This week I received prayer requests for two important Rabbis:
Rabbi Leff Shlita – Zev Yacov Moshe ben Chaya and Rabbi Hollander Shlita –
Chaim Yitzchak Yehoshua ben Yenta
Miracle Alert
Jordanian sniper shoots woman in Beit Shean in the head and she
does not lose consciousness: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199784#.Vdliqfaqqko
A miracle for a non-Jew as airman Stone wrestled with the
terrorist on the train, his pistol did not fire point blank at Stone and many
people were saved by the brave action.
Parsha Ki Teitzei
Last week I forgot myself and thought that it was with the most
Mitzvos. Actually this week has 74 Mitzvos which is more than 10% of the total
Positive Mitzvos and 12.8% of the Negative Mitzvos. When we finish this week’s
Parsha we have only 8 more Mitzvos left in the Torah. Having next week’s Torah
Tidbits in hand, I have the Rambam’s Mitzvah Count.
21:10
When thou go forth to battle against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God
delivers them into thy hands, and thou carry them away captive, 11 and see among
the captives a woman of goodly form, and thou hast a desire unto her, and would
take her to thee to wife (532); 12 then thou
shalt bring her home to thy house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her
nails; 13 and she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and
shall remain in thy house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month;
and after that thou may go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be
thy wife. (533) 14 And it shall be, if thou
have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou
shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not deal with her as a slave,
because thou hast humbled her. (534)
The Torah gives the soldier a concession to take a wife from the
beautiful captive. However, the Torah wants to teach that grace is false and
very flaky is beauty so what does it tell us to remove the woman’s beauty (her
hair – and that is why we ask our wives to cover their heads so that men are
not enhanced by their beauty also some think that a woman with long nails is
more attractive. However for the Mikvah we could have an imposition and she
becomes a Giyores by force. Since he has had relations with her, she cannot be
sold as a slave but rather she becomes a free Jewish woman. It could be that
when first captured she would want to resist being with the man, but when given
the possibility of freedom without his support unless the two of them were like
cats and dogs, she would probably choose him for security as long as he was not
an abuser.
15 If a
man have two wives, the one beloved, and the other hated, and they have borne
him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the first-born son be hers
that was hated;
I do not know why this does not count as a MTitzvah. Perhaps it us
that the normal reason for taking a second wife is a dispute with the first and
therefore her son is guaranteed the first born. However, it might be that the
husband loves his wife and takes a second because something happened to her
physically or his libido is too active and he is going nuts during the time out
period of the marriage. Still this should be a separate Mitzvah in my eyes and
some of the stealing, robbing and enslaving a person is counting them as 3
Mitzvos.
16 then
it shall be, in the day that he causes his sons to inherit that which he hath,
that he may not make the son of the beloved the first-born before the son of
the hated, who is the first-born; 17 but he shall acknowledge the first-born,
the son of the hated, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath; for
he is the first-fruits of his strength, the right of the first-born is his.
However the Torah views the general case where the first wife
becomes a nag, the infatuation of love at first sight etc. is long gone and now
we are down to the everyday life and dispute after dispute occur and there is
no Rav, Aaron HaCohain or friend who will but some sense of proportion in with
the couple. There was a case of two young lovers who got married and had two
children. They had married young and thought that there was better in the
wide-wide world. However, men between the ages of 25 to 35 are not beating down
the door to woo her and her children and as for him, he did not find women
outside better than his wife. Eventually, they had remarried quietly and had
more children.
18 If a
man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not hearken to the voice of
his father, or the voice of his mother, and though they chasten him, will not
hearken unto them; 19 then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and
bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20
and they shall say unto the elders of his city: 'This our son is stubborn and
rebellious, he doth not hearken to our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.'
21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die; so
shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee; and all Israel shall hear,
and fear.
This too is not counted as a Mitzvah for perhaps not many parents
would do such a thing especially the mother who bore a rebellious son. The son
according to Meseches Sanhedrin could only between the age of 13 to 13.5 years
and some other conditions. But then the Talmud brings down the adjunction of
the captive woman and the rebellious son. For Chaggit was the captive who bore
Tamar and Avshalom. Tamar was born of another father and Amnon ben David wanted
her and for this Avshalom rebelled against David, his father. For this reason
the Talmud says if you take a captive woman she will bare you a rebellious son.
Actually, I see it resentment for the Bnei Yisrael killing off her father,
husband and brother and her hatred for the capture of her. However Rav had a
daughter named Martha who was captured and she convinced him to convert.
However, her son was born before he converted, became a great Torah Scholar and
was known as Murray ben Martha.
22 And if
a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be put to death, and thou
hang him on a tree; (535) 23 his body shall
not remain all night upon the tree, (536)
He is buried with the hanging post for in the priority of creation
the plant used for the post is not on the level with the “talker” – Kabbala.
but thou
shalt surely bury him the same day; for he that is hanged is a reproach unto
God; that thou defile not thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an
inheritance. (537)
He should be hung as warning to others not to do the same sin and
buried before night fall so as to honor the dead for after all he is a dead
brother.
22:1 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep driven away,
and hide thyself from them; thou shalt surely bring them back unto thy brother.
(538) 2 And if thy brother be not nigh unto
thee, and thou know him not, then thou shalt bring it home to thy house, and it
shall be with thee until thy brother require it, and thou shalt restore it to
him. 3 And so shalt thou do with his ass; and so shalt thou do with his
garment; and so shalt thou do with every lost thing of thy brother's, which he
hath lost, and thou hast found; thou may not hide thyself. (539)
In this case you are your brother’s keeper and cannot
ignore your duty.
