Questions for Vayeira

 1. The Yerushalmi in Brachos 1:1 says that the description of malachim having רגל ישרה also means their legs have no joints.

Bring Raya.

18:4, Avraham told them השענו תחת העץ, lean. Apparently he saw they could not sit down like normal people. 

2. In 18:3 Avraham says

ויאמר אדני אם נא מצאתי חן בעיניך

and there is a machlokes whether it was a term of honor to the travelers or a request that Hashem allow him to interrupt his Tefilla to take care of his guests.

In 19:2 Lot says

הנה נא אדוני סורו נא

and nobody says it was anything but a term of honor for the travelers. 

Why?

Because by Avraham they were described as Anashim, simple travelers, so Adonai is incongruous. By Lot, they were described as malachim, having an awesome appearance, so the term Adonai is fitting in the simple sense of an honorific. 

3. Name the 2 sons of Lot, which most people get wrong.

19:37-38, Moav and Ben Ami.

4. The Gemara in Kidd 32 says 

אין זקן אלא מי שקנה חכמה. 

Two times in our parsha that it just means old, and definitely not wise.

The men of Sdom, and Lot, as described by his daughters. 

5. Find a repudiation of the concept of secular humanism in the parsha.

20:11, 

רק אין יראת אלוקים במקום הזה והרגוני על דבר אשתי.

6. Show that a father can call his son a naar even if he's 37 years old and wise.

22:5, ואני והנער נלכה עד כה.

Sarah was a בת תשעים when she had Yitzchak, and died at 127 at the time of the Akeida. 

7. Two times a malach prevented a death and gave a bracha to the person he saved.

Yishmoel in 21:18, Yitzchok in 22:12 & 17.

8. A person not named once in the parsha, but referred to 15 times. Give three examples.

Yishmael. Once where Avraham told him to prepare the meat, one when he was expelled, and once by the Akeida.

9. Where did two go up but only one came down.

2 went up, 22:5, ואני והנער נלכה.

1 came down, 22:19, וישב אברהם אל נעריו.

10. Four times someone woke early.

19:27 Avraham to daven Shachris and to see the fate of Sedom

20:8 Avimelech to tell his people about his dream

21:14 Avraham to send Hagar away

22:3 Avraham to go to the Akeida.

Questions for Lech Lecha

1.  In the end of Noach, 11:31, we find that Terach took Avram, Sarai, and Lot on a planned journey to Eretz Yisrael, but ended up staying in Charan.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח תֶּ֜רַח אֶת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן הָרָן֙ בֶּן בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרַ֣י כַּלָּת֔וֹ אֵ֖שֶׁת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ אִתָּ֜ם מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַד חָרָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם

In Lech Lecha, 12:5, the Torah repeats those words to contrast that trip with Avram and Lot and Sarai’s trip to Knaan, which they actually finished.

וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָם אֶת שָׂרַי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן אָחִיו וְאֶת כָּל רְכוּשָׁם אֲשֶׁר רָכָשׁוּ וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן וַיֵּצְאוּ לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן.

What is the point of the contrast?

 

2.  Where do you see that you can call a brother in law your brother, and why is that answer incorrect.

3.  Chazal interpret the names of the kings as descriptions of how wicked they were.  How do we know that were adjectives, and not just the names they got at the bris?

4.  A territory named for someone who was not born yet.

5. Assuming that if you find a valuable item you have to give Maaser, what if you find a lost object that you are allowed to keep. Example: Loose cash in a public marketplace. But you investigate and find out who lost it, and lifnim mishuras hadin you decide to return it. Do you have to give maaser?

6.  In 49:22, in Birkas Yaakov it says

בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר.

Find a remez in our parsha that Yosef will have power over Yishmael.

7.  Was the ברית בין הבתרים  in the daytime or at night?

 

8.  What name for Hashem is used only five times in Tanach; four in this parsha, and once in Tehillim.

9.  Which birds are mentioned in this parsha?

10.  The word fish in English can be singular or plural. What about the word Tzipor in Hebrew?

  

11.  Proof that Terach ultimately did Teshuva.

12.  Four people in the Parsha who were given names min hashamayim.

13.  The Ramban says that two things Avraham and Sarah did were wrong, and he calls them sins.

 

14.  Many poskim hold that a goy can not be a mohel because the Torah says המול ימול, only a mahul, a ben bris, can do the bris.

