Giving Up The Glory (Parashat VaYikra)

If one were to take a closer look at the first word in this week's parasha, they would notice that the letter "aleph" at the end of the word VaYikra is written smaller than the rest of the letters.  This is the case in every Sefer Torah that has ever been written.

The mefarshim explain that, when Moshe was writing the word for the first time, he didn't want to write the aleph at all.  Moshe preferred that the pasuk read VaYikar Moshe - and he chanced upon Moshe.  His reasoning was that the lashon of "He called Moshe" indicates that Moshe was special - and Moshe wanted to avoid that.  Regardless, Hashem insisted that Moshe write the alpeh - but Moshe wrote it in a smaller font so as to indicate that he wasn't really worthy of the great honor being bestowed upon him.

There is an extremely profound lesson that Moshe is teaching us in this word.  So often we want to receive credit for the things that we do - we crave attention.  As an educator, I sometimes see students even doing bad things in order to get attention because they feel they aren't capable of getting positive attention and negative attention is better than no attention.  However, Moshe is showing us that we don't need the attention we are craving - life isn't about being in the spotlight.

Imagine if we didn't feel this need to be important.  We would never get angry because we felt that we weren't recognized for something we did.  That was how Moshe was - and it's who we should be!

My father, a"h was zoche in mastering this trait of humility.  In reality, he had plenty to brag about – he had worked his way from a tenement apartment on the Lower East Side to a superior education from Stuyvesant, NYU and Adelphi and had managed to build himself a loving family who did, and always will, adore him.  My father had ample reason to feel chashuv but, like Moshe, he preferred to keep it simple.

May we all be zoche to live a life of humility - may we desire only to be chanced upon and not need to be called.  In this z'chut, may we see the coming of Mashiach speedily in our days.  Amen.

Shabbat Shalom!

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall...(Parashat Vayakhel-Pekudei)

"He made the Kiyyur (wash-basin for the Kohanim) and its pedestal of copper, with the mirrors of the women who congregated at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting"

Rashi comments on the above pasuk that the mirrors mentioned are those that the Jewish women would use when beautifying themselves.  He states that, initially, Moshe rejected the mirrors because he felt it was inappropriate to use an item meant for such purposes in as holy a place as the Mishkan.  Nonetheless, Hashem instructed Moshe to accept the mirrors saying they were "dearest to Him of all."  But why were they so dear to Him and, if they were, why specifically use them for this basin?

The midrash explains that one reason the Egyptians enslaved the Jewish men with such difficult labor was in an attempt to prevent them from procreating.  They had hoped that when the men got home they would be too exhausted to lay with their wives, thereby resulting in the ultimate extermination of the Jewish people.

The women, however, realized this and so - as Rashi explains - they would go out to the fields where the men were working and feed and wash their husbands.  They would then take out these copper mirrors and use them to entice their husbands by standing next to them and looking in the mirror saying "I am handsomer than you."  The men would become aroused and cohabit with their wives in that very place.  In essence, these mirrors helped save Klal Yisrael from extermination - that is why the are so dear to Hashem.

Rashi goes on to explain that the Kiyyur would also be used to provide the water that a woman accused of adultery by her husband (Sotah) would drink.  The reason it was made from these mirrors because the basin is meant to provide reassurance to the husband that his wife did not cheat on him - thereby resulting in a reaffirmed shalom bayit.

I must admit, Rashi's explanation of why the mirrors were used in the Kiyyur did not sit well with me.  Initially, I did not see the connection between the use of the mirrors in Egypt and the message they are supposed to carry in the Mishkan.  After giving it some thought, I came up with the following explanation:

When I teach Sotah to my students, I explain that - usually - a marriage that is "happy" doesn't result in an affair.  Rather, when a couple loses their flame is when one begins looking into other options.  That said, the Kiyyur is meant as a sign on how to not reach the point of adultery.  It is made with the mirrors to remind us of how they were used - in enticement and flirtation between the husband and wife.  The Kiyyur is telling us that as busy and exhausted as we may become, it is necessary to take the time to enjoy our spouses and their company or - Heaven Forbid - we may find ourselves needing to use its water for negative purposes instead.

Shabbat Shalom!

Follow the Leader (Parashat Ki Tisa)

"The people saw that Moshe delayed in descending the mountain, and the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, 'Rise up, make for us G-ds who will go before us, for this Moshe, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt - we do not know what became of him!'"

