Parshat Massei By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Massei

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

To print, click HERE

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

 

"זאת הארץ אשר תיפול לכם בנחלה ארץ כנען לגבולותיה" 

"May it be Your Will before You, HaShem our God and the God of our Fathers that You raise us with joy to our Land and plant us in our boundaries..." (Mussaf Shabbat)

The boundaries of the Land of Israel are explicitly and elaborately detailed in this week's parsha, a matter that highlights the importance of every parcel of land in the Land of Israel before HaShem. Not only is the specification of the boundaries of the Holy Land important in the Written and Oral (halacha etc.) Torah in regard to the mizvot of the Land upon the People (Trumot, Maaser, , Shmita, etc.), but  also in regard to the responsibility upon the People to conquer and settle the Land, as is clear in the Written Torah in our title quote.

In the Oral Torah this principle can be ascertained from the halachic ruling (Biblically based) that only if Israel first conquers  the land specified in the Torah and only afterwards conquers territory outside these boundaries does that territory receive status as the Land of Israel Proper (Biblically liable for Truma etc.). This halachic principle is shown by our Sages when they describe HaShem's criticism on David's conquest of other lands before conquering the entirety of the Land of Israel specified in the Torah as he should have done.

We illustrated this concept in this way to fit even the viewpoint of the Rambam who does not enumerate the conquest and settlement of the Land of Israel to be a positive mitzvah, but according to the Ramban and the accepted halachic stance (as brought in the authoritative halachic summary 'Pithei Tshuva') that conquering and settling the Land is a positive mitvah even today, it is even clearer that the boundaries of this Land specified in the Torah are crucial in regard to the commandment of  conquering the entirety of the Land of Israel.  According to the Ramban's halachic stance we are not only commanded to settle the Land but also bidden to not leave this Land in the hands of another nation or desolate, as he ascertains from the verse 'you shall conquer the Land' (Num. 33, 53).

Spiritually speaking, as we have shown in the past, the Land of Israel is a spiritual entity, Abode of the Holy Presence, described by the prophet Isaiah (62, 5) as a 'wife' to Israel, her 'husband'. Therefore, the devotion of our People to the entirety of this Land, as specified by God, is crucial to our loyalty to God and His Holy Presence, for denying any parcel of this Land from Israel is tantamount to denying the word of God (in this week's parsha determining that it belongs to Israel), and His Holy Presence in this Land (for if God's word is not held holy, then what is holy about His Presence?).

By connecting to Hebron, we connect to the very roots of our People's connection to this Land, thereby strengthening our devotion and loyalty to the Holy Land and the Holy Presence therein. Our Sages teach us that our Forefathers foresaw the future, and therefore they travelled and lived in locations crucial for the future of their descendants many years later. It seems that is not for naught that specifically our holy Fathers of Hebron, the 'Roots of our People to the Land', lived an extended period of time, in addition to Hebron, in 'the land of the Philistines', identified as the area of the 'Gaza Strip' today, to strengthen our ancestors, as in the time of David and Goliath the Philistine, and us today, grappling with the identity of this location as part of our Holy Land, that indeed this whole Land is the Holy Land given by God to His People Israel.  

 

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #80:

 

"One day, I was too tired to go to work, so I told my boss that I hurt my hand in an accident (which was a lie). Three minutes later a cab came and bashed into my leg, injuring me in a real accident." (Y.S) 

 

 

Sources: Rambam Melachim 5, 6, Hashmatos lesefer haMitzvos LaRamban mitzvah 4, Ramban on Num. 33, 53, Pithei Tshuva Even Haezer 75, 13, Psikta Zutrta Lech Lecha 12, 8 

Parshat Balak By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Balak

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

To print, click HERE

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו 

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

  

"מה טבו אהלך יעקב משכנתיך ישראל" 

"How good are your tents Jacob, your sanctuaries O Israel!"

Many pronounce these words upon entering the synagogue in recognition of the sanctity of the synagogue and the Holy Presence that rests there. Because of this holiness attached to the synagogue there are many laws that pertain to its establishment, use, respect, and more.

Some of these laws seem to highlight the relationship of the synagogue as place of the Holy Presence to the 'Land of the Holy Presence', the Land of Israel. One of these laws mandates that all synagogues in the Land of Israel are forever sanctified even if explicit stipulation was put upon them at their building that they may be used for a different purpose when destroyed.

This law does not apply to synagogues in the Diaspora, for the reason that our Sages taught, that 'all synagogues in the Diaspora are destined to be relocated in the Land of Israel' (Megila 29a), this meaning that these synagogues have a somewhat temporary nature which allows for stipulation on their use to hold. Another law that highlights the connection between the synagogue and the Land of Israel is the necessity that synagogues of the Diaspora face the Land of Israel. With the same token, synagogues in Israel face Jerusalem, 'City of the Holy Presence.'

If so, why did our Patriarchs, Kaleb, and others go specifically to Hebron to pray, and not to Jerusalem? To begin with, we should mention that, although Jerusalem is the primary place of the Holy Presence, Hebron is also mentioned in the Zohar as being a focal point of the Holy Presence which attracted our Patriarchs and others to pray at this location. In regard to the question, 'why not first Jerusalem', it could be that Jerusalem was meant to be spiritually developed through the initial spiritual development of Hebron (and perhaps other cities as well) as we find with David who first developed Hebron and only afterwards Jerusalem (and perhaps for this very reason the location of Jerusalem was less known till the age of David - see Zvahim 54b in which David searches with Shmuel the location of the Bait HaMikdash).

