visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected]1 Brought to you by Naaleh.com Volume 6 Number 25 Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Hanoch Teller The Gemara says that when the soul faces its final judgment it will be asked: Did you conduct your business practices faithfully? Did you set aside fixed times for learning? Did you try to have children or help others to have? Did you wait and hope for the Messianic salvation? Did you delve into wisdom? These questions gauge the extent that our awareness of Hashem permeates our daily life. The longing for Mashiach shouldn’t just be an awareness that we occasionally arouse within ourselves, but rather a deep yearning for something missing. It should be even more so during the three weeks when the anticipation of the redemption is at a heightened level. The Daas Torah notes that the first command- ment of Onochi Hashem contains the mitzvah of tzipisa l’yeshua, longing for Mashiach. We won’t be asked, “Did you believe in the salvation?” But rather, “Did you long for it?” If we believe in Hashem’s power and omnipo- tence than we believe that the world can be transformed within seconds to the way Hashem originally envisioned it to be. The Nesivos Sholom writes that yearning for Mashiach is a foundation of emunah. It’s believing that were not living in a perfected world and yearning for the completion that Hashem originally intended in Gan Eden. If we yearn for Mashiach so that our problems will be solved, we’re not really wanting Mashiach but rather an easier life. We should long for Mashiach so that we can regain that closeness and ultimate pleasure of connecting with Hashem. A world without him is like a wedding without a bride. We have to realize what we are missing. Failing to believe in Mashiach is failing to believe that the Shechina will one day return. It’s accepting exile and that state of disconnec- tion. If we just look at today in its absolute form then we’re very distant from Hashem. But if we see it as a totality, as a relationship with the Creator, then we know that now is just a temporary state of being and any minute things can change. The mourning on Tisha B’Av is the pain we must feel for not sensing as if we’re missing anything. As long as we don’t have the beit hamikdash and the Divine Presence there’s something missing. We mourn for the galut haShechina inside us, for the tragedy that Hashem has withdrawn from us and we no longer have His closeness. We say in Aleinu, “Letaken olam.” We want to build a world where there’s recognition of Hashem. Therefore it’s incumbent upon us to yearn for Mashiach. What can we do to bring Mashiach closer? On a macro level, we must strengthen our faith. Exile brought darkness and concealment. The period before Mashiach will be rife with the lack of belief in Hashem. Chevlei Mashiach is like a rope. Our trust in Hashem will be shaken. Yet we must hold on tight and realize there’s a larger picture. We also have to reinforce our connection to Hashem and bring others closer to Him. Rav Lugasi says that the feeling of teshuva is connected to achdut.The first step is unity. The Manchester Rav explains, we say in the first blessing of shemonei esrei, “Umeivi goel l’man shemo...” We end the blessing with the words, Magen Avraham. Avraham personified chesed and it is acts of loving kindness that will bring Mashiach. Reality of Redemption Parsha Journeys: Parshat Devarim Parshat Devarim speaks about Moshe’s final words to the Jewish people. He reproves them for their wrongdoings and delineates the reward and consequence for their actions. By emphasizing the trespasses of their parents, Moshe hoped to save the new generation from repeating the mistake of their elders. Yet he didn’t want to rebuke them directly. Therefore he pointed out the places where their ancestors had erred as a reminder where they had encamped and transgressed. There are many aspects of Parshat Devarim which are puzzling. Why are geographic details discussed? Why is it so important to know how various nations referred to the same mountain by different names? The sefer Shabbat B’Shabbato explains that no single nation settled the land of Israel for a substan- tial amount of time. The battles in Canaan resulted not only in the exchange of monarchs but also of entire nations. That is why the parsha underscores that Har Chermon was called Siryon by the Amorites and Snir by the Sidanites. The nations came and went but none left their permanent imprint on the land. Even the names of the mountains didn’t stay. This teaches us the fundamental concept of Divine Providence. Hashem is all powerful and can allocate land to whom He wishes. His plan was to give Israel to the Jewish people and that is what prevailed. On the Shabbat before Tisha B’av we read the Haftorah of Yeshaya. The prophet mourns , “How has the faithful city become a harlot. It was a city full of righteousness but now it has become filled with murderers.” Hashem says, “Eicha.” How is it possible that all these tragedies have befallen you. The Gemara teaches, “If a person sees suffering coming upon him, he must inspect his ways.” We learn that the key avodah on Tisha B’av is not the fasting or mourning but the self- evaluation. It’s a day to take spiritual stock of our lives and assess what we have done wrong that these things have befallen us. We have to ask ourselves, “How can we become better people?”
Transcript
visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 1
Brought to you by Naaleh.comVolume 6 Number 25
Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi
Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com
Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Mrs. Shira Smiles
Based on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rabbi Hanoch Teller
The Gemara says that when the soul faces its final judgment it will be asked: Did you conduct your business practices faithfully? Did you set aside fixed times for learning? Did you try to have children or help others to have? Did you wait and hope for the Messianic salvation? Did you delve into wisdom? These questions gauge the extent that our awareness of Hashem permeates our daily life. The longing for Mashiach shouldn’t just be an awareness that we occasionally arouse within ourselves, but rather a deep yearning for something missing. It should be even more so during the three weeks when the anticipation of the redemption is at a heightened level.