4 Thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fallen down by the
way, (540) and hide thyself from them; thou
shalt surely help him to lift them up again. (541)
You cannot ignore the pain of the animal or duty to
your neighbor even your enemy and help him.
5 A woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither
shall a man put on a woman's garment; for whosoever doeth these things is an
abomination unto the LORD thy God. (542)
Cross dressing is forbidden [There is an exception to
avoid death by posing as a member of the other sex or a woman posing as a
husband to her friend to avoid both being abused] but under normal
circumstances it is an abomination. Rabbi Yonatan ben Uziel defines this as a
woman putting on a Tallis or Tephillin but not everybody agrees with him.
6 If a bird's nest chance to be before thee in the way, in any tree
or on the ground, with young ones or eggs, and the dam sitting upon the young,
or upon the eggs, thou shalt not take the dam with the young; (543) 7 thou shalt in any wise let the dam go, (544) but the young thou may take unto thyself; that
it may be well with thee, and that thou may prolong thy days. 8 When thou build
a new house, then thou shalt make a parapet for thy roof, (546)
This goes beyond the manslaughter of the ax handle
breaking and the blade flying off but rather one has to put in a safety fence
around his roof. In my youth, I worked on fixing shingles on a roof. One side
the roof built on a house on a hill was about eight or nine feet above the
ground, but the other side was 20 or more feet. I worked with caution but there
was no safety fence around the slanted roof.
that thou bring not blood upon thy house, if any man fall from
thence. (547)
As for other safety hazards around the house, it is
forbidden to have any of them. When I bought a pistol, I did not buy the
standard one that most use but one with a double safety lock so that there
would be no accidental bullet in the chamber going off. Get a Glock or get one
where there was no chance of an accident.
9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with two kinds of seed; (548) lest the fullness of the seed which thou hast
sown be forfeited together with the increase of the vineyard. (549) 10 Thou shall not plow with an ox and an ass
together. (550) 11 Thou shalt not wear a
mingled stuff, wool and linen together. (551)
These last two commandments were given in Parsha
Kedoshim so I have not checked the Mitzvah count perhaps I could have made up
two of the above that appeared missing to me.
12 Thou shalt make thee twisted cords upon the four corners of thy
covering, wherewith thou cover thyself.
This is already counted at the end of Shelach Lecha so
not counted here.
13 If any man take a wife, (552)
It is a Mitzvah to write out a Ketuba for one’s wife.
and go in unto her, and hate her, 14 and lay wanton charges against
her, and bring up an evil name upon her, and say: (553)
'I took this woman, and when I came nigh to her, I found not in her the
tokens of virginity'; 15 then shall the father of the damsel, and her mother,
take and bring forth the tokens of the damsel's virginity unto the elders of
the city in the gate. (554) 16 And the
damsel's father shall say unto the elders: 'I gave my daughter unto this man to
wife, and he hates her; 17 and, lo, he hath laid wanton charges, saying: I
found not in thy daughter the tokens of virginity; and yet these are the tokens
of my daughter's virginity.' And they shall spread the garment before the
elders of the city. (555)
He is brought to court for a betrothed woman would be
subject to adultery changes and the death penalty.
18 And the elders of that city shall take the man and chastise him.
19 And they shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the
father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of
Israel; and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.
This is if he raised this against his betrothed wife.
20 But if this thing be true, that the tokens of virginity were not
found in the damsel; 21 then they shall bring out the damsel to the door of her
father's house, and the men of her city shall stone her with stones that she
die; because she hath wrought a wanton deed in Israel, to play the harlot in
her father's house; so shalt thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.
If the maiden passed a certain age like 12.5 years old
or had had a freak accident like falling off of a horse or something, she might
have lost her virginity and would not be put to death. Essentially this Mitzvah
does not hold true today.
22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then
they shall both of them die, the man that lay with the woman, and the woman; so
shalt thou put away the evil from Israel. 23 If there be a damsel that is a
virgin betrothed unto a man, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her;
24 then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall
stone them with stones that they die: the damsel, because she cried not, being
in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbor's wife; so thou
shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee.
In a city, it is considered the woman would have cried
out for help so both would die. However, if she was knocked out, taken and gagged
from behind or given a drug only the man would die if two witnesses warned him.
25 But if the man find the damsel that is betrothed in the field,
and the man take hold of her, and lie with her; then the man only that lay with
her shall die. 26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the
damsel no sin worthy of death; for as when a man rises against his neighbor,
and slays him, even so is this matter. 27 For he found her in the field; the
betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her. (556) 28 If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, that is not
betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; 29 then
the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of
silver, and she shall be his wife, because he hath humbled her; (557) he may not put her away all his days. (558)
He gets a punishment that he cannot divorce her and she
can play hell into him all his days for the rape. This may be his punishment
like with the beautiful captive that the woman may hate him all his days.
23:1 A
man shall not take his father's wife, and shall not uncover his father's skirt.
Of course not his mother but a woman widowed or divorced by his
father.
2 He that is crushed or maimed in his privy
parts shall not enter into the assembly of the LORD. (559)
3 A bastard shall not enter into the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth
generation shall none of his enter into the assembly of the LORD. (560) 4 An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter
into the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation shall none of them
enter into the assembly of the LORD forever; (561) 5
because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came
forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor
from Pethor of Aram-naharaim, to curse thee. 6 Nevertheless the LORD thy God
would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a
blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee. (562)
This is how to behave towards
people who need food and drink.