Whatever the reason, we can say that the Land of Israel is like a live organism of holiness - each plot of it essential to the entire corpus. That said, just as a body has critical organs, so too the Land of Israel has focal points of spirituality, Jerusalem and Hebron ranking as two of its greatest focal points. 

  

  

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #77:

"One morning I arbitrarily taught 1st grade boys in Kiryat Arba one halacha for about one minute at the end of the class. The halacha was that if one forgot to say Birkas Hamazon one should preferably say it within 72 minutes of eating, but if not, one can still say it as long as he is still satisfied from the last meal (and not hungry). About 2 hours later I was asked by a teacher, who didn't know anything about what I had taught, 'till when can I say Birkas Hamazon if I forgot?'"  

Sources: Megila 28b, Orah Haim 151, 11, Zohar Bo

Parshat Bechukotai By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Bechukotai

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

To print, click Here

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו 

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

 

וכל מעשר הארץ מזרע הארץ מפרי העץ לה' הוא קודש לה 

 

"Help us understand, HaShem our God, to know Your ways, circumcise our hearts to fear You... satisfy us with the pleasures of Your Land, and gather our dispersions from four (corners of the world)..." ('Havinenu' - the abridged Amida)

Kiryat Arba literally means 'the City of the Four', a fact that seems to evoke the concept of the in-gathering of exiles from the four corners of the earth, as a city is an 'in-gathering of people' in one location. Indeed, this name fits very closely with Kiryat Arba's other name, Hebron, which means 'to unite' (lehaber), as the in-gathering of exiles in our Land is a primary factor in unifying our People, as it says, 'who is like Your People Israel, one People in the Land'.

If we examine the word for 'city', 'kiryat', we find that it is very close to the verb root, 'kara', 'to call', used also in context of 'to call to assembly' or 'to call to come close'. Indeed, the book of Vayikra, which we culminate with this week's parsha, means 'to call' as it begins with 'a call' towards Moshe to come close to hear HaShem's teaching to him. Another name for this book coined by our Sages is 'Toras Cohanim', as much of this book is occupied with the commandments for the priests, 'those who are called close and holy to HaShem' in the Mishkan or Bais HaMikdash (see Num. 15, 5), and thus concentrates on the concept of holiness, 'coming close to God', in general.

Even portions of this book which seem to stray from this dominant theme on the priests still follow in accord with the concept of 'the call to come close or assemble'. Take for example parshas Kedoshim, which begins with a call 'to the entire assembly of Israel', as its laws are especially essential for the entire 'assembly' of Israel (see Rashi at the beginning of this parsha). Another example is the portion on the holidays, called 'Mikraei Kodesh', the word 'mikraei' again stemming from the same verb root, 'kara', summoning the People to observe the holidays together at one time, thereby coming close to HaShem. Shmita and Yovel too, appearing at the end of this book, also involve the ingathering and assembly of our People in the Land of Israel as a basic requirement, and the blessings and curses in this week's parsha describe states of 'in-gathering in the Land' versus Exile from the Land in accordance with the People's deeds.

One of the last commandments in this book, brought in our title quote, is the commandment to sanctify Maaser Sheni, which combines both the concept of holiness so dominant in this book and the emphasis on the assembly of Israel in the Land, a dominant theme at this book's end, for a basic requirement for Maaser Sheni, as other laws dependant on the Land, is the assembly of the majority of Israel in the Land (acc. to Rambam). Let us listen to the 'kriya'-call of Kiryat Arba - Hebron, to assemble together as one People in our one-indivisible Land, Land of the Holy Presence, under One God.   

 

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #70: 

"One day, I decided to approach soldiers in Hebron and offer them to put on tefilin, similar to Habad's 'tefilin-missions'. Just about 20 minutes later I heard people in Hebron who did not see me or hear me in my 'tefilin-mission' talking about the importance and the impact of these 'tefilin-missions' on Jews, a matter I haven't heard about in years."

 

 

Sources: Rambam Trumot, 1, 26

Parshat Emor By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Emor

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

"וספרתם לכם ממחרת השבת מיום הביאכם את עומר התנופה... תספרו חמשים יום והקרבתם מנחה חדשה לה'"

"The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, protect and save your beloved People of Israel from all evil for the sake of Your praise. When the holy beloved Shabbos ends, may this week, this month , and this year, come upon us with complete faith, faith in the Sages, love of our fellowman, devotion to the Creator Blessed be He…" (Prayer of R. Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev for Motzei Shabbos) The memory of our Patriarchs plays a central role not only in regard to our regular prayers, but also in regard to the prayers for special occasions. Indeed, as we noted in our Pesah issue, each of the Patriarchs corresponds to one of the three festivals, Pesah, Shavuos, and Succos. Avraham's connection to Pesah is quite clear since he is explicitly mentioned in context of baking matza and also the story of the Exodus is explicitly delivered to him in the episode of the "Covenant between the Pieces" ('brit bein habtarim'). Yakov's connection to Sukkot is also quite clear, since Yakov camps in a place called 'Sukkot and also wandered much of his life, as it says 'a wandering Aramite was my father'. However, what is Yitzhak's connection to Shavuos?