Gemara in AZ 27a

עכו"ם פסול למול דכתיב המול ימול

רש"י המול ימול - קרי ביה המל ימול מי שהוא מהול ימול אחרים

So who did the bris for Avraham and his household?

1.  In the end of Noach, 11:31, we find that Terach took Avram, Sarai, and Lot on a planned journey to Eretz Yisrael, but ended up staying in Charan.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח תֶּ֜רַח אֶת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן הָרָן֙ בֶּן בְּנ֔וֹ וְאֵת֙ שָׂרַ֣י כַּלָּת֔וֹ אֵ֖שֶׁת אַבְרָ֣ם בְּנ֑וֹ וַיֵּצְא֨וּ אִתָּ֜ם מֵא֣וּר כַּשְׂדִּ֗ים לָלֶ֙כֶת֙ אַ֣רְצָה כְּנַ֔עַן וַיָּבֹ֥אוּ עַד חָרָ֖ן וַיֵּ֥שְׁבוּ שָֽׁם

In Lech Lecha, 12:5, the Torah repeats those words to contrast that trip with Avram and Lot and Sarai’s trip to Knaan, which they actually finished.

וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָם אֶת שָׂרַי אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת לוֹט בֶּן אָחִיו וְאֶת כָּל רְכוּשָׁם אֲשֶׁר רָכָשׁוּ וְאֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ בְחָרָן וַיֵּצְאוּ לָלֶכֶת אַרְצָה כְּנַעַן וַיָּבֹאוּ אַרְצָה כְּנָעַן.

What is the point of the contrast?

I think that Hashem wanted Avram to come to Knaan because of a mitzvah, for no personal reason.  Also, the trip to Knaan is one of the ten great nisyonos. Obviously, there was something more than a threat to parnassah that faced them. Whatever it was, Terach gave in, and Avraham did not.

 

2.  Where do you see that you can call a brother in law your brother, and why is that answer incorrect.

13:8

וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֶל לוֹט אַל נָא תְהִי מְרִיבָה בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶיךָ וּבֵין רֹעַי וּבֵין רֹעֶיךָ כִּי אֲנָשִׁים אַחִים אֲנָחְנוּ.

Why is this answer really not correct?

Because Avraham says to Pharaoh that Sara was indeed his sister because she was his niece. You see that in the language of the time, the term brother or sister could be used for a nephew or a niece. So you have no proof it can be used for a brother in law.

3.  Chazal interpret the names of the kings as descriptions of how wicked they were.  How do we know that were adjectives, and not just the names they got at the bris?

Because one of them is not named- the king of Tzoar. It must be that he wasn’t a rasha like the rest of them, and so nobody cares what his name was.

14:2

עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה אֶת בֶּרַע מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם וְאֶת בִּרְשַׁע מֶלֶךְ עֲמֹרָה שִׁנְאָב מֶלֶךְ אַדְמָה וְשֶׁמְאֵבֶר מֶלֶךְ צביים [צְבוֹיִים] וּמֶלֶךְ בֶּלַע הִיא צֹעַר.

4.  A territory named for someone who was not born yet.

14:7 (Rashi.)

וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל עֵין מִשְׁפָּט הִוא קָדֵשׁ וַיַּכּוּ אֶת כָּל שְׂדֵה הָעֲמָלֵקִי וְגַם אֶת הָאֱמֹרִי הַיֹּשֵׁב בְּחַצְצֹן תָּמָר. 

5. Assuming that if you find a valuable item you have to give Maaser, what if you find a lost object that you are allowed to keep. Example: Loose cash in a public marketplace. But you investigate and find out who lost it, and lifnim mishuras hadin you decide to return it. Do you have to give maaser?

Apparently, yes. Avram chose to give the spoils of war back to the king of Sedom, but he gave maaser from everything to Malkitzedek. (See Taama d'Kra.)

