Chaim
Zev ben Faige Tova, Yeshayahu Emes ben Shula Leah and Eden bas Alla can be
removed from the prayer list.
G.L. posted this
about Charedim in weapons development in the IDF: http://www.israelandstuff.com/idf-haredim-soldiers-build-new-electronic-warfare-system Let me add that at a big electronics plant
that makes radars and other countermeasure devices a good number of Orthodox and
Ultra-Orthodox Jews work as well as other places in industry such as the
production of Arrow Missile, Rafael, Elbit and the Aircraft Industries.
Correction
to last week’s Parsha: Parsha Devarim always falls before Tisha B’Av and starts
in this Sefer the last 200 Mitzvos of the Torah culminating a thirty-seven day
period until the death of Moshe Rabbaynu. Parsha Devarim itself deals with
historical facts of the journey and the battles which were fought with the help
of HASHEM. (I listed the wrong number of days because I did not pay enough
attention to the second Pasuk.)
Parsha
Vaetchanan
This
week’s Parsha has a review, warnings and laws not recorded before. We have here
recorded the Ten Commandments or Assera Debros from Moshe’s Perspective. And we
have the command of saying the Shema before going to sleep and upon rising in
the morning to state the Unity of G-D. I have added a few words from the Zohar
and things to think about regarding the Shema. I brought down a translation from
the Hebrew of the Alaynu prayer below and I could have brought down the quote
which is the previous quote at the end: Isa 8:10 Take counsel
together, and it shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not
stand; for God is with us.
3:23 And I besought the LORD at that
time, saying: 24 'O Lord GOD,
Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness, and Thy strong hand; for what
god is there in heaven or on earth, that can do according to Thy works, and
according to Thy mighty acts? 25
Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land that is beyond the Jordan,
that goodly hill-country, and Lebanon.' 26 But the LORD was wroth with me for
your sakes, and hearkened not unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'Let it
suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter.
If one
recalls at the incident of the Egel HaZahav (golden calf) Moshe says blot me out
of your book. The question arises is that a derivative of that or only from the
striking of the rock in anger for when one loses his temper it is compared to
idol worship by the Sages of blessed memory.
27 Get thee up into the
top of Pisgah, and lift up your eyes westward, and northward, and southward, and
eastward, and behold with your eyes; for thou shalt not go over this Jordan.
28 But charge Joshua, and
encourage him, and strengthen him; for he shall go over before this people, and
he shall cause them to inherit the land which thou shalt see.' 29 So we abode in the valley over
against Beth-Peor.
Did he
only see with regular vision or from HASHEM a telescopic or futuristic vision?
One thing for sure is that he had a perfectly clear day and hour and was able to
see at least in spots until the Mediterranean Sea and all the land that was
promised probably up to the mountains of Turkey and the Euphrates
border.
You whom are standing here today will go into possess the land and your staying there and your children staying there are on the condition that you observe the Mitzvos!
2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
This is an answer to certain religious fanatics who add more than a fence around the Torah but invent for themselves ideas and concepts that were never given and Minchagim that the majority of Am Yisrael cannot abide by. This is also an answer to the Reform and Conservative Movements that want to subtract from Torah and Mitzvos and say that we can now eat pork, have intermarriage or homosexuality. It is an answer to the various atheistic or socialists that would try to force things on Torah Jews. The true Torah withstands the test of time and when one goes to the right or the left over the years we end up with a handful of Samaritans and Karites who deviated from the main stream of Torah.
3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did in Baal-Peor; for all the men that followed the Baal of Peor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from the midst of thee.
The men who fell into the trap of Baal-Peor were not interested in doing Peor as a worship of the idol but the whores that were associated with the idol. There are many beauty and intelligent non-Jews out in the world that can tempt us and there is no guardian for lust according to our Sages. (Hebrew Ayn Apitropus L’Arva) It is we who have to remember to turn to the left or the right of the Torah but take the middle path which is written in the Torah. [The whole story in Beresheis of Er is that he fell in love with the beauty of Tamar and took her in to Judaism but did not want to ruin her beauty so he spilled his seed.]
4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.
Everyone is alive today full of Torah and Mitzvos because they are the days and the length of our lives!
5 Behold, I have taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it.
It is not by sheer numbers or military might that will enable you to possess the land but the Commandments and their observance.
6 Observe therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, that, when they hear all these statutes, shall say: 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.' 7 For what great nation is there, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is whensoever we call upon Him?
Great Nation: Not like China or India with large populations and geography but rather a great nation second to none in morals, ethics and Torah observance.
8 And what great nation is there, that hath statutes and ordinances so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day? 9 Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which your eyes saw, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life; but make them known unto thy children and thy children's children; 10 the day that thou stood before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me: 'Assemble Me the people, and I will make them hear My words that they may learn to fear Me all the days that they live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children.'
This is the repeating of the Assera Debros. This time Moshe is narrating the story which I am sure that each and every one heard from the people whom were there dozens upon dozens of times.
11 And ye came near and stood under the mountain; and the mountain burned with fire unto the heart of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 And the LORD spoke unto you out of the midst of the fire; ye heard the voice of words, but ye saw no form; only a voice. 13 And He declared unto you His covenant, which He commanded you to perform, even the ten words; and He wrote them upon two tables of stone. 14 And the LORD commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it. 15 Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves--for ye saw no manner of form on the day that the LORD spoke unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire-- 16 lest ye deal corruptly, and make you a graven image, even the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, 17 the likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flies in the heaven, 18 the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth; 19 and lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heaven, thou be drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath allotted unto all the peoples under the whole heaven. 20 But you hath the LORD taken and brought forth out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be unto Him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. 21 Now the LORD was angered with me for your sakes, and swore that I should not go over the Jordan, and that I should not go in unto that good land, which the LORD thy God gives thee for an inheritance;
Moshe has sacrificed himself for the Nation.
22 but I must die in this land, I must not go over the Jordan; but ye are to go over, and possess that good land. 23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you, and make you a graven image, even the likeness of anything which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee. 24 For the LORD thy God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.
The next section is a warning to people. Just as the Yetzer today is either being in love with a non-Jew or wanting to be on the cell phone or internet on Shabbos so the big Yetzer HaRa was the idols, fertility cults and also the non-observance of Shabbos. Let us call a spade a spade and actually there is nothing new under the sun but the Yetzer and changed its shape and form to greet us today.
