Last week http://rabbipauli.blogspot.com/2020/05/parsha-bamidbar-two-stories-news.html could not advertise on Facebook site fell down.
I want to thank my FL-Condo Group Gabi,
Jeff R. for the following: We then recite the Eruv Tavshilin text (in
Aramaic or English): בהדין עירובא יהא שרא לנא לאפויי
ולבשולי ולאטמוני ולאדלוקי שרגא ולאפוקי ולמעבד כל צרכנא מיומא טבא לשבתא:
“By
virtue of this Eruv, we (the members of the household) shall be permitted to
cook, bake, keep food warm, carry, light candles and do all preparations on Yom
Tov (i.e. Friday) for Shabbat.”
Shavuos Torah Reading: Shemos
19:1-20:23 Bamidbar 28:26-31 Yechezkel 1:1-28, 3:12
Israel we read Megillah Ruth and have
Yizchor.
No second day in Israel Shabbos
Bamidbar. In the Diaspora: 14:22-16:17 Bamidbar 28:26-31 Habakkuk 2:20-3:19
Two milestones today. Our outdoor (social
distance) Minyan is going to have a Sefer Torah for Shavuos and Shabbos. My
learning with Rabbi Mimran after learning this part of the Shulchan Aruch and
that part took on new meaning. Thursday afternoon we finished the laws of
Kiddushin (marriage). This leaves us with the laws of Ketuvos (wedding contract
and obligation on the part of the husband and wife) and I will finally have
completed one section of the Shulchan Aruch. It does not mean I neglected the
others but it is always nice to have learned at least once with some sections
numerous times.
Parsha Naso
Chapters 3 section and 4 to 4:20 was
left over from Parsha Bamidbar. Naso is the longest Parsha in the Torah and has
a lot about the Leviim and the gifts of the Princes, the woman who goes astray
and the Nazir.
…3:36 the appointed charge of the sons of Merari being the boards
of the tabernacle, and the bars thereof, and the pillars thereof, and the
sockets thereof, and all the instruments thereof, and all that pertains to the
service thereof; 37 and the pillars of the court round about, and their
sockets, and their pins, and their cords. …
4:1 And the LORD spoke unto
Moses and unto Aaron, saying: 2 'Take the sum of the sons of Kohath from among
the sons of Levi, by their families, by their fathers' houses,
The Torah and the rest of the Holy
Scriptures were not written chapter and verse. That was done by a Priest with
sometimes anti-Jewish bias so that it would appear bad for the Jews. That did
not help him as the Sages broke things up unto Parshiyos. The section here
should have been last week. Why? Because Naso is 186 Pasukim and the Sages of
Blessed Memory wanted to keep that as the maximum Pasukim so two sections of
the Leviim were separated from the third.
3 from thirty years old and upward even until fifty years old, all
that enter upon the service, to do work in the tent of meeting. 4 This is the
service of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting, about the most holy
things:
The Gematria of Koach or strength is
28. A Levi at the age of 30 is strong for carrying the holy items on his
shoulder and at 50 one’s strength starts to wane not for an archer or leader of
soldiers but for the carrying of holy items.
5 when the camp sets forward, Aaron shall go in, and his sons, and
they shall take down the veil of the screen, and cover the ark of the testimony
with it; 6 and shall put thereon a covering of giraffe skin, and shall spread over it a
cloth all of blue, and shall set the staves thereof.
Only Aaron and sons could be careful
enough to remove the cloth and fold it up from the Holy of Holies and the
Leviim would take the staffs thereof.
7 And upon the table of showbread they shall spread a cloth of
blue, and put thereon the dishes, and the pans, and the bowls, and the jars
wherewith to pour out; and the continual bread shall remain thereon.
In the desert the bread had to be moved
delicately keeping the same height and special talent was needed for this by
only certain Leviim.
8 And they shall spread upon them a cloth of scarlet, and cover
the same with a covering of giraffe skin, and shall set the staves thereof. 9 And they shall take a
cloth of blue, and cover the candlestick of the light, and its lamps, and its
tongs, and its snuffdishes, and all the oil vessels thereof, wherewith they
minister unto it. 10 And they shall put it and all the vessels thereof within a
covering of giraffe skin, and shall put it
upon a bar.
They took all the vessels that they
emptied out and put them into the giraffe skin tying the four corners together
in such a way that it went on to the poll. Knowing the security required it
appears to me that it would have been either doubled tied above the polls or
tied once under the poll and then doubled tied on top but I have no memory of
this from my Gemara learning nor oral tradition. Think of this in modern terms
you are told that your request to visit your grandparents has been granted but
in order to make life easier for them, you are to take your face towel, bath
towel, pillow, blanket and use your sheet to make a sack tied up for putting
into the car so that granny will not have extra wash to do.
Even Rashi has no tradition: Into a covering of Tachash skin: A type of [large] sack.