Shavuos, as its name entails, is actually a one-day festival built upon a period of 7 weeks beginning with the offering of the omer from barley and ending with the offering of the two loaves coming from wheat. These two offerings highlight the period of harvest, from the barley-harvest till the wheat-harvest, specifically in the Land of Israel, since both of these offerings may only be brought from the Land of Israel. Just as barley is primarily a staple product meant for animals while wheat is meant for humans, so too throughout this period we work on ourselves spiritually on cultivating our personality from its coarser animalistic state to a more developed human state. While on Pesah God granted us, with His kindness, a giant leap into Exodus beyond what we attained with our own work, it is during this period that we work on 'earning' our spiritual share towards receiving the Torah. The concept of 'earning' one's share is parallel to the concept of 'Din'-judgment, for by 'earning' one's share one 'justly' deserves the spiritual level one has attained. Our Sages teach us that Avraham's primary method of spiritual work was through the attribute of kindness, Yitzhak though the attribute of judgment, and Yakov through the intermediate attribute of compassion. If the period of Shavuos emphasizes 'earning one's share', we may say that this period parallels Yitzhak (albeit there are sources that the day of Shavuos itself has a different attribute).

Similar to the Land of Israel which grows its produce from the earth upwards, so too Yitzhak's attribute of judgment works on 'growing from the (human) bottom upwards (heavenly)' to be worthy of the spiritual level attained. In this way we can more fully understand why Yitzhak was especially bidden not to leave the Land of Israel and why the special offerings of Shavuot may only be brought from this Land, the Land of Spiritual Achievement. 

Of course, it is in Hebron that all our Patriarchs achieved high spiritual levels and with that come together with all their attributes in beautiful harmony.

Real Stories from the Holy Land #67: "Over about a 24 hour period I was waiting for an answer from someone regarding if he could learn at a late-night collel at Maaras HaMachpela, so I started to call him. That very second, I received text message that he was ready to learn."

Sources: Rambam Tmidin Umusafin 7, 5

Parshat Kedoshim By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Kedoshim

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

To print, click Here

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו 

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

   

"איש אמו ואביו תיראו ואת שבתותי תשמורו"

 

"Our Father, O Merciful Father! Have mercy upon us and instill within our hearts understanding... and guide us upright to our Land..."

In many places we describe HaShem as our merciful Father, a matter that highlights God's relationship to us as procreator. In a similar sense, our parents, as our procreators, have a deep partnership with God as our Sages say, 'three partners are involved with the (formation) of man: God, his father, and his mother'. Therefore, it is not surprising that our Sages say that the honor due to our parents is compared to the honor due to God. Indeed, in this week's parsha  the word for awe - 'tirau' is used in context of the type of relationship incumbent upon us towards our parents.

Maharal explains that the term 'awe' is exclusive to God or beings close to God in some respect, for 'awe' refers to relating towards something transcendental and superior to oneself, and ultimately the only being that is truly superior and transcendental is God. In this way, Maharal explains why R. Shimshon the Amsonite homiletically explained the meaning of the word 'et' throughout the Torah to include something, but when he arrived at the verse "'et' HaShem you shall have awe", he was not able to continue. Maharal explains that he was not able to continue because explaining the word 'et' as adding something to the awe towards God, would entail that another being deserves to be given awe, which is not so, since only God is ultimately superior, as we just explained. However, R. Akiva was able to continue this homiletic, by saying that this 'et' includes Torah scholars, that because of their Godly state are deserving to be awed of. Nevertheless, even though parents are compared to God in some sense, our title quote, which juxtaposes the awe towards parents to the observance of Shabbat, highlights according to our Sages, that this comparison is limited.

If one's parent commands one to desecrate the Shabbos, or any other commandment commanded by God, one is not to obey them. In a similar sense, just as Shabbat super-cedes Honoring Parents, so too Settling the Land of Israel super-cedes some aspects of Shabbat on a rabbinical level. In addition to what we mentioned in our last issue that one may command a gentile to write a contract of purchase for land in the Land of Israel, we find that one may also depart on a ship for the Land of Israel even on Friday, knowing that the ship will continue to sail on Shabbat, a matter that is otherwise strictly forbidden on a rabbinic level for the observance of Shabbat. Our Sages, 'whose awe is compared to the awe of Heaven', saw with their great vision that the value of coming to the Land is so great that it so-to-speak overrides their own honor in their rabbinic ruling to not sail in a ship after Wednesday.

In Hebron all these ideas come together. This is Hebron, the genesis of Israel's connection to the Holy Land, and with that the place of honor and awe towards our Godly parents, Avraham and Sarah, Yitzhak and Rivka, Yakov and Leah.

     

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #67:

 

 'Once, I was supposed to deliver a dvar Torah before Maariv on Shabbat, but just then my metal glasses broke, and while I tried to find a solution to my problem I missed the time I was supposed to deliver my talk. Then I remembered that that week's parsha was Ki Tisa, which mentions Moshe's 'coming late', and the 'breaking off' (vayitparku) of metal ornaments of Israel in regard to the sin of the Calf...'  