25
When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have been
long in the land, and shall deal corruptly, and make a graven image, even the
form of anything, and shall do that which is evil in the sight of the LORD thy
God, to provoke Him; 26 I call
heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly
perish from off the land whereunto ye go over the Jordan to possess it; ye shall
not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. 27 And the LORD shall scatter you
among the peoples, and ye shall be left few in number among the nations, whither
the LORD shall lead you away.
Eventually,
as you become corrupted by the various forms and shapes of evil things you will
become corrupted.
28
And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which
neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
How
many Jews have wondered off in the last years due to lack of a proper spiritual
education by the Reform and ended up kneeling in a church before an Image of a
dead Jew nailed up, become Buddhists or believers in some of the Hindu ways. All
because they or their fathers abandoned the Torah – for only the Torah is Emmes
and leads to Derech HASHEM. Any other path is strange worship for a Jew and it
does not matter if it is Islam which is essentially monotheistic in modern
nature or atheism.
29
But from thence ye will seek the LORD thy God; and thou shalt find Him, if thou
search after Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
One
day these Jews who have turned to these other religions or become forced
converts like in Spain and other dungeons can return if they search with their
heart and soul for the Truth and they will return to Judaism. Even the Reform
like myself can return with a pure heart and a pure
soul.
30
In thy distress, when all these things are come upon thee, in the end of days,
thou wilt return to the LORD thy God, and hearken unto His voice; 31 for the LORD thy God is a merciful
God; He will not fail thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy
fathers which He swore unto them.
Out
of mercy and the merits of your fathers, you shall return. However, you will not
get Judaism on a gold or silver platter and grow up in a Jewish nursery school
or Heder but you will have to earn it by the school of hard knocks.
32
For ask now of the days past, which were before thee, since the day that God
created man upon the earth, and from the one end of heaven unto the other,
whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been
heard like it? 33 Did ever a
people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast
heard, and live? 34 Or hath God
assayed to go and take Him a nation from the midst of another nation, by trials,
by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by an
outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God
did for you in Egypt before your eyes? 35 Unto thee it was shown, that thou
might know that the LORD, He is God; there is none else beside Him.
G-D
has no parts, all the angels and the devil are part of HIS creation and exist by
HIS will. We exist only because we have a DIVINE SPARK in
us.
36
Out of heaven He made thee to hear His voice, that He might instruct thee; and
upon earth He made thee to see His great fire; and thou didst hear His words out
of the midst of the fire. 37 And
because He loved thy fathers, and chose their seed after them, and brought thee
out with His presence, with His great power, out of Egypt, 38 to drive out nations from before
thee greater and mightier than thou, to bring thee in, to give thee their land
for an inheritance, as it is this day;
We
might not have the population statistics of the 7 nations that resided in Canaan
to see if they really were mightier than us but in 1948 CE a rag-tag group of
mostly untrained holocaust survivors managed to rid the land of the mighty
British Empire and Five Trained and Equipped Army Armies combined. By all logic
and by sheer numbers of men and equipment they should have walked in and
conquered all of Eretz Yisrael. Instead, they were defeated not by Chayil and
not by Koach (armies and strength) but by the help of HASHEM. Returning to
5 Behold, I have
taught you statutes and ordinances, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that
ye should do so in the midst of the land whither ye go in to possess it, we begin to see the meaning of that and
brought thee out with His presence, with His great power, out of Egypt, 38 to drive out nations from before
thee greater and mightier than thou, to bring thee in, to give thee their land
for an inheritance, as it is this day; That is our
Pshat and the meaning here. We are not angels and we have a Yetzer and sin but
all in all we must remember that each and every war we fought, we only won with
the help and will of HASHEM.
39
know this day, and lay it to thy heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above
and upon the earth beneath; there is none else.
Do
not turn to the left or right of Orthodox Judaism. We have or Tanach, Mishnah,
Talmud, Halacha and Kabbala. We have to watch out though for deviations from
this with the cult called the Kabbala Centre as they are the fixation of one man
who is not a Dr. and may not even be a Rabbi but has established it to make
money. All the more so the Messianic Jews for somebody who died before Rabbi
Akiva was born. Was it not idolatry and going astray that caused the destruction
of the first Temple and self-centered hatred like certain politicians and cults
that destroyed the second Temple.
40
And thou shalt keep His statutes, and His commandments, which I command thee
this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and
that thou may prolong thy days upon the land, which the LORD thy God gives thee,
forever.
If
we were all to observe Shabbos, Kashrus, Taharos HaMishpacha and other Mitzvos
we would have the third Beis HaMikdash now!
41
Then Moses separated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising; 42 that the manslayer might flee
thither, that slays his neighbor unawares, and hated him not in time past; and
that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: 43 Bezer in the wilderness, in the
table-land, for the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, for the Gadites; and Golan
in Bashan, for the Manassites. 44 And this is the law which Moses set
before the children of Israel; 45 these are the testimonies, and the
statutes, and the ordinances, which Moses spoke unto the children of Israel,
when they came forth out of Egypt; 46 beyond the Jordan, in the valley
over against Beth-Peor, in the land of Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt at
Heshbon, whom Moses and the children of Israel smote, when they came forth out
of Egypt; 47 and
they took his land in possession, and the land of Og king of Bashan, the two
kings of the Amorites, who were beyond the Jordan toward the sunrising; 48 from Aroer, which
is on the edge of the valley of Arnon, even unto mount Sion--the same is
Hermon-- 49 and
all the Arabah beyond the Jordan eastward, even unto the sea of the Arabah,
under the slopes of Pisgah.
These
are the three cities of refugee beyond the Yarden which were set
up.
5: 1 And Moses called unto all Israel,
and said unto them: Hear, O Israel, the statutes and the ordinances which I
speak in your ears this day, that ye may learn them, and observe to do them.
2 The LORD our God made a
covenant with us in Horeb. 3 The
LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all
of us here alive this day. 4 The
LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire--
5 I stood between the LORD and
you at that time, to declare unto you the word of the LORD; for ye were afraid
because of the fire, and went not up into the mount--saying:
The
repetition of the Assera Debros (10 Commandments)
6 I am the LORD thy
God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 7 Thou shalt not make unto thee a
graven image, even any manner of likeness, of anything that is in heaven above,
or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 8 Thou shalt not bow down unto them,
nor serve them; for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity
of the fathers upon the children, and upon the third and upon the fourth
generation of them that hate Me, 9 and showing mercy unto the
thousandth generation of them that love Me and keep My commandments. 10 Thou shalt not take the name of the
LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes His
name in vain.
