challenge: “A tree, a wall or a thicket of reeds can be considered a dyumad” (3.4. If the wall is thick enough that a dyumad can be cut out from it, it is considered a valid dyumad). But reeds sway in the wind? Resolution: The reeds are interlaced with sticks which hold it in place. Challenge: “A tree with low hanging branches [its branches come down all around, sort of like the walls of a hut], if its foliage comes within 3 tefachim from the ground [so it’s like complete walls] is considered a house and one can carry inside of it on Shabbos”. But the branches wave in the wind? Resolution: The branches are interlaced with sticks which hold it in place. Challenge: So then it’s a man-made home! Why did Rav Huna brei D’Rav Yehoshua say: One may only carry in that area if it’s smaller than 2 se’ah? Resolution: It’s a home for the purpose of the outside (See 14.4, 18.5) [it is made for watchmen or shepherds who do not want to be indoors]. Any home that is not built for residence is only considered ‘indoors’ if its size is up to 2 se’ah. Challenge: “If one spent Shabbos on a plateau that is 10 tefachim steep (if it’s slanted it may not qualify as a wall) and is between 4 amos and 2 sea’h in area; or if he spent Shabbos in a pit that is 10 tefachim deep and is between 4 amos and 2 sea’h in area; or if he spent Shabbos in a field surrounded by a wall of standing grain, then the entire space is considered his home, and he can walk the entire area plus an additional 2000 amos in every direction”. But the stalks wave in the wind? Resolution: The stalks of wheat are interlaced with sticks which hold it in place. (Tosfos explains that only previously there was an additional challenge “So then it’s a man-made home!” because here, there’s no roof). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by Bizfluence - The New Standard in Business Networking https://join.bizfluenceapp.com/ Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Beraisa: Rabbi Yosi Haglili: The possuk states “He should write her a sefer (document) of divorce”. It seems that the possuk limits us to using only a sefer. But the possuk says “he should write”, so it seems that it can be written on anything. If so, why does the possuk mention a sefer specifically? This teaches that a get can be written on anything that bears a resemblance to a document. Meaning, it is not a living creature or a food. The Chachomim argue on Rabbi Yosi Haglili: The possuk doesn’t say “write it in a sefer” which would indicate a specific form of writing. The possuk merely says that a sefer, a sippur devarim: a document, should be written. Summary Challenge: According to the Chachomim what is taught by the words “he should write” [without those we know it can be written on anything]? Resolution: It teaches that one cannot divorce his wife by giving her money, he must divorce her through writing. One would think that since the Torah compares divorce to marriage, [v’yatza v’haysah], divorce can be affected by money just like marriage. Rabbi Yosi Haglili: Learns this from the words “sefer krisus” - a document of divorce. This teaches that divorce is achieved only through a document. The Chachomim: Use the word kerisus to learn that the get must be something that is koreis [cuts them off from one another]. As we learn in a beraisa: “This is your get on condition that you don’t drink wine or go to your father’s house forever (Tosfos in Gittin explains that even after the father’s passing it’s still called his house); cannot be considered kerisus [the get is not valid]. If the condition was only made for thirty days, it is a valid get.” Rabbi Yosi Haglili: Learns this from the word kerisus. The possuk could have said Kores, the double term kerisus teaches both laws. (In lashon kodesh, letters are added to a word for emphasis, as in: adamdam, shcharchores). The Chachomim: Declined to learn anything from this grammatical construct. Mishna: If one builds a sukkah using trees as walls [not the roof], it is kosher. Gemara: Rav Acha bar Yaakov: A wall that cannot withstand an ordinary wind [the wind causes it to sway 3 tefachim, even if it’s anchored to the ground], is not considered a wall (20.2). Challenge: “If one builds a sukkah using trees as walls, it is kosher.” Trees may sway in the wind? (From this question we learn that even if the swaying wall is anchored, it’s still possul). Resolution: The mishna refers to trees with thick trunks. Challenge: What about the foliage? Resolution: The foliage is interlaced with sticks which hold it in place. Challenge: If the foliage is fastened, what new law is the mishna teaching? Resolution: One might think that trees cannot be used as walls because it would lead to people making use of the trees by hanging things on them (which is forbidden, see 20.1). This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Rabbi Meir: An animal cannot be used as a sukkah wall. Rabbi Yehuda: It may be used. Abayye: Rabbi Yehuda is “not concerned about death”, and there is no fear of the animal dying and invalidating the sukkah. Summary