7 Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their
prosperity all thy days for ever. 8 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is
thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou were a stranger in
his land. (563, 564) 9 The children of the
third generation that are born unto them may enter into the assembly of the
LORD. 10 When thou go forth in camp against thine enemies, then thou shall keep
thee from every evil thing. (566, 567)
Keeping the camp clean for prayer
and blessings. An offshoot of this (565) and keep the Beis HaMikdash clean.
11 If there be among you any man, that is not
clean by reason of that which chances him by night, then shall he go abroad out
of the camp, he shall not come within the camp. 12 But it shall be, when
evening cometh on, he shall bathe himself in water; and when the sun is down,
he may come within the camp. 13 Thou shalt have a place also without the camp,
whither thou shalt go forth abroad. 14 And thou shalt have a paddle among thy weapons;
and it shall be, when thou sit down abroad, thou shalt dig therewith, and shalt
turn back and cover that which cometh from thee. 15 For the LORD thy God walks
in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before
thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy; that He see no unseemly thing in thee,
and turn away from thee. (572
Every soldier should have a paddle
or shovel to cover over his physical needs.
16 Thou shalt not deliver unto his master a
bondman that is escaped from his master unto thee; (568.
569)
No recapturing of runaway slaves
for it is assumed that a slave master should treat his slaves fairly.
17 he shall dwell with thee, in the midst of
thee, in the place which he shall choose within one of thy gates, where it likes
him best; thou shalt not wrong him. 18 There shall be no harlot of the
daughters of Israel, neither shall there be a sodomite of the sons of Israel. (570) 19 Thou shalt not bring the hire of a harlot,
or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow; for even
both these are an abomination unto the LORD thy God. (571)
I am speculating that for HASHEM
the hire money is forbidden but to help a sick person, needy bride, food for
the poor, etc. this would be OK.
20 Thou shalt not lend upon interest to thy
brother: interest of money, interest of victuals, interest of anything that is
lent upon interest. (572) 21 Unto a foreigner
thou may lend upon interest; (573) but unto
thy brother thou shalt not lend upon interest; that the LORD thy God may bless
thee in all that thou put thy hand unto, in the land whither thou go in to
possess it. 22 When thou shalt vow a vow unto the LORD thy God, thou shalt not
be slack to pay it; for the LORD thy God will surely require it of thee; and it
will be sin in thee. 23 But if thou shalt forbear to vow, it shall be no sin in
thee. (574)
These are pledges and offerings for
the three Regelim either for the Temple or a free will Korban.
24 That which is gone out of thy lips thou
shalt observe and do; according as thou hast vowed freely unto the LORD thy
God, even that which thou hast promised with thy mouth. (575)
Your word shall be holy and you
shall honor it.
25 When thou come into thy neighbor’s vineyard,
then thou may eat grapes until thou have enough at thine own pleasure; but thou
shalt not put any in thy vessel. (576)
Workers are entitled to eat from
some of the fruits that they pick. But cannot take more than what they eat
(577).
26 When thou come into thy neighbor’s standing
corn, then thou may pluck ears with thy hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle
unto thy neighbor’s standing corn. (578)
Eating during their breaks from
work only not while working in the field.
24:1 When
a man taketh a wife, and marries her, then it cometh to pass, if she find no
favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he
write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and sends her out
of his house, (579) 2 and she departs out of
his house, and goes and becomes another man's wife, 3 and the latter husband
hates her, and writes her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and
sends her out of his house; or if the latter husband die, who took her to be
his wife; 4 her former husband, who sent her away, may not take her again to be
his wife, after that she is defiled; for that is abomination before the LORD;
and thou shalt not cause the land to sin, which the LORD thy God gives thee for
an inheritance. (580)
This is to prevent sort of promiscuity or even hanky-panky where
the ex-wife marries a very rich person receives a fat settlement and returns to
the original husband.
5 When a
man taketh a new wife, he shall not go out in the host, neither shall he be
charged with any business; he shall be free for his house one year, (581) and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken. (582)
Our Rabbis say this is for a war of conquest by the king or
country but not a war of defense. However, if not all the reserves are called
up this should apply today.
6 No man
shall take the mill or the upper millstone to pledge; for he taketh a man's
life to pledge. (583)
For dealing with food or even a writer’s or engineer’s computer
today or an instrument used by a doctor or dentists, etc.
7 If a
man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and he
deal with him as a slave, and sell him; then that thief shall die; so shalt
thou put away the evil from the midst of thee.
This is the main intent of you shall not steal from the Decalogue and
therefore is not a separate commandment here.
8 Take
heed in the plague of leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according
to all that the priests the Levites shall teach you, as I commanded them, so ye
shall observe to do. 9 Remember what the LORD thy God did unto Miriam, by the
way as ye came forth out of Egypt. (584)
This is not to remove the signs of leprosy from the body. So
authorities have the memory of what happened to Miriam as a separate command.
10 When
thou dost lend thy neighbor any manner of loan, thou shalt not go into his
house to fetch his pledge. (585) 11 Thou shalt
stand without, and the man to whom thou dost lend shall bring forth the pledge
without unto thee. 12 And if he be a poor man, thou shalt not sleep with his
pledge; 13 thou shalt surely restore to him the pledge when the sun goes down,
that he may sleep in his garment, and bless thee; and it shall be righteousness
unto thee before the LORD thy God.
(586, 587) If the poor man requires his pledge back we shall give
it to him.
14 Thou
shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy
brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates. 15 In the
same day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it;
for he is poor, and sets his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the
LORD and it be sin in thee. (588)
This goes for all contract workers whom he has to pay by a certain
date or upon completion of a certain amount of work.