The Daas Torah notes that the first command-ment of Onochi Hashem contains the mitzvah of tzipisa l’yeshua, longing for Mashiach. We won’t be asked, “Did you believe in the salvation?” But rather, “Did you long for it?” If we believe in Hashem’s power and omnipo-tence than we believe that the world can be transformed within seconds to the way Hashem originally envisioned it to be. The Nesivos Sholom writes that yearning for
Mashiach is a foundation of emunah. It’s believing that were not living in a perfected world and yearning for the completion that Hashem originally intended in Gan Eden. If we yearn for Mashiach so that our problems will be solved, we’re not really wanting Mashiach but rather an easier life. We should long for Mashiach so that we can regain that closeness and ultimate pleasure of connecting with Hashem. A world without him is like a wedding without a bride. We have to realize what we are missing.
Failing to believe in Mashiach is failing to believe that the Shechina will one day return. It’s accepting exile and that state of disconnec-tion. If we just look at today in its absolute form then we’re very distant from Hashem. But if we see it as a totality, as a relationship with the Creator, then we know that now is just a temporary state of being and any minute things can change. The mourning on Tisha B’Av is the pain we must feel for not sensing as if we’re missing anything. As long as we don’t have the beit hamikdash and the Divine Presence there’s something missing. We mourn for the galut haShechina inside us, for
the tragedy that Hashem has withdrawn from us and we no longer have His closeness. We say in Aleinu, “Letaken olam.” We want to build a world where there’s recognition of Hashem. Therefore it’s incumbent upon us to yearn for Mashiach.
What can we do to bring Mashiach closer? On a macro level, we must strengthen our faith. Exile brought darkness and concealment. The period before Mashiach will be rife with the lack of belief in Hashem. Chevlei Mashiach is like a rope. Our trust in Hashem will be shaken. Yet we must hold on tight and realize there’s a larger picture. We also have to reinforce our connection to Hashem and bring others closer to Him. Rav Lugasi says that the feeling of teshuva is connected to achdut.The first step is unity. The Manchester Rav explains, we say in the first blessing of shemonei esrei, “Umeivi goel l’man shemo...” We end the blessing with the words, Magen Avraham. Avraham personified chesed and it is acts of loving kindness that will bring Mashiach.
Reality of Redemption
Parsha Journeys: Parshat Devarim
Parshat Devarim speaks about Moshe’s final words to the Jewish people. He reproves them for their wrongdoings and delineates the reward and consequence for their actions. By emphasizing the trespasses of their parents, Moshe hoped to save the new generation from repeating the mistake of their elders. Yet he didn’t want to rebuke them directly. Therefore he pointed out the places where their ancestors had erred as a reminder where they had encamped and transgressed.
There are many aspects of Parshat Devarim which are puzzling. Why are geographic details discussed? Why is it so important to know how various nations referred to the same mountain by different names? The sefer
Shabbat B’Shabbato explains that no single nation settled the land of Israel for a substan-tial amount of time. The battles in Canaan resulted not only in the exchange of monarchs but also of entire nations. That is why the parsha underscores that Har Chermon was called Siryon by the Amorites and Snir by the Sidanites. The nations came and went but none left their permanent imprint on the land. Even the names of the mountains didn’t stay. This teaches us the fundamental concept of Divine Providence. Hashem is all powerful and can allocate land to whom He wishes. His plan was to give Israel to the Jewish people and that is what prevailed.
On the Shabbat before Tisha B’av we read the
Haftorah of Yeshaya. The prophet mourns , “How has the faithful city become a harlot. It was a city full of righteousness but now it has become filled with murderers.” Hashem says, “Eicha.” How is it possible that all these tragedies have befallen you. The Gemara teaches, “If a person sees suffering coming upon him, he must inspect his ways.” We learn that the key avodah on Tisha B’av is not the fasting or mourning but the self- evaluation. It’s a day to take spiritual stock of our lives and assess what we have done wrong that these things have befallen us. We have to ask ourselves, “How can we become better people?”
Volume 6 Number 25
Help support Naaleh by searching the web! For more information visit www.iGive/Naaleh.com & www.iSearchiGive/Naaleh.com
visit us online at: www.naaleh.com | for questions, suggestions, or dedication opportunities, email [email protected] 2
Brought to you by Naaleh.com
Dedicated in memory of Rachel Leah bat R' Chaim Tzvi
In Eicha we read, “Kol rodfeha hisiguah ben hamitzraim,” All those who pursued her caught up to her between the sieges. The Zohar says this refers to the Shechina. One can catch the Shechina and make it a part of us during these weeks. The destruction and concealment is purposeful and meant to trigger us to achieve and build. The Maharal says there are three aspects that make a person human, one’s body, emotions, and mind. The mind is one’s inner life and the thoughts that inform our heart. Everything begins there. We don’t have much choice about what thoughts will enter our brain but we do have enormous control over what will stay there, engage us, and move from our head to our heart. This is filtering and is the function of the kaved (liver) and the kloyot (kidneys). The means through which thought moves is imagery. The mind and heart then speak together to the body. The letters mem (moach), lev (lamed), kaved (chof), spell melech (king). A person achieves mastery over himself when the mind controls the heart which then speaks to the body. Hashem wants us to develop that ability. He wants us to build bridges connecting us to Him.
