A Collective Responsibility

"A man or woman who commits any of man's sins.... they shall confess their sin.... he shall make restitution for his guilt."   [Naso 5:6,7]

One erev Yom Kippur, R' Moshe Chagiz delivered a derashah in which he said "In Parshas Naso it states: "A man or woman... they shall confess... he shall make restitution for his guilt". The verse begins in the singular, switches to the plural, and then concludes by reverting to the singular. This is to teach us that all Jews form one nation and we are all responsible for one another.

"They shall confess" - on Yom Kippur, an individual is not only required to confess his own sins, but even the sins of his fellow Jew.

To what can this be compared? To a group of individuals who set sail together on a large and magnificent ship. Each one of the passengers received his own quarters for the duration of the trip.

When they had reached the very heart of the sea, one of the passengers began to drill a hole in the wall of the ship.

"What are you doing?" yelled his friends. "You are going to sink the ship!"

"Why is this any concern of yours?" he asked them. "I am making a hole in my quarters, not yours."

"All Jews are responsible for one another" concluded R' Chagiz. "If one Jew sins, the entire Jewish nation is held accountable."

"It is incumbent upon every Jew to keep this great responsibility in mind."

[written by Rabbi Yisrael Bronstein]

If you can understand the above words, you should also be able to understand the entire Torah, which can be summed up in these words from Hillel: "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor: that is the whole Torah while the rest is commentary".

It sounds so simple, and yet so many have so much trouble with it. It seems to be the hardest thing of all for so many Jews.

If you call yourself a "Torah-observant Jew", but you still treat others badly, then I would like to suggest to you that you are not what you claim to be. What is the point of doing all the mitzvos if you cannot even achieve the basic criteria for a "Torah Observant Jew" ?

One of the first questions we are asked upon death is "were you honest in business" - and the answer to that question can tell us a great deal about how we treated others. If you knowingly cheated someone, overcharged him or short-changed him, you are treating him with the utmost disrespect. You are harming him financially, you have lied to him, you have deceived him. You have behaved in a manner totally contrary to Torah - because it can only be assumed that you would not treat yourself that way, and yet you find it okay to do so to others. If you sincerely did not do to others what is hateful to you, you would never even consider cheating in business affairs.

Shelah HaKadosh Prayer for Children

A special prayer composed by the Shelah HaKadosh to express the prayers of parents on behalf of their children should be recited Thursday June 2nd - erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan - the optimal time for parents to recite this prayer [but it may be recited anytime]. The holy Shlah Hakadosh left Europe in the 17th century and made his home in Eretz Yisrael, becoming chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

The Artscroll website states:

"All parents want the best for their children — that they should be good and upright, that they have everything they need for a fruitful, joyous life.

We recite the prayer anytime but especially on the day before Rosh Chodesh Sivan, for that is the month when God gave us the Torah, and when the Jewish people began to be called His Children. On that day, [the Shelah Hakadosh] writes, fathers and mothers should give charity to the poor and repent. They should even fast, if they are able to."

click here for the prayer in English and Hebrew

When all hope is gone.....

...expect Moshiach.

Art: "Homesick" by Charnine

Copyright © 2009 by Rabbi M. Kamenetzky and Torah.org.

In Parshas Haazinu, Moshe sings a swan song for eternity -- a haunting ballad filled with allusions to the future and grim predictions lest his people stray. Unfortunately, the dire predictions were clearly fulfilled throughout the Diaspora. And the lessons contained within it are as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago when they were first imparted.