All the vessels used in the Holy: That is, within the Mishkan [as opposed to the courtyard], which is holy. These are the incense vessels with which they ministered on the inner altar.
13 And they shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth thereon. 14 And they shall put upon it all the vessels thereof, wherewith they minister about it, the fire-pans, the flesh-hooks, and the shovels, and the basins, all the vessels of the altar; and they shall spread upon it a covering of giraffe skin, and set the staves thereof.
This appears to me to be like a stretcher carried on the shoulders of the Leviim.
15 And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the holy furniture, and all the holy vessels, as the camp is to set forward--after that, the sons of Kohath shall come to bear them; but they shall not touch the holy things, lest they die. These things are the burden of the sons of Kohath in the tent of meeting. 16 And the charge of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest shall be the oil for the light, and the sweet incense, and the continual meal-offering, and the anointing oil: he shall have the charge of all the tabernacle, and of all that therein is, whether it be the sanctuary, or the furniture thereof.'
17 And
the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying: 18 'Cut ye not off the tribe
of the families of the Kohath from among the Levites; 19 but thus do unto them,
that they may live, and not die, when they approach unto the most holy things:
Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service and
to his burden; 20 but they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are
being covered, lest they die.'
Since
they are dealing with the most holy the chance of death is great. Therefore the
Cohanim are told and I assume the Leviim of the dangers of dealing with the
holiest items from the Teva, Menorah, Shulchan with the bread on it, etc.
21 And the LORD spoke unto Moses
saying: 22 'Take the sum
of the sons of Gershon also, by their fathers' houses, by their families; 23 from thirty years old and upward
until fifty years old shalt thou number them: all that enter in to wait upon
the service, to do service in the tent of meeting. 24 This is the service of the families of the
Gershonites, in serving and in bearing burdens: 25 they shall bear the curtains of the tabernacle, and
the tent of meeting, its covering, and the covering of giraffe skin that is above upon it, and the screen for the door of
the tent of meeting; 26 and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the
door of the gate of the court, which is by the tabernacle and by the altar
round about, and their cords, and all the instruments of their service, and
whatsoever there may be to do with them, therein shall they serve. 27 At the commandment of Aaron and
his sons shall be all the service of the sons of the Gershonites, in all their
burden, and in all their service; and ye shall appoint unto them in charge all
their burden. …38 And those that were numbered of the sons of Gershon, by their families,
and by their fathers' houses, 39 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old, every one
that entered upon the service, for service in the tent of meeting, 40 even those that were numbered of
them, by their families, by their fathers' houses, were two thousand and six
hundred and thirty. 41
These are they that were numbered of the families of the sons of Gershon, of
all that did serve in the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron numbered
according to the commandment of the LORD. 42 And those that were numbered of the families of the
sons of Merari, by their families, by their fathers' houses, 43 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty
years old, every one that entered upon the service, for service in the tent of
meeting, 44 even those that were numbered
of them by their families, were three thousand and two hundred. 45 These are they that were numbered of the families of
the sons of Merari, whom Moses and Aaron numbered according to the commandment
of the LORD by the hand of Moses. 46 All
those that were numbered of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the princes
of Israel numbered, by their families, and by their fathers' houses, 47 from thirty years old and upward even unto fifty
years old, every one that entered in to do the work of service, and the work of
bearing burdens in the tent of meeting, 48
even those that were numbered of them, were eight thousand and five hundred and
fourscore. 49 According to the
commandment of the LORD they were appointed by the hand of Moses, everyone to
his service, and to his burden; they were also numbered, as the LORD commanded
Moses.
One of the Rabbis asked why were the
Leviim so much less in numbers than the other tribes? The answer is back in
Rashi in Chapter 2 of Shemos. The Egyptians afflicted them and they multiplied.
The Leviim were always religious authorities and therefore HASHEM and Pharaoh
exempted them from affliction meaning that they increased naturally and not
phenomenally.
5:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 'Command the children of Israel, that they put out of the camp every leper, and every one that hath an issue, and whosoever is unclean by the dead; 3 both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camp, in the midst whereof I dwell.' 4 And the children of Israel did so, and put them out without the camp; as the LORD spoke unto Moses, so did the children of Israel.
There should be no Tuma and contamination in your camp. These people are sent to quarantine and not the nation unto lockdown.
To banish from the camp: At the time of their encampment, there were three camps: within the hangings [of the courtyard of the Mishkan] was the camp of the Shechina. The encampment of the Levites surrounding it-as described in the portion of Bamidbar Sinai (1:50)-was the Levite Camp; from there until the edge of the camp of the divisions, on all four sides, was the Israelite camp. Anyone afflicted with tzara’ath was expelled from all [three] of them. One with a discharge was allowed into the Israelite camp, but banned from the [other] two. And one defiled by a dead body was permitted even into the Levite [camp], and is banished only from the [camp] of the Shechina. Our Sages derived all this from the verses [as appears] in Tractate Pesachim (67a, b).