Challenge: Is Rabbi Yehuda “not concerned about death”?! We learned in a mishna: Rabbi Yehuda: They would prepare a second wife for him [the kohen gadol who would do the avodah on Yom Kippur only if he was married] in case his wife died. Resolution: We learned regarding this: Rav Huna brei D’Rav Yehoshua: This was a special stringency because of the greatness of the kapparah for the entire nation on that day. We learned a beraisa in 20.2: If one stationed an animal on one side of the sukkah to use it as a wall: Rabbi Meir: It is possul. Rabbi Yehuda: It is kosher. Rabbi Meir would say: A living thing cannot be used as a wall for a sukkah, a lechi for a mavui, pasei bira’os (3.4), or a golel. They quoted Rabbi Yosi Haglili: Additionally, a get cannot be written on a living animal’s hide. Challenge: According to both Abayye (the animal may die) and Rabbi Zeira (the animal may escape) [20.2], Rabbi Meir agrees that d’orayso an animal is a valid mechitza it is only d’rabbanan that it is considered invalid. If so, why would Rabbi Meir say that an animal cannot be a golel? (If it’s a valid mechitza min hatorah then it should contract tumah even if the chachomim say it cannot be used as a mechitza)! Rav Acha bar Yaakov: Rabbi Meir holds that a mechitza held up by air (the animal’s life force) is not a valid mechitza even d’orayso. Ikka D’omri [a different version]: Rav Acha bar Yaakov: Rabbi Meir holds that a natural mechitza (something that cannot be manmade) is not a valid mechitza. Question: What is the difference between the two ways? Answer: The difference would be if one used an air-filled sack as a mechitza. While it is air-filled, it is manmade. Rabbi Yosi Haglili: A get cannot be written on a living animal’s hide. Question: What is Rabbi Yosi Haglili’s reasoning? Answer: Beraisa: The possuk states “He should write her a sefer (document) of divorce”. It seems that the possuk limits us to using only a sefer. But the possuk says “he should write”, so it seems that it can be written on anything. If so, why does the possuk mention a sefer specifically? This teaches that a get can be written on anything that bears a resemblance to a document. Meaning, it is not a living creature or a food. The Chachomim who argue on Rabbi Yosi Haglili answer: The possuk doesn’t say “write it in a sefer” which would indicate a specific form of writing. The possuk merely says that a sefer, a sippur devarim: a document, should be written. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Rabbi Meir: An animal cannot be used as a sukkah wall. Rabbi Yehuda: It may be used. Rabbi Meir’s reasoning: Abayye: The animal might die. Challenge: Abayye resolved the disparity between a mishna and a beraisa by explaining that one follows Rabbi Meir who is “not concerned about death” and the other follows Rabbi Yehuda who is “concerned about death” — as we learn in a beraisa: Rabbi Meir holds that one can designate Terumah without separating it and we’re not concerned that the keg may break and Rabbi Yehuda is concerned that the keg may break! Summary Resolution: Abayye resolved the disparity differently: The mishna follows Rabbi Yehuda who is “not concerned about death” and the beraisa follows Rabbi Meir who is “concerned about death” — as we learn in a beraisa (20.2): If one stationed an animal on one side of the sukkah to use it as a wall: Rabbi Meir: It is possul. Rabbi Yehuda: It is kosher. Challenge: If Rabbi Meir is concerned about death, why is he not concerned that the keg may break? Resolution: Death is frequent but the keg will not necessarily break if guarded properly. Challenge: And if Rabbi Yehuda is not concerned about death, why is he concerned that the keg may break? Resolution: Rabbi Yehuda is actually not concerned that the keg may break. The reason he holds that one cannot designate terumah without separating it is because he doesn’t agree with the principle of breirah. Challenge: But that beraisa goes on to state: Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Yosi and Rabbi Shimon to Rabbi Meir: Don’t you agree that the keg may break, and he will have turned out retroactively to be drinking tevel! Rabbi Meir: [I will deal with that question] when it will break. [He wasn’t concerned about the prospect of the keg breaking]. So Rabbi Yehuda obviously was concerned about the keg breaking! Resolution: Rabbi Yehuda was saying, “The terumah is surely not valid because I don’t subscribe to breirah. But even if you hold of breirah, perhaps the keg may break?! [After all, regarding sukkah you’re worried that the animal may die].” This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored by S.N.S., as a zechus for all those who need Shidduchim Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here  https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU One may take a quick nap in his tefillin, but he may not sleep in them. Summary Question: What is considered “just a nap”? Beraisa of Rami bar Yechezkel: The time it takes to walk 100 amos. We learned in a beraisa also thus: Rabbi Yaakov: If one