16 The
fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children
be put to death for the fathers; every man shall be put to death for his own
sin. (589) 17 Thou shalt not pervert the
justice due to the stranger, or to the fatherless; (590)
or the widow nor take the widow's raiment to pledge. (591) her pledge shall be returned. 18 But thou
shalt remember that you were a bondman in Egypt, and the LORD thy God redeemed
thee thence; therefore I command thee to do this thing. 19 When thou reap thy
harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in the field, thou shalt not go
back to fetch it; it shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the
widow; that the LORD thy God may bless thee in all the work of thy hands. (592)
See Sefer Ruth for this Mitzvah.
20 When
thou beat thine olive-tree, thou shalt not go over the boughs again; it shall
be for the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 21 When thou gather
the grapes of thy vineyard, thou shalt not glean it after thee; it shall be for
the stranger, for the fatherless, and for the widow. 22 And thou shalt remember
that you were a bondman in the land of Egypt; therefore I command thee to do
this thing. (593)
Although it is written like more than one Mitzvah, there are
essentially the same.
25:1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto
judgment, and the judges judge them, by justifying the righteous, and
condemning the wicked, (594) 2 then it shall
be, if the wicked man deserve to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to
lie down, and to be beaten before his face, according to the measure of his
wickedness, by number. (595) 3 Forty stripes
he may give him, he shall not exceed; lest, if he should exceed, and beat him
above these with many stripes, then thy brother should be dishonored before
thine eyes. (596)
This is the maximum number of lashes and the Sages
ruled no more than 39 to build a fence around the Torah.
4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he tread out the corn. (597) 5 If brethren dwell together, and one of them
die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not be married abroad unto
one not of his kin; her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to
him to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her. (598)
This has to do with the inheritance of the tribes and
is not used really today and one does Halitzah if needed to free the widow. However,
if he does start living with her after 91 days we do not tell them to get a
divorce but rather leave them alone.
6 And it shall be, that the first-born that she bears shall succeed
in the name of his brother that is dead, that his name be not blotted out of
Israel. 7 And if the man like not to take his brother's wife, then his
brother's wife shall go up to the gate unto the elders, and say: 'My husband's
brother refuses to raise up unto his brother a name in Israel; he will not
perform the duty of a husband's brother unto me.' 8 Then the elders of his city
shall call him, and speak unto him; and if he stand, and say: 'I like not to
take her'; 9 then shall his brother's wife draw nigh unto him in the presence
of the elders, and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face; and
she shall answer and say: 'So shall it be done unto the man that doth not build
up his brother's house.' 10 And his name shall be called in Israel the house of
him that had his shoe loosed. (599)
This is the Halitzah ceremony.
11 When men strive together one with another
r, and the wife of the one draws near to deliver her husband out of
the hand of him that smites him, (600)
This is the pursuer and he must be stopped from
murdering his fellow. (601) and if necessary kill him. the Rodef.
and puts forth her hand, and taketh him by the secrets; 12 then
thou shalt cut off her hand, thine eye shall have no pity. (602)
There is something wrong with this woman and we fine
her for she should have grabbed his hand or weapon but not his privates.
13 Thou shalt not have in thy bag diverse weights, a great and a
small. 14 Thou shalt not have in thy house diverse measures, a great and a
small. 15 A perfect and just weight shalt thou have; a perfect and just measure
shalt thou have; that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God
giveth thee. 16 For all that do such things, even all that do unrighteously,
are an abomination unto the LORD thy God. (603)
Standard and Just weights and measures for the entire
nation.
17 Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way as ye came forth
out of Egypt; (604)
The Mitzvah is to remember and the reason is then
given.
18 how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, all
that were enfeebled in thy rear, when you were faint and weary; and he feared
not God. 19 Therefore it shall be, when the LORD thy God hath given you rest
from all thine enemies round about, in the land which the LORD thy God giveth
thee for an inheritance to possess it, that thou shalt blot out the remembrance
of Amalek from under heaven; thou shalt not forget. (605)
1.
The sages expounded in the language of the Mishnah (blessed is He who
chose them and their learning):
Rabbi
Meir would say: Whoever studies Torah for Torah's sake alone, merits many
things; not only that, but [the creation of] the entire world is worthwhile for
him alone. He is called friend, beloved, lover of G-d, lover of humanity,
rejoicer of G-d, rejoicer of humanity. The Torah encloses him with humility and
awe; makes him fit to be righteous, pious, correct and faithful; distances him
from sin and brings him close to merit. From him, people enjoy counsel and
wisdom, understanding and power, as is stated (Proverbs 8:14): "Mine are counsel
and wisdom, I am understanding, mine is power." The Torah grants him
sovereignty, dominion, and jurisprudence. The Torah's secrets are revealed to
him, and he becomes as an ever-increasing wellspring and as an unceasing river.
He becomes modest, patient and forgiving of insults. The Torah uplifts him and
makes him greater than all creations.
This
is all that he studies Torah for the sake of heaven. However, if he studies for
being a Rav to be famous in the Congregation or to get a nice salary or
exemption from the army he does not obtain these blessings. There is a
possibility that he did not start off for the sake of heaven but then ended up
studying for the sake of heaven.
2.
Said Rabbi Joshua the son of Levi: Every day, an echo resounds from Mount Horev
(Sinai) proclaiming and saying: "Woe is to the creatures who insult the
Torah." For one who does not occupy himself in Torah is considered an
outcast, as is stated (Proverbs 11:22), "A golden
nose-ring in the snout of a swine, a beautiful woman bereft of reason."