There are several troubling questions regarding the incident of the Golden Calf - many of which stem from the above pasuk.  One question, after all that B'nei Yisrael had witnessed from the time that Hashem lef them out of Egypt to this point - how could they turn their backs on Him and worship an idol??  The second question, what does Moshe's delay in descending the mountain have to do with their desire to worship said idol?  The answer to both questions is the same!

If we take a closer look at the pasuk, we see that there is no mention of Hashem in it - the people saw that Moshe delayed so they asked Aaron to make G-ds to represent them because Moshe seemed to have disappeared.  The pasuk didn't say that Hashem abandoned them, it said that Moshe abandoned them!

"Make G-ds who will go before us, for this Moshe...we do not know what became of him."  B'nei Yisrael wasn't looking for a G-d to "create" them - they were looking for a G-d to lead them - the way Moshe had been doing!

The commentaries explain that B'nei Yisrael didn't feel that they were capable of serving Hashem on their own - they needed a "go-between" to represent them.  That go-between was Moshe.  When they miscalculated his return and thought that Moshe had left them (the Satan presented them with an image of Moshe in heaven), they thought they had lost that go-between and would no longer be able to serve Hashem properly.  Therefore, they asked Aaron to make them "G-ds who would go before them" - who would represent them.

It's often hard for us to fathom the idea that we - as individuals - are capable of having our own relationship with Hashem.  Indeed, we don't need a go-between, we can speak to Him directly - and he will answer us!! B'nei Yisrael, too, could not fathom this relationship - that is why they panicked when Moshe didn't return and asked Aaron to build a G-d that would lead them.  You see, B'nei Yisrael wasn't turning their backs on Hashem.  The opposite, they wanted to serve Him!!  They just didn't think they could do it alone!!

May we all recognize the personal relationship we are fortunate to have with our creator and in doing so, may we come to serve Him properly!

Shabbat Shalom!

An Eternal Flame (Parashat Tetzaveh)

"And you shall command the Children of Israel that they shall take for you pure olive oil, pressed for illumination, to kindle a lamp continually."

In the beginning of this week's parasha, we are given the commanment of the Ner Tamid - the menorah which would burn in the Temple.  This menorah was to be lit by the Kohen Gadol and was of tremendous importance.  Indeed, even today shuls maintain some form of a Ner Tamid.  Most have a symbolic light hanging near the Aron Kodesh and some have the minhag to light candles by the amud whenever it is time for tefilla.

The Baal Haturim points out a very interesting vort on the first pasuk which Rav Shmuel Kaminetzky expounds upon.  He says that if you look at the word תצוה - you shall command, the letter ת has a numerical value of 400 similar to the word נשים  - women. This, he says, is an allusion to a woman's obligation to light candles for Shabbat. 

Rav Shmuel Kaminetzky adds that from here we can see that the importance of women lighting candles for Shabbat is just as important - just as holy - as the Kohen Gadol lighting the Menorah.  Wow!!  When a woman lights Shabbat candles, she transforms her home into a mini Bet HaMikdash.

Often I am challenged by my female students with arguments or complaints that (in their opinion) the Torah seems to favor men.  From this pasuk we can see that is most certainly not the case!!  Clearly, women are held in very high regard by the Torah.  Though the roles of men and women are different, they are equally important.

Rabbi David Cohen emphasizes that the time of candle lighting is an ideal time for a woman to pray for her family and herself.  He jokes that if a woman's candles are still burning after she finishes praying, she didn't pray hard enough.  If she had prayed hard enough - the tears she cried would have put out the candles.

With these thoughts in mind, may the women of Klal Yisrael fulfill their roles in Torah, may they light the candles for Shabbat with kavana and tefilla - knowing that they are doing comparable work to that of the Kohen Gadol.  And in this z'chut, may Hashem rebuild the Bet HaMikdash speedily in our days!

Shabbat Shalom!

What's Your Motivation? (Parashat Terumah)

In this weeks parasha, Hashem instructs Moshe to speak to B'nei Yisrael and tell them to "take for me a portion."  With all due respect, this seems like a bit of a strange phrasing.  Wouldn't it have made more sense for Hashem to simply said "and you shall give charity"?