One verse reads: “When Hashem will have judged his people, He shall relent... when He sees that the enemy progresses and no one (feels that they) will be saved or assisted.” [Deuteronomy 32:36]

The Talmud in Sanhedrin explains that this posuk refers to the time of Israel’s redemption. The Talmud asks, “when is that time?” One of the various answers is derived from this verse. “The Moshiach will not come until the Jews have abandoned hope of redemption as it states: ‘He shall relent... when He sees that the enemy progresses and no one (feels that they) will be saved or assisted.’ ”

My grandfather, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky, of blessed memory in Emes L’Yaakov, his classic commentary on the Torah, asks, “How is it possible that a prerequisite for the actual deliverance will be the total abandonment of a very basic tenet of Judaism -- hope for redemption? What does the Talmud mean when it says that the Moshiach will not arrive until the Jewish people “lose all hope of redemption”

My dear friend R’ Mendy Kofman related the following story: Rabbi Yaakov Rubin, the Brizdovitz Rav in Brooklyn is known for his wisdom and warmth in nurturing many Russian immigrants in this country. One of the families that he endeared was an amazing family of Russian immigrants who, despite Communist rule and oppression remained strongly committed to Judaism even behind the iron curtain. In fact, the Rav hosted the family for a Sheva Berachos festivity for this family’s daughter and her new groom.

During the meal the Rav rose to speak. He praised the incredible perseverance of this family and during the course of his speech he discussed the Divine providence that helped them get out of Russia. “Boruch Hashem,” concluded the Rav “The Ribbono Shel Olam (Almighty) helped them and they got out of Russia…” Suddenly a booming voice in a Russian accent interrupted.

It was the father of the bride. “Der Ribbono Shel Olam hut NIT GEHULFEN! THE RIBBONO SHEL OLAM DID NOT HELP US!” The Rav froze and stammered… “I mean, with the assistance of the Almighty…” Again the voice boomed: “THE RIBBONO SHEL OLAM DID NOT ASSIST US!”

Eyes darted from the Rav and back to the man. The Rav was stammering, the man was glowering. Suddenly the Russian man smiled widely as he spoke softly. “Listen carefully. Der Ribbono Shel Olam did not help us! Der Ribbono Shel Olam did not assist us! He did EVERYTHING!”

Rav Yaakov explains: The Talmud does not mean that Moshiach will not arrive until we have abandoned hope of any redemption. It means that Moshiach will not arrive until we have abandoned hope of other types of redemption! As long as we rely on ourselves, our machinations and own abilities to get out of our troubles, then we are proclaiming self-reliance. If we rely on our own expertise and political abilities to extract us from dire situations, if we think that all answers will be configured by mortal diplomacy; then Moshiach will lock himself in his proverbial room -- and wait. Only when we realize that redemption is in His hands and truly only in His hands will Hashem send us the true redemption!

Source: Torah.org

Tomer Devorah's Supernatural Protection

There is one segulah [supernatural cure] transmitted to us by our righteous leaders of previous generations which acts as a powerful tool to cure or protect against the disease of cancer.

The following are the words of the holy Sanzer Rebbi, the Divrei Chaim זצ"ל, as heard by his grandson, Rav Moshe Halberstam זצ"ל   from the Satmar Rebbi זצ"ל:

“…the learning from the Sefer Tomer Devorah is a segulah against the terrible sickness…”

"הלימוד בספר תומר דבורה מסוגל נגד פגעי המחלה הנוראה רח"ל..."

It is recommended to learn from the sefer Tomer Devorah [Palm Tree of Devorah] once a week or at least once a month, even though this sefer is not easy to understand, This segulah follows the principle of  midda k'neged midda [measure for measure]. If we emulate G-d’s attributes and act like He does with patience, compassion, forgiveness, etc, Hashem will act towards us in the manner of midda k'neged midda  and be patient, compassionate and forgiving with us.

Also see: Segulos

Thank you to Hezbos  for confirming the translation of Rav Halberstam's original letter:

A Stubborn Cold

"A man or woman who distinguishes himself (or herself) by taking a Nazirite vow of abstinence for the sake of Hashem" [Naso 6:2]

Rashi asks "Why was the Torah portion of the nazir put adjacent to the portion of the sotah (a woman who deviated from moral behaviour)? To tell you that anyone who sees a sotah in her disgrace should take upon himself to abstain from wine [by becoming a nazir]."

Whenever a person sees something improper, he must think: "Why has Heaven shown this impure thing to me?" He must do some serious soul-searching and attempt to strengthen himself in his Divine service.

R' Yisrael Salanter once caught a bad cold. The first day of his illness, he spent the entire day worrying.