Not
advisable: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/07/16/upenn-professor-goes-on-blog-rant-over-zimmerman-verdict-claims-god-is-white/
Next
time put brain into gear before opening mouth.
11 Observe the Sabbath
day, to keep it holy, as the LORD thy God commanded thee. 12 Six days shalt thou labor, and do
all thy work; 13 but the seventh
day is a Sabbath unto the LORD thy God, in it thou shalt not do any manner of
work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy man-servant, nor thy
maid-servant, nor your ox, nor your ass, nor any of thy cattle, nor thy stranger
that is within thy gates; that thy man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as
well as thou. 14 And thou shalt
remember that thou was a servant in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thy God
brought thee out thence by a mighty hand and by an outstretched arm; therefore
the LORD thy God commanded thee to keep the Sabbath day.
In
early 1969, I started in Yeshiva Haichal HaTorah. Rabbi Yechiel London Ztz”l
once caught one of the teenagers doing absolute nonsense which was typical for a
teen. He did not understand how somebody could do that. I was close to 22 at the
time and it seemed like regular teen behavior and could not understand why he
could not understand. It took about another 14 years or so until the late Yacov
Glicksman caught his son Arieh doing something nonsensical and said, “I don’t
understand why a brilliant boy like you could do something so foolish.” On the
side, I mentioned to Yacov that finally I understood why Rabbi London could not
understand. (An aside note, today Arieh is 44.5 years old and Rabbi Mimran’s
assistant in our Kollel.) I bring down this story because I don’t understand
many of my readers. If I were to ask they if they would put out a god before
HASHEM, make an image of a god or bow down to an idol they would look at me. I
believe that 99.9% of my readers will not take the NAME in vain. Yet in our
modern computer age, I see not only potential converts but many Jews living in a
Shabbos zone when it is before or after Shabbos for me putting Facebook or
American On Line before the source of all Berachos. In fact, the punishment for
accidental violation (aka he/she took a nap woke up thought it was a different
day of the week and went on line would be a Korban Chatas, for purposeful
violation Kares of the Soul in the next world from the people of Israel and/or
reincarnation after years in Kaf Keller or for public violation and ignoring
warnings of witness if we had a Sanhedrin would be the death
penalty.)
Guard
the Shabbos and the Shabbos will guard you. This past Shabbos a person drowned
in the Northern Yarden River on a fun kayak trip and a boy fell 6 meters on a
hike in the Negev in an archeology site. I have written last week on Chashgacha
(call it providence, guardian angels or what you want) but there are no
accidents. For Example: Let us say X and Y did a sin. X observes Shabbos and Y
not the observance of Shabbos protects him/her until next Yom Kippur while Y who
does not observe Shabbos does not have that merit to protect him/her it is as
simple as that. However, false science and lack of statistics lulls us into
thinking that Chashgacha does not exist. An Engineer who taught at the Sorbonne
University named Menachem Mendel Schneersohn and a former mathematics teacher at
Columbia University Yacov London knew and mentioned Chashgacha of the
individual. (The late Lubavitcher Rebbe and my late Rosh Yeshiva) A “modern”
press with an agenda and an educational system with a religious-political agenda
today lulls our children into this false world and false sense of what is really
going on. What is the probability of the sea splitting or meteors killing the
Amorites and leaving the Bnei Yisrael with a victory in the conquest of Eretz
Yisrael yet they happened. It is only a matter today of watching television and
seeing 3 joined houses in Ashdod to the left and the right damage and no damage
in the middle but a sign in Hebrew stated “Whomever guards the Shabbos, the
Shabbos will guard them!”. Same missile, same area and yet one undamaged! Not
convinced then visit the Levi or Levy family in Kibbutz Saad where about 5 to 8
years ago the Kassam fell in the middle of their living room where four members
of the family were sleeping and it did not explode! The Kibbutz is one of the
few Shomer Shabbos Kibbutzim.
On one
hand, I am happy to have on-line and perhaps real friends for the last 12 or so
years I have been putting out the Parsha and emphasizing the Shabbos and the
other hand I am unhappy for three things. 1) I have not been able to persuade
them to fortify themselves in Torah and Mitzvos. 2) The violation of Shabbos
delays the coming of the Moshiach and lessens the merits for miracles in
defending Yisrael. 3) My friend is damaging his eternal Neshama. Just as most of
my readers would not dishonor on purpose their parents, murder, commit adultery,
steal somebody for enslavement, purposely bear false witness or go overboard in
desiring the wife of a neighbor, his house, car, etc. Yet the holy Shabbos is
forgotten and dishonored more than the other 9 Debros.
15 Honor thy father and
thy mother, as the LORD thy God commanded thee; that thy days may be long, and
that it may go well with thee, upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
16 Thou shalt not murder.
Neither shalt thou commit adultery. Neither shalt thou steal. Neither shalt thou
bear false witness against thy neighbor. 17 Neither shalt thou covet thy
neighbor’s wife; neither shalt thou desire thy neighbor’s house, his field, or
his man-servant, or his maid-servant, his ox, or his ass, or anything that is
thy neighbor's. 18 These words
the LORD spoke unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire,
of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice, and it went on no
more. And He wrote them upon two tables of stone, and gave them unto me. 19 And it came to pass, when ye heard
the voice out of the midst of the darkness, while the mountain did burn with
fire, that ye came near unto me, even all the heads of your tribes, and your
elders; 20 and ye said: 'Behold,
the LORD our God hath shown us His glory and His greatness, and we have heard
His voice out of the midst of the fire; we have seen this day that God doth
speak with man, and he lives.
A
living and interactive G-D but remember lack of an answer on the spot to one’s
prayer is not from inaction but from actively delaying it or ignoring it for our
benefit in the long run even if the here and the now seem different. Sometimes
we have to remind ourselves that the past is gone from our hands and the future
is not there yet but we are living now. {We have to stop living in the past like
many children and young adults blame their parents for this and that or that G-D
made great miracles in the past and lesser today. I know a woman who got angry
at her husband in 5736 on Chanucha and the poor fellow apologized and did not
know what he did but never lived it down until his divorce in 5742. She wanted
to live in the past and not in the now. Of course I have seen a few people who
went too deep into the Kabbala and drifted off until the days of the Moshiach
and also are not living in the here and the now. Let us make the best of what we
have now and do the Mitzvos for today and Teshuva so that we will be prepared
for the Moshiach when he comes.}
21 Now therefore why
should we die? for this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the
LORD our God any more, then we shall die. 22 For who is there of all flesh, that
hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as
we have, and lived? 23 Go thou
near, and hear all that the LORD our God may say; and thou shalt speak unto us
all that the LORD our God may speak unto thee; and we will hear it and do it.'