5 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 6 Speak unto the children of Israel: When a man or woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to commit a trespass against the LORD, and that soul be guilty; 7 then they shall confess their sin which they have done; and he shall make restitution for his guilt in full, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and give it unto him in respect of whom he hath been guilty. 8 But if the man have no kinsman to whom restitution may be made for the guilt, the restitution for guilt which is made shall be the LORD'S, even the priest's; besides the ram of the atonement, whereby atonement shall be made for him. 9 And every heave-offering of all the holy things of the children of Israel, which they present unto the priest, shall be his. 10 And every man's hallowed things shall be his: whatsoever any man giveth the priest, it shall be his.
What was the trespass? Entering the sacred area and for a woman in the state of her menses or other Tuma. Another possibility is eating untithed food.
11 and the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 12 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: If any man's wife go aside, and act unfaithfully against him, 13 and a man lie with her carnally, and it be hid from the eyes of her husband, she being defiled secretly, and there be no witness against her, neither she be taken in the act;
The Torah is speaking of a woman who suddenly changes her behavior or finds a long lost male cousin in the near-by town that she must visit.
14 and the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be defiled; or if the spirit of jealousy come upon him, and he be jealous of his wife, and she be not defiled;
This is not the case of selfish, immature husbands who treat the wife as a possession and are willing to kill her at each and every suspicion.
15 then shall the man bring his wife unto the priest, and shall bring her offering for her, the tenth part of an ephah of barley meal; he shall pour no oil upon it, nor put frankincense thereon; for it is a meal-offering of jealousy, a meal-offering of memorial, bringing iniquity to remembrance. 16 And the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD. 17 And the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel; and of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle the priest shall take, and put it into the water. 18 And the priest shall set the woman before the LORD, and let the hair of the woman's head go loose, and put the meal-offering of memorial in her hands, which is the meal-offering of jealousy; and the priest shall have in his hand the water of bitterness that causes the curse. 19 And the priest shall cause her to swear, and shall say unto the woman: 'If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness, being under thy husband, be thou free from this water of bitterness that causes the curse; 20 but if thou hast gone aside, being under thy husband, and if thou be defiled, and some man have lain with thee besides thy husband-- 21 then the priest shall cause the woman to swear with the oath of cursing, and the priest shall say unto the woman--the LORD make thee a curse and an oath among thy people, when the LORD doth make thy thigh to fall away, and thy belly to swell; 22 and this water that causes the curse shall go into thy bowels, and make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to fall away'; and the woman shall say: 'Amen, Amen.' 23 And the priest shall write these curses in a scroll, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness. 24 And he shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that causes the curse; and the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter. 25 And the priest shall take the meal-offering of jealousy out of the woman's hand, and shall wave the meal-offering before the LORD, and bring it unto the altar. 26 And the priest shall take a handful of the meal-offering, as the memorial-part thereof, and make it smoke upon the altar, and afterward shall make the woman drink the water. 27 And when he hath made her drink the water, then it shall come to pass, if she be defiled, and have acted unfaithfully against her husband, that the water that causes the curse shall enter into her and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall fall away; and the woman shall be a curse among her people. 28 And if the woman be not defiled, but be clean; then she shall be cleared, and shall conceive seed. 29 This is the law of jealousy, when a wife, being under her husband, goes aside, and is defiled;
I have brought down the story of the Chida (Rabbi Chaim David Azulai, HaCohain) where he read this to a woman who deigned adultery and as she left his house her body swelled and she died on the spot.
There is another story that is not related to a Sotah but a husband who converted to one of the Christian Dominations. The Chatam Sofer (Rabbi Moshe Sofer) wrote him a summons to court that would get his arrogant self to come. He was explained that since he left Judaism why should he care if he gave his wife a Jewish Divorce. The arrogant husband said, “I don’t believe in your nonsensical Torah so why should I?” The Rabbi explained that she was his wife and he should set her free to marry somebody else who continues her religion. The husband was stubborn. So Rabbi Sofer had no choice but to explain to him that he should humor her that lived with him and give her a Get. The husband again refused. The Rabbi warned that there are two ways to free a woman either by a Get or the death of the husband. The husband stormed out and the Chatam Sofer repeated over and over again while he was in ear-shot. “By the death of the husband”. The man walked out of the Beit Din and either had a massive cardiac attack or cerebral hemorrhage and died on the spot.
NEVER EVER underestimate the power of a Rabbi or Beit Din for when things are done for the sake of heaven, heaven intervenes in everyday activities.
…6:1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: When either man or woman shall clearly utter a vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to consecrate himself unto the LORD, 3 he shall abstain from wine and strong drink: he shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried.
The Rabbis state that when one sees a woman who is lewd, he should either become a Nazir or at best refrain from strong drink so that his head does not become light (lusty).
