אכין ורקין מיעוטין- רק עם חכם ונבון

 Measles

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2019/05/orthodox-jews-face-anti-semitism-after-measles-outbreak/590311/

and 

https://khn.org/news/why-measles-hits-so-hard-within-n-y-orthodox-jewish-community/

Yes, I know that all vaccines have a risk of serious side effects. This has been recognized by every immunologist and court in the world. That risk is smaller than that of getting food poisoning from gefilte fish and anisakis from sushi - and the greatest risk of salmonella, bean sprouts and fresh greens, according to Consumer Reports. I don't recall any anti-vaxxers putting out kol koreis about gefilte fish or sushi or lettuce.

(This just in from Indonesia, the Archipelago of The Backward:

Controversy over whether vaccines adhere to Islamic principles has stymied public health responses before in Indonesia, including in 2018, when the Indonesian Ulema Council issued a fatwa declaring a measles vaccine was haram, or forbidden under Islam.)

Smoking

My nine year old grandson wanted to go a local yeshiva for night hakafos. He came back confused and somewhat upset. He said that all the bachurim there, (not an exxageration- he said that only three didn't, so he was paying attention,) were smoking heavily and drinking.  This is what is considered a normal yeshiva. 

We all know that smoking persisted in the right wing yeshiva world long after it became an embarrassment among educated people. I think that now it is finally getting rare, but evidently, there are holdouts.

Why? Why did the yeshiva world keep smoking when it was mostly just them and socially and economically disadvantaged communities such as blacks and rednecks? Were they suicidal? Were they less able to control childish impulses? Was it because they couldn't pursue other vices, as do normal teenagers, so all that was left was tobacco? Was it because we live with so many food and behavior restrictions that we refuse to accept additional ones that are not religious mandates?

The Environment

I suspect that the per capita use of disposable tableware is far higher amidst the Yeshivisheh community than in other ethnic groups. I think that in general, the concept of environmental responsibility is not high on the agenda in our circles. That despite the rising alarm that plastic is befouling the environment and should only be used when there is no good alternative. 

Covid

By now, only ostriches and moles remain convinced that Covid has not struck the Yeshiva community harder and faster than other communities.  This cohort has been joined by the conspiracy group. 

https://vimeo.com/463986151/751bbcec72

Measles. Smoking. The environment. Covid. What is the common denominator? Why? What happened to the עם חכם ונבון?  Why do the yeshivishe communities and the Chassidishe communities openly, even militantly, disdain prudent, protective behavior.

A friend said that it is because we are told that our kedusha and diet and our way of life results in our being physically different from those that do not follow our ways. We are so different, that evidence from autopsies from others and statistical population studies done on others simply do not pertain to us. 

Someone else suggested that, as I mentioned above, we live with so many food and behavior restrictions that we refuse to accept additional ones that are not religious mandates. No treifus, no running after women, no cellphones on Shabbos and Yomtov, and now you say we can't smoke or eat kishke and deli by three kiddushes every Shabbos either??

I say the pshat is that bishlema elevators and airplanes, you see that they work. But scientific theories that are based on statistics and analysis, and lacking tactile proof evident to the layman, those have no ne'emonus. Why? Because if we trusted them, then we would have a contradiction to our belief in the mabul and the presence of camels in the time of the Avos used by caravans of Arabs and the age of the universe and evolution from non-living matter (which we do not believe) and spontaneous generation (which Chazal assume to be true) and the centrality of the earth in the universe. 

Our faith leads us to believe that scientists misinterpret evidence because they are kofrim and/or idiots. Because it is a matter of faith that scientists are kofrim and idiots, we can not, we must not, believe in the lies propounded by those same scientists, we can not believe their ideas when it comes to health matters. 

Denying scientific analysis and theories is, therefore, an ikkar of faith. More than that. It is foundational, it is a yesod of emunah. It is more basic than the yud gimmel ikrim. 

So smoking is ok, vaccines are dangerous, and Covid is a hoax.

And what is the consequence? As Shlomo Rechnitz said, 

I was originally hesitant to write this letter however I decided that I can’t watch what’s currently taking place in religious neighborhoods and remain silent. If for no other reason at all, I’ll be able to say ”Yadai loi shufach es hadam hazeh”.

The Coronavirus is child’s play when compared to the potential devastation that is silently growing and metastasizing by the day. This new catastrophe cannot be cured by Remdesivir or any other legend drug. Furthermore the antidote would not be social distancing as from what I understand from 70+ years ago, there was no social distancing or masks in the gas chambers! It is irrelevant that President Trump moved the American embassy to Jerusalem and helped Jews in other ways, we Yidden are putting ourselves in a bigger Makom Sakana every day. I doubt that there is even one Goy who saw or read about our current vile behavior and did not instantly forge an innate hatred for the Jews. They’re not evil, it’s called natural. Just remind yourself about some of your inner thoughts while watching the fatalities during the BLM “peaceful protests”. The Goyim don’t necessarily have to care how many Jewish mortalities there will be in a specific shul, they are rightfully viewing this as a case where the Jews are being selfish, uncaring and above the law, which is causing an uptick in cases which will ultimately reach their own neighborhoods. “The Jews simply don’t care that we’re being killed”.

This is and will remain direct causation of unadulterated anti-Semitism. To stir up anti-Semitism takes a lot less than this. We’re breaking records now. This behavior has never occurred by Jews in America. We always knew our place. Pre World War 2, a lot of people could have escaped but never imagined in their wildest dreams what awaited them. Today, due to numerous reasons the world is on edge. People lost their jobs, people can’t pay for rent or food, people got or are scared of getting the coronavirus or perhaps they lost a loved one. People are extremely upset about inequalities across the spectrum. More people are taking phsychotropic drugs today than ever before. The world situation is fluid from day to day and one little spark can C’V cause the unimaginable. It also doesnt help that the Democratic Party as we knew it, no longer exists, as it’s been taken over by politicians who are trying to outdo each other in how “progressive” they can be. The root cause of our problem, the reason we feel so infallible is undoubtedly that we forgot WE ARE IN GOLUS!  This is not our Country. We are merely guests in America, where after more than a thousand years, we finally have the zechus to live in a Country without tight Jewish ghettos.

Unfortunately, Ltza’arenu harav, we have living amongst us a Behaima she’anenu tehora who is creating anarchy and chaos, which is being streamlined by the national media outlets. It shows indisputable proof that this self appointed, power hungry, inciter and demagogue Heshy Tischler who falsely claims that he represents us, is organizing demonstrations where we are to scream personal obscenities at the governmental authorities. “Dirty animals, Nazi’s, and Kapo’s” are just a few examples of this clowns overall limited vernacular. If this seems like I’m taking this personally, it’s because I am. He’s putting my family and your families at risk, and he knows it. But that’s not reason enough for him to surrender his candidacy in a race where his support won’t even hit double digits. What changed our mindset so suddenly? How did we collectively all forget that we’re being closely watched? Who is prepared to give a Din V’cheshbon on this colossal CHILLUL HASHEM? Did we learn this new behavior from the BLM movement? Is that who guides us today? Who are we, to decide which form of congregating is safe and which is not. The Medrash says: If you’re told that there’s Torah by the goyim, don’t believe it. But if you’re told there is wisdom by the Goyim, you can believe it.  We are in the midst of a never before seen coronavirus and naturally everyone is going to look to point fingers and place blame at the people who caused this. Half the Country thought it was President Trump. The other half believed it was the fault of China. This was finally the first calamity in history where the Jews were not being blamed. But not to worry. Some of our own people fixed that real quick. I am not an alarmist, but dare I say the immediate and long term consequences that are floating in my mind.