6.  In 49:22, in Birkas Yaakov it says

בֵּן פֹּרָת יוֹסֵף בֵּן פֹּרָת עֲלֵי עָיִן בָּנוֹת צָעֲדָה עֲלֵי שׁוּר.

Find a remez in our parsha that Yosef will have power over Yishmael.

Because in 16:7, the Malach describes Hagar as being at the Ayin on the way to Shur.

וַיִּמְצָאָהּ מַלְאַךְ ה’ עַל עֵין הַמַּיִם בַּמִּדְבָּר עַל הָעַיִן בְּדֶרֶךְ שׁוּר.

7.  Was the ברית בין הבתרים  in the daytime or at night?

It seems to begin at night with Hashem telling Avrohom to try to count the stars which were out (15:5) only to later mention that the sun began to set and it became dark (15:17).

Tosfos in Brachos says the parsha called “bris bein habesarim” covers several events that took place at different times.

ומזה מיישב רשב"ם דבמקום אחד משמע שהיה לילה דכתיב וספור הככבי' (בראשי' טו) ובתר הכי כתי' ויהי השמש לבוא משמע שהוא יום. אלא ודאי ש"מ דשני פרשיות הם ולאו בבת אחת נאמרו ואין מוקדם ומאוחר בתורה:

בכור שור  says he saw the stars during the day.

ויוצא אותו החוצה. והראה לו הככבים ביום:

 

8.  What name for Hashem is used only five times in Tanach; four in this parsha, and once in Tehillim.

 14:18-22      אל עליון.  The first three it was used by or regarding Malki Tzedek, and the fourth time, by Avram.

וּמַלְכִּי־צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם הוֹצִיא לֶחֶם וָיָיִן וְהוּא כֹהֵן לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן׃ וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ וַיֹּאמַר בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ׃  וּבָרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן אֲשֶׁר־מִגֵּן צָרֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ וַיִּתֶּן־לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר מִכֹּל׃  וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־סְדֹם אֶל־אַבְרָם תֶּן־לִי הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְהָרְכֻשׁ קַח־לָךְ׃  וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם אֶל־מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם הֲרִמֹתִי יָדִי אֶל־יְהֹוָה אֵל עֶלְיוֹן קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ׃  אִם־מִחוּט וְעַד שְׂרוֹךְ־נַעַל וְאִם־אֶקַּח מִכׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָךְ וְלֹא תֹאמַר אֲנִי הֶעֱשַׁרְתִּי אֶת־אַבְרָם׃

In Tehillim 78:35

וַיִּזְכְּרוּ כִּי־אֱלֹהִים צוּרָם וְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן גֹּאֲלָם׃

 9.  Which birds are mentioned in this parsha?

Three birds appear in the parsha: תור גוזל ועיט (15:9, 11). The first two were used as part of the Bris Bein HaBetarim, and the last one came to eat the carcasses of the dead animals and birds.

10.  The word fish in English can be singular or plural. What about the word Tzipor in Hebrew?

See 15:9-10

וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו קְחָה לִי עֶגְלָה מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְעֵז מְשֻׁלֶּשֶׁת וְאַיִל מְשֻׁלָּשׁ וְתֹר וְגוֹזָל.

וַיִּקַּח לוֹ אֶת כָּל אֵלֶּה וַיְבַתֵּר אֹתָם בַּתָּוֶךְ וַיִּתֵּן אִישׁ בִּתְרוֹ לִקְרַאת רֵעֵהוּ וְאֶת הַצִפֹּר לֹא בָתָר.

Which tzipor? Apparently, tzipor can be plural. (ibn Ezra. But PdRE 28 says tzipor here refers to the ben yonah.)