And it says (Exodus 32:16): "And the tablets
are the work of G-d, and the writing is G-d's writing, engraved on the
tablets"; read not "engraved" (charut) but
"liberty" (chairut)---for there is no free individual, except
for he who occupies himself with the study of Torah. And whoever occupies
himself with the study of Torah is elevated, as is stated (Number 21:19),
"And from the gift to Nahaliel, and from Nahaliel to The Heights."
One
should occupy himself with Torah night and day.
3.
One who learns from his fellow a single chapter, or a single law, or a single
verse, or a single word, or even a single letter, he must treat him with
respect. For so we find with David, king of Israel, who did not learn anything
from Achitofel except for two things alone, yet he called him his
"master," his "guide" and his "intimate," as is
stated (Psalms 55:14), "And you are a
man of my worth, my guide and intimate friend." Surely we can infer a
fortiori: if David, king of Israel, who learned nothing from Achitofel
except for two things alone, nevertheless referred to him as his master, guide
and intimate, it certainly goes without saying that one who learns from his
fellow a single chapter, a law, a verse, a saying, or even a single letter, is
obligated to revere him. And there is no reverence but Torah, as is stated (Proverbs 3:35; 28:10), "The sages
shall inherit honor" "and the integral shall inherit good"; and
there is no good but Torah, as is stated (ibid. 4:2), "I have given you a
good purchase; My Torah, do not forsake it."
The
Torah is a tree of life for those who cling to it and every verse of Torah or
the rest of the prophets and writings are treasures.
4.
Such is the way of Torah: Bread with salt you shall eat, water in small measure
you shall drink, and upon the ground you shall sleep; live a life of
deprivation and toil in Torah. If so you do, "fortunate are you, and good
is to you" (Psalms 128:2): fortunate are you in
this world, and it is good to you in the World To Come.
The
greater the Torah Scholar the more detached he is from this world. Rebbe was an
exception as he was wealthy, a diplomat and gymnast yet he wrote, edited and
published the Mishnah by hand.
5.
Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not lust for honor. More than you
study, do. Desire not the table of kings, for your table is greater than
theirs, and your crown is greater than theirs, and faithful is your Employer to
pay you the rewards of your work.
The
Holy One Blessed Be HE will pay you your wages if not in this world, then in
the next. Your greatness is in your knowledge and Torah effort your effort is
your reward.
6.
Torah is greater than the priesthood or sovereignty, for sovereignty is
acquired with thirty virtues, the priesthood with twenty-four, and Torah is
acquired with forty-eight qualities. These are: study, listening, verbalizing,
comprehension of the heart, awe, fear, humility, joy, purity, serving the
sages, companionship with one's contemporaries, debating with one's students,
tranquility, study of the scriptures, study of the Mishnah, minimizing
engagement in business, minimizing socialization, minimizing pleasure,
minimizing sleep, minimizing talk, minimizing gaiety, slowness to anger, good
heartedness, faith in the sages, acceptance of suffering, knowing one's place,
satisfaction with one's lot, qualifying one's words, not taking credit for
oneself, likableness, love of G-d, love of humanity, love of charity, love of
justice, love of rebuke, fleeing from honor, lack of arrogance in learning,
reluctance to hand down rulings, participating in the burden of one's fellow,
judging him to the side of merit, correcting him, bringing him to a peaceful
resolution [of his disputes], deliberation in study, asking and answering,
listening and illuminating, learning in order to teach, learning in order to
observe, wising one's teacher, exactness in conveying a teaching, and saying
something in the name of its speaker. Thus we have learned: One who says
something in the name of its speaker brings redemption to the world, as is
stated (Esther 2:22), "And Esther told
the king in the name of Mordechai."
Torah
is better than the Priesthood or Kingship and the virtues are laid out before
us here.
7.
Great is Torah, for it gives life to its observers in this world, and in the
World To Come. As is stated (Proverbs 4:22): "For they are
life to he who finds them, and a healing to all his flesh." And it says
(ibid. 3:8): "It shall be health to your navel, and marrow to your
bones." And it says (3:18): "She is a tree of life for those who hold
fast to her, and happy are those who support her." And it says (1:9):
"For they shall be a garland of grace for your head, and necklaces about
your neck." And it says(4:9): "She shall give to your head a garland
of grace, a crown of glory she shall grant you." And it says (9:11):
"With me, your days shall be increased, and years of life shall be added
to you." And it says (3:16): "Long days in her right hand; in her
left, wealth and honor." And it says (3:2): "For long days, years of
life and peace, they shall add to you."
One
who acquires a lot of Torah amasses long life and wealth if not in this world
then in the next.
8.
Rabbi Shimon the son of Judah would say in the name of Rabbi Shimon the son of
Yochai: Beauty, strength, wealth, honor, wisdom, sagely, old age and children
are becoming to the righteous and becoming to the world. As is stated (Proverbs 16:31): "Old age is a
crown of beauty, to be found in the ways of righteousness." And it says
(ibid. 20:29): "The beauty of youths is their strength, and the glory of
sages is their age." And it says (ibid., 17:6): "The crown of sages
are their grandchildren, and the beauty of children their fathers." And it
says (Isaiah 24:23): "And the moon
shall be abashed and the sun shamed, for the L-rd of hosts has reigned in Zion,
and before his elders is glory."
Rabbi
Shimon the son of Menasia would say: these seven qualities enumerated by the
sages for the righteous were all realized in Rabbi [Judah HaNassi] and his
sons.
9.