But technically this is all somewhat irrelevant. Because if with some magical wand we could theoretically prove to ourselves that our children and communities would be safe in schools, then the reality differs from the perception, and the latter rules.

Even if we are 100% right and are acting with logical reasoning, or we believe we can manage to not be seen without a mask, or we are convinced we’re being persecuted and singled out, or we realize that our children are not getting the best chinuch possible, unfortunately right and wrong are not at play here. We still cannot make up our own laws, and we are obligated per all the Rabbonim that I’ve heard opine to date, to follow the guidance of the health specialists. I have great faith in our Rabbonim that they will figure out an eitzah regarding the chinuch issues, and we’ll know it’s being done with Daas Torah. We must never forget that we are a nation of D’racheha darkei noam.

Yes, we live in a Democracy. And yes, we have a right to free speech, but Tischler’s hateful rants are not considered “speech”. We can always agree to disagree and there are judicial and political mediums that we can exhaust. We all have an obligation to be mishtatef in finding a resolution, but calling the Mayors wife a despicable name is dead wrong, defamatory and probably dangerous. This is not who we are. This is the antithesis of who we are! “A shining light (and sirens) unto the nations”. I personally watched  a video of Dr. Mitchell Katz (whom I’ve personally met several times) attempting to speak and help our communities in a much needed way only to be met with overdramatized false personal attacks on his charachter, to the point that he had to cancel the press briefing for fear of his physical safety. Forget the fact that he is revered and pursued throughout the Country and has established a reputation as being an apolitical figure who only takes into consideration what is best for the population’s health and well being, reasoning which should be beyond sufficient, but how are we so oblivious to the fact that these are the same people who make the regulations regarding Metzitzah, Shechita, foreign esrogim, the definition of death and when can they pull the plug, school curriculum, school funding, vaccinations and the list goes on and on?

But let me be clear. Heshy Tischler is not just a Zealot. HE IS A RODEF, yet it is us who will suffer the collateral damage! There is no Mesirah on a Rodef.

There is the view among many leaders that we should not bring up Heshy Tischler’s name because it will just give him the fame and publicity he seeks. This thought process is completely skewed. It would be useful in a scenario where someone is slowly building a following for the wrong reasons. You don’t give him the time of day, but here we are dealing with a completely different situation. Tischler is not under the radar. He and his vicious acts are known, recorded and in their face.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO NOW:

In my humble opinion,

Our representative organizations need to immediately relay to the City and State Government that we are completely unaffiliated with him. He in no way represents us. To the contrary, we make a point of not accepting him into our circles.

The only thing we have in common with him is that he wears a Yarmulke. Wearing a Yarmulke makes you religious just as standing in a garage makes you a car.

Every organization needs to put out a letter strongly recommending that they don’t vote for him in any election, seeking any position.

Representatives need to get interviewed by all mediums of media and be very clear that this prior felon is an impostor and may just have minimal support from other people who don’t have day jobs.

As most of his “followers” are children, we need to speak to their parents or Grand Rabbis to prohibit them from getting near him, or any of his events.

We need to announce and make clear that anyone who supports him is considered a co-conspirator (Co-Rodef) and will be shunned by all of our communities. Note: if you’re bored and want to check out his event, I recommend watching 20 minutes of a Holocaust documentary and then decide.

He should not be touched, hurt or threatened. He should just be ignored.

People make mistakes. All these restrictions can be lifted if he commits to put an end to any and all events, meetings, conversations, correspondences, that are in any way related to the coronavirus or any anti-government actions AND he sends a personal apology to any victims of his misplaced wrath.

While there might be a little extra work initially, in a relatively short period, we won’t have to act, react or defend ourselves to other people. They will then just view him as a very vocal vagrant with a few other friends who are just looking for attention.

Chasin kadosh b’rov tuv’cha nahel adasecha.

Shlomo Yehuda

Prayer for the Foolhardy

For example, if someone capriciously ignores the warnings and advice given by the preponderance of medical professionals and contracts an illness. 

Should one pray for them? Would prayer do any good? 

זֶ֣ה דַ֭רְכָּם כֵּ֣סֶל לָ֑מוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם בְּפִיהֶ֖ם יִרְצ֣וּ סֶֽלָה

This might apply to someone that takes up smoking, or who does not have any psychological or physical problem but becomes morbidly obese simply because he enjoys eating. Or as one acquaintance of mine, now a shochein afar who dug his grave with his fork, said to my father when asked why does he eat whole fat sour cream instead of low fat, "Because it tastes so much better!" If you took the risk to earn a living, or for any other important reason, of course that is defensible, and part of the reality of being human. Similarly, even though all vaccinations involve some risk, the risk is not greater than that of food poisoning when eating chopped liver or anisakis from shushi, and we do that anyway. But what if you did it for no good reason, for the thrill, or just out of contrariness. You engage in the sport of Free Diving, or you climb Everest. 

Or you don't wear a mask and don't avoid close proximity with others during a pandemic. 

Rav Asher Weiss addressed the question already, so I am putting his words here for you below. Of course, he did a better job than I ever could, and he says "Absolutely yes, you have to daven for him!  What kind of question is that?" But I don't know if I agree with his conclusion. 

It goes without saying that my friends in my shiur, all fine and good people, strongly disagreed with me. 

Reb Chaim Brown also indicates that one ought to pray that they realize their error. 

After all, we are given the gift of teshuva.

In any case, I think that this may not be a sin, but if you tempt fate, and you lose the draw, I don't see what whining is going to accomplish.  I say this because of the Hagahos Yaavetz in Eiruvin 29b, the Kometz HaMincha, and the Baal Haturim.

Harav Weiss brings the Hagahos Yaavetz and disagrees with him.  

The Baal HaTurim in Chayei Sarah, speaks about eulogizing someone who died because of his own negligence. Remember, Sarah didn't "kill herself." She just complained to the RBSO about Avraham Avinu. But under middas hadin, that counts as "causing your own death."

 ולבכתה. כ''ף קטנה שלא בכה אלא מעט לפי שזקנה היתה א''נ שהיתה כמו גורמת מיתתה שמסרה דין ועל כן נענשה היא תחלה והמאבד עצמו לדעת אין מספידין אותו

As I discuss elsewhere, we probably don't pasken like this Baal HaTurim as far as being maspid, and we're melamed zechus to the nth degree. But when it comes to davening for the person's recovery, I think we might.  Perhaps if a man squanders God's gifts of health and wealth and talent out of laziness or negligence, if he or she chooses to risk his life because of willful stupidity, he has earned his punishment, and it's not fair to take away what a man earned fair and square. He chose his path, respect his autonomy and let him walk. 