11.  Proof that Terach ultimately did Teshuva.

15:5, Hashem said to Avraham

וְאַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶל אֲבֹתֶיךָ בְּשָׁלוֹם תִּקָּבֵר בְּשֵׂיבָה טוֹבָה.

 see Rashi-

אל אבותיך. אָבִיו עוֹבֵד עֲ"זָ וְהוּא מְבַשְּׂרוֹ שֶׁיָּבֹא אֵלָיו? לִמֶּדְךָ שֶׁעָשָׂה תֶּרַח תְּשׁוּבָה:

12.  Four people in the Parsha who were given names min hashamayim.

Avraham and Sarah, and

16:11

וַיֹּאמֶר לָהּ מַלְאַךְ ה’ הִנָּךְ הָרָה וְיֹלַדְתְּ בֵּן וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ יִשְׁמָעֵאל כִּי שָׁמַע ה’ אֶל עָנְיֵךְ.

7:19

ויאמר אלהים אבל שרה אשתך ילדת לך בן וקראת את שמו יצחק

 

13.  The Ramban says that two things Avraham and Sarah did were wrong, and he calls them sins.

Ramban:

"ודע כי אברהם אבינו חטא חטא גדול בשגגה שהביא אשתו הצדקת במכשול עון מפני פחדו פן יהרגוהו, והיה לו לבטוח בשם שיציל אותו ואת אשתו ואת כל אשר לו, כי יש באלוקים כח לעזור ולהציל. גם יציאתו מן הארץ, שנצטוה עליה בתחילה, עון אשר חטא, כי האלוקים ברעב יפדנו ממות. ועל המעשה הזה נגזר על זרעו הגלות בארץ מצרים ביד פרעה. במקום המשפט שמה הרשע והחטא".

"חטאה אמנו בעינוי הזה, וגם אברהם בהניחו לעשות כן, ושמע ה' אל עניה ונתן לה בן שיהא פרא אדם לענות זרע אברהם ושרה בכל מיני העינוי".

Many many achronim, including the Maharal and people of our generation say that either the Ramban is wrong or that this was not written by the Ramban or that the Ramban found some Medrash that we do not have that says this, because without clear proof, you don't say that the actions of the Avos were sinful.

 

14.  Many poskim hold that a goy can not be a mohel because the Torah says המול ימול, only a mahul, a ben bris, can do the bris.

Gemara in AZ 27a

עכו"ם פסול למול דכתיב המול ימול

רש"י המול ימול - קרי ביה המל ימול מי שהוא מהול ימול אחרים

So who did the bris for Avraham and his household?

The halacha that המול ימול only means that to do the bris, you have to be chayav. But here, Hashem told Avraham to be mal, and he intended to do the mitzva as soon as he could, so he was no different than a regular Jew who could not be mal himself, like a hemophiliac. (Tshuvos Chasam Sofer YD 300-

ובחי' תורה אמרתי סוף פ' לך לך מסיים וכל בן נכר נמולו אתו וצ"ע הא כבר כ' למעלה שהקדים מילת ילידי ביתו למילת עצמו וכ"כ רמב"ן א"כ מאי האי דחזר וכ' נמולו אתו אבל למ"ד המל ימול יקשה איך מל אאע"ה ילידי ביתו טרם מילת עצמו וצ"ל כיון דקיי"ל ישראל בעל ברית אפילו הוא ערל מיקרי מל ואברהם מכיון שקיבל על עצמו למול ונכנס לברית הו"ל כמל ויכול למול כולם אך כל זה אם סופו למול עצמו אבל אם ח"ו ינזור אחור ולא ימול עצמו ויבטל קבלת בריתו למפרע הרי גם כל הנימולים ע"י ערלים נמצא אעפ"י שהם נימולים קודם לו מ"מ היה מילתם תלוי עד שימול הוא עצמו ואז כל בני נכר נמולו אתו ע"י מילת עצמו נעשו הם נימולים וק"ל. )

But Pirkei dRebbi Eliezer says that Avraham called Sheim to do the bris- apparently, says Reb Chaim Kanievsky, because he was among those who were born mahul.

Questions for Noach

 A letter I wrote to a friend:

You have expressed an interest in current legislation regarding euthanasia or assisted suicide. 

It may be worth knowing that according to the Minchas Chinuch in 34, suicide is not prohibited to Gentiles.