 

  

  

Sources: Orah Haim 248, 4  

Kedoshim

בס"ד
לשכנו תדרשו
Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land
"איש אמו ואביו תיראו ואת שבתותי תשמורו"
"Our Father, O Merciful Father! Have mercy upon us and instill within our hearts understanding… and guide us upright to our Land…" In many places we describe HaShem as our merciful Father, a matter that highlights God's relationship to us as procreator. In a similar sense, our parents, as our procreators, have a deep partnership with God as our Sages say, 'three partners are involved with the (formation) of man: God, his father, and his mother'. Therefore, it is not surprising that our Sages say that the honor due to our parents is compared to the honor due to God. Indeed, in this week's parsha  the word for awe – 'tirau' is used in context of the type of relationship incumbent upon us towards our parents. Maharal explains that the term 'awe' is exclusive to God or beings close to God in some respect, for 'awe' refers to relating towards something transcendental and superior to oneself, and ultimately the only being that is truly superior and transcendental is God. In this way, Maharal explains why R. Shimshon the Amsonite homiletically explained the meaning of the word 'et' throughout the Torah to include something, but when he arrived at the verse "'et' HaShem you shall have awe", he was not able to continue. Maharal explains that he was not able to continue because explaining the word 'et' as adding something to the awe towards God, would entail that another being deserves to be given awe, which is not so, since only God is ultimately superior, as we just explained. However, R. Akiva was able to continue this homiletic, by saying that this 'et' includes Torah scholars, that because of their Godly state are deserving to be awed of. Nevertheless, even though parents are compared to God in some sense, our title quote, which juxtaposes the awe towards parents to the observance of Shabbat, highlights according to our Sages, that nevertheless this comparison is limited. If one's parent commands one to desecrate the Shabbos, or any other commandment commanded by God, one is not to obey them.  In a similar sense, just as Shabbat super-cedes Honoring Parents, so too Settling the Land of Israel super-cedes some aspects of Shabbat on a rabbinical level. In addition to what we mentioned in our last issue that one may command a gentile to write a contract of purchase for land in the Land of Israel, we find that one may also depart on a ship for the Land of Israel even on Friday, knowing that the ship will continue to sail on Shabbat, a matter that is otherwise strictly forbidden on a rabbinic level for the observance of Shabbat. Our Sages, 'whose awe is compared to the awe of Heaven', saw with their great vision that the value of coming to the Land is so great that it so-to-speak overrides their own honor in their rabbinic ruling to not sail in a ship after Wednesday. In Hebron all these ideas come together. This is Hebron, the genesis of Israel's connection to the Holy Land, and with that the place of honor and awe towards our Godly parents, Avraham and Sarah, Yitzhak and Rivka, Yakov and Leah.
Real Stories from the Holy Land #67: 'Once, I was supposed to deliver a dvar Torah before Maariv on Shabbat, but just then my metal glasses broke, and while I tried to find a solution to my problem I missed the time I was supposed to deliver my talk. Then I remembered that that week's parsha was Ki Tisa, which mentions Moshe's 'coming late', and the 'breaking off' (vayitparku) of metal ornaments of Israel in regard to the sin of the Calf…'
Sources: Orah Haim 248, 4

Parshat Acharei Mot By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Acharei Mot
By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

"לְמַעַן֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יָבִ֜יאוּ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽת־זִבְחֵיהֶם֘... וֶֽהֱבִיאֻ֣ם לַֽיקֹוָ֗ק אֶל־ פֶּ֪תַח אֹ֥הֶל מוֹעֵ֖ד אֶל־הַכֹּהֵ֑ן"

"Blessed are You, HaShem, our God, King of the universe, who has redeemed us and redeemed our fathers from Egypt, and enabled us this night to eat matzah and maror. So too… enable us to attain other holidays… rejoicing in Your service [in the Bet Hamikdash]. Then we shall eat of the Passover-offerings …and we shall thank You with a new song for our redemption and for the deliverance of our souls. Blessed are You, HaShem, who redeemed Israel."

It is on the night of our redemption that we are especially aroused to supplicate unto HaShem for the full redemption, for the building of the Bais HaMikdash and for the bringing of the korban pesah therein. Of all 248 positive commandments, only two, circumcision and korban pesah, have such crucial importance that if not fulfilled render liability for 'spiritual incision' (karet). Indeed, just as circumcision represents the covenant between God and Israel, so too we find that the korban pesah is seen in Tanach time and time again as a renewal of the covenant, especially in the Land of Israel.

Take for example the renewal of the korban pesah in Gilgal upon Israel's entrance into the Land of Israel in conjunction with receiving the covenant at Mount Grizim and Eval.  In a parallel nature, we find a great arousal to fulfill the korban pesah just a bit before the Exile in the time of Yoshayahu, the last king to seriously try to make the People renew the covenant with God and abolish idolatry. Indeed, as we have shown many times before, the return to the holiness of location, the settlement of Israel in the Holy Land and the building of the Holy House, the Bait HaMikdash, which gives forth to the korban pesah and more, are integrally linked as both being a renewal of covenant between the People and HaShem through the holiness of space.

In halacha, we find yet another link between these concepts in context of the commandment to bring offerings exclusively to the Bait HaMikdash as mentioned in our title quote of this week's parsha. Although there is already a commandment in general to bring offerings specifically to the Bait HaMikdash, there is a special additional commandment (of the 613) to bring offerings from the Diaspora to the Bais HaMikdash. This 'extra' commandment seems to hint that one who lives in the Diaspora should not think, 'I'm already distanced from the Land of Israel, why take the effort to come?' Rather, the Torah deliberately commands him to come to the Bais HaMikdash, passing through the boundaries of the Land of Israel, to show that he too is connected to the holiness of space and the Holy Presence therein.

Similarly, in Hebron the connection of the Holy Land to every Jew whatsoever, as being a descendant of Avraham, Yitzhak, and Yakov, who lived, died and were buried in this city purchased to them, highlights the profoundly deep connection all our People have to this whole Land in general and to the Bais HaMikdash in specific.