Along the same lines we find the (famous) Kometz Hamincha that states that there is no mitzva to save (or at least no issur to ignore) someone that is, in sound mind, trying to harm himself.  Number 237.

קומץ המנחה  (לבעל המנחת חינוך) מצוה רל"ז

נראה לכאורה דאם אחד מאבד עצמו לדעת, ויכול אחד להצילו, אפשר דאינו מוזהר על הלאו דלא תעמוד על דם רעך. לא מיבעיא דעל העשה והשבותו לרבות אבידת גופו ודאי דאינו מצווה, כי העשה דהשבת אבידה אינה נוהגת בממון באבידה מדעת וכו', אלא אף על הלאו אינו מוזהר. וראי' מהא דמקשה הש"ס בסוגיין למה לי הלאו על טובע בנהר, הא מוהשבותו לו נפקא ליה לרבות אבידת גופו, הא יכול לומר דנפ"מ במאבד עצמו לדעת, דאינו מצווה על אבידת גופו כמו דאינו מצווה על אבידת ממונו מדעת, א"כ על כן כתבה התורה הלאו הזה. אלא ע"כ דגם בלאו זה אינו מוזהר ומצווה. כן נראה לי ברור.

Almost everyone argues with him, if only because of לאפרושי מאיסורא. Even secular society recognizes that allowing a suicide to proceed harms society as a whole. But some agree, like R Reuven Margolios in Margolios Hayam in San 43a.  Also, I just saw that Rav Zilberstein seems to agree with the Kometz Hamincha and the Hagahos Yaavetz, although he holds that there is so much confusion regarding Covid-19 that a person could reasonably plead that he was misled and it was an innocent error.

If the definition of morality is 'what the Torah commands," then when there's no mitzvah, and certainly where there ought to be a mitzva and the Torah excludes this case, it is not commendable to do it. That is, as we've discussed elsewhere, the opinion of our many baalei machshava.

I do realize that I am conflating eulogy/hagomeil and prayer, but I think they ought to have the same rules.

 Here is Rav Weiss's Teshuva, followed by an article that quotes R' Zilberstein's answer. I can't vouch for the article. 

במה ששאל לדעתי במי שנהג ברשלנות גמורה ובבואו בין אנשים לא שמר מרחק, ולא לבש מסכה ונדבק בקורונה ומצבו חמור, אם ראוי להתפלל לרפואתו.

ומעלת כבודו ביסס שאלה זו על דברי הגמ' בעירובין: "תנו רבנן לא יאכל אדם בצל מפני נחש שבו. ומעשה ברבי חנינא שאכל חצי בצל וחצי נחש שבו, וחלה ונטה למות, ובקשו חביריו רחמים עליו וחיה, מפני שהשעה צריכה לו".
ולכאורה יש לתמוה במה שאמרו שחבריו בקשו עליו רחמים מפני שהשעה צריכה לו, דמשמע הא לאו הכי לא היו מבקשים עליו רחמים. ומצינו בזה שני ביאורים שיש ביניהם נפ"מ להלכה: 

א. כתב הריטב"א "ואף על פי שכדאי היה לחוב בעצמו שעבר על דברי חכמים".

ב. בהגהות היעב"ץ כתב שאילולי שהשעה צריכה לו לא היו מתפללין עליו "מפני שגרם רעה לעצמו והכניס עצמו בסכנה, נתחייב בנפשו".
הרי שלדברי שניהם, אכן אילולי שהשעה צריכה לו, לא היו מתפללין לרפואתו, אלא שנחלקו בטעם הדברים, לדברי הריטב"א משום שעבר על דברי חכמים, ולדעת היעב"ץ משום שהכניס עצמו לסכנה.
ונפקא מינה לגבי נידון דידן,
דלפי דברי הריטב"א בנידון דידן, לא עבר על דברי חכמים. שהרי לא מדובר על תקנת חז"ל כמו איסור גילוי, אך לפי היעב"ץ גם בנידון דידן הכניס עצמו לסכנה ואין ראוי להתפלל בשבילו.
ושאל מעלת כבודו אם צריך לחשוש לדברי היעב"ץ ולהמנע מלהתפלל לרפואתו.
וטרם אבאר דעתי, תמה אני על ניסוח השאלה, דמשמע מיניה דבמקום ספק יש לחשוש לחומרא לדברי היעב"ץ ולא להתפלל,
הלא פשוט דאם יש ספק בדבר ודאי יש להחמיר ולהתפלל לרפואת החולה, דמה עבירה יש להתפלל על החולה, אף אם פשע במחלתו. ומאידך אמרו "כל שאפשר לו לבקש רחמים על חבירו ואינו מבקש נקרא חוטא", וכבר הארכתי במצוה זו לבקש רחמים על החולה במנחת אשר במדבר, עי"ש.
ב. הלא שערי תירוצים לא ננעלו, והלא שאלה זו לא נשאלה ע"י רש"י ותוס' וכל שאר רבותינו הראשונים, ולא מצינו התייחסות לשאלה זו אלא בדברי הריטב"א בלבד. ונראה שלא ראו בזה כל קושיא, וכשאין קושיא לא צריך לתרץ.

וע"כ נראה שכל שאר הראשונים פירשו כמ"ש בקרן אורה שם שכונת חז"ל שתפילת חבריו נתקבלה ור"ח זכה לרפואה וחיים מפני שהשעה צריכה לו.
וכך משמע מפשטות לשון הגמ' שלא אמרו "ובקשו עליו חבריו מפני שהשעה צריכה לו", אלא אמרו "ובקשו חביריו רחמים עליו וחיה, מפני שהשעה צריכה לו". והרבותא דאעפ"י שנגזרה הגזירה וכבר נטה למות, מ"מ נתקבלה תפלתם משום שהשעה צריכה לו.
ג. הלא שאלה זו שאל גם רבינו המהרש"א שם, וכתב לפרש דאף שרב חנינא בן דוסא היה בעל מעשה ותפילותיו תמיד נתקבלו, לא התפלל על עצמו כיון שהשעה צריכה לו, וחבריו הם שביקשו עליו, עי"ש בפירושו המחודש.

ואפשר שרבי חנינא אמר לחבריו לפי בקיאותו בנחשים ובתורת הרפואה שאין כל חשש לחייו, ואעפ"כ לא סמכו חבריו על חכמתו והרבו בתפילה מפני שהשעה צריכה לו.
ומכל מקום נראה עיקר להלכה שאין לקבוע הלכה בענין חמור שכזה להמנע מלהתפלל לרפואתו של אדם מישראל, עפ"י דברי אחד הראשונים, כאשר כל שאר הראשונים לא עסקו בענין זה, ושערי תירוצים לא ננעלו.
הלא יסוד ההלכה הוא שלחנו הערוך של הבית יוסף שעליו פרס משה רבינו את המפה, ולא מצינו בדבריהם הלכה זו.
ומשום כך נראה פשוט להלכה דאף כאשר האדם הסתכן בפשיעתו, וגם כאשר עבר על דברי חכמים, ודאי עשה תשובה, וחייבין להתפלל ולהעתיר לרפואתו.