Said Rabbi Yossei the son of Kisma: Once, I was traveling and I encountered a
man. He greeted me and I returned his greetings. Said he to me: "Rabbi,
where are you from?" Said I to him: "From a great city of sages and
scholars, am I." Said he to me: "Rabbi, would you like to dwell with
us in our place? I will give you a million dinars of gold, precious stones and
pearls." Said I to him: "If you were to give me all the silver, gold,
precious stones and pearls in the world, I would not dwell anywhere but in a
place of Torah. Indeed, so is written in the book of psalms by David the king
of Israel: `I prefer the Torah of Your mouth over thousands in gold and silver'
(Psalms 119:72). Furthermore, when a
person passes from this world neither silver, nor gold, nor precious stones,
nor pearls accompany him, only Torah and good deeds, as is stated (Proverbs 6:22): `When you go it will
direct you, when you lie down it will watch over you, and when you awaken it
shall be your speech.' `When you go it will direct you'---in this world; `when
you lie down it will watch over you'---in the grave; `and when you awaken it
shall be our speech'---in the World To Come. Also it says (Chaggai 2:8): `Mine
is the silver and Mine is the gold, so says the L-rd of Hosts.' "
One
should always strive to live in a place of Torah for the minds of companions in
Torah learning sharpen each other and lack thereof weakens one’s knowledge. Our
Rabbi above was very knowledgeable but did not want to lose his knowledge by
going off to establish a Yeshiva in the middle of nowhere. Rav Leff came out to
my area and my Yeshuv followed and eventually Kiriat Sefer which became Modiin
Illit but without pioneering, one does not have the possibility to have other
grow and perhaps grow with you. Chabad takes on a reverse trend to the Mishnah
as if we went that way many Jews would be lost and this way many Jews have been
found or returned. As for me, I would not go pioneering to the wilderness, but
if there was a city with Jews, I would go there and bring in more Torah.
10.
G-d acquired five acquisitions in his world. These are: one acquisition is the
Torah, one acquisition are the heavens and the earth, one acquisition is
Abraham, one acquisition is the people of Israel, and one acquisition is the
Holy Temple. The Torah, as it is written (Proverbs 8:22), "G-d acquired me
as the beginning of His way, before His works of yore." The heavens and
the earth, as it is written (Isaiah 66:1), "So says G-d: The
heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool; what house, then, can you
build for Me, and where is My place of rest?"; and it says (Psalms 104:25), "How many are
your works, O G-d, You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is filled with
Your acquisitions." Abraham, as it is written (Genesis 14:19), "And he blessed
him, and said: Blessed be Abram to G-d Most High, acquirer of heavens and
earth." Israel, as it is written (Exodus 15:16), "Till Your
nation, O G-d, shall pass, till this nation You have acquired shall pass";
and it says (Psalms 16:3), "To the holy who
are upon earth, the noble ones, in whom is all My delight." The Holy
Temple, as it is written (Exodus 15:17), "The base for
Your dwelling that you, G-d, have achieved; the Sanctuary, O L-rd, that Your
hands have established"; and it says (Psalms 78:54), "And He brought
them to His holy domain, this mount His right hand has acquired."
This
is what G-D created and owns.
11.
Everything that G-d created in His world, He did not create but for His glory.
As is stated (Isaiah 43:7): "All that is
called by My name and for My glory, I created it, formed it, also I made
it." And it says (Exodus 15:1): "G-d shall reign
forever and ever."
With this we conclude Perkei Avos and we
should go on and on to more Torah studies.
Defying the Mayor by Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles http://ascentofsafed.com/cgi-bin/ascent.cgi?Name=925-48
One day during the
month of ELUL, Rabbi Meir Abuhatzeira [son of the Baba Sali], arrived in
one of the main cities of Morocco, intending to remain there for a few days to
breathe fresh life into the community which had invited him to strengthen its
spiritual state. The first night of his stay, Rabbeinu Meir, wishing to recite
the Selichot, asked his host what time the people gathered in the
synagogue. The host responded that the mayor forbade them to recite Selichot
(the pre-Rosh Hashana prayers for forgiveness) because, he claimed, it
disturbed the sleep of the Muslim neighbors.
It was clear that
Rabbeinu Meir was not happy with the situation, yet the people could not defy a
decision signed and sealed by the mayor himself. Rabbeinu Meir, however, did
not hesitate and asked his assistant to summon all the communal leaders
immediately. He asked them if it was true that their fear of the mayor was
preventing them from reciting Selichot. They admitted that it was, to
their chagrin. Rabbeinu Meir instructed them to assemble all the Jews of the
city that night in the local synagogue for the recitation of Selichot.
The midnight hour was fast approaching.
Slightly after two
o'clock in the morning hundreds of Jews gathered in the synagogue with their
prayer books in hand, in a mood of anticipation. Rabbeinu Meir himself was to
serve as Prayer Leader. Before Selichot he spoke encouragingly, asking
them to pour their hearts out to the Al-mighty and urging them to make up for
all they had missed until that day. He then began to pray out loud, with the
congregation following. The sounds of prayer emanated from the synagogue, to
the surprise of the non-Jewish neighbors who immediately summoned the police.
The police officers,
hearing about the Jewish prayer service led by Rabbeinu Meir, made haste to the
mayor's house for orders. With rings of sleep clearly visible under his eyes,
the mayor listened intently to the police commissioner's report. Fuming, he
ordered the police to halt recitation of the Selichot immediately. One
of the officers reported to him that Rabenu Meir, son of the Baba Sali, had
organized the group and was even serving as Prayer Leader. The mayor, now furious
sneered: "Who is the Baba Meir and who appointed him to so brazenly
disobey the law?"
As soon as the words
were spoken, the mayor suddenly found himself unable to continue. His body
became paralyzed and his face became contorted. He sank helplessly into his
armchair while his racing eyes shouted that which he was unable to speak.