Real Stories from the Holy Land #65:
"One day, I found a discarded book-case which I liked, so I brought it home. About an hour later, one of my book-cases collapsed. I was able to replace it with the book-case I just found. "HaShem provides the cure before the blow…"

Sources: Rambam Maaseh Hakorbanot 18, 1 

Parshat Shemini/Para By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Shemini/Para

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

To print, click HERE

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו 

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

   

"יין ושכר אל תשת"

 

"Blessed are You HaShem... who creates the fruit of the vine... May she who was barren (Zion) be exceeding glad and exult, when her children are gathered within her in joy. Blessed are You HaShem who gladdens Zion with her children." (Sheva Brachos)

  

In almost every special occasion Judaism requires that we commemorate with a blessing over wine. This practice is especially highlighted in context of Purim and Pesah which, interestingly enough, coincide (leap year and regular year respectively) with this week's parsha Shemini, which prohibits the intake of wine or alcohol on the cohanim in the service of the Mishkan or Bait HaMikdash. According to some of our Sages this prohibition on wine-intake is juxtaposed to the story of the death of Nadav and Avihu to explain that the reason for Nadav and Avihu's death was based on that they drunk wine before offering their 'strange fire' in the Mishkan. This said, how can we reconcile the apparent contradiction in our sources in regard to wine-intake? Is wine-intake good or bad?

 

According to the Zohar the cohanim serve in what we may call 'the secret service'. Out of all Israel they are singled out to enter the holiest locations of the Holy Presence, and just as the matters that are dearest to us must be kept secret and hidden, so too our holiest locations must be held in a form of 'secret service'. The Zohar continues by saying that wine-intake has the opposite effect of secrecy, for it reveals secrets, and therefore is unfit for the service of the cohanim. However, in other respects, when the aspect of 'revealing' is called for, as in expressing joy on festivals and the like, wine is not only accepted, but obligated.

  

Generally speaking, even when wine is obligated our Sages stress that one should not drink in excess. The only definitive exception to this rule is Purim (Pesah is limited to 4 cups and they can be grape-juice according to most poskim), when all agree that one (poskim - men) should drink at least 'more than one is accustomed' (with the limitation that one not cause harm, etc.). Based on the Zohar we just learned, we can conclude that Purim has a strong emphasis on revealing the hidden, indicative of the great 'revelation' of the future redemption, when what seems to us today mundane and hidden from God's Presence will glow from the Holy Presence, to such an extent that even 'on the hooves of the horse will be written 'holy unto HaShem'. This revelation will come when the world is purified and prepared for the revelation of these secrets. Indeed, Purim is unique in its being reminiscent of the future redemption, as we learn that "all books of the Prophets and Writings will become obsolete (as the previous troubles on which they speak will have ceased) in the time of MaShiah except for Megilat Ester... as it says 'and the days of Purim shall not depart from among the Jews and their memory shall not cease from their descendants.'"

  

It is Hebron which combines both the hidden and revealed aspects in relating to HaShem. Maarat HaMachpela, by definition a cave, represents the aspect of 'the depths of Hebron', the depths and secrets that lie hidden with our Avot and the souls that arise to Heaven via this spot. On the other hand, Hebron is the capital city of Judah where David first ruled (Jerusalem is inter-tribal).  It is Judah's portion which is singled out from among the tribes as being praised for the produce of its wine, the 'revealer of secrets', and in turn it is Judah which will take dominant role in revealing the future redemption: "Yet it may be heard in the cities of Judah and the courtyards of Jerusalem, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride." 

  

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #62: 

 

"After not raining for many days, synagogues around Israel opened the ark on Shabbat and prayed for rain. At that very same time it started to rain, despite the forecasts that said otherwise."

 

 

  

Sources: Tanhuma Shemini, 11, Zohar 3, 39a, Orah Haim 695, 2 Rama, Zecharia 14, 20, Rambam Megila 2, 18, Gen. 49, 12 and 37, 14

Parshat Vayikra By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Vayikra 

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו 

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

   

"אדם כי יקריב מכם קרבן לה"

   

"Be pleased HaShem our God with Your People Israel, and listen to their prayers, and return the service to Your House... Blessed are You HaShem who returns His Holy Presence to Zion." 

  

In this week's parsha the verb-root for "to be pleased", resh tzadi heh, takes a very dominant role. As the offerings in the Mishkan and the Bait HaMikdash come as overtures before HaShem so that the Divine Will (ratzon) be pleased (retze) with us, either the individual or the collective whole. In a similar sense, our prayers, which operate in parallel to the sacrifices, come as overtures before HaShem so that HaShem be pleased with us and answer our prayers.

  

One of the fascinating laws of Prayer is that the first blessing Avot must be said with proper intent, without which the entire prayer, even if afterwards said with proper intent, is considered invalid, not finding "pleasure" before HaShem. Why is this blessing so crucial to the whole rest of the prayer? One of the explanations for this halacha is that in beseeching God we must first connect to the Godly righteous before us who paved the path in connecting to HaShem.

 

This idea is echoed in the teaching of our Sages on the commandment "to cleave to God":  'is it possible to cleave to the Holy Presence, alast He is a Consuming Fire! Rather, cleave to the Godly righteous.' This idea is even truer in regard to the Godly Patriarchs who HaShem willed to be the forerunners of Godliness in the world, as it says, "only in your Forefathers did HaShem desire to love them and chose you their offspring after them from all the nations as this day." One who wishes to pave a new path, as he sees fit to serve God outside of the Divine Will delivered to us in the Torah, resembles Nadav and Avihu who were indeed consumed by this 'Consuming Fire', despite their feverish will to connect to God.