רפאנו ה' ונרפא, הושעינו ונושעה, שבורא רפואות ישלח דברו וירפא כל חולי עמו ישראל וימנע מגפה מנחלתנו, ונזכה לבשורות טובות ישועות ונחמות.

************************

Rav Zilberstein.  Source

UPDATE:

ON10/20/2020, "ASSOCIATES" OF RAV ZILBERSTEIN STATED THAT THIS IS A FALSE ATTRIBUTION. I doubt that that is the case - I think a forgery would have been stated more strongly and less nuanced. 

And, this recording is evidence of his strong position against scofflaws.

בהכרעה שיצאה מתחת ידי הגאון רבי יצחק זילברשטיין, רבה של שכונת רמת אלחנן בבני ברק, ואחד מגדולי פוסקי ההלכה בדורנו, הוא קובע כי ישנם מקרים בהם אין להתפלל על אדם שהלך בלי מסכה על פניו – וחלה בנגיף הקורונה.

וכך נשאל: בבית כנסת מסוים נאמרים פרקי תהילים על חולים על ידי תלמיד חכם צדיק, המשמש גם כמוהל, ורבים מגישים לו שמות שיתפלל עליהם. והנה אחד המתפללים שאינו בקו הבריאות, מגיע לבית הכנסת ללא מסכה על פניו. גם כאשר פנו אליו כמה מהמתפללים וגם הת”ח המדובר וביקשו ממנו שיעטה מסכה על פניו, הוא מסרב בכל תוקף.

אמר לו הת”ח: הרי אתה מאבד את עצמך בידיים, ואם תחלה, אל תבוא אליי שאתפלל עליך!

לאחר מספר ימים אכן חלה האיש ההוא בקורונה, ואף אושפז במצב קשה. בני משפחתו פנו אל הת”ח שיתפלל עליו בזמן הבריתות שהוא עורך.

אמר הת”ח שהוא לא רוצה להתפלל עליו ‘כי הזהרנו אותו שהוא מאבד עצמו לדעת ושלא יבוא אליי שאתפלל עליו.  שואל התלמיד חכם: האם הוא צודק בסירובו

להתפלל על החולה הזה?

השיב על כך הגאון רבי יצחק זילברשטיין: “התלמיד חכם אינו צודק. שהרי החולה גם מתחילה לא היה בקו הבריאות, ואולי אף לא היה צלול בדעתו לגמרי. בנוסף לכך, מאחר שהבלבול רב, יש אנשים הסוברים שאין צורך לעטות מסכה ויש בלבול גדול בעולם.

ה’מנחת אלעזר’ דן האם אדם שהכניס עצמו לסכנה כדי להציל את רכושו וניצל בדרך נס, צריך לברך הגומל, והוא קובע שאין צריך לברך.

מעשה שהיה ביהודי שסחר באבנים טובות והלך ברחוב וחבילת אבנים בידו. לפתע הגיח שודד שהיה חמוש בנשק וניסה לגזול את החבילה ממנו. למרות שהיהודי ידע שלשודד יש נשק לא מסר את החבילה אלא החל לברוח בריצה עקלקלה. השודד ירה ולא הצליח לפגוע בו.

היהודי הגיע אלינו ושאל האם לברך הגומל. השבנו לו שהוא פרא-אדם על שהכניס עצמו לסכנה, כי מן הדין היה חייב למסור את כספו ולא לסכן את עצמו, ולכן שלא יברך הגומל.

גם ב’לב חיים’ להגאון רבי חיים פלאג’י כתב שאדם ששתה סם המוות והסתכן, והרופאים הצליחו להצילו, אינו מברך הגומל כי הוא הביא את הצרה על עצמו ובידיו.

בכל זאת פסק רבי רבי חיים פלאג’י לברך הגומל משום שהוא עשה זאת מתוך מצוקה גדולה של רעב חזק. כאשר אדם נמצא ברעב כזה ועושה מעשה התאבדות, אין להאשימו, והוא נחשב שוגג.

לסיכום: אדם הפוגע בעצמו אין צריך להתפלל עליו, ואין לו לברך הגומל. אבל אם לפני פעולתו הקיצונית הוא היה במצב קשה, או שהיה חולה, יש להתפלל עליו; ואם ניצול, עליו לברך הגומל”.

Rosh HaShannah Before Yom Kippur

Part of this was first posted in 2010. This adds something very good that I heard from my brother R Akiva shlitah this morning at his Zoom Siyum on Tamid, Erev Rosh HaShanna תשפ"א הבא עלינו לטובה ולברכה.

Yesterday, a friend was in the local Hebrew bookstore, and a woman with very little Jewish background was talking to the clerk about the Yamim Noraim.  She said that she knew that Rosh Hashanna is the day of judgment, and Yom Kippur the day of forgiveness, but she said she always wondered why judgment would come before forgiveness - Reb Yisrael Salanter's famous question.

 Coincidentally, yesterday I heard a shiur daas from Rav Avraham Chaim Levin on that topic.  Rabbi Levin said in the name of his wife's grandfather, Reb Chatzkel Levenstein of Ponevezh, an answer in the name of Reb Yitzchak Blahzer.  He said that only after Klal Yisrael is mekabel ol malchus shamayim is it possible to have a day of kapara.  Only after we realize that Hashem is our king, and that by not doing what Hashem wants we are mored bemalchus, then Hashem is willing to be mochel.

I recently saw someone an interesting and relevant mashal that clarifies his idea.  A king sends two servants to do some menial job.  One is very skilled at this work, and does it perfectly, but feels that is an unfair imposition, and so he does it with resentment and a scowl.  The other is not particularly good at this kind of work, but he does it with pride, happy to be able to serve his king.  What is the difference between the two?  Who is the better eved?  The difference is not just who is the better eved.  The first one is not an eved at all, he is a moreid bemalchus.  The second one is a loyal eved.

So it's not just a matter of doing aveiros.  When we do mitzvos, if we do them besimcha, then our actions proclaim that we are avdei Hashem.  If we do the mitzvos, but we do them as if they are a burden, then we are moreid bemalchus.

As we say,  לקונה עבדיו בדין

Reb Chatzkel added that there is a difference between a melech and a talmid chacham.   A talmid chacham has the right to forgo his kavod; machal ahl kvodo, kvodo machul.  A king has no such right; melech shemachal ahl kvodo, ein kvodo machul.  But why can't a king be mochel?  Because his malchus is not his, it is a stewardship granted by the Ribono shel Olam, and the king can't be mochel on what is not his.  The Ribono shel Olam, on the other hand, is a King whose malchus belongs to Him, and so He can be mochel on His kavod.  But the Ribono shel Olam is only willing to be mochel on his kavod for his avadim.  First, we have to be Avdei Hashem.  Only once Klal Yisrael firmly and proudly declares, and demonstrates through their behavior, that Hashem is their king, only then is Hashem willing to be mochel ahl kvodo.  After Rosh Hashanna, when Klal Yisrael is mamlich the Ribono shel Olam, only then Hashem chooses to be mochel ahl kvodo.  Only then is the mechilla of Yom Kippur possible.