It was obvious that
his trouble was caused by his disdain for the honor of the tzadik. A
messenger was dispatched to the synagogue to appeal to Rabbeinu Meir. As the
messenger entered the sanctuary, the worshippers held their breath. There was
utter silence as he hastily made his way to the raised platform at the center
of the synagogue. Rabbeinu Meir, however, motioned that he was unable to
interrupt even for the emissary of the mayor. To the congregation he signaled
that they should continue praying with still more fervor.
At the end of the Selichot,
Rabenu Meir turned to the messenger to hear what he had to say. With some
trepidation the man unfolded before him to story of the mayor in his mansion,
lying like a stone. Rabenu Meir said to him: "Go and tell him that he will
return to full strength only if he promises not to persecute the Jewish people
and permits them to practice their religious beliefs."
When the messenger
told this to the mayor, he agreed by blinking his eyes to accept these
conditions. In a matter of minutes his strength returned as if nothing had
happened.
The mayor trembled
as he waited for Rabbeinu Meir at his host's house. The door opened and he fell
at the Baba's feet, begging his forgiveness. Taking advantage of the moment,
Rabbeinu Meir demanded that the mayor sign an explicit commitment not to hamper
his Jewish citizens in observing Jewish tradition down to its finest detail.
From that day on,
the Jewish residents of the city encountered no more troubles in leading a
Jewish life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from Abir Yaakob: The Lives & Times of the Saintly Grand Rabbis of the Abichazira Dynasty (vol 2.) by Chaonch Regal. Photo credit: //Geni.com
Source: Adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from Abir Yaakob: The Lives & Times of the Saintly Grand Rabbis of the Abichazira Dynasty (vol 2.) by Chaonch Regal. Photo credit: //Geni.com
Connection: seasonal
- the Month of Elul - Elul 2 is when Jews of Sephardic tradion begin reciting
the Selichot/Forgiveness prayers.
Biographical note:
Rabbi Meir Abuhatzira, popularly called "Baba Meir" (10 Tevet 1917 - 17 Nissan 1983), was the oldest son and designated spiritual successor of the Baba Sali. The Lubavitcher Rebbe indicated in private conversation that he was one of the pillars of the world. However, he pre-deceased his illustrious father by less than a year. Born and educated in Morocco where he became one of the most important rabbis there, as well as an accomplished Kabbalist. In 1966(?), he made Aliyah and moved to Ashdod, where, after turning down an offer to be chief rabbi of Jerusalem, he lived reclusively for the rest of his life. Today, one of his five sons, Rabbi David, chief rabbi of Nahariya, is considered the scion of the Abuhatzeira clan
Rabbi Meir Abuhatzira, popularly called "Baba Meir" (10 Tevet 1917 - 17 Nissan 1983), was the oldest son and designated spiritual successor of the Baba Sali. The Lubavitcher Rebbe indicated in private conversation that he was one of the pillars of the world. However, he pre-deceased his illustrious father by less than a year. Born and educated in Morocco where he became one of the most important rabbis there, as well as an accomplished Kabbalist. In 1966(?), he made Aliyah and moved to Ashdod, where, after turning down an offer to be chief rabbi of Jerusalem, he lived reclusively for the rest of his life. Today, one of his five sons, Rabbi David, chief rabbi of Nahariya, is considered the scion of the Abuhatzeira clan
Essentially the PM forces the Police Minister to choose
somebody outside of the police force after all the scandals: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Gal-Hirsch-appointed-chief-of-Israel-Police-413221
From Rabbi Greenfield How the Jews are voting on the Iran
deal: http://www.jta.org/2015/08/17/news-opinion/politics/how-jewish-lawmakers-are-voting-on-the-iran-deal
Questions
that I would ask a potential convert thanks to Tikvah Ruth http://lennhoff.com/Conversion/StudyGuide_Questionaire.doc
Shulchan
Aruch Choshen Mishpat one of the early Simanim that a woman or Ger is forbidden
to serve as a Judge this is Halacha Moshe from Sinai: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Borderline-corruption-alleged-against-haredi-political-parties-chief-rabbi-413558
Believe
me that I wanted to take this flight but the prices were too steep for me: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4693111,00.html
Holocaust
Trauma may be genetically transmitted: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4693259,00.html
Despite
BDS, the show went on: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Pro-Palestinian-supporters-heckle-Matisyahu-during-performance-at-Spain-festival-412971
Igbo Jews
lost and now refinding themselves: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199864#.VdyuXfaqqko
What’s new
Pussy Cat? http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4694647,00.html
Blessed
be the true JUDGE: Soviet Refusenik passes away. http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4695295,00.html
Inyanay Diyoma
US
Soldiers neutralize gunman on Amsterdam Paris train flagged as a Jihadist:http://video.foxnews.com/v/4437350142001/report-us-soldiers-overpower-gunman-on-french-train/?intcmp=hpbt2#sp=show-clips http://debka.com/article/24830/Train-gunman-French-intelligence-fails-again-to-distinguish-between-informer-and-Islamist-terrorist
The
Israeli Police are inept and PC so I am not ruling out terror until proven
otherwise: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199754#.Vdi14bKqqkp
Was this
one of the many Muslims in Canada attacking a Jew with the idea of murder in
mind? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199769#.Vdi1ArKqqko
Arabs try
to burn vineyards and that is a cause for war even on Shabbos: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199775#.VdjGwLKqqko
Iran has
a new missile and threatens war: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199773#.VdjIHrKqqko
George
Soros funded group elects Muslim to represent J. Street true colors come out: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4693230,00.html
Shrewd
Holocaust Denier at work: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199780#.Vdlxu_aqqko
Dangerous
chatter reveals secrets to Iran: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199787#.Vdl1gvaqqko
Tribes of
Judah, Benjamin and Levy trades some weapons with Kurds for oil: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199829#.VdqQivaqqko
This week
more Jewish Youths were put under six month house arrest or similar restraining
orders from Yehuda and Shomron and one even from Yerushalayim. Blood Libel –
this is what I have been saying about the burnt house recently: “Jewish extremists suspected in Israel
mosque attack,” blared an October 4, 2011, Los Angeles Times headline, in a
report that informed readers that “Palestinian and Israeli officials have
condemned the attacks as acts of terrorism. Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security
agency warned recently that those responsible are escalating their activity and
evolving from small vigilante squads into organized terrorist cells.”