 והנה מאבד עצמו לדעת אינו בכלל לאו דלא תרצח רק חייב מיתה ביד"ש כמבואר בר"מ פ"ב מהל' רוצח ונ"מ אם שיבר כלים בשעת מעשה. גם נ"ל דב"נ אין מצווה דנלמד מאך דמכם לנפשותיכם ולא נישנית בסיני אם כן לישראל נאמרה ולא לבני נח.

According to the MInchas Chinuch, it would hard to make the argument that in Jewish thought suicide is criminally repugnant to the conscience and to society.

From R Ozer Alport in his Parsha Potpourri:

This is discussed at length in:

S’ridei Aish 104, Chovos HaLevavos Shaar HaBitachon, Matamei Yaakov, and Chavatzeles HaSharon

I personally think that is is absolutely assur. Why does the Torah give a reason for the issur retzicha, but not for the other less sichlius issurim? Because the chidush is that murder is not only a crime against the individual, it is a crime against nature, against society, against God. Once the Torah teaches this, then it follows that the issur of retzicha applies no less to suicide.

Questions for Breishis

 

Questions for Vayeilech

1. Find a remez for techiyas hameisim in the parsha.

Corollary: why is it that we never find explicit mentions of kiyum haneshama, much less techiyas hameisim, in Torah she'biksav.

2. Where do we find a person is liable for opportunity cost in tortious interference.

1. Find a remez for techiyas hameisim in the parsha.

Corollary: why is it that we never find explicit mentions of kiyum haneshama, much less techiyas hameisim, in Torah she'biksav, until the time of the Neviim.

32:39

ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא ואין אלהים עמדי אני אמית ואחיה מחצתי ואני ארפא ואין מידי מציל

אבן עזרא

אני אני. ..... ורבים אומרים כי מזה הכתוב נלמוד חיי העולם הבא והעד שאמר בתחל' אמית ואחר כך אחיה וכן ה' ממית ומחיה והעד ה' מוריד שאול ויעל ואחרים אמרו מפסוק ואך את דמכם לנפשותיכם גם וצדקה תהיה לנו כי היא חייך בעוה״‎ב ואורך ימיך בעולם הזה למען ייטב לך. ורבינו האי ז״‎ל אמר כי לא הוצרך הכתוב לפרש דבר העוה״‎ב כי היה ידוע בהעתק' ולפי דעתי שהתורה נתנה לכל לא לאחד לבדו ודבר העוה״‎ב לא יבינו א' מני אלף כי עמוק הוא ושכר העוה״‎ב תלוי בדבר הנשמה והנה הוא חלף עבודת הלב ועבודתו להתבונן מעשה השם כי הם הסולם לעלות בו אל מעלת דעת השם שהוא העיקר והנה גם התורה ביארה למשכיל דבר עץ החיים והנה יש כח לנצח הכרובים והאוכל מעץ החיים וחי לעולם כמלאכי השרת וכן במזמור לבני קרח שמעו זאת כל העמים והסוד אך אלהים יפדה נפשי מיד שאול כי יקחני סלה וכן אחר כבוד תקחני והנה עם שניהם לקיחה כאשר עם דבר חנוך ואליהו ואחר שאמר ויקר פדיון נפשם איך אמר יפדה נפשי והמשכיל יבין:

Of course, there is a well known assertion by apikorsim that the concept did not exist until the time of the neviim. That is both wicked and stupid. I once asked Rav Dovid Gottleib whether Yitzchak Avinu would have submitted to the akeida if there was no kiyum hanefesh. He said absolutely yes. I have friends, highly intelligent and pious, who agree with him. He's probably right, but I find it hard to understand. 