In fact, we can say that asking for kapara on Rosh Hashanna would be contrary to the idea of Malchus.  Why should a melech be mochel?  A melech is makpid that his servants do his will with pride and alacrity.  Bringing up our failings and asking that they be dismissed diminishes the whole concept of Malchus.

This enables us to discuss another question.  The Gemara in Bava Kamma 50a says "One who says Hashem is a "Vatran," his life will be mevutar.  In other words, one who says that Hashem dismisses sin, may his life be dismissed.  The point of the Gemara is that Hashems's justice is immutable and inexorable.  So how canYom Kippur bring forgiveness?  Isn't clemency a waiver?  The answer is that just as the Rama MiPano said that the din of Rove is not vitur

 [עשרה מאמרות מאמר חקור דין ח"א פ"ט]

 שהקשה הלא קיי"ל כל האומר הקדוש ברוך הוא וותרן הוא וכו', וקיי"ל במשפט הקדוש לאל איום מי שרובו זכיות ומיעוט עונות נקרא צדיק ויצא בדימוס, מחצה על מחצה הש"י כובש נושא מעביר ראשון ראשון [ר"ה יז ע"א], וקשה הלא אפילו במיעוט עונות נקרא ויתור כיון שמוותרין לו עונות שבידו? ותירץ הרב הקדוש הנ"ל, שאינו נקרא ויתור רק כשמוותרין שלא כמשפטי התורה, אבל מה שנמצא כך במשפטי התורה בעולם הזה לא נקרא ויתור, והנה נמצא במשפטי התורה "אחרי רבים להטות" [שמות כג, ב], א"כ גם למעלה במשפט הקדוש כשהרוב זכיות הולכין אחריהן (וכן במחצה על מחצה נקרא ספק בכאן, ופסקינן ספק נפשות להקל [יומא פג ע"א], אם כן גם בבית דין של מעלה עושין טצדקי לפטור) ולא מיקרי ויתור.

If so, we can say that the din of Yom Kippur, even if it is mechapeir without teshuva, is that once Klal Yisrael as a whole is Mamlich the Ribono shel Olam, Hashem is mochel to His avadim.  This is a din, a result of what we do on Rosh Hashanna, and not vitur.

And what is the best way to be makabel ol malchus shamayim?  Chazal say that it is through Malchiyos, Zichronos, and Shofros.  But I like to say over the Tanchuma in Parshas Tzav, which I think is also key to kabalas ol malchus shamayim:

שאין תשובה לפני הקב״ת יותר מן הודייה

Perhaps we can apply the Tanchuma to the Gemara in Brachos as well:

ויאמר אני אעביר כל טובי על פניך ונו' וחנותי את אשר אחון, ורחמתי את אשר ארחם.(שמות לג יט)

וחנותי את אשר אחון : אע״פ שאינו הגון. ורחמתי את אשר ארחם : אע״פ שאינו הגון.

(ברכות ז א׳)

What's the shaichus of Hashem being ma'avir kol tuvo, and the kapara?  Maybe the pshat is that when a person realizes Chasdei Hashem and the opportunities Hashem has given him as a gift, then Hashem will be meracheim on him, even if he doesn't deserve it.  Hakaras Hatov is the key to Yiras Shamayim and to Kapara.

UPDATE ער"ה תשפ"א

I was speaking to my brother HaRav Ha'illui Akiva, the מרא דאתרא of Manchester, New Hampshire.

He said that to seek Kapara, you have to know who you are. Realizing who you are, the relationship the RBSO offers to have with you, is the illumination that allows you to do teshuva. This makes perfect sense. Teshuva means that you realize what you could have been, what you should have been, and what you failed to achieve, what you refused to see and to do. 

This is why Chazal say (ויק"ר כ"א ד)

רבנן פתרין קרא בראש השנה ויום הכפורים, אורי בראש השנה וישעי ביום הכפורים

This is actually close to Reb Yisrael's answer.

Akiva's words: 

Tshuva requires self-awareness; you cannot create [brias ha'olam] anew you if you don't know the raw material

with which you are working with.  which requires Ori.  Perhaps the difficulty is in the concept that some people think tshuva is the total rejection of who you were in order to create a new order.  Hardly: the raw materials were always in place; you have to find them and use them properly.  

Once again, we see the idea of Gilu bir'ada, that Rosh Hashanna's avoda is to rejoice and to fear, to rejoice that Hashem allows us to serve Him as His avadim, and to fear His judgment.  A person who is properly mekabel ol malchus shamayim is in a position that enables the kapara of Yom Kippur.

A slight variation - Rosh Hashannah is the opportunity to be zocheh under Middas HaDin. Yom Kippur is the opportunity to be zocheh with Middas HaRachamim.

Which brings us back to the Ibn Gabirol we once discussed.

אלהי, אם עוני מנשוא גדול
מה תעשה לשמך הגדול

ואם לא אוחיל לרחמיך
מי יחוס עלי חוץ ממך
לכן אם תקטלני לך איחל

ואם תבקש לעוני
אברח ממך אליך

ואתכסה מחמתך בצלך
ובשולי רחמיך אחזיק
עד אם רחמתני

ולא אשלחך כי אם ברכתני

Condensed Nusach Hataras Nedarim

 If you need to do Hataras Nedarim quickly, you have the Chayei Adam's shorter nusach as an alternative to the longer nusach from the Shelah that is printed in the siddurim

The Chayei Adam has it in German, because hataras nedarim requires that the applicant understand what he is saying. Rav Steinman translated it into Hebrew.

Rav Steinman offered this option for cases where there is some time pressure, such as a High School where only the rabbeim are old enough to have beards, and they would have to sit there for a long time. If you have any other personal need to make it shorter, this option is available.