Rashi explains that the reason the pasuk says "take for me" is to teach us that our motivation for giving should be to sanctify Hashem's name - not to glorify our own!  From this small detail we learn a HUGE lesson regarding our motivations in life.

Hashem is teaching us that when we do something, our motivation for doing so shouldn't be in order to brag about it later or make ourselves look good.  Our motivation for doing so should simply be because it's the right thing to do.  Indeed, we are taught that the highest form of charity one can give is when they give it secretly - with nobody else knowing.

As an active member of Hatzalah, I've always greatly admired members of Chaverim.  In Hatzalah we do truly amazing things - we literally save lives (with Hashem's help of course), but there are perks to the job as well: be it the parking permit, the lights and sirens or the admiration that members get from the community.  Chaverim is different.  They get no special parking, no sirens and little admiration.  There is little or no "great honor" in being able to say that you are a member of Chaverim.  And yet, despite this fact members of Chaverim will leave their jobs, families and simchas to run out and help a person change a tire.  There motivation: simply to do an act of chessed.

"Take for me a portion" - not because you want to brag or benefit from it but because you want to praise MY name.  That is the message Hashem is giving us!  May we all have this concept in mind when doing mitzvot in the future and may we truly find the motivation to do things for Hashem - as that is why we should be doing them.

Shabbat Shalom!

Overcoming Our Desires (Parashat Mishpatim)

"And these are the judgments that you shall place before them."

Rabbi Simcha Bunim of Pshischa explains the words "that you shall place before them" to mean that we must put these laws before ourselves.  In other words, our human nature will be to do exactly what these laws are telling us not to -  we must overcome our nature and follow the laws.

Among these judgments is not to bear a meritless report.  Rashi explains this to mean that one should not accept a false report or malicious talk - gossip.  I often comment to my students that of all 613 mitzvot, I find that of Lashon Hara to be the most difficult.  Apparently, I have good reason for feeling that way!  This week's parasha, in accordance with Rav Simcha's interpretation, is teaching us that it is our human nature to speak about or listen to speech about others.  We must overcome this nature if we are to be the righteous people that Hashem wants us to be.

This past Wednesday marked my father's first yahrtzeit.  At his hascara I mentioned the above concept and spoke about how (in retrospect) good my father was at it.  Despite the Torah's telling us how it is human nature to want to hear gossip, it was my father's nature to not want to - it simply didn't interest him.

May Hashem give each of us the strength and ability to put His ways before ours and enable us to fulfill our role as the Chosen Nation.

Shabbat Shalom!

The Rules of Life (Parashat Yitro)

In this week's parasha, Hashem instructs Moshe to tell B'nei Yisrael to prepare themselves over a three-day period.  At the end of those three days, Hashem is going to give them the Torah.  Moshe obeyed and B'nei Yisrael began their preparations - among them was to wash their clothing and abstain from relations.

At the end of the three day period, all of B'nei Yisrael stood at the foot of Har Sinai - this in itself is truly an awe-inspiring image!  One can only dream about what it must have been like to stand with an entire people waiting to hear from the Creator of the Universe!!  Hashem then addressed His nation....

First, Hashem recited all Ten Commandments simultaneously.  The Mefarshim explain that He did this because it is something that no man could possibly do.  This way, nobody could argue that the Commandments were recited by a person claiming to be G-d.

Hashem then went on to repeat each of the Commandments individually.  In addition, each one was said in the singular tense.  This was done so that every member of B'nei Yisrael could hear and understand them.  The reason for the singular tense was so that every person should understand that he too is commanded to follow them and not think it is sufficient for the nation as a whole to obey them.

Among the commandments is to Honor Your Father and Your Mother - but why was it necessary to give us such a commandment?  Shouldn't it come naturally for us to honor the very individuals who brought us into this world??  The answer is no.

The very fact that our parents brought us into this world and raised us seems to give us a sense of comfort.  As such, it doesn't come naturally for us to honor them - rather, we need to be reminded or "commanded" to.  Indeed, the extent to which we are supposed to honor our parents goes to great lengths.  Chazal teach us that we should honor our parents in the same way that we honor Hashem.

May we all be successful in honoring our parents properly and in doing so may we merit the long life that Hashem promises us that goes along with it.  This Wednesday is the first yahrtzeit for my father, a"h.  I can only hope that I was successful in honoring him to the extent that I should have.  Not because I'm commanded to, but because he deserved it!

Shabbat Shalom!