In the Gemara, we see that the Sages first place vows Nederim, Nazir and finally Sotah in Seder Nashim (women) close to one another.
4 All the days of his Naziriteship shall he eat nothing that is made of the grape-vine, from the pressed grapes even to the grapestone. 5 All the days of his vow of Naziriteship there shall no razor come upon his head; until the days be fulfilled, in which he consecrated himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long. 6 All the days that he consecrated himself unto the LORD he shall not come near to a dead body.
He then has to bring an atonement Korban and shave his hair. Why all this? Because he has played holier than though. The last known Nazir was David HaCohain, the Chief Rabbi of Haifa and he was a permanent Nazir and acted holy as he was a Cohain. Rabbi Shimon Ha Tzaddik never ate a Korban of a Nazir except one simple shepherd. One day the Shepherd saw at the water hole how handsome he was with his locks of hair. He said to himself, “Empty one, you want to glorify your beauty and pursue women.” Immediately, he vowed Nazir so that his hair will grow wild, he will refrain from drink. Seeing that the young shepherd had done so to fight his Yetzer and for a holy purpose, Rabbi Shimon at of his Korban.
22 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 23 'Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying: On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel; ye shall say unto them:
This is the Priestly Blessing that is said daily in Israel and twice on fast days. In the diaspora it is said only on Yomim Tovim.
24 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee; 25 The LORD make His face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; 26 The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.
After each sentence the people shout ‘Amen’. G-D explains why the daily blessing:
27 So shall they put My name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.'
Simply, they are MY people and I shall bless those who bless and seek ME.
7: 1 And it came to pass on the day that Moses had made an end of setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed it and sanctified it, and all the furniture thereof, and the altar and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them and sanctified them; 2 that the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, offered--these were the princes of the tribes, these are they that were over them that were numbered. 3 And they brought their offering before the LORD, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen: a wagon for every two of the princes, and for each one an ox; and they presented them before the tabernacle.
From whence were these wagons? We return to Beresheis Parsha Vayigash and Yacov sees the wagons that Yosef sent him. These six wagons were hereditary a wagon per two tribes per wagon minus Levi. Now the wagons were given to the Leviim as a gift for hauling boards and other holy items.
4 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying: 5 'Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tent of meeting; and thou shalt give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service.' 6 And Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them unto the Levites. 7 Two wagons and four oxen he gave unto the sons of Gershon, according to their service. 8 And four wagons and eight oxen he gave unto the sons of Merari, according unto their service, under the hand of Ithamar the son of Aaron the priest. 9 But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things belonged unto them: they bore them upon their shoulders. 10 And the princes brought the dedication-offering of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes brought their offering before the altar.
When was the Mishkan dedicated? For twelve days starting on the first of Nissan 2449 starting with the tribe of Yehuda.
11 And the LORD said unto Moses: 'They shall present their offering each prince on his day, for the dedication of the altar.' 12 And he that presented his offering the first day was Nachshon the son of Amminadav, of the tribe of Judah; 13 and his offering was one silver dish, the weight thereof was a hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin of seventy shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary; both of them full of fine flour mingled with oil for a meal-offering; 14 one golden pan of ten shekels, full of incense; 15 one young bullock, one ram, one he-lamb of the first year, for a burnt-offering; 16 one male of the goats for a sin-offering; 17 and for the sacrifice of peace-offerings, two oxen, five rams, five he-goats, five he-lambs of the first year. This was the offering of Nachshon the son of Amminadav.
The Parsha starts to repeat itself here and goes from tribe to tribe. So although the Parsha is the longest in the Torah with 186 Pasukim, of which 78 are repeating the same Korbanos but with a name of a different tribal leader.
…89 And when Moses went into the tent of meeting that He might speak with him, then he heard the Voice speaking unto him from above the ark-cover that was upon the ark of the testimony, from between the two cherubim; and He spoke unto him.
A
Shavuot Deposit By Rabbi Yerachmiel Tilles
In desperation he decided to reconsider his first idea, which he had originally rejected as being too impudent. He would ask the rebbe himself to keep the money in a safe place until the 48 hours of the festival ended. Who could possibly be more reliable than the rebbe!
He ran into the Beit Midrash, took a few deep breaths, gathered his courage, and in fear and trembling, respectfully requested from the rebbe that he allow him to deposit his wallet with the Rebbe for safe-keeping over the holiday.
The Rebbe, Rabbi Mordechai of Neshkiz, presented his chasid a big smile and said that he is happy to oblige him. He took the money, and with the owner watching him closely, he stuck the wallet deep within a large kitchen cabinet filled with pots and dishes, placing it inside a large bowl, and then inserting another bowl of the same size on top of it.
"Now you don't have to worry anymore," he addressed the merchant; "your money is hidden securely with us. So, go right away to the mikveh and prepare yourself for the holy occasion."