מספר כאיל תערוג   בעניני המועדים  תשע"ח

סדר התרת נדרים הקצר 

במקומות שיש הרבה אנשים שרוצים להתיר נדרים, ויש רק מעט הכשרים לדון, כגון כלל לצעירים, ואם יאמר כל אחד כל הנוסח יארך זמן רב מאד. הנה כתב בחיי אדם ( חיי ארם כלל קל"ח סימן ח')  

נוהגין לעשות התרת נדרים בער"ה כדי להנצל מעונש נדרים ואמנם ראוי לכל אדם שילמוד הל' נדרים (ומבוארים בחכמת אדם) כי יש הרבה נדרים שא"א להתיר אותם ונכשלין בהם. צריך כל אדם שיהיה נזהר שיבין מה שהוא אומר ולא כמו שחושבין הע"ה שהוא איזה תחינה וראיתי מהיראים שאינם מבינים בלה"ק שאומרים הנוסח של התרת נדרים בלשון לע"ז 

(דיא נדרים אדר שבועות וואש איך האב גיטאן אונ מען קען זייא מתיר זיין האב איך חרטה אז איך האב אויף מיר גנומן בנדר אדר שבועה) ויתירו לו ואז יאמר (איך בין מוסר מודעה אז ווען איך ווער טאן איין נדר זאל ער גאר ניט חל זיין): 

עד כאן דבריו 

ולשם כן תירגם רבנו נוסח זה ללשון הקודש 

מתחרט אני על כל הנדרים ושבועות וכן כל מנהג טוב שנהגתי ולא אמרתי שיהא בלי נדר ואם הייתי יודע שאתחרט לא הייתי נודר או נשבע  ובמנהג טוב הייתי מתנה שיהיה בלי נדר ומבקש שתתירו לי את כולם

מתחרט אני על כל הנדרים ושבועות וכן שנהגתי ולא אמרתי שיהא בלי נדר ואם הייתי יודע שאתחרט לא הייתי נודר ובמנהג טוב הייתי מתנה שיהי' בלי נדר ומבקש שתתירו לי את כולם 

והדיינים משיבים מותר לך ג"פ 

(קובץ אגרות אגרת מ'ו) 

This nusach is only for the basic Hataras Nedarim. As the Chayei Adam says, you will still want to say the Mesiras Modaah. 

You can say what the Gemara in Nedarim 23 says,  

הרוצה שלא יתקיימו נדריו כל השנה יעמוד בראש השנה ויאמר

כל נדר שאני עתיד לידור יהא בטל

or you can say the longer version that is in the siddurim.

 Also worth knowing - Rav Steinman skipped the word Mumchim and just said "Dayanim." Mumchim is not only rarely true, it is irrelevant when you have three dayanim. (But maybe it's ok now, when every putterer is called "Harav HaGaon.") Also, he did not say the words "Nezirus Shimshon."

הג"ר שמואל איינשטיין היה מצטרף לרבנו מידי שנה להתרת נדרים באחד הימים אחר תפילת מנחה בישיבה קטנה בחדר שיעורים ונשאל הגר"ש איזה חידושים נדרים של רבנו והשיב א' שהשמיט תיבת מומחים ואמר רק שמעו נא רבותי והב' שהשמיט תיבות ואפילו נזירות שמשון 

If you're nervous about relying on this, it might help to know that the תשע"א sefer שערי ימים נוראים  by יהודה טשזנר says that Rav Chaim Kanievsky and להבדיל בין חיים לחיים  Rav Michel Lifkovitz said that the nusach is good even lechatchila.

וכשראו הגרמ"י ליפקוביץ שליט"א והגר"ח קניבסקי שליט"א נוסח זה הסכימו גם הם שאפשר לאומרו לכתחלה

One more thing. Please forgive me for saying something obvious to you, but the reality is that many people make this mistake. People worry about getting dayanim that have a חתימת זקן. Don't worry about it. You don't need a beard to be a dayan. You do have to be an adult, and we don't rely on חזקה דרבא where we can avoid it, so we prefer people that can grow a full beard, because it is evidence of physical maturity.  But there is no advantage in the dayanim actually having a beard. A clean shaven talmid chacham is far better than an amoretz with a beard, unless you're worried about י"ג תיקוני דיקנא, and then I can't help you.

Shofar on the Second Day of Rosh HaShannah

UPDATED TZOM GEDALIAH תשפ"א

Everybody knows that Shofar on the second day, and the daled minim on all the days after the first, are derabannan. Everybody knows that in those years, such as this, when the first day is Shabbos, we completely lose out on the mitzva of Shofar and daled minim. It may be that we gain by our loyalty to Chazal and our protection of Shabbos at least as much as we lose by not doing the Mitzva as given, as Achronim have said.  Some say that this is especially true for Shofar, which is a remembrance of the Akeida; by sacrificing our mitzva l'sheim kvod shamayim, we are re-enacting the akeida, which is better than just commemorating it.

Yes, the Zohar says that our יומא אריכתא was engineered by the RBSO in order to grant us extra time, so there is an element of the true Rosh Hashanna even on day two, but I am thinking on a nigla level.

I have another idea to consider: that being mekayeim the Derabanan is also a kiyum of the Mitzva Deoraysa of Shofar.

This is based on the מרדכי in Megilla פרק הקורא את המגילה סימן תשצ"ח, and on Reb Chaim brought by Reb Elchonon in קובץ שיעורים ח"ב קונטרס דברי סופרים סי' א אות לב. 

I personally feel that this has elements of truth but also some degree of exaggeration. Just because the Mordche says you can be yotzei that night's deoraysa before it's night time because Chazal said you can make Kiddush doesn't mean you can be yotzei yesterday's deoraysa today because Chazal said you should blow a second time. But you can't throw out the nekudas ha'aemes just because it's stated too broadly.  Let's put it this way. It is possible that they would hold you were mekayeim some kind of din deoraysa of Shofar. At least it's possible that Reb Chaim might agree that the Mordechai might agree. Bottom line, תן לחכם ויחכם עוד הודע לצדיק ויוסף לקח.  I think that Rav Shach would like it. I know for sure Rav Rudderman would not.

Just to remind you, 

Mordechai-

נשאל לה"ר טוביה מווינ"א איך סגיא נהור פוטר בניו ובני ביתו מקידוש והא לרבי יהודה דאמר סומא פטור מן המצות פרק החובל א"כ לא מיחייב אלא מדרבנן והיכי אתי דרבנן ומפיק דאורייתא. והשיב דאשכחן דכוותיה גבי קידוש גופיה דאמרינן פרק תפלת השחר מתפלל אדם של שבת בע"ש ואומר קדושה על הכוס והתם מוכח דהיינו שעה ורביע קודם הלילה שעדיין לא קידש היום וכו' ואפ"ה נפיק בההוא קידוש דמקדש מבע"י דאינו אלא מדרבנן ידי קידוש דאורייתא שיתחייב לאחר שתחשך. גם בנידון זה דהאי סגי נהור יש לומר שמוציא אחרים המחויבים מדאורייתא אעפ"י שאינו מחויב הוא אלא מדרבנן  ע"י קידוש דאורייתא שיתחייב לאחר שתחשך, וה"ה לענין סגיא נהור. ואע"ג דגבי נשים גבי בהמ"ז אמרינן היכי אתי דרבנן ומפיק דאורייתא, י"ל דשאני נשים דלא יבואו לידי חיוב לעולם, אבל זה יכול לבוא לידי חיוב דאורייתא כו',

and there's the Magen Avraham's kashe on the Mordchai in  רס"ז סק"א  and the Chayei Adam's answer in ח"א כלל ו' סעי' ג and so forth.