 

By supporting Hebron, we connect with the channels of the Divine Will, thus finding favor before HaShem. This is especially true as we enter the months of Redemption and Divine Will Adar and Nisan, deliberately juxtaposed to connect the redemption of Purim with the redemption of Pesah. Purim is the forerunner of the future redemption, forever lasting even when the rest of the holidays will be (so-to-speak) obsolete in comparison with the redemptive future, while Pesah is the forerunner of the past, the first redemption explicitly linked to our Forefathers in the Torah. This connection of past and future redemptions highlights that the future redemption will come through the redemption of the past, through the remembrance of our Patriarchs in our prayers, through the merits of our Fathers and our efforts to emulate their ways. "And He remembers the kindness of the Avot, and brings a redeemer for their offspring, for His Namesake, with love..."

 

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Real Stories from the Holy Land #60: 

 

"During a period of about two weeks I took on a hesed/tzedaka project. At that very same time, I was suddenly offered work which pays for all the expenses I just put into the hesed project I had just taken on." 

  

 

 

Sources: Ketubot 111b, Deut. 10, 15, Orah Haim 101, 1. Note: Although in p. Ki Tisa we mentioned that 'adding holiness from weekday unto Shabbat' needs to be at least a moment before Shabbat, that is the opinion of Tosfot, but according to many poskim one needs at least 10 minutes or 2 minutes of addition. 

Parshat Pikudei: By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

"בקע לַגֻּלְגֹּלֶת מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ... לְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף וּשְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת וַחֲמִשִּׁים"

"From fear save me, guide me to Zion the holy place of my destiny, HaShem, hear my voice!" (Adir Ayom veNora of Melave Malka)

Before entering the Land of Israel, we see that the Torah conducts a census of the Jewish People via the commandment of the 'half-shekel', read this week both in context of the weekly parsha and in context of the first of the four special readings before Pesah, Parshat Shekalim. Although we know that it took another 40 years, after the first census in our parsha, till the People reached the Land, ideally speaking these numbers of the People could have entered the Land immediately if not for the sin of the spies. Therefore, yet again are the people counted at the end of these 40 years before entering the Land.

We yet again see the dominant role of census in context of entering the Land of Israel in the book of Ezra-Nehemia, which details with great elaboration the numbers of groups, even the seemingly insignificant groups among them, who returned to Zion after the Babylonian Exile. Indeed, also from a halachic perspective does the census of the People in regard to the Land of Israel take an important role. Based on this census, determining how many Jews live in the Land of Israel versus how many in the Diaspora, can it be determined one of the crucial criteria for the advent of much of the mitzvos dependent on the Land (such as Truma, Maaser, Shmita, Yovel, and more) on a Biblical level, which requires a majority of worldwide Jewry to be living in the Land of Israel.

It is therefore not surprising that important events have occurred in conjunction with important censuses of Jewry in the Land of Israel. When 600,000 Jews, men and women, lived in the Land, the State of Israel was formed, and when 600,000 Jewish men alone, indicative of the 'Legions of Israel' in the book of Bamidbar, lived in the Land, much of the Land was redeemed in the 'Six-Day-War'.

Although, in absence of the Bait HaMikdash, we do not have the Biblical 'half-shekel' today, what we do have is the contribution to the great Return to Zion which is counted before HaShem and may also serve as atonement in a similar way, as our Sages teach that the Land serves as "an altar of atonement'.

The message of the 'half-shekel' proves to be especially meaningful in regard to Hebron. Many have pointed at the 'half-shekel' highlighting the fact that each Jew is only half, coming to completion only with his fellow Jew. This was highlighted especially in the Mishkan where all extremities of the People, from the first camp of Judah, exemplified by Bezalel, to the last camp of Dan , exemplified by Ohaliab, joined together to build an abode for the Holy Presence.

Similarly, it is in Hebron that the extremities of the People in a political sense, Benjamin from Rachel's line, exemplified in the form of Abner, and Judah from Leah's line, exemplified in the form of David, joined together in a treaty, strengthening Israel's sovereignty in the Land by making a united Kingdom, the Kingdom of David, the prototype of Mashiah son of David.     

Real Stories from the Holy Land #59: "One afternoon at 4 pm, a friend of mine, who has been learning with me in the same collel in Hebron for about a year-and-a-half, suddenly took me to the side and discussed with me how we can together strengthen our Torah-learning, something he's never done before. 'It turns out' that at that very same time, my wife was driving and was miraculously saved from an accident with a tractor before her."

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Sources: Rambam Trumot 1, 26, Shmita Veyovel 10, 8, Ktubot 111a, Samuel II, 3, 19-21

Parshat Ki Tisa By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Ki Tisa

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

 

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

"ששת ימים תעבד וביום שביעי תשבות, בחריש ובקציר תשבות"

 

"Come in peace, her Husband's crown of pride, with song and good cheer. Among the faithful of the people so dear, enter O Bride, enter O Bride; O Bride, Shabbat Queen, enter, come here!" Every week, at the advent of Shabbat we say these words, greeting the Shabbat Queen, greeting the Holy Presence into our lives.

 

This concept of "greeting" Shabbat is deeply rooted in our sources. In a halachic sense, "greeting" Shabbat is rooted to the concept of the obligation to "add holiness from the mundane (weekday) unto the holiness (Shabbat)", that is, to voluntarily 'greet' or initiate Shabbat upon ourselves at least a moment before it 'dawns' upon us involuntarily.