They
had lived through the first two commandments by hearing HASHEM but they were so
petrified with fear that logic left them and they feared that they would die.
The Medrash says that they souls fled from them and returned each time Shabbos
88.
24 And the LORD heard
the voice of your words, when ye spoke unto me; and the LORD said unto me: 'I
have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto
thee; they have well said all that they have spoken. 25 Oh that they had such a heart as
this always, to fear Me, and keep all My commandments, that it might be well
with them, and with their children forever! 26 Go say to them: Return ye to your
tents. 27 But as for thee, stand
thou here by Me, and I will speak unto thee all the commandment, and the
statutes, and the ordinances, which thou shalt teach them, that they may do them
in the land which I give them to possess it.' 28 Ye shall observe to do therefore as
the LORD your God hath commanded you; ye shall not turn aside to the right hand
or to the left. 29 Ye shall walk
in all the way which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and
that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land
which ye shall possess.
The
people were to receive the commandments through Moshe and to observe them
especially in the land that they will possess. The implication being is that if
you observe you will prolong your days and the days of your children not only
life-span but span in the land of Eretz Yisrael and if not the reverse
applies.
A few lines back I wrote about living in the present but we also prepare for the future thinking of retirement and leaving a good legacy for our children. That is why it is so important to observe the Mitzvos. As we say at the end of the Alaynu Prayer “Until old age I am HE, I will suffer you” (my off the cuff translation).
3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath promised unto thee--a land flowing with milk and honey.
If I am correct this is the first mention of a land flowing with milk and honey. We see years later David fleeing Shaul picking up sweet date honey like drippings from the trees in between Kiriat Ono and Lod.
4
Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God, the LORD is one.
I
bring down Pshat from the Zohar HaKodesh here: Rabbi
Yesa says: “This is the Patriarch Yisrael”. Rabbi Yitzchak says: “Yisrael” has
the same meanings as “heavens” in the verse “Hear, O heavens” (Isa 1:2) and
“Give ear O heavens” (Deut. 32:1) “The L-RD” here indicates the starting point
of all, in radiance of the Holy Ancient One and this is what is called “Father”.
“Our G-D” is the source of streams and fonts that flow forth to all. “The L-RD”
is the body of the tree (of
life) the
completion of the roots. “One” is the Community of Israel. All form one whole
linked together without division. In
simple words it is not that Am Yisrael are guarantors one for another but
actually souls that are linked in unity to the Ancient One in the Keter above
all the 10 Siferos. In simple words we are part of HASHEM. Don’t let that get
into your head for if you do a Mitzvah that is what you are supposed to do and
if you sin your stain your eternal garment. All
linked together without division. Rabbi Yitzchak learnt: ”The holy supernal
chariot consists of the four compartments of the Tephillin which are put on by
the Vav and as already explained (elsewhere
in the Zohar re: Yud Kay Vav Kay).
There is another holy chariot of four other compartments united into one which
are put on the second Hey, as already stated.” This
is what the Sages called Maaseh Merkavah which is beyond most of us. On our
simple level let us concentrate on the meaning of the words and a few simple
secrets. The word “Hear” in Hebrew is Shema which consists of the letters Shin
Mem and Ayin. This is the combining of the 72 letter NAME with the 70 other
NAMES of G-D. The Ayin and the Dalet of the final word Ehud forms Ayd which is
witness as we give witness to the unity of G-D. The Dalet allows us to state
where HIS Kingdom is over North, East, West and South; air, fire, earth and
water; the inanimate, plants, animals and talkers; Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama,
Chaya/Yechida; sun, moon, earth and planets.
Any
Ben Yisrael who thinks of an outside partner or another god beside the NAME is a
fool and you can see from the above that there is ONE and only ONE CREATOR and
none else – no partner, no helper nothing without HIM. So what is in spiritual
terms “Let us make man in our image?” Simply a consultation between the ANCIENT
ONE and the various Siferos what are linked under him of the properties that man
was to be instilled with from each for example how much Chessed, Gevurah,
Tiferes, Nesach, etc. was man to receive in order to best serve HASHEM and
uplift he mundane elements until holiness. The Zohar goes on here to explain
that Adam and Chava did not know that they were nude at first for until they ate
from the tree, they were mostly spiritual beings enclosed in an aura of holiness
and afterwards the aura of the Shechina was diminished.
5
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy might.
Love
is with all your physical being, spiritual being and might according to Rashi is
all your wealth.
6
And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; 7 and thou shalt teach them diligently
unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sit in thy house, and when
thou walk by the way, and when thou lie down, and when thou rises up.
This
is the Yesod of our faith shall be with each Ben Yisrael 24/7 and your children
shall be educated in this and drilled into them to keep them a holy nation. All
our waking hours we should have before us constantly HASHEM. It is upon us to
education our children and even grandchildren in this. We were told this in
Shemos regarding Pessach that we shall tell our children when they ask us “what
is this?” and give them an answer. Here we are told to teach them DILIGENTLY.
8
And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for
frontlets between your eyes.
These
are Tephillin that men are required to wear and why not women. Men do not have
the 24/7 in the same way as a woman for a woman is constantly teaching the child
from the first cry to the suckle, diaper change and bath. The men are learning
the Torah and Halacha and as we tragically have seen 3 cases recently of men
forgetting their children in enclosed cars, men are to bind these things on
their hands and head so that they do not forget their duties to the child which
comes natural with a woman who carried the child for nine months.
9
And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
This
is the Mezuzah which guards your home, your coming and going from the home.
Before we enter the physical home or leave the physical home we kiss the Mezuzah
with the Shin Dalet Yud on it to remember that the ALL MIGHTY is the ONE who guards us.
10
And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land which He
swore unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee--great
and goodly cities, which thou didst not build, 11 and houses full of all good things,
which thou didst not fill, and cisterns hewn out, which thou didst not hew,
vineyards and olive-trees, which thou didst not plant, and thou shalt eat and be
satisfied-- 12 then beware lest
thou forget the LORD, who brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, out of
the house of bondage. 13 Thou
shalt fear the LORD thy God; and Him shalt thou serve, and by His name shalt
thou swear.