Reb Elchonon-

ושמעתי ממו"ר הג"ר חיים הלוי זצ"ל מבריסק לפרש פלוגתא זו דהרמב"ן ס"ל דנהי נמי שנצטווינו בסיני לשמוע לדברי חכמים והעובר על דבריהן עובר על הציווי הזה אבל אין בהן איסור מצד עצמן. ולדוגמא שבות דדבריהן אין בהן מדאורייתא איסור שבת כלל. וכן שניות לעריות מדאורייתא אינן איסור ביאה, אלא שיש ציווי כללי מדאורייתא שלא לעבור על דבריהן, ולדוגמא במלך שאסור להמרות את פיו. 

והרמב"ם ס"ל דיש על כל דבר של דבריהם איסורו המיוחד, כגון איסור ארוסתו בבית חמיו הוא מדאורייתא מאיסורי ביאה, ומה"ט אין המים בודקין את אשתו. וכן איסורי דרבנן שבג' דברים החמורין הוויין מאביזרייהו. 

וזהו טעם פלוגתתן לענין אם נעשה זקן ממרא באיסור חמץ דרבנן, דלהרמב"ם הוא איסור חמץ, וחמץ הוי דבר שיש בו כרת אם הוא חמץ דאורייתא. ולהרמב"ן אין זה איסור חמץ כלל, ואינו שייך להכרת שיש באיסור חמץ. 

This idea kind of echoes the Beis Yosef in 530 about Chol HaMoed, and the Ritva on Shofar, that נמסר הדבר לחכמים .  Of course, you have to figure out where נמסר הדבר לחכמים  ends and בל תוסיף begins. 

UPDATE צום גדליה

I gave this some thought over Rosh Hashannah, and I realized what was bothering me, why I said Rav Rudderman would not like it. The problem is that if  you have no idea what the מרדכי is talking about, how can you use it? Nobody understands it. It is a mystery. Unless you have a mechanism of some sort, it is foolish to extrapolate.

But I also have an idea that has potential. Perhaps pshat in the Mordechai is that he is indeed going like Reb Chaim in the Rambam, but more than that. He holds there is a din Migo. Just as we find in Sukkah 7 שתים כהלכתן כו': אמר רבא וכן לשבת מגו דהויא דופן לענין סוכה הויא דופן לענין שבת. So, too, now that Chazal, with the koach of lo sasur, gave this act a din of kiddush, you can say

מגו דהויא קידוש לענין תוספות שבת הויא קידוש לענין שבת.

This despite the fact that as far as the Torah is concerned, it is Friday, not Shabbos. If the din Migo helps for kiddush, we can say 

מגו דהויא מצות שופר לענין יום שני שתיקנוה נביאים הראשונים הויא קיום מצות שופר לענין ראש בשנה גופה

Chazal on Sexual Arousal and Disgust - מגעל ועוררות מינית

 I've been thinking about this for quite a while, and, of course, I remain very ambivalent about posting it. But I finally decided that there is a benefit to be gained for Lomdei Torah, and that makes it worth it.

If you disagree, please let me know. It's easy enough to move it back to the Draft folder. But I am pretty sure that the pshat is correct and that you won't find this pshat in the Gemara elsewhere. I fear that this post might make the website inaccessible to people with web filters. If that turns out to be the case, I will move it to a different website.

There is a Gemara in Shabbos (152a) that is somewhat disturbing. 

אמר רב כהנא, מאי דכתיב: ״כי הוא אמר ויהי״ — זו אשה. ״הוא צוה ויעמוד״ — אלו בנים. תנא: אשה חמת מלא צואה, ופיה מלא דם — והכל רצין אחריה.

Rashi

זו אשה - אם לא על פי גזרת המלך לא היתה ראויה להתאוות לה שהיא כחמת מלאה מיאוס והכל רצים אחריה:

An uninformed reader might feel that the Gemara smacks of misogyny.  But look at the following study, published in 2015.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479551/

and the relevant line is here

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479551/#:~:text=Sexual%20Arousal%20and%20Disgust%20Reactivity&text=Borg%20and%20de%20Jong%20%5B23%5D%20found%20that%20sexually%20aroused%20women,disgusting%20but%20Lee%20et%20al.&text=Thus%2C%20the%20evidence%20that%20sexual,reactivity%20in%20women%20is%20mixed.

with the idea boiled down here

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/09/120912184518.htm

and if the links aren't working, here is the methodology of the study:

The authors of the study, led by Charmaine Borg of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, asked female participants to complete various disgusting-seeming actions, like drinking from a cup with an insect in it or wiping their hands with a used tissue. (The participants were not aware of it, but the insect was made of plastic and the tissue was colored with ink to make it appear used.)

Sexually aroused subjects responded to the tasks with less disgust than subjects who were not sexually aroused, suggesting that the state of arousal has some effect on women's disgust response.

The point is not that sexual arousal is a stronger motivator than the revulsion of disgust.  The study involved drinking from a cup with an insect in it, which has nothing to do with the arousal. The point is that a person that is sexually aroused will simply not notice or care about things that would otherwise disgust him or her. It eliminates a certain level of sensitivity.  Things that would elicit immediate revulsion from a regular person simply do not matter, they do not exist, for a sexually aroused person. 

I believe this is exactly what Chazal are telling us. It is common knowledge that arousal weakens the conscience and obscures negative future consequences. But there is more to be aware of: There are deep natural barriers, rational barriers, that simply fall when instinctive sexual arousal occurs. It is important for people to bear this in mind before giving rein to impulse.

(I think this is far more significant than the famous Beer Goggle phenomenon.)

Please note!

The baal memra in Shabbos is Rav Kahana. Rav Kahana was famous, even in the company of those great tzadikim of his time, as being purely rational, as one who dispassionately and unembarrassedly analyzed things that would overwhelm others with shame. I believe that for Rav Kahana, the rational and analytical faculty was at every moment absolutely dominant, if not absolute. Rav Kahana is indeed the perfect person to have made this observation.  

See, for example, Brachos 62a

רב כהנא על, גנא תותיה פורייה דרב. שמעיה דשח ושחק ועשה צרכיו. אמר ליה: דמי פומיה דאבא כדלא שריף תבשילא. אמר ליה: כהנא, הכא את? פוק, דלאו ארח ארעא. אמר ליה: תורה היא, וללמוד אני צריך.

Rashi

דשח ושחק – עם אשתו שיחה בטלה של ריצוי תשמיש:

ועשה צרכיו – ושימש מטתו:

כדלא שריף תבשילא – כאדם רעב כמו שלא שמשת מטתך מעולם שאתה נוהג קלות ראש זה לתאותך:

Additional Note: 

Yybturner pointed out that the simple meaning of Rav Kahana's words seem to refer to normal Tashmish HaMittah - that a purely rational man would find normal tashmish hamittah revolting. I, on the other hand, am saying that he is referring to other behaviors or experiences that that are outside the parameters of normal tashmish, such as "הפיכת שולחן" etc. in Nedarim 20b, or bad personal hygiene, והמבין יבין, והמבחין יבחין.

I finally realized that Yybturner is right and eilu v'eilu. Rav Kahana seems to be saying that even normal tashmish hamittah is inherently disgusting, and the only reason we enjoy it is because Hashem put into our nature a desire that quashes disgust. This is actually perfectly consonant with the Dutch study. Because even normal tashmish involves the suppression of disgust, mimeilah that suppression applies broadly, even to things not directly related to tashmish.