2. Where do we find a person is liable for opportunity cost in tortious interference.

32:51

על אשר מעלתם בי בתוך בני ישראל במי מריבת קדש מדבר צן על אשר לא קדשתם אותי בתוך בני ישראל

Before Ne'ila Yom Kippur Pei Vov 2025

I began by singing this paragraph from Shachris:

אִמְרוּ לֵאלהִים:

תְּהִלָּתו מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ. מַעֲבִיר כִּלָּיון וָחֶרֶץ. מֵשִׁיב אַף וְחָרון וָקֶרֶץ. שֶׁוַע מְחַנְּנָיו יִרֶץ. לָכֵן יִתְגָּאֶה ה' אֲדונֵינוּ מָה אַדִּיר שִׁמְךָ בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ:

and I translated it. That means that unlike every other nation, every single year, an existential decision is made. What other nation has to face this? Why do we have to wake up to hear that the Ayatollahs said that Israel is a "one bomb country"? And how many missiles did they have pointed at our children and friends? Thousands of deadly missiles and thousands of deadly warheads. In the thirties, the decision was made, and it was against us. On October 7, the decision was against us. But Baruch Hashem, after the disaster of October 7th, the Ribono shel Olam protected us with hashgacha pratis, again and again, so much that you have to be willfully blind to not see it.

We all know this is true. Every Jew in the world knows, in his heart, that it is true. So I ask you what the heathen captain of the boat asked Yonah HaNavi: 

ויקרב אליו רב החבל ויאמר לו מה לך נרדם קום קרא אל אלהיך אולי יתעשת האלהים לנו ולא נאבד

The boat is about to be twisted into splinters, and we all are about to drown, why on earth are you sleeping? Now is the time to sleep? Now is the exact moment to call out to God to save us! As I said before Tekiyos, now is the time to be awake, not to sleepwalk. 

Do you know why Yonah went to sleep? Because Hashem told him "Go north!" and he, in direct contradiction of Hashem's command, davka ran in the opposite direction.  At this point, he was sure there was no chance Hashem would listen to him. But he was wrong!

The story of Menashe:

DH II 33:11

וַיְדַבֵּ֧ר יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־מְנַשֶּׁ֥ה וְאֶל־עַמּ֖וֹ וְלֹ֥א הִקְשִֽׁיבוּ׃ 

וַיָּבֵ֨א יְהֹוָ֜ה עֲלֵיהֶ֗ם אֶת־שָׂרֵ֤י הַצָּבָא֙ אֲשֶׁר֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר וַיִּלְכְּד֥וּ אֶת־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה בַּחֹחִ֑ים וַיַּאַסְרֻ֙הוּ֙ בַּֽנְחֻשְׁתַּ֔יִם וַיּוֹלִיכֻ֖הוּ בָּבֶֽלָה׃ 

וּכְהָצֵ֣ר ל֔וֹ חִלָּ֕ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיִּכָּנַ֣ע מְאֹ֔ד מִלִּפְנֵ֖י אֱלֹהֵ֥י אֲבֹתָֽיו׃ 

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֣ל אֵלָ֗יו וַיֵּעָ֤תֶר לוֹ֙ וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע תְּחִנָּת֔וֹ וַיְשִׁיבֵ֥הוּ יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם לְמַלְכוּת֑וֹ וַיֵּ֣דַע מְנַשֶּׁ֔ה כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה ה֥וּא הָאֱלֹהִֽים׃

Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 10:2

אַמַר רִבִּי לֵוִי. מוּלָא שֶׁלִּנְחוֹשֶׂת עָשׂוּ לוֹ וְנָתְנוּ אוֹתוֹ בְּתוֹכָהּ וְהָיוּ מַסִּיקִין תַּחְתָּיו. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁצָּרָתוֹ צָרָה לֹא הִנִּיחַ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בָעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא הִזְכִּירָהּ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹּא הוֹעִיל לוֹ כְּלוּם אָמַר. זָכוּר אֲנִי שֶׁהָיָה אָבִי מַקְרֶא אוֹתִי אֶת הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת בַּצַּר לְךָ וּמְצָאוּךָ כֹּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד יי אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְּקוֹלוֹ. כִּי אֵל רַחוּם יְי אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַשְׁחִיתֶךָ וְלֹא יִשְׁכַּח אֶת בְּרִית אֲבוֹתֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע לָהֶם. הֲרֵי אֲנִי קוֹרֵא אוֹתוֹ. אִם עוֹנֶה אוֹתִי מוּטָּב וְאִם לָאו הָא כָל אַפְּיָא שָׁוִין. וְהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְסַתְּמִין אֶת הַחַלּוֹנוֹת שֶׁלֹּא תַעֲלֶה תְפִילָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּמְנַשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת אוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁלְּעוֹלָם. אָדָם שֶׁעָבַד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהֶעֱמִיד צֶלֶם בַּהֵיכָל אַתָּה מְקַבְּלוֹ בִתְשׁוּבָה. אָמַר לָהֶן. אִם אֵינִי מְקַבְּלוֹ בִתְשׁוּבָה הֲרֵי אֲנִי נוֹעֵל אֶת הַדֶּלֶת בִּפְנֵי כָל בַּעֲלֵי תְשׁוּבָה. מָה עָשָׂה לוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. חָתַר לוֹ חֲתִירָה מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד שֶׁלּוֹ וְשָׁמַע תְּחִינָּתוֹ. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ וַיִּשְׁמַע תְּחִינָּתוֹ וַיְשִׁיבֵיהוּ.