 

This concept is learned by our Sages from the verse in regard to Yom Kippur, the tenth of Tishrei, which begins according to the Written Torah "at the ninth of the month at evening", an expression that highlights the obligation to initiate Yom Kippur upon ourselves at least a moment before it begins. According to many poskim this rule applies not only to Yom Kippur, but also to Shabbat and Holidays.

 

In our title quote of this week's parsha, this concept of 'initiation of holiness' is taken to another level (see Rashi on verse). According to our Sages, the explanation of the latter part of the verse, "in the plowing and harvesting you shall rest", refers to adding on to the Shemitta/SeventhYear the last month of the sixth year before it to rest from 'plowing' and agricultural work, and also the beginning of the eighth year afterwards to rest from 'harvesting' produce that grew during Shmita. The reasoning in this explanation is that the verse does not need to tell us that plowing and harvesting are forbidden on Shmita year, since all agricultural work is already forbidden in the Torah. 

Therefore, the verse teaches us that even in the permissible sixth and eighth years there are times that are forbidden from work. However, it should be noted that according to our Oral Tradition this law applies only when the Bais HaMikdash is standing.

 

This idea gains even greater meaning in context of our title quote which juxtaposes the Sabbath of the week to the Sabbath of the Land. Just as we 'greet' the Holy Presence of the weekly Shabbos, so may we 'greet' this year, the sixth year before Shmita, the Holy Presence inherent in our Holy Land with the building of the Bait HaMikdash. By 'greeting' the Holy Presence, we unite with the Holy Presence in a greater way, for we express with our initiative an 'awakening from below' and the Holy Presence comes to us from an 'awakening from above', thus awakening a great holy union in all the spiritual worlds.

 

This ideal is especially poignant in Hebron, the City of Unity (hibur) of our Holy Land, which unites us with the Holy Presence of the past, present, and future to 'greet' the Messianic era at the end of the sixth millennium before the seventh Shabbat millennium when "HaShem 'recreates' His World" into a world of far-greater holiness.

 

Real Stroies from the Holy Land #57: "One day, our oven, which had been working for many years, stopped working, so we called a technician to check it. While working, the technician 'happened' to notice a smell of released gas from the stove, and he advised us to call a gas technician. When the gas technician examined the stove, he alarmed us that the whole stove was open to release gas, and that we must cease immediately all use of the stove to not endanger the lives of our family..."

 

Sources: Yoma 81b, Rambam Shvitat Asor 1, 6 and Shmita vYovel 3, 1, Orah Haim 261,2  Ex. 34, 21 and Rashi, Sanhedrin 97b

Parshat Truma By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

"ועשו לי מקדש ושכנתי בתוכם"

"And I, with Your great mercy, shall enter Your Sanctuary, I shall prostrate myself before Your holy Abode, with Your awe". According to the Zohar, one is to say this verse upon entering the synagogue, "the miniature Sanctuary", with the intent to confer with and "ask permission from" our Patriarchs before entering this holy place. By saying "and I, with Your great mercy, shall enter Your House" one confers with Avraham whose primary attribute was mercy and kindness. By saying, "I shall prostrate myself before Your holy Abode", one confers with Yitzhak who was 'sanctified' in his submission to be offered as a sacrifice. By saying "with Your awe" one confers with Yakov who said "how awesome is this place". We find that this type of 'receiving permission' from the Patriarchs is not only found in the 'mini Sanctuary', but also in the main Sanctuary of all Israel, the Bais HaMikdash. Although Solomon built the First Bait HaMikdash, it is his father David who ultimately paved the main path to its construction, to such an extent that our Sages teach us that the gates of the Bais HaMikdash would not open till Solomon said: "for the sake of David Your servant do not forsake Your anointed". From where did David receive such spiritual power to succeed in heralding such an important mission? On a simple level, we can see that the development of Jerusalem, as in making it his capital city, buying the Temple Mount, and more, all clearly paved the way for the building of the Bait HaMikdash in Jerusalem in his son's time. However, what is less known is what spiritually brought about David's success in Jerusalem. On this cause the Zohar clearly determines: it is David's kingship in Hebron, his "bonding with the Patriarchs", that paved the way for his success in Jerusalem. This concept is ever-more relevant today, as we hope and pray for the rebuilding of the Bais HaMikdash, to indeed fulfill the commandment in our title quote, to build the Temple and have HaShem's Presence rest among us. "Because of the Fathers You shall save the sons" – In Hebron lie the keys to Jerusalem and the Bais HaMikdash. In Hebron lie the keys to Redemption.

Real Stories from the Holy Land #: "We were looking for an apartment before our wedding, and we didn't find anything for a long time. Meanwhile, someone offered to leave his caravan, which was in danger of collapsing, so we could repair it and then move into it. However, they could only move out two weeks after our wedding. Suddenly, a week before the wedding, we were told that the previous residents had just moved out, and that we could move in. Within two days we finished the repairs with 2000 NIS and then moved our belongings in before the wedding. Because of the repairs we made, we were given free rent for three years."

Sources: Zohar 1, 11a, Tehilim 132, 10, Sanhedrin 107b, Zohar I, 99a

Parshat Mishpatim By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Parshat Mishpatim

By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

 

To print, click here

    

בס"ד

לשכנו תדרשו

 

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

"ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם"   

 

"Return our judges as of old, and our advisers as of yore... and rule upon us speedily, You our God alone, with kindness and with judgment..." 

