חַת אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹא־עָבַ֙דְתָּ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ בְּשִׂמְחָ֖ה וּבְט֣וּב לֵבָ֑ב מֵרֹ֖ב כֹּֽל׃ 

Because you would not serve your God יהוה in joy and gladness over the abundance of everything, https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.28.47 

עִבְד֣וּ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה בְּשִׂמְחָ֑ה בֹּ֥אוּ לְ֝פָנָ֗יו בִּרְנָנָֽה׃ 

worship
the LORD in gladness;come into His presence with shouts of joy. 

https://www.sefaria.org/Psalms.100.2 

Rabbeynu
Bachya: The Torah accuses people who do serve G’d not to have done so joyfully.
A person is obligated not merely to carry out G’d’s instructions but to do so
gladly, in a happy frame of mind. Joy when performing any of G’d’s commandments
is considered as fulfillment of a commandment by itself, meriting additional
reward.  

This
is why one may be punished for failing to perform the commandments with a
joyful heart. This is why the Torah requires that its commandments be performed
with full intent and joyfully.  

Our
sages in Midrash Ruth Rabbah 5,6 comment concerning this that if Reuven had
been aware that G’d would write in the Torah concerning his attempts to save
Joseph’s life from the hands of his other brothers (Genesis 37,21) that he
would receive a reward not only for his deed but for the good intentions
accompanying same, he would have carried Joseph on his shoulders and brought
him back to his (their) father.  

The
Torah also makes a point of underlining