What does that mean, that if Hashem doesn't accept his teshuva other baalei teshuva will despair? How many Menashes were there? He was the greatest of ovdei avoda zara, he made it universal in Klal Yisrael, he murdered so many, and Hashem needs to accept his teshuva so nobody else will despair? And what kind of teshuva was it? It was not just disrespectful, it was full of chutzah. But all that does not matter. His teshuva was accepted. Whatever you may be, you are not Menashe. Whatever thoughts of teshuva you might have, they are better than his. 

I want to ask each of you a question. Are you the same as you were ten years ago? Are you a better person, or not? Are you more charitable, or less? Are you more or less serious about davening? Are you more irritable? I think most of you will say we are not who we were ten years ago, certainly twenty years ago. To be human is to change, life is change. You have changed and you will continue to change. The only question is, how is it going to happen? Are you just the product of your environment, just floating and reactive, or are you going to decide what direction you're going in? And you can make that choice, and you can make it happen. As hard as you think it may be, as unlikely as you think it may be, you do not have to do it on your own. You can ask the Ribono shel Olam to help you.

ור' אלכסנדרי אמר הכי רבון העולמים גלוי וידוע לפניך שרצוננו לעשות רצונך ומי מעכב שאור שבעיסה .... יהי רצון מלפניך שתצילנו מידם ונשוב לעשות חוקי רצונך בלבב שלם. רבא אמר ..... יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהי שלא אחטא עוד

Now is the moment to wake up, decide where you want to be in ten years, and and to ask the Ribono shel Olam to help you get there in His middas HaRachamim. 

Before Yizkor Yom Kippur Pei Vov 2025

Do not read this if you expect an edited piece. This is nothing more than ראשי פרקים. This is here only so that someone who needs a good intro to Yizkor on Yom Kippur has a framework that worked well for me. I was up at five in the morning on Yom Kippur because I had nothing new (in a place where they remember what I said in the past!) I came across Rav Carlebach's vort, and I was saved.

Synopsis: Baruch sheim; Hashem's name as written in the Mikdash; meisim being judged;  the line between olam hazeh and olam haba, the line between the world of gashmiyus and the world of ruchniyus, the line between the past and the present, the living and the dead, the line is erased on Yom Kippur. 

Inspired by Rav Shlomo Carlebach's sefer Maskil l'Shlomo volume ויקרא שבועות page 72 on Achrei Mos.

https://beta.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=67926&st=&pgnum=72&hilite=

The Tur 619 to say Baruch Sheim loud.

How does this help for the problem of Moshe not having said it, two ways of explaining it from Pesachim 56. (If you want to see everything everyone ever said about this, another (unrelated) Carlebach in חבצלת השרון has a piece on it.)