The chasid felt as if a great load had been lifted from his shoulders, he was so relieved. He thanked the rebbe and parted from him with a light heart.
Before sunset, he joined the crowd of chasidim that packed the Rebbe's synagogue. He found a place to sit between two friends, opened a book of Torah thought and began to study intently, completely detached from all thought of the work week that had passed, and even of the week to come two days later.
The atmosphere of festive holiness was palpable. The Evening Prayer for Festivals exalted the spirits of all present even higher, an exultation that continued through the holiday meal and reached its apex at the Rebbe's 'tish' (open 'table'), where a large crowd of chasidim gathered after concluding their own meals.
A flow of inspiring words from the Rebbe initiated preparation for the receiving of the Torah anew the following morning. Throughout the night, the chasidim read the traditional long passages of Torah in the "Tikun Layil Shavuot." As soon as the sky began to brighten, the appropriate Morning Blessings were recited, and they delved deeply and enthusiastically into Torah study in preparation for the festive morning prayers.
After the first long section that concluded with the singing of the Hallel prayer, the Rebbe returned to his room to prepare himself for the recitation of the Akdamot [a prayer unique to Shavuot day] immediately prior to taking out the Torah scroll from the 'Holy Ark.' Some of the chasidim, knowing it would be a while until the Rebbe returned and feeling weak from the all-night vigil, darted into the Rebbe's house to nibble a bit of pastry in order to strengthen themselves for the major part of the Shavuot morning service. They returned quickly to the synagogue and joined the congregation in anticipation of the Rebbe's return.
At last, the Rebbe entered and strode up to the table in the middle of the shul upon which the Torah scroll would be rolled open and read. His demeanor was fiery, but his voice was sweet as he began to chant the Akdamot and pour out his soul to the Creator of all. He himself read aloud from the open scroll, and when he started the portion of the Ten Commandments, every one present felt as if they were assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai.
Evening and morning, night and day. The 48 plus hours passed in a rarified spiritual atmosphere, with total detachment from the weekday world. The second day came to a close, darkness settled, and the large braided candle was lit for the concluding Havdala ceremony. Afterwards, it was only with difficulty that the chasidim were able to depart from the Rebbe's 'court' and his presence.
Also the merchant chasid felt it difficult to descent from the spiritual heights he had crested and turn to the business affairs that awaited him. Still full of emotion, he entered the Rebbe's home to request the return of his money.
The Rebbe hurried to the hiding place inside the kitchen cabinet and moved aside the upper bowl that concealed the wallet. It was not there!
The rebbe was shocked momentarily, but then he figured that perhaps it had fallen from the bowl deeper inside the cabinet. He felt along the sides and on the lower shelf, but there was no trace of it, not a single bill.
He hastily summoned his entire household to help in the hunt. The traumatized merchant stood frozen in place, his face white as frost.
All the frantic searching produced zero results. The rebbe approached the stunned merchant and did his best to calm him. "Don't worry. I'll give you now all the money I have in the house, every last ruble, and the rest I will with G-d's help pay you back in installments."
"Heaven forbid that the Rebbe's savings should be drained on my account," the chasid cried out. I won't take even a kopek from the Rebbe."
The matter of the theft disturbed the Neshkizer greatly. How much suffering he had caused his devoted follower! He decided that emergency measures were called for.
During this time period, the great tzadik (holy man), one of the three main senior disciples of the Baal Shem Tov, Rabbi Pinchas of Koritz, was living in the nearby town of Brody. Rabbi Mordechai of Neshkiz decided he would go to Brody and ask the tzadik for his advice and blessing, even though he had never visited him even once before.
He set out that same day. The merchant meanwhile was still in Lishinov, waiting and hoping for a positive development.
In Brody, R. Mordechai headed directly to the shul-study hall of R. Pinchas. Before entering he saw in the courtyard a middle-aged Jew pacing back and forth while engrossed in reading Tehilim (Book of Psalms). He walked towards him and said, "Excuse me. Please can you tell me when it is possible to speak with the Rebbe?"
The man ignored him. He didn't even break stride or pause his recitation. Maybe I'm not close enough, or maybe I didn't speak loud enough," wondered R. Mordechai.
He stepped closer and raised his voice considerably. No response. "Could he be deaf," he wondered even more, "or is he simply rude?" He decided to try one more time, more loudly and a bit sharper.
"What is the explanation of such behavior? Is it really impossible or so difficult to tell a guest in which hours the Rebbe receives people?"
The man stopped in mid-step and ceased his Psalm-saying. He turned to look directly in the eyes of R. Mordechai and said, "And what is the explanation of the ineptness of a younger man that he does not know how to properly secure the money another person entrusted to him for safekeeping?"
R. Mordechai instantly realized that this Jew must be R. Pinchas himself. He apologized for his brusque speech and reported to him all the details of the unfortunate mishap with the deposit.