In the desert, He commanded us to build a sanctuary. The mishkan had an outer court, the Israelite encampment, which symbolized the body. In the center was the Levite encampment, the heart where all eyes were turned to. The Levites in turn, turned towards the Divine encampment which represented the mind. The Shechina (mind), addressed Moshe (the heart), who in turn addressed the people (the body).
In the beit hamikdash, the sacrifices were offered in the azarah (outer courtyard). This parallels the body, the animal within us which is meant to be uplifted. Part of the sacrificial rite, was extracting the blood, the animal’s life source, putting it in the right vessel, and addressing it to Hashem. Some of the animal had to be burnt which is symbolic of dedicat-ing the body to Hashem. Further inside was the heichal where the ketoret (incense) was offered on the altar. The ketoret relates to kesher which is tefilah, the heart. Advancing further inward was the Holy of Holies where the ark was. The two sides of the luchot symbolized the two sides of the brain. Yerushalayim of ancient times was called, Ir
shechubra lo yachdav, the city where it was all held together. A lot of our suffering on a collective and individual level comes from disconnect. The mind may be here, the heart there, and the body somewhere else. The churban came because of this. The Jewish people’s minds weren’t devoted to Hashem which led them to serve idols. Their hearts weren’t connected which led them to murder. They used their bodies as vehicles of discon-nect which resulted in giluy aroyot.
The second temple was built because although not every person was perfect, we all identified with each other and we were united. The three weeks are meant to remind us that were not at that perfected stage and we need to do something about it. We have to work on loving Hashem and our higher selves. The root of this traces all the way back to the first Tisha Bv when the spies sinned in the desert. When they said, “Hashem is giving us this unconquer-able land because he hates us,” it was the ultimate expression of disconnect. Hashem did countless miracles for the Jews. He split the sea, he gave them mohn, he surrounded them with clouds of glory. How could they have said that? Sometimes the body may talk so loud that it outshouts the mind so that the heart becomes a prisoner of the body. The spies saw an unconquerable land. Their bodies said, “We can’t do this, let’s run away.” Their hearts said, “Our children will be captured and enslaved.” Their minds said, “Hashem doesn’t know or identify with us.” This was a challenge where they should’ve thought, “If Hashem is telling us to conquer an unconquerable land it means that we’ll draw closer through seeing His miracles, His commitment, and His love for us.” But they missed it. This disconnect has carried through to thousands of similar failed tests. People do this constantly on both a national and personal level. Think of what you want the most. Imagine that you lost it. Will you continue to love Hashem anyway? Will you trust Him enough to realize that somehow through this loss He’s drawing you closer to Him?
Tefilah is how we give expression to our love of Hashem. When we daven, we dedicate ourselves to Him. This is why the order of prayer begins with the early morning blessings. It’s about viewing our body as a gift and devoting it to Hashem. We go on from there to pesukei d’zimra where we speak
about the Creator in nature and history and we feel part of a bigger picture. Finally we say Shema and affirm Hashem’s unity with us. That’s what love is, a feeling of oneness and connection. Then we are ready for shemonei esrei, the core of tefilah.
Immorality stems from disconnect. The best way to nurture a relationship is when the mind informs the heart which then informs the body. This is what a Jewish marriage is about. The attribute of Yosef Hatzaddik is yesod (foundation). Why is it the foundation? The force of desire where your heart, mind, and body are dedicated to one person is the closest act that can mirror Hashem’s devotion to us. Immorality is the ultimate divide where one’s body is disconnected from one’s emotions and mind. Being careful in midat yesod is something we need to work on in the three weeks. For a woman it’s saying, “I won’t be prey. I’ll be careful and present myself as human.” For a man it’s saying, “I’ll be watchful not to hunt.” Another point to strengthen is ahavat Yisrael, feeling one with another Jew. This means trying to find mutual commonality rather than differences. It’s viewing the other person not as separate from you but as an extension of you. We have to let this affect us in our daily lives. .
Although there was far more revelation in the first beit hamikdash, in a certain sense the second beit hamikdash was higher. We had to find Hashem amid his concealment and lift ourselves up to him. The third beit hamikdash will combine both forces. We’ll see Hashem descending to us. There will be great kindness and incredible miracles. But will also be working through our own concealment.
The 22 days of bein hamitzarim parallel the high holy days where the love of Elul is mixed with the fear of judgment. All of the outside halachot, the mourning, the lack of music and joyous celebrations, are not there to create anger or despair but rather to awaken an inner sense of lack where we acknowledge that something is missing. The more we notice that both our personal and collective minds, heart, and body are not united, the more we will work towards it. The more we are successful at it, the closer we’ll come to transforming these days of destruction it into a time of hope and renewal.
The Proper Mentality For The 3 WeeksBased on a Naaleh.com shiur by Rebbetzin Tziporah Heller