Similar, Brachos 63 that in the Mikdash no Amein, only BSK. He explained elsewhere that BSK is shevach to the "Sheim Etzem" when it is revealed, i.e., when you say the Sheim Hashem kiksivaso. There are two places this happens. According to the Ritva Taanis 16 this is true all year in the Mikdash. (But many others say that even in the Mikdash, only during duchening and on Yom Kippur, and this vort works better with that approach). Second, according to Rabbeinuu Yona and the Gaon you should have kavana of the Sheim in Krias Shema as it is written. Mimeila, since the reason we say BSK quietly is that in this world, the shevach is incomplete because the Malchus is not evident, as is says in Pesachim 50 about Dayan emes in this world but kulo tov umeitiv in olam haba. Since we have kavana to the Sheim in Krias Shema, there is a desire to say BSK, but we can't, so we say it quietly.

In Sotah 38 it says that you say the Sheim in the mikdash because ושמו את שמי in general in the Mikdash, or בכל מקום rearranged for Birkas Kohanim.

But it's shver, if there's a drasha of זה שמי לעולם meaning לעלם, how can the Mikdash be different? 

He answers that inside the mechitzos of the Mikdash it has dinim of Olam Haba.

So, too, he says, is the nature of Yom Kippur in zman. Pirkei d'Rebbi Eliezer 46,

וְאִלּוּלֵי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים לֹא הָיָה הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, שֶׁיּוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים מְכַפֵּר בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וּלָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן הִיא״ – שַׁבָּת הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, שַׁבָּתוֹן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Also, Yoma 20, Hasatan = 364, minus YK. Since in Olam haba the Satan is battel, יתמו חטאים מן הארץ, and in Yoel 2 ואת הצפוני ארחיק מעליכם.

Bottom line: The Mikdash is like Olam Haba for hazkaras hasheim, and Yom Kippur is also like Olam Haba.

We do not have a Beis Hamikdash, but we still have kohanim doing the avoda in a holy place. Chazal say that we learn many dinim of how to daven Shmoneh Esrei from והיה מחניך קדוש, which is about the army camp of soldiers who are fighting and sacrificing and suffering to protect Klal Yisrael. Every army camp in Eretz Yisrael is like the Beis Hamikdash, and unfortunately, there have been so many korbanos! 

I have said in the past that the essential Yizkor is davka Yom Kippur, when the meisim are also judged. 

Those holy neshamos, of the sacrifices in Eretz Yisrael, of parents and grandparents and relatives, all are here today, because on Yom Kippur, the line between the living and the dead, between Olam Hazeh and Olam Haba, between ruchniyus and gashmiyus, that line has been erased. In light of all they did for us, in return for the love they showed us, they are entitled to something from here. Today, you can do something for them. You can remember them by making the world a better place, by bring more kedusha into the world, by giving tzedaka in their name, or just by mentioning their name in the world of the living. It's hard to know how interested the neshamos are in what goes on in this world, as far away as they may be, everyone appreciates a package from home. And on Yom Kippur, on this day when all the worlds are connected, they are not far away at all.

NOTE:

After Yomtov, my wife called Rebbitzen Jofen, Harav Carelbach's daughter, and told her we used this vort. She said that she is very familiar with it, and that he once added something to it.

The "hosafa" is raises the whole vort a level.

Rav Carlebach said that the word Tachrichin, תכריך, appears only once in Tanach, in Esther 8:15. 

וּמׇרְדֳּכַ֞י יָצָ֣א ׀ מִלִּפְנֵ֣י הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ בִּלְב֤וּשׁ מַלְכוּת֙ תְּכֵ֣לֶת וָח֔וּר וַעֲטֶ֤רֶת זָהָב֙ גְּדוֹלָ֔ה וְתַכְרִ֥יךְ בּ֖וּץ וְאַרְגָּמָ֑ן וְהָעִ֣יר שׁוּשָׁ֔ן צָהֲלָ֖ה וְשָׂמֵֽחָה׃

There, it is a garment of glory and צהלה ושמחה. This is so different from our use of the word, for the simple cloth used for meisim and בכי תמרורים. But, Rav Carlebach said, this is a mistake. The tachrichin we use for burial are not בגדי מתים.  They are בגדי תחיית המתים. 

We can say the same about the kittel we wear on Yom Kippur. It has many symbolic meanings. But if we think about it as a beged meisim, it is important to remember that, especially on a day when we stand amidst all the neshamos, that it is really a beged of techiyas hameisim.