"Listen to me," R. Pinchas said in a tone of assurance. "Tomorrow morning, make sure to go up to lead the prayers. When you reach 'The Song of [the Egyptians drowning in] the Sea,' enunciate extra loudly and clearly the verse, 'Amar oyeiv: erdof; aseeg; achaleik shalal' -- 'Said the [Egyptian] enemy: I will pursue [the Jews]; I will overtake, I will divide the plunder…' [Ex. 15:9].
"At the moment you are saying these six words, count the men that are praying alongside the north wall of the shul, one person per word. The person who corresponds to the word 'shalal/plunder,' you can be certain this is the thief!"
R. Mordechai did exactly as R. Pinchas instructed. When he said "shalal" he stared intently at the sixth man from the right along the north wall of the shul. Instantly the man's face turned as white as his shirt and he fainted. The shul was in an uproar until finally the man opened his eyes and stood up, and then returned to his prayerbook.
After the prayers, the man hurried to see the Rebbe privately, and in a broken voice confessed that he was indeed the thief. He told that he was one of those who had gone into the Rebbe's house on Shavuot morning to taste something, and had noticed the wallet in the cabinet. A strong desire for the money overcame him, so he snuck it all into one of his pockets.
"Rebbe! Please!" he exclaimed and burst into tears. "Instruct me how to do teshuvah ('repentance').
Only after the man returned the sum in its entirety did the Rebbe prescribe for him a path to rectification. The man fulfilled meticulously every detail in the rebbe's directive. With the passage of time, he became a well respected chasid of Rabbi Mordechai of Neshkiz.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Source: Translated and
adapted by Yerachmiel Tilles from the Hebrew Weekly Sichat HaShavua #1586
(based on "Reshpi Aish". [Anyone who like a word.docx of the
original Hebrew, send an email request to TillesTells @ gmail.com .] Connection: SHAVUOT
Biographical notes (in order of appearance):
Rabbi Mordechai of Neshkiz [1740 - 8 Nissan 1800] was descended from the Maharal of Prague and Don Yitzchak Abarbanel. He was a disciple of R. Yechiel Michel of Zlotchov. The ill and the unfortunate came to visit him from long distances. It is recorded that he never uttered a negative word about another person. He actively supported settlement in Eretz Yisrael. He was succeeded by his son, R. Yitzchak of Neshchiz. His sayings were collected in Rishpei Eish.
Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz (ben R. Avraham Abba Shapiro) [10 Elul (1726 - Sept. 1791] was considered to be one of the two most pre-eminent followers of Chassidism's founder, the Baal Shem Tov (along with his successor, the Maggid of Mezritch). His teachings appear in various collections (such as Midrash Pinchas), and are cited in the classic Bnei Yissaschar.
Our Deadly Battle with Covid19 by
Shimon and Leah Lesserson
I wasn't feeling so great for a few days and thought I might have contracted a mild version of COVID-19 like many of my friends in the LA community, but I wasn't worried. I decided to get tested to rule out the virus and my wife and I went to the UCLA outpatient clinic.
Twenty-four hours later I was hooked up to a ventilator fighting for my life.
LEAH: We had several friends with the “ten-day fever” so when Shimon was sick for a few days, as long as his fever stayed steady (and I checked 5 times a day!) we were good to go… or so I thought. Shimon’s doctor said to just stay home.
A doctor friend of ours suggested that we get the test so we'd know what we are dealing with. The doctor said his oxygen saturation was 84, which is very low, and that they were keeping him for the night. Little did we know that although my husband appeared so normal, on the inside he was a ticking time bomb.
That was Thursday night. By Friday he was in ICU and Friday night he went on a ventilator. He had texted me how much he loved me, he was going on the respirator and to please pray for him. Based on all the Covid-19 horror stories we've heard, I thought that was the last text I would ever receive from him.
SHIMON: The next three plus weeks in the ICU are mostly a blur. Pesach was a non-event; I barely knew it was Passover.
I vividly remember my wife Leah telling me in no uncertain terms to fight for my life and to beg Hashem to help me. This was one of many times that my wife literally saved my life.
LEAH: The following month was a total roller coaster. After barely sleeping I would wake up in the middle of the night with sudden realization that Shimon‘s bed was empty and I feared the worst. There was nothing I could do. I couldn't be by my husband's side since no visits were allowed. Hospitals were on total lockdown. All I had were the phone calls with the hospital. My stomach churned any time the phone rang. Eventually they tried to set up zoom calls. At least I could see him, when it worked… Social distancing prevented my local married kids and grandbabies coming and giving me strength.
So I went inwards. I prayed from the bottom of my heart. I cried so hard. I knew this was a wake-up call. I couldn’t believe how much I took for granted. When I was faced with the fear of losing Shimon, all I saw was the pure reality of who he was – his goodness, his kindness, his amazing character traits and exceptional patience. I was praying from such a deep place. Every moment I felt I would never take him for granted again. Shimon, I love you! DON’T DIE!