This
is the nature of man as he grows rich and fat like the George Soros, Warren
Buffet and others it is the mankind who tends to forget WHO made him rich and
let him live this type of life. Therefore when we rich our inheritance in the
land and are comfortable in our house and eating until we are satisfied that we
remember the L-RD and WHO is the source of our strength and that Shabbos is the
fountain or foundation of our blessings. Remember our duties of our heart and
soul constantly.
14
Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the peoples that are round
about you;
Living
in Israel one tends to forget the temptations of the world around us. Go to
Europe and the States and travel on the road with a bit of hunger. You stop off
and want to eat but you have to go to the supermarket to find things and then
prepare them on paper plates which the Goy goes into a Denny’s, Mac Donald’s,
IHOP, Taco or Kentucky Fried and eats until full and continues while you barely
got to bite some fish, a pickle and lettuce or apple. The temptation is there or
for the young unmarried person the Jew or Jewess is modest and the non-Jews
think it is Chanucha and display almost everything to tempt you in public. That
is why we have to put HASHEM before us 24/7 in Aretz and in Chutz La’ Aretz.
15
for a jealous God, even the LORD thy God, is in the midst of thee; lest the
anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and He destroy thee from off
the face of the earth.
Therefore
take heed that HASHEM is aware of us even if we think that HE is hiding from us.
HE is there constantly. If you stub your foot or not or injure yourself it is
from HIM and if you win the jackpot WHO gave it to you not chance luck or a
random thing. If you get a cramp in the water and somebody gives you a helping
hand it is not the helper who saved you but HE who put the helper there at that
time.
16
Ye shall not try the LORD your God, as ye tried Him in Massah. 17 Ye shall diligently keep the
commandments of the LORD your God, and His testimonies, and His statutes, which
He hath commanded thee. 18 And
thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD; that it may
be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which
the LORD swore unto thy fathers, 19 to thrust out all your enemies from
before thee, as the LORD hath spoken. …
7:9 Know therefore that
the LORD thy God, He is God; the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy with
them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; 10 and repays them that hate Him to
their face, to destroy them; He will not be slack to him that hates Him, He will
repay him to his face.
Watch
out if you think that you are smart and break away from Judaism. You might rebel
against the L-RD and even have a child who becomes famous and wins and Nobel
Prize but you will not see grandchildren and your name and fame will be cut off
from both this world and the next.
11 Thou shalt therefore
keep the commandment, and the statutes, and the ordinances, which I command thee
this day, to do them.
This
last section is facts and advice on how to behavior before the
L-RD.
The
Last Jewish Organization
by Yerachmiel Tilles http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=816-45
"Cancel
all my appointments today!" called out Rabbi J. J. Hecht to the secretary in
his Brooklyn office. "I have to go to this church in
Manhattan."
Connections:
Seasonal -- 15th of Av (2013: July 21-22) is 1) "Jewish Matchmaking" Day; 2) the
Yahrzeit of Rabbi Hecht.
It
was 1989. Yoav Eitan arrived in New York City from Israel having heard that the
streets of New York were paved with gold. As a disabled soldier - he had been
maimed in battle - he felt that he would have brighter prospects for making a
living in the United States.
Like
the immigrants of the early 1900s, Yoav soon found out that there was no gold
lining the streets of New York city. And, try as he might, he was finding it
impossible to get a job. Each time he responded to a "Help Wanted" sign in a
store window, he was immediately asked, "Green card?" And every time, Yoav shook
his head "No."
The
small sum of money that Yoav had brought with him to America soon ran out and he
was forced to sleep on benches in Central Park. Each day when he went to yet
another few stores to ask for a job, he now asked for food or money in response
to the inevitable question, "Green card?"
One
night when he was falling asleep on a park bench, a priest who was known to make
the rounds throughout Central Park tapped Yoav on the shoulder. "Do you drink?"
he asked Yoav. Yoav said "no." "Do you do drugs?" the priest continued. Again,
Yoav's answer was "No."
"In
that case," the priest offered, "come with me. You can eat in our soup kitchen
and sleep in our shelter."
That
night was the first time Yoav went to sleep with a full stomach, freshly
showered, and on a bed in many, many weeks. In the morning, the priest greeted
Yoav warmly. Yoav began telling the priest his story, how he had come from
Israel to America to try his luck in the land of opportunity but had not been
lucky at all. "I'm not afraid to work hard, but I don't have a green card," he
told the priest.
"I
am going to call some Jewish organizations to see if any of them can help you,"
the priest told Yoav. "In the meantime, take this $20, go out and see what you
can find."
Each
morning, upon awakening, Yoav would ask the priest if he had found a Jewish
organization that could help him, and each day the priest told him that none
could be of any help. "Tell him to go back to Israel," many of them even
responded.
The
priest would then give Yoav another $20 and encourage him to go look for a
job.
One
morning the priest told Yoav, "There is only one Jewish organization left in the
phone book for me to call. I will call the National Committee for the
Furtherance of Jewish Education right now. But if they tell me, like every other
Jewish organization, that they cannot help you, I would like to give you an
offer. If you will convert to Christianity, then I promise you that within 6
months you will have a green card and a job."
The
priest called up the NCFJE office in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and was put
through to Rabbi "JJ" Hecht,
founder and executive director of the NCFJE. "I have one of your boys here in
our church," the priest told Rabbi Hecht. "He's an Israeli with no money and no
job. Every other Jewish organization has told me they can't help him. What about
you?"
"Tell
him to wait for me outside of the church. I'll be there in 15
minutes."
As
Rabbi Hecht ran out of his office, he shouted to his secretary to cancel all of
his appointments for the rest of the day. He dashed into his car and drove to
the address of the church in Manhattan in record time. He stopped his car with a
screech--on the sidewalk!--in front of the steps of the church. He ran up the
steps of the church, where Yoav was waiting with the
priest.
"I
need a green card," Yoav told the rabbi, defiantly.
"You
need a neshama (soul)," Rabbi Hecht told him boldly.
"The
church is promising me a green card in 6 months if I convert," Yoav
countered.
"I'll
get you one in 3 months," said Rabbi Hecht.
Yoav
thanked the priest for all of his help, gathered his little bundle of
belongings, and got into Rabbi Hecht's car (still parked on the sidewalk). When
they arrived in the NCFJE office, Rabbi Hecht told Yoav, "Anything you need, any
time you need, you come to me." Rabbi Hecht then introduced Yoav to some of his
sons, saying, "These are my sons and now you are like another one of my 12
children."
Over
the next few days, Rabbi Hecht found Yoav an apartment and a job. Once every
week or so, Yoav would inquire about the green card. "I'm working on it," Rabbi
Hecht would tell him.