sleeps with his tefillin and has a seminal emission, he should remove his tefillin by taking hold of the straps but he shouldn’t touch the tefillin (as a sign of respect). Chachomim: One may take a quick nap in his tefillin, but he may not sleep in them. A quick nap is the time that it takes to walk 100 amos. Rav: During the day one is forbidden to sleep more than a horse sleeps (this was a great generation for whom the Torah was life, sleeping during the day was giving up one’s life). A horse’s sleep is 60 breaths (nowadays many people sleep more than that because this was said to a great generation. Rav wouldn’t issue such a decree if people couldn’t withstand it). Abayye: My rebbe [Rabbah] would sleep as per Rav’s instruction. Rav learned this from Rebbe and Rebbe Learned it from Dovid. Dovid slept like a horse (a horse sometimes naps between deliveries). A horse’s sleep is 60 breaths. Bei Kuvi was a town near Pumbedisa. Abayye once allowed himself the ‘luxury’ of sleeping for the short amount of time it takes to travel from Pumbedisa to Bei Kuvi. Rav Yosef rebuked him with a possuk in Mishlei: “How long, you lazy one, will you lie in bed? When will you arise from sleep?” (We see from Abayye’s previous statement extolling his teacher that in Abayye’s generation it was already difficult to uphold the standard of Dovid Hamelech. We see also that Abayye slept more than Rav Yosef). Beraisa: Rabbi Nosson: If one would like to nap during the day (it means a short nap) he may remove his tefillin if he so wishes, or he may leave them on. But at night he must remove them (even if he merely wishes to nap. Because at night he may forget himself and lie with his wife). Rabbi Yosi: Young men must always remove their tefillin because young people are more likely to get tamei. Question: Does Rabbi Yosi hold that a baal keri is forbidden to wear tefillin? Abayye: He is referring to a young man who is with his wife, we’re concerned that he may forget about his tefillin and lie with her. Beraisa: If one forgot and came upon his wife while wearing tefillin, he cannot remove it even by taking hold of the straps until he washes his hands, because his hands may have touched an unclean place. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Mishna: If one built his sukkah on a wagon or a ship, it is kosher. Summary Gemara: Question: Whose opinion is this mishna following? Answer: Rabbi Akiva. As we learned in a beraisa: A sukkah on a ship is possul according to Rabban Gamliel and kosher according to Rabbi Akiva. It once happened that Rabban Gamliel and Rabbi Akiva were travelling on a ship together. Rabbi Akiva built a sukkah on the deck; the next day a wind knocked down his sukkah. Rabban Gamliel said to him: “Akiva, where’s your sukkah?” (Don’t you see that a ship is not a stable place for a sukkah?). Abayye: Everyone agrees that if it cannot withstand an ordinary land wind [although this sukkah is at sea], it is possul. If it can withstand an unusually strong land wind [which is a usual sea wind], it is kosher. They disagree if it can withstand an ordinary land wind, but not an ordinary sea wind [which is an unusually strong land wind]: According to Rabban Gamliel, a sukkah must be a diras keva (6.3) and it must be able to stand where it is [at sea]. According to Rabbi Akiva, a sukkah mustn’t be so strong, as long as it can stand on land, it is kosher. Atop a camel’s back, it is kosher but he may not enter it on Yom Tov. Question: Whose opinion is this mishna following? Answer: Rabbi Meir. As we learned in a beraisa: A sukkah on an animal is kosher according to Rabbi Meir and possul according to Rabbi Yehuda. Question: What is Rabbi Yehuda’s reasoning? Answer: It states “Make a sukkah celebration for seven days”, only a sukkah that can be used for seven days is kosher [but this sukkah cannot be used on Shabbos or Yom Tov]. Challenge: What would Rabbi Meir say? Resolution: This sukkah is usable all seven days, it is only d’rabbanan that we cannot use it (20.1). (Superficially we can say that this machlokes is the key to a question that comes up constantly in Minchas Chinuch: Does a d’rabbanan affect d’oraysos? It seems that Rabbi Yehuda hold it does, and Rabbi Meir holds it does not). If one stationed an animal on one side of the sukkah to use it as a wall: Rabbi Meir: It is possul. Rabbi Yehuda: It is kosher. Rabbi Meir would say: A living thing cannot be used as a wall for a sukkah, a lechi for a mavui, pasei bira’os (3.4), or a golel (according to Rashi it means the stone that covers a grave, this stone is tamei like the corpse). They quoted Rabbi Yosi Haglili: Additionally, a get cannot be written on a living animal’s hide. Question: What is Rabbi Meir’s reasoning? Abayye: The animal might die. Rabbi Zeira: The animal might escape. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Summary The reason we don’t touch a pencil on shabbos is because it would move if we touch it, and it is forbidden to move muktzah but it is permissible to touch muktzah. Therefore one is allowed to touch a camel or a tree on shabbos. However there is a rabbinic ban on using an animal or a tree on shabbos. Mishna: If one built his sukkah on a wagon or a ship, it is kosher and he may enter it on Yom Tov. Atop a tree or on a camel’s back, it is kosher but he may not enter it on Yom Tov. If two walls were built in the tree and only one wall is supported independently, or if two walls are standing independently and one is supported by the tree, it is kosher but he may not enter it on Yom Tov. If three walls are standing independently and a fourth wall is supported by the tree, it is kosher and he may enter it on Yom Tov. This is the rule: If the sukkah can stand independently if the tree were to be removed, it is kosher and he may enter it on Yom Tov. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

It's Purim! Click here to Give to Toras Avigdor https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Rav Ashi to Rav Kahana: Less than a tefach cannot be knocked down by Chavot Remi?! We learned in a Beraisa: If the boards were not level, one was higher than the other: We look at the boards as if they were on the same level. As long as the higher board is not above 20 amos, and the lower board is not below 10 tefachim, we consider them to be on the same level and if they can hold a brick together, another board is not necessary.” So we see that as long as both boards are between 10 tefachim and 20 amos, we can apply “Chavot Remi” even though they are less than a tefach wide! Summary Rav Kahana to Rav Ashi: The principle here is not Chavot Remi but lavud. The beraisa must be understood as follows: As long as the higher board is not above 20 amos, and is within 3 tefachim of the lower board, or, the lower board is not below 10 tefachim , and is within 3 tefachim of the upper board, we consider them to be on the same level. But if there are 3 tefachim between the boards, since they’re not a tefach wide, we cannot apply the principle of Chavot Remi. We learned in the mishna 19.2: A sukkah whose “shade is more than its sunlight”, is kosher. But if the shade is equal to the sunlight, the sukkah would be possul. Challenge: In the first perek (1.1) we learned “A Sukkah whose schach lets in more sunshine than shade, is possul.” which implies that if the sunshine is equal to the shade it would be kosher! Resolution: Our mishna implies the law in a case where the shade and the sunshine are equal above. The first perek where it seems that when the shade and sunshine are equal, the sukkah is kosher, is referring to the shade below. Rav Papa: As people say “An aperture the size of a quarter above, seems like a half-dollar below”. We learned in the mishna 19.2: A sukkah whose schach is thick like a solid roof is kosher even though the stars cannot be viewed from inside the sukkah. Beraisa: A sukkah whose schach is thick like a solid roof is kosher even though the stars cannot be viewed from inside the sukkah. If however the sun rays cannot be seen through the roof: It is possul according to Beis Shammai. Beis Hillel: It is kosher. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate

Today’s learning sponsored Sponsor a day's learning (thousands of minutes!) for only $72 click here https://www.flipcause.com/secure/cause pdetails/ODUwOTU Summary Mishna: A sukkah that is meduvleles (the gemara will explain this term) and one whose “shade is more than its sunlight”, is kosher. A sukkah whose schach is thick like a solid roof is kosher even though the stars cannot be viewed from inside the sukkah (sometimes houses were made with thatched roofs, thus this sukkah would be indistinguishable from a house, but it still kosher). Gemara: Question: What is Meduvleles? Rav: A sparse sukkah. Shmuel: It means that the schach is uneven; there are two layers of sparse schach [from the top everything is covered, but the cover is not level]. (The top layer is at least 3 tefachim higher than the bottom layer, otherwise it’s considered one level). According to Rav the mishna is saying one thing, “a sparse sukkah whose shade is more than its sunlight, is kosher”. According to Shmuel the mishna is saying two separate things, “a sukkah whose shade is more than its sunlight” is a separate law. Rav says that a sukkah meduldeles [a sparse sukkah] whose shade is more than its sunlight is kosher. Shmuel says that a sukkah mevulbeles [a confused sukkah that’s not level] is kosher and a sukkah whose shade is more than its sunlight is kosher. Abayye: Shmuel’s law is only applicable when there is no 3 tefach airspace on the bottom level, if there’s 3 tefachim empty, then it’s not kosher. Rava: If the upper level has a board that’s a tefach wide above the airspace, the sukkah remains kosher because of the rule that “Chavot Remi”, the tefach can be ‘knocked down’ from above. This podcast has been graciously sponsored by JewishPodcasts.fm. There is much overhead to maintain this service so please help us continue our goal of helping Jewish lecturers become podcasters and support us with a donation: https://thechesedfund.com/jewishpodcasts/donate