Those few weeks were more intense than all the Yom Kippurs I've experienced.
The second week on the ventilator was Passover, a three-day holiday where I couldn't use the phone, unless it was a matter of life and death. When the doctors tried to wean him off sedation and his discomfort made him so agitated, they asked me to calm him down on the phone. It was surreal; there I was on Shabbat video-calling the ICU, doing whatever I could to help save my husband's life.
Honestly, I was a mess. My kids kept me sane. My older kids from my first marriage held the home and took care of our younger daughter. Friends brought so many delicious meals. My son ran stunning Passover Seders and I forced myself to eat. (The obligatory wine helped!) I even laughed occasionally.
I tried to hold onto Rebbetzin Denah Weinberg’s teaching that Seder night has enough power to give us faith to last for the whole year. I tried to internalize and tap into this power and strengthen my relationship with God. I heard the voice of Rabbi Noah Weinberg, obm, who once said to me when I was going through a struggle, “When are you going to learn that God loves you?” I worked on deeply connecting to God's love and embracing this test. Somehow I held on.
SHIMON: It’s humbling to think about all the miracles that saved my life and a challenge to accept the responsibility of living a life with greater purpose and focus.
The team in the ICU couldn’t understand why somebody like myself, who had no associated risk factors, got so sick. I am not overweight, no diabetes and nothing that would compromise my immune system. To me, it was obviously by design that I got sick.
Just two months prior to this, our insurance agent begged us to pay another $50/a month to have access to the UCLA Medical Center. That $50 gave me the most amazing care in the UCLA ICU, and then a UCLA affiliated rehab center. It is considered the best COVID treatment system west of the Hudson River and all expenses were covered.
Another miracle happened in my third week in the ICU. I was intubated for the second time due to a secondary infection of pneumonia. By the third time they felt I just wasn’t strong enough to breathe alone. The ICU team wanted to insert a trach to manage my oxygen before trying to take me off the ventilator safely for the third time. The problem (which ended up being a huge blessing) was that even though it had been several weeks, I was still surprisingly testing COVID positive, so they could not give me a tracheotomy. All the rehab facilities (including for trach care) would only allow COVID negative patients. During those extra days I improved to the point they were comfortable risking a third extubation, enabling me to avoid the trach, which would have led to a much longer, complicated recovery. Yet, when I was ready leave the hospital to transfer to a rehab clinic, I was suddenly testing COVID negative!
LEAH: I was so thrilled when the hospital said they were taking Shimon off the ventilator for the first time and he would breathe on his own. I was still worried but I thought there was a chance he may even be home for the last days of Passover! But apparently God wasn't finished with His wake-up call. We needed more change, more introspection, more prayer. Shimon contracted a secondary pneumonia and was back on the vent.
Pleas for prayers were sent around the world. I tried to get blessings from a number of great, holy rabbis. I recited chapter after chapter of Psalms and other prayers. A friend in Jerusalem's Old City video-called me each time they said Psalms and prayers for the sick in a small minyan from the Western Wall. I was in contact with medical experts and hospital medical teams and was following all the latest evolving Covid medical studies.
I told Shimon on the phone, whether he could hear me or not, "You must pray for yourself! Your prayers are more powerful than my prayers!" I yelled at him: “Fight this beast!”
The rollercoaster continued, more light, more darkness. A second time off the vent. No good, a third time back on the vent. The fear again. Now three weeks lying there in the ICU. And then Shimon miraculously got off the vent for the third time, without a tracheotomy.
I was so nervous until he left the hospital. I raced to meet the ambulance that was bringing him to the rehab facility where I wouldn’t see him for another two plus weeks. And I managed to see him outside for a whole minute before he went back to lockdown!
SHIMON: The question I kept asking myself was why it was so critical to send me such a strong wake-up call. I know I am stubborn, but still. The Talmud teaches that if a person reaches into his pocket for a quarter and takes out a dime that is called suffering and requires self-evaluation. But clearly in Heaven, they decided I needed a bit more… like a 3+ week stay in the ICU with a 50/50 chance of survival to get the point across. Ouch.
So what did I learn? Many things but the most important: to appreciate my dear wife. She put her life on hold and literally didn’t sleep for several weeks, lost 10 pounds, cried an ocean of tears and mobilized the entire world to storm the Heavens on my behalf.
If anyone has doubts about the efficacy of prayer, they can call me or any of my family members to discuss.
I pray I got the message and am making the changes I need to make so I won’t need another wake-up call like this again. When all is said and done, I believe COVID-19 gave me and my family much more than it took away.
LEAH: Thank God (I can never thank God enough) my husband is home now from rehab. We still have aways to go but my Shimon is himself!
I am different. I’m not going to be perfect. But I am going to do my very best to appreciate what I have. I keep on thanking Shimon for being alive! I think of people who built marriages after the Holocaust; they didn’t kvetch and whine about silly things like their spouse not taking the garbage out or getting parking tickets. They looked death in the eye and have a better perspective.