One day Yoav arrived at the office looking for Rabbi Hecht. The secretary told Yoav gently that Rabbi Hecht had passed away the week before. After Yoav got over the initial shock, he asked, "How am I going to get my green card now?" The secretary just shrugged.
One day Yoav arrived at the office looking for Rabbi Hecht. The secretary told Yoav gently that Rabbi Hecht had passed away the week before. After Yoav got over the initial shock, he asked, "How am I going to get my green card now?" The secretary just shrugged.
The
story could end here, and probably no one would be the wiser about another one
of the thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people whose lives Rabbi Hecht
personally touched, changed, saved. But it doesn't.
Soon thereafter, Yoav became engaged to Alba, who had been working in
the Kiddie Korner Preschool of Congregaton Bnai Abraham Synagogue in Brooklyn
Heights. Alba asked her boss, the rabbi of the Congregation and director of
Chabad of Brooklyn Heights, Rabbi Aron-Leib Raskin, to officiate at the
wedding.
The
rabbi happily agreed, and then promptly invited Yoav to come see him so they
could get acquainted. In their meeting, Yoav told his story, speaking in loving
and respectful terms about Rabbi JJ Hecht and how Rabbi Hecht had literally
saved him, body and soul.
That's
when Rabbi Raskin told Yoav that he was Rabbi Hecht's grandson! Yoav became
extremely excited, and doubly happy that this was the rabbi who would officiate
at their wedding.
Not
only that, when Rabbi Raskin heard that Yoav still didn't have the green card,
he told him that as Rabbi Hecht's grandson, he was duty bound to take care of
it. A highly energetic fellow, very much in the style of his grandfather, Rabbi
Raskin succeeded in helping Yoav find a better job, and volunteered to be his
sponsor for a green card, and thus was fulfilled the final clause of his
grandfather's promise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from an article by Rabbi Aron-Leib Raskin in L'ChaimWeekly (#980).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from an article by Rabbi Aron-Leib Raskin in L'ChaimWeekly (#980).
Biographical
note:
Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda ("J.J.") Hecht (24 Cheshvan 1923 - 15 Av 1990), was sometimes described as the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Foreign Minister. In 1945, he was appointed the official director of the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE). In 1953 he started one of the first camps for religious Jewish girls, Camp Emunah. In the 1970's he became the administrative head in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, of both Hadar HaTorah Yeshiva and Machon Chana Seminary. Rabbi Hecht also was the official translator of the Rebbe's talks to children and for the farbrengens on the radio. The Rebbe once described him publicly as one of "the chasidim who share deep soul bonds with him."
Rabbi Yaakov Yehuda ("J.J.") Hecht (24 Cheshvan 1923 - 15 Av 1990), was sometimes described as the Lubavitcher Rebbe's Foreign Minister. In 1945, he was appointed the official director of the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education (NCFJE). In 1953 he started one of the first camps for religious Jewish girls, Camp Emunah. In the 1970's he became the administrative head in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, of both Hadar HaTorah Yeshiva and Machon Chana Seminary. Rabbi Hecht also was the official translator of the Rebbe's talks to children and for the farbrengens on the radio. The Rebbe once described him publicly as one of "the chasidim who share deep soul bonds with him."
Connections:
Seasonal -- 15th of Av (2013: July 21-22) is 1) "Jewish Matchmaking" Day; 2) the
23rd Yahrzeit of Rabbi Hecht.
Thanks
to Irina: The Israel war on Cancer: http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/.premium-1.535419
HORRIBLE HAPPENINGS
IN ISRAEL http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4405270,00.html
More groundless
hatred before Tisha B’Av http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169908#.UeLUh1ffrIU
On Tisha B’Av itself
see photo of modest modern Orthodox dressed young woman. Not to your tastes
don’t marry her or if she loves you ask her to cover her elbows but to call her
a name (By your own blemish you put on her) http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4405385,00.html
Poland does not allow
Kosher Slaughter of meat. Anti-Semitism in a country with next to no Jew.
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404308,00.html
Both the religious
fanatics and the left in Israel weaken us both are helping the enemies of Israel
and then people wonder why the Temple is not rebuilt.
Baby
Adelle Released for Weekend at Home Adelle Biton, who was critically wounded in
a rock terror attack, was discharged from the hospital for a weekend at home
with her family. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169871#.UeG6ClffrIU
Oldest writings in
Jewish Broolynese found: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/12/oldest-writing-jerusalem-king-david_n_3586655.html
Strange
happenings: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/15/michael-boatwright-wakes-up-swedish_n_3599573.html?487248&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl13%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3
Illegal immigrants
not refugees a thorn in our sides the SOB rapes a disabled woman: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4406165,00.html
Inyanay
Diyoma
From Ruth: Arabic
Sources tend to exaggerate so I do not know the reliability of this but the
Arabic is most likely what is written here:
http://www.barenakedislam.com/2013/07/13/shocker-from-arabic-media-secret-8-billion-deal-between-obama-and-the-muslim-brotherhood/
A three way war is
developing in Syria between the free Syrian Army and Al Qaeda as well as Assad
and Iran so everything is now on the table: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169882#.UeGuD1ffrIU
Muslims do their own
price-tag as usual on Israel’s second holiest site: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169886#.UeG5X1ffrIU
I am uncertain that
this is true, the rebels claim rocket that they fired and both Israel and Syria
deny this: http://debka.com/article/23116/US-to-media-Israel-struck-Latakia-arsenal-last-week-Will-Putin-and-Assad-make-good-on-threats-of-reprisal-
Why is the Obama
Administration mentioning this if both Israel and Syria deny it? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169883#.UeJaJlffrIU
IDF is playing with
fire and lives because of Lapid and the budget cut and not posted here was an
article by Yosef Yehoshua on who will scale Binat Jabil in Lebanon: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404148,00.html and http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4403710,00.html
This could backfire
at the next elections: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/13/whats-nuclear-option-senate-stops-everything-to-argue-over-obscure-rules/
Egypt opens an
offensive to regain northern Sinai from the terrorist the over-flight of Gaza
was a tunnel photographing operation: http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Egyptian-army-plans-operation-against-terror-in-Sinai-319667
We have an answer to
Iran, Russia or China: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404575,00.html
Near Kadesh Barnea:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4404952,00.html
There was shooting at
the IDF: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169917#.UeORMVffrIU