UPDATE:

Another point. The concept of disgusting really is arbitrary. For example: Dogs have a sense of smell hundreds of times more sensitive than ours, but dogs smell and eat things that even thinking about them make a person retch. So you see that what disgusts you and what attracts you is just something specific to a species or a culture. If so, what is the point of this discussion? What is Rav Kahana saying?

Rav Kahana is saying that there are things that would disgust people but do not disgust them, indeed attract them, when they are in the thrall of sexual desire. Whatever it is that we, as humans, find disgusting, they are not disgusting under those circumstances. Which is precisely what the University of Groningen study demonstrated.

Netzavim and Vayeilech. Guest Post and New Video

The first part is from Rabbi Avraham Bukspan, author of several excellent Parsha works, whose Frand-like style begins with likkut but ultimately creates something special and uniquely his.

This is followed by a video by Rabbi Sendy Shulman. Rabbi Shulman is one of the new Musmachim at my son's kollel, KHA, Kollel Horaah of America, in Marlboro New Jersey. They just successfully concluded a fund-raising campaign, and in his well-crafted speech Rabbi Shulman used an insight from Harav Shmuel Brudny to express the feelings of the Yungeleit.

A moment's thought will reveal that the two divrei Torah are contradictory. Rabbi Bukspan says that a Rebbi has to consciously abandon his focus on personal growth in favor of his Talmidim, while Rabbi Shulman says that the path to one's greatest growth in Gadlus BaTorah comes from dedicating your life to your talmidim!

Of course, it is not a stirah at all. 

מתלמידי יותר מכולם!!!!

After the bechina, my son told the musmachim that the Rabbi Heinemann they saw is not the same as the Rabbi Heinemann of fifty years ago. His dedication to the tzibur has resulted in growth in gadlus far greater than focus on himself. As Reb Chiya said to Reb Chanina (BM 85b), his dedication to his talmidim resulted in his Torah being greater and truer than Reb Chanina's, who was far more talented than him.   בהדי דידי קא מינצית?

כי הוו מינצו ר' חנינא ור' חייא אמר ליה ר' חנינא לר' חייא בהדי דידי קא מינצית ח"ו אי משתכחא תורה מישראל מהדרנא לה מפילפולי אמר ליה ר' חייא לר' חנינא בהדי דידי קא מינצית דעבדי לתורה דלא תשתכח מישראל מאי עבידנא אזלינא ושדינא כיתנא וגדילנא נישבי וציידנא טבי ומאכילנא בשרייהו ליתמי ואריכנא מגילתא וכתבנא חמשה חומשי וסליקנא למתא ומקרינא חמשה ינוקי בחמשה חומשי ומתנינא שיתא ינוקי שיתא סדרי ואמרנא להו עד דהדרנא ואתינא אקרו אהדדי ואתנו אהדדי ועבדי לה לתורה דלא תשתכח מישראל היינו דאמר רבי כמה גדולים מעשי חייא

Vayeilech 1 — Standing or Walking?

 ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת ולמדה את בני ישראל שימה בפיהם למען תהיה לי השירה הזאת לעד בבני ישראל 

So now, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the Children of Israel, place it in their mouth, so that this song shall be for Me a witness against the Children of Israel (Devarim 31:19).

               From the phrase, “Ve’simah be’fihem — Place it in their mouth,” the Gemara (Eruvin 54b) concludes that a rebbi must present his lessons to his students: “ad she’tehei sedurah be’fihem — until it is organized in their mouth.”  Torah must be taught in a clear manner, allowing for the talmid to absorb and internalize the information properly, without any confusion. 

           In HaKsav VeHaKabbalah, Rav Yaakov Mecklenburg says that the Gemara learns this from the Torah’s use of the root ש.י.מ.  for putting or placing, as opposed to the verb נ.ת.נ.. While נ.ת.נ. denotes any kind of placement, ש.י.מ. refers to a careful, deliberate, and methodical arrangement. 

            We see this from the mitzvah for the Kohen to take the ashes from the korbanos that are on top of the Mizbe’ach and place them alongside it: “Ve’samo eitzel haMizbe’ach” (Vayikra 6:3). In Toras Kohanim (Tzav 2:4), Chazal define the word “ve’samo” as calmly placing, in a way that the ashes do not scatter. Thus, the shoresh of ש.י.מ.  implies placement in an unhurried and careful manner.

            HaKsav VeHaKabbalah uses this definition to explain “Ve’simah be’fihem.”  Torah needs to be taught in an organized and calculated fashion, guaranteeing that the information is not scattered in the students’ minds, but is neatly arranged.  At times, a rebbi may need to give his talmidim large amounts of information. But if the material is transmitted in a disorganized or  an unsystematic way, the students become overwhelmed and find it difficult to integrate the lesson in their minds, to understand how the various pieces of information fit together.  By use of the word “simah,” which implies a more measured and purposeful method, Chazal associate the preferred procedure of teaching Torah to the careful placement of the ash in a neatly arranged and organized pile. All teachers are thereby urged to put forth their best effort at presenting the material in a slow, patient, and organized manner. This way, all the critical information can be properly and precisely understood and put into its proper context.

Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky discusses the ideal rebbi described by our Chazal. In Malachi (2:7), we are taught: “Ki sifsei Kohen yishmeru daas ve’Sorah yevakshu mi’pihu ki malach Hashem Tzevakos hu — For the lips of the Kohen should safeguard knowledge, and people should seek Torah from his mouth; for he is a malach of Hashem, Master of Legions.” Based on this verse, the Gemara (Chagigah 15b) tells us that if a rebbi is “domeh le’malach Hashem,” similar to an angel of G-d, we should learn Torah from him. If not, we should not.

            What exactly does a malach look like? How can we recognize the rebbi we are looking for? Rav Yaakov explains that a malach is an omeid, a stationary being. It does not grow or evolve, but always stays the same. A human, however, is a mehalech, with the capacity to move, to grow and evolve (see Zecharyahu 3:7); he is, hopefully, in a constant state of forward progress. (See Tetzaveh, Staying Alive, on this subject.) A rebbi, though, explains Rav Yaakov, must be like a malach, where he is not concerned about his own growth and development, but the growth and development of his students.

            A true rebbi is only focused on the proper presentation of the appropriate material, and when needed, presents it in a simplified fashion. His role is to see that his students are the ones going places; they are the ones who need to grow as they learn, digest, and retain the material. Such a rebbi is like a malach, for his only ambition is to see his talmidim progress.

             “Nitzavim or Vayeilech?” Standing or going? From a play on words on these two parashiyos, we have a question every person must ask himself. Am I standing still or am I going and growing?

            Every rebbi must ask the same question in a slightly modified form: “Nitzavim or Vayeilech?” Am I willing to stand still, putting aside an aspect of my personal growth, so that my talmidim can move forward and develop as they should?

Ahd kahn divrei Rabbi Bukspan. 

And now Rabbi Shulman's speech.