I feel that we are of the fortunate survivors.
In appreciation to all who prayed and helped my family, Dr. Yossi Englanoff, my amazing advocate, and all UCLA staff, especially Luis and Rachel, the best nurses ever!
This article can also be read at: https://www.aish.com/sp/so/Our-Deadly-Battle-with-COVID-19.html
My son’s One Stop Judaica Store is not the only one
failing look at the list of these firms closing down. https://moneywise.com/a/chains-closing-the-most-stores-in-2020
Be nice to Converts. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry2qCssiU
Discussion are Penguins Kosher? https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280795
MLB returns to empty stands. https://www.ynetnews.com/culture/article/H1MwLl1oL
Jewish Taliban Cult teacher charged with abuse. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r15KLs9oU
Jewish heroes of WWI. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280903
Child discovers 3,500yr old Canaanite object. https://www.ynetnews.com/travel/article/ByXDXLYs8
Inyanay Diyoma
CA – Lockdown produced more deaths than Corona. https://www.wnd.com/2020/05/doctors-suicides-coronavirus-deaths/
Terrorist killed at Naval Air Station. https://www.wnd.com/2020/05/suspect-terrorism-related-attack-texas-military-base-identified-adam-alsahli/
Belgium to stop army Schul protection. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280720
Trump signs executive order houses of worship
critical national asset. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280714
Pakistan plane crash. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280702
First Corona death in Gaza. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HJmGvpLiI
Israel monitoring human rights abuse on-line. https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3825212,00.html
Health Min. must learn from mistakes – Eiland. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Bkr6MtGiU
Troops fire upon west bank sickle threats. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rJ11ynetj8
Turkey to fight annexation. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Bkiy5bFsU
EMT invited to wedding of girl he saved. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280801
CDC estimates Corona Deaths about .26%. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280793
Yerushalayim nearly 100 Kindergarters quarantined. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280796
Netanyahu goes on trial next July 19th. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280758
Peoria Synagogue windows smashed. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280776
Bergen County Schuls resume services. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280789
A stabbing attack with a worker’s knife ended up
with being shot not much of an incident. Hackers attack Israeli Antivirus
Vaccines. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SyxgFnqsI
Israeli researchers find two meds for Corona. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280878
China donated mega-millions to Biden Center. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280900
Mossad reveals Corona purchases. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HJtcQIqsL
New health rules make restaurants and hotels not
profitable. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rJ4VgrciL
Israeli company over Chinese for desalinization. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/HkBaQNco8
Ben Dror Yemeni no formed opinions on PM. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1rE1TPs8
PLO wants to prove it is independent. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ByoscWKiI
EL AL to resume NY and LA flights. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280842
Hong Kong protests resume. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280816
Syria ends Covid Curfew. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280859
Iran’s Chief Rabbi condemns Israel. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280851
Satmar School shut down illegal gather. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280861
Ed-Op Yemeni Israel not prepared for war.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SkIoEPciI
Arab drugged to minor 2 death not charged. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280915
Omar-Saudis and Israelis influence Trump. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280925
Iran bans the use of Israeli Products. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280927
US ends exemptions from sanctions. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280988
Erdogan tries to become Sultan with Libya and
Algeria. https://www.debka.com/erdogan-seeks-to-extend-his-libya-gains-into-a-foothold-in-algeria/
Social Media cannot stifle free speech. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280995
Antisemitic Graffiti in Canada. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280998
Dr. Sherman carefully crafted coup. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280987
Dr. Levi to become Health Min. Director. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280982
Kosher meat arrives in Dubai. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280959
IDF bracing for Shomron riots. https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280987
Trump’s Middle East Plan is a trap. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/SkWH3ZnjU
Now blaming the Jews for Corona. https://www.aish.com/jw/s/Millions-are-Blaming-Jews-for-Coronavirus.html?s=ss1
My son’s One Stop Judaica Store is not the only one
failing look at the list of these firms closing down. https://moneywise.com/a/chains-closing-the-most-stores-in-2020
Be nice to Converts. https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry2qCssiU
One last thing that I heard from
Yitzchak A. today. I told him that the pool is opened again at the gym. He
said, being almost my age, that he would not want to take a chance. I told him
that I could not blame him. The air might have chlorine that would kill Covid19.
He said basically: Why take the risk. People are swimming without masks.
I concur for even if the man is six
meters ahead of me. His breath is in the air and Covid can last 14 minutes
where he breathed. People my age maybe the Jacuzzi with the chlorine for hydrotherapy
but not swimming near others without masks. The Rabbis say guard very much your
soul – in this case it means your physical life as well as your spiritual life.
Chag Samayach, Good Shabbos wear a
masks maybe gloves or wash frequently and keep social distancing,
Rachamim Pauli