Near El Arish:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4405068,00.html
RPG’s narrowing miss
Syrian Rebels in this propaganda film of a captured anti-aircraft battery. http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169916#.UeOW4lffrIU
Israel and Egypt will
have to do things alone as Washington turns on its own allies: http://debka.com/article/23118/Washington’s-push-against-Egyptian-Israeli-go-it-alone-military-steps-US-marines-deployed-off-Suez-Sinai
Oops the Media just
shut its mouth and went silent on-line. Yesterday, Netanyahu talked about our
red line with Iran. This morning there was a comment that Netanyahu was getting
cold feet and did not have the guts to go it alone. Suddenly the sound of
silence on the whole issue so have we chickened out or are we going to make a go
at it soon? The new Iranian leader for sure is a wolf in sheep’s clothing
towards the west. Finally found that Israel’s options are off the table:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169928#.UeQU9FffrIU
Hamas had their
Egyptian Gasoline supply blown up today but their rockets are ready:
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Report-Hamas-has-recovered-since-Pillar-of-Defense-can-produce-rockets-capable-of-hitting-Tel-Aviv-319872
Battlefield Sinai
continues: http://debka.com/article/23120/Many-casualties-in-surging-Egyptian-army-Islamist-Sinai-hostilities-Two-flashpoints-near-Israeli-border
My router went this
week and I did not copy and paste the statement by former UN Ambassador from the
US that Israel should have struck Iran already as they are getting closer and
closer to a bomb. This week the EU decided to stick their business into the
negotiations on the borders of Eretz Yisrael (Of which I pray that HASHEM stops
our own stupidity and defiance of HIS miracles of the Six Day War). I am
wondering if our lack of support and bombing of Iran will end with Iran
developing their very long range missiles and destroying parts of Europe, Rahm
Immanuel and Axelrod, and other things. As for us perhaps we will have time to
develop David’s Sling and the atomic bombs will destroy the people living in
Lebanon and Syria which eventually will be ours in the Days of the Moshiach. [I
CAN DREAM CAN’T I?] As for our enemies - Isa 8:10 Take counsel together, and it
shall be brought to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand; for God is
with us.
The violence in Egypt
continues and in Syria it is secular Sunni vs. Al Qaeda vs. Shiites and Libya is
falling apart. In the meantime HASHEM is fighting our battles in Sinai as the
Egyptian Army is doing for the job of Zahal.
Syrian conflict
yesterday there were shells in Israel and the latest some shooting but something
stinks to high heaven in the States and the IDF made the same denial that Syria
made: http://debka.com/article/23122/Syrian-soldiers-shoot-at-IDF-Golan-patrol-after-unidentified-infiltrators-move-in
Al Qaeda briefly
infiltrates the Golan Heights but flees: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/169999#.Uea6hVffrIU
A Catholic Hispanic
is at the center of things and the Jews are blamed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EwvWYiDvLZc
Elkin spoke properly
but Bibi was not forceful and Olmert blessed Europe: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4406328,00.html
Do you know why
Jewish youths go to price tag because the police don’t pursue Arabs:
http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Dozen-Jewish-owned-cars-vandalized-in-mixed-Jerusalem-neighborhood-320155
Israel is badly
ignoring the civilian population: http://www.jpost.com/National-News/State-Comptroller-Israel-must-be-better-prepared-for-attack-on-home-front-320140
They don’t deserve to
be handled with gloves or special treatment: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4406365,00.html
This is the fault of the Government of Israel known as GOI:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/170009#.UebLu1ffrIU
Now
for M. Wolfberg’s Story “Dead End”
Good
Shabbos Everyone. The
Sages tells us that the book of Devorim is called "Mishna Torah," “Repetition,”
or “review of the Torah.” In the book of Devorim, our holy teacher Moshe teaches
us again many of the mitzvahs that we have already been taught in the holy
Torah. Anyone who failed to learn many of the important commandments of the
Torah, now has a chance in Devorim to learn these mitzvahs. The lesson of this
week’s potion is that every Jew always has a second chance. Having a second
chance in life means that even if we have yet to learn the mitzvahs of the
Torah, there is always another chance to learn the ways of Hashem. It is never
too late...
Shaul Dovid Zimmerman was born in Europe to a very religious family about 100 years ago. As a young man he learned in some of Europe’s finest yeshivas. Just after World War I, Reb Shaul Dovid moved to the United States. At the time, there was discrimination against religious Jews who kept Shabbos. Jews who were unwilling to work on Shabbos had to look for a new job every week, because they were fired on Friday afternoon.
Unfortunately, Reb Shaul Dovid was unable to stand the test and he too found himself working on Saturdays, in violation of the Holy Shabbos. Little by little, Reb Shaul Dovid lost all of his traditional Judaism.
Some years later, after World War II, Reb Shaul Dovid found himself a taxi driver in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. It was spring time and the sky was overcast as Reb Shaul Dovid drove through the streets of Williamsburg in his taxi cab. Reb Shaul Dovid was suddenly flagged down by a man who appeared to be a Rabbi. The Rabbi was clutching a small package under his coat as he gave Reb Shaul Dovid the address of his destination. The address was only a few blocks away, a distance that a healthy person would normally be able to walk.
Reb Shaul Dovid was puzzled by the behavior of the Rabbi: holding a package under his coat and taking a cab for a few blocks. As the Rabbi was leaving the cab, Reb Shaul Dovid could no longer contain his curiosity. He asked the Rabbi what he was doing with the small package and why he took such a short ride. “This,” explained the Rabbi holding the small package in his hand “is flour I just received from the Satmar Rebbe. I am planning to bake matzahs. It is overcast outside and I am worried that it might rain. If this flour gets wet, I will not be able to use it for matzahs.” Reb Shaul Dovid now understood the behavior of the Rabbi. Reb Shaul Dovid suddenly remembered his learning from yeshiva several years earlier. “Actually,” said Reb Shaul Dovid “I remember a discussion of that concept in [the Talmudic Tractate] Pesachim.”
“The Talmud?!?” said the Rabbi, “you know about the Talmud?” The Rabbi was very surprised that the apparently non-religious taxi driver was familiar with the topic of baking matzahs.
The two struck up a conversation and found out that their lives had crossed paths in Europe several years ago. Reb Shaul Dovid had spent some time at the Pressburg, Czechoslovakia home of Reb Gavriel Neuschloss, the grandfather of the man now sitting in his cab Rabbi Moshe Neuschloss, of blessed memory. The men discussed the past for several minutes, before it was time for the two to part company. As Rabbi Neuschloss was leaving, Reb Shaul Dovid told him, “You know, I have been considering coming back for a long time now. When I do come back, I will spend my first Shabbos with you Rabbi Neuschloss.” Reb Shaul Dovid drove away very touched by Rabbi Neuschloss' warmth, yet for the time being, he continued to live a secular lifestyle.