 

One of the primary aspirations of our People is the return of Torah's proper justice system to be applied in all parts of life, and especially in the Land of Israel.  So halacha teaches us, that specifically in the Land of Israel are we commanded to establish Torah courts in every city. Not only in the establishment of the court system is the Land of Israel emphasized, but also in the nature of these courts' jurisdiction. 

 

Last week we gave a few examples of the unique connection Torah's justice system has with the Land of Israel, and this week we shall explore a bit more in depth one of these examples. Last week, we mentioned that there are a number of laws that may only be ruled by those ordained with "special ordination" (mumhim) in the Land of Israel. These laws are Torah's penal laws, such as charging a double-payment in case of theft, or special charges on human assault, and other special charges.  

 

What is left for the jurisdiction of the Diaspora's courts are the charges for payment of loans, monetary admission, and their like, which are not considered penalty payments. 

 

Nevertheless, even these charges rendered applicable in the Diaspora receive their power only in merit of being ruled by Diaspora's courts as "messengers of the courts in the Land of Israel". As such, courts of the Diaspora are only given permission to rule on common issues such as loans, etc., but do not have jurisdiction on uncommon cases such as livestock damaging another's livestock, etc. 

 

Furthermore, even common issues, if they are not considered costly matters are also not under the jurisdiction of the Diaspora's courts. In fact, if one studies this concept in our halachic sources, one will come to the conclusion that a great deal of the laws discussed in this week's parsha cannot be applied today because of the lack in Torah's judicial system in the Land of Israel today. 

 

That said, we can find some solace in the rejuvenated connection we have to Hebron today. A Torah court is comprised of three judges, and we find in the teachings of our Sages that Hashem so-to-speak confers with our three Patriarchs as if they are a court to so-to-speak to make a "just ruling" in merit of Israel. Indeed, just as the Divine Presence rests with a Torah court, so too it rests with our Patriarchs in Hebron. By this concept we understand more why our Patriarchs play such an important role in "ruling" our future redemption - "and He remembers the kindness of Fathers and brings a redeemer for the sake of His Name with love."

 

Real Stories from the Holy Land #54: "Once I was asked by a student in Hebron to use my fax machine for his personal needs. I gave him my permission, but asked him why he does not use other methods of communication such as e-mail etc. The very next day, when I tried to contact a certain company, I was told that they cannot be contacted by e-mail, etc. - only by fax..."

Sources: Rambam Sanhedrin 1, 2 and 5, 8-17, Shabbat 89b, Sanhedrin 6b, Zohar Bo, Avot 3, 6

Parshat Yitro By: Rabbi Moshe Goodman, Kollel Ohr Shlomo, Hebron

Seeking the Holy Presence in Our Holy Land

"כבד את אביך ואת אמך למען יארכון ימיך על האדמה אשר ה' א-היך נתן לך"

"For from Zion Torah will be delivered and the word of HaShem from Jerusalem.” 

Although, as we see in this week's parsha, the first Torah and prophecy to our Nation was delivered at Mount Sinai and before in Egypt in the Diaspora, our Sages teach in the Mechilta that once Israel entered the Land all prophecy must be rooted in the Land of Israel. In the Mechilta this concept is compared to the exclusivity of the Beit HaMikdash to Jerusalem, this exclusivity occurring only after a period of time of in-exclusivity in regard to the location of the Bais HaMikdash. If so, the Mechilta asks, how did Yehezkel receive prophecy in Babylon? The Mechilta answers that, because Yehezkel began his prophecy in the Land of Israel, therefore he was allowed to continue his prophecy even when he was exiled to the  Diaspora. Similarly, in a halachic sense, Torah rulings, at least in their highest levels, may only be ruled in the Land of Israel. So halacha mandates, based on this pasuk “For from Zion Torah will be delivered etc.”, that the initial establishment of months, leap years, etc. must be established by the Sanhedrin in the Land of Israel. In addition, there a numbers of laws that can only be ruled by those with “special ordination” (which we still do not have today) in the Land of Israel. Similarly, the grand Sanhedrin of Israel of 71 elders is specifically located adjacent to the Bais HaMikdash in Jerusalem, and in its absence many of the Torah's laws cannot be implemented today. The dominance of the Land of Israel in such important facets of Judaism, such as Torah and prophecy, highlight how the Holy Land stands as such an important cause in the spiritual wellbeing of our People. Indeed, Isaiah describes the Land to the People as a mother to children,

“Lift up your eyes all around and see, they all have gathered, they have come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be raised on [their] side,” and this concept is also echoed in the Yerushalmi (Moed Katan 3, 1).Based on this concept, we can more easily understand why the Torah links, in our title quote, the respect towards parents to our wellbeing in the Land of Israel, the “parent”, so to speak of our People. When we talk about Hebron, this message becomes double-folded. Hebron is both the source of our People's connection to the Holy Land, the 'parent' of our People, as Israel's first bought property therein, and Hebron is also literally the location of our holy parents, the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. The Arizal explains that by honoring our parents, i.e. our cause, we awaken the spiritual cause to our wellbeing. Thus, by also giving honor to Hebron we awaken the spiritual causes for the wellbeing of our People at large.

Real Stories from the Holy Land #53: “I decided to spend a certain amount of money on a mitzah in Hebron, and so I did. Within 5 minutes of doing so, I was offered a job that payed for all the money I just spent... with about a 50% increase...”

Sources: Rambam Kidush Hahodesh 1, 8 and 5, 1, ibid. Sanhedrin, 5, 1-17, Shaar Hamitzvot, Yitro