Shimon Peres – then president – responded with almost instantaneous alacrity, declaring Jewish guilt: “It is unconscionable that a Jew would harm something that is holy to another religion. This act is not-Jewish, illegal, immoral, and brings upon us heavy shame.”
Several Jewish teenagers were arrested, with the police hinting that apparently incriminating “forensic evidence” had been found at the scene. Several days later, all were released for lack of any findings tying them to the deed. Eventually details began to emerge casting doubt as to whether Jews were involved at all.
‘A Jew will not come and burn down this mosque’ Several months later (January 16, 2012), Haaretz reported that a resident of the village, a disabled IDF veteran, Bassem Souad, told Channel 2 that the arson was the result of a quarrel between residents of the village that had taken place the day before, and was not an attack by nationalistic Jewish elements. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Into-the-Fray-Why-now-The-hypocritical-hullabaloo-over-Jewish-terror-412780
Shimon Peres – then president – responded with almost instantaneous alacrity, declaring Jewish guilt: “It is unconscionable that a Jew would harm something that is holy to another religion. This act is not-Jewish, illegal, immoral, and brings upon us heavy shame.”
Several Jewish teenagers were arrested, with the police hinting that apparently incriminating “forensic evidence” had been found at the scene. Several days later, all were released for lack of any findings tying them to the deed. Eventually details began to emerge casting doubt as to whether Jews were involved at all.
‘A Jew will not come and burn down this mosque’ Several months later (January 16, 2012), Haaretz reported that a resident of the village, a disabled IDF veteran, Bassem Souad, told Channel 2 that the arson was the result of a quarrel between residents of the village that had taken place the day before, and was not an attack by nationalistic Jewish elements. http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Into-the-Fray-Why-now-The-hypocritical-hullabaloo-over-Jewish-terror-412780
A member of the same family where the fire took place that
“Settlers” were blamed for also had a fire this an electrical one: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199843#.Vdrdpfaqqko
If I were
PM, I would work on a missile and 150Megaton Bomb that could take down the
mountain and the Nuclear Facility under it in Iran: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4692208,00.html
Iran is
not deterred by Israel: http://debka.com/article/24832/Israel%E2%80%99s-military-response-to-Iran%E2%80%99s-rocket-salvo-was-too-short-on-deterrence-
Leslie
has an Ed-Op on Death to Israel – Death to America and Obama/Kerry: http://therealclearisrael.org/real-clear-israel-my-latest-on-politichicks-no-one-left-to-kill-obama-kerry-ignore-irans-threats-proxy-war-on-israel/
Obama wanted to cut off the Kurds for Iran but Israel broke the
arms embargo: http://debka.com/article/24834/Kurdish-oil-is-another-Netanyahu-Obama-head-to-head-front-
Iran the
cat inspecting the cream absolutely brilliant negotiations on part of the west:
http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/27227/Default.aspx
Hollywood
(CA) Jews are morons an Ed-Op click the bottom to listen: http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/08/23/jewish-comedian-jackie-mason-calls-hollywood-jews-that-back-iran-deal-morons/
Now 940
Rabbis come out against the Iranian deal: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199913#.Vdyyj_aqqko
Jewish
man organizes saving women from ISIS sexual slavery: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4694211,00.html
As in
most Arab dictatorships http://debka.com/article/24836/Introducing-Yasser-Abbas-–-the-son-whom-the-Palestinian-leader-plans-to-succeed-him
Trump vs Ramos: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/26/trump-has-univision-anchor-removed-from-new-conference/?intcmp=hpbt3
Are we
bombing empty buildings again or did we do something for once? http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199974#.Vd6JiPaqqko
US census
statistics each map has some sub-images: http://all-that-is-interesting.com/u-s-census-maps?utm_source=outbrain&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=outbrainglobal
From
Diane: Barak Hussein undermines Israel with far left or self-hating Jews: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/obama-administration-policy-on-jews-divide-and-conquer/
After attacking Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, Dr. Orly Taitz
wonders about Megyn Kelly? http://www.orlytaitzesq.com/is-megyn-kelly-dumb-or-intellectually-dishonest/
The
biggest lie since Goebbels and Hitler: Parchin is not a nuclear site: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/200027
Egypt
bids for more helicopter carriers to counter the Iranian Navy Saudis pay: http://debka.com/article/24839/Egypt-bids-for-two-advanced-French-helicopter-carriers---counterweight-to-the-Iranian-navy
ZOA RALLY AGAINST IRAN DEAL IN DC: http://www.aol.com/article/2015/08/27/trump-cruz-to-hold-joint-event-to-blast-iran-deal/21228402/?icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1396275831
Good Shabbos all Elul is time to strengthen your Torah,
Rachamim Pauli