A couple months later, Reb Shaul Dovid was driving down the street when he noticed religious Jews filing out of a synagogue. It was a weekday; it was not Saturday. What were these religious men doing wearing their Shabbos finest? Reb Shaul Dovid stopped his cab and asked one of the men coming out of the synagogue: “What’s today?”
“Today is Shavuos,” said the man leaving the synagogue. Shavuos! Today is Shavuos?!?
These words rang like an air raid siren in Reb Shaul Dovid’s head. He had forgotten about the festival day Shavuos. He could not believe it. Where had his life taken him? He thought back to his conversation with Rabbi Neuschloss. Then, Reb Shaul Dovid parked his car on the street and walked home, vowing never to drive on Shabbos or Yom Tov again.
The next Shabbos, Reb Shaul Dovid spent with Rabbi Neuschloss. By observing Shabbos again, Reb Shaul Dovid re-kindled within himself the spark of his soul. Soon after, he returned his life to genuine Torah observance. Reb Shaul Dovid passed away in the early 1970's and was buried in the far corner of the cemetery in New Square, New York. To this day, many people ask why Reb Shaul Dovid’s grave is so far away from the other graves. One of the reasons Reb Shaul Dovid had insisted that he be buried on the edge of the cemetery because of the shame he had felt for having violated Shabbos for so many years. Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: Mazal Tov to Reb. and Mrs. Tuvia Wolfberg of Los Angeles, CA, upon the bris of their grandson Yehudah Nissan to their son Avrohom Dovid In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Reb Yitzchok ben Reb Shimon (Friedman) of blessed memory Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Leah bas Tziporah
Shaul Dovid Zimmerman was born in Europe to a very religious family about 100 years ago. As a young man he learned in some of Europe’s finest yeshivas. Just after World War I, Reb Shaul Dovid moved to the United States. At the time, there was discrimination against religious Jews who kept Shabbos. Jews who were unwilling to work on Shabbos had to look for a new job every week, because they were fired on Friday afternoon.
Unfortunately, Reb Shaul Dovid was unable to stand the test and he too found himself working on Saturdays, in violation of the Holy Shabbos. Little by little, Reb Shaul Dovid lost all of his traditional Judaism.
Some years later, after World War II, Reb Shaul Dovid found himself a taxi driver in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York. It was spring time and the sky was overcast as Reb Shaul Dovid drove through the streets of Williamsburg in his taxi cab. Reb Shaul Dovid was suddenly flagged down by a man who appeared to be a Rabbi. The Rabbi was clutching a small package under his coat as he gave Reb Shaul Dovid the address of his destination. The address was only a few blocks away, a distance that a healthy person would normally be able to walk.
Reb Shaul Dovid was puzzled by the behavior of the Rabbi: holding a package under his coat and taking a cab for a few blocks. As the Rabbi was leaving the cab, Reb Shaul Dovid could no longer contain his curiosity. He asked the Rabbi what he was doing with the small package and why he took such a short ride. “This,” explained the Rabbi holding the small package in his hand “is flour I just received from the Satmar Rebbe. I am planning to bake matzahs. It is overcast outside and I am worried that it might rain. If this flour gets wet, I will not be able to use it for matzahs.” Reb Shaul Dovid now understood the behavior of the Rabbi. Reb Shaul Dovid suddenly remembered his learning from yeshiva several years earlier. “Actually,” said Reb Shaul Dovid “I remember a discussion of that concept in [the Talmudic Tractate] Pesachim.”
“The Talmud?!?” said the Rabbi, “you know about the Talmud?” The Rabbi was very surprised that the apparently non-religious taxi driver was familiar with the topic of baking matzahs.
The two struck up a conversation and found out that their lives had crossed paths in Europe several years ago. Reb Shaul Dovid had spent some time at the Pressburg, Czechoslovakia home of Reb Gavriel Neuschloss, the grandfather of the man now sitting in his cab Rabbi Moshe Neuschloss, of blessed memory. The men discussed the past for several minutes, before it was time for the two to part company. As Rabbi Neuschloss was leaving, Reb Shaul Dovid told him, “You know, I have been considering coming back for a long time now. When I do come back, I will spend my first Shabbos with you Rabbi Neuschloss.” Reb Shaul Dovid drove away very touched by Rabbi Neuschloss' warmth, yet for the time being, he continued to live a secular lifestyle.
A couple months later, Reb Shaul Dovid was driving down the street when he noticed religious Jews filing out of a synagogue. It was a weekday; it was not Saturday. What were these religious men doing wearing their Shabbos finest? Reb Shaul Dovid stopped his cab and asked one of the men coming out of the synagogue: “What’s today?”
“Today is Shavuos,” said the man leaving the synagogue. Shavuos! Today is Shavuos?!?
These words rang like an air raid siren in Reb Shaul Dovid’s head. He had forgotten about the festival day Shavuos. He could not believe it. Where had his life taken him? He thought back to his conversation with Rabbi Neuschloss. Then, Reb Shaul Dovid parked his car on the street and walked home, vowing never to drive on Shabbos or Yom Tov again.
The next Shabbos, Reb Shaul Dovid spent with Rabbi Neuschloss. By observing Shabbos again, Reb Shaul Dovid re-kindled within himself the spark of his soul. Soon after, he returned his life to genuine Torah observance. Reb Shaul Dovid passed away in the early 1970's and was buried in the far corner of the cemetery in New Square, New York. To this day, many people ask why Reb Shaul Dovid’s grave is so far away from the other graves. One of the reasons Reb Shaul Dovid had insisted that he be buried on the edge of the cemetery because of the shame he had felt for having violated Shabbos for so many years. Good Shabbos Everyone. M. Wolfberg is sponsored by: Mazal Tov to Reb. and Mrs. Tuvia Wolfberg of Los Angeles, CA, upon the bris of their grandson Yehudah Nissan to their son Avrohom Dovid In memory of R' Yaakov ben Naftoly, of blessed memory In Memory of Reb Yitzchok ben Reb Shimon (Friedman) of blessed memory Refuah Shleima to Reb Mordechai Mendel ben Tziporah Yitta Refuah Shleima to Leah bas Tziporah
All the
best of health and have a wonderful Shabbos,
Rachamim
Pauli