"Why is the Rav so worried?" asked one of his close disciples. "Baruch Hashem, it's just a cold and it will not pose any serious threat to your health."

"It is not my health that concerns me" responded R' Salanter. "I worry over what it states in Mishlei: "Colds and traps are in the path of the stubborn" [Mishlei 22:5] "This verse is evidence that I was stricken with a cold on account of possessing the terrible trait of stubbornness".

Only once evening had arrived and R' Salanter had thoroughly examined his deeds without finding the trait of stubbornness within himself, was his mind put to rest.

[Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein]

Entering the King's Palace

"A man's holy items shall remain his" [Naso 5:10]

To what can this be compared, asked the Chofetz Chaim? Answer: to a King who summoned his servant Reuven, to appear before him.

Reuven was filled with dread and thought "why has the King summoned me? Perhaps someone has slandered me and falsely accused me of committing some crime".

Reuven approached his trusted friend Shimon, and asked him to accompany him to the King's courtyard; yet Shimon refused!

"What shall I do" thought Reuven. "Shimon my closest friend has refused to join me; I will go and ask Levi. True, Levi is not my best friend, but perhaps my plea will sway him enough that he will accompany me."

"I am prepared to join you" replied Levi, "but I am afraid of entering the King's palace. I will accompany you to the King's courtyard, and then I will have to part from you."

Left with little choice, Reuven approached Yehudah, whom he hardly knew.

Surprisingly, it was Yehudah who agreed to join Reuven on his visit to the King. He agreed to enter the palace and intercede on Reuven's behalf.

"When a person departs from this world", concluded the Chofetz Chaim, "and is summoned to appear before HaKadosh Baruch Hu, the King of all kings, his closest "friend" - the gold and silver that took so much effort to amass - will refuse to accompany him. His sons and daughters escort him partway, but they will not enter the King's palace.

"Only the mitzvos and good deeds that he performed during his life - the things he appreciated least - will be the ones to accompany him all the way to the Throne of Glory. Only they will plead on his behalf!"

This is as the verse states: "A man's holy items" - the mitzvos and holy deeds that a man has done throughout his life - "shall remain his" - only they will remain with him to intervene on his behalf after passing from this world.

Source: Rabbi Y. Bronstein on the Weekly Parsha

Be Kind to Your Soul

Rav Chatzkel - Look Inward For The Greatest Chesed

Although doing Chesed [kindness] to oneself is not called Chesed, Rav Chatzkel Levenstein says that the greatest Chesed can be done with one's self. How?

Chesed is helping a person fill his needs. If a rich person became poor we have a much greater obligation towards his needs than to a poor person. The rich person lacks so much and is in terrible pain from the loss. The poor person only lacks a little as his aspirations are quite low.

We can do Chesed with our Neshamos [souls]. Our Neshama is considered a stranger in an extremely strange land - our body. Helping a stranger is Chesed. This Neshama came down from the Kisei HaKavod [Throne of Honor] where it rejoiced in the presence of the Kedusha of Hashem. Now suddenly it finds itself in a cramped body whose every desire runs totally opposed to everything the Neshama craves. The Neshama is trapped and cannot do anything and suffers unbearably.

While surely we'd love to do Chesed for our Neshama, our difficulty is that we cannot fathom how deeply our good or bad deeds affect our Neshama. We project our feelings on it, thinking that the things that make us happy will make it happy as well. Unfortunately that couldn't be further from the truth.

Rav Chatzkel tells a Mashal of a villager who marries the princess. He cannot bring her anything to make her happy for she is the daughter of the King and nothing the villager brings means anything to her. Similarly no worldly pleasures mean anything to our Neshama. Even mitzvos don't satisfy the Neshama for they are mixed with worldly intention and are not the pure fare that the Neshama desires.

Pity your Neshama and do mitzvos and maasim tovim [good deeds]. Give it a small consolation by refraining from bad and doing good. This is a great Chesed that you can do for your soul. After all she is the daughter of the King and He asked you to keep an eye on her. [Midos - Gomel Nafsho Ish Chesed]

Source: Revach L'Neshama

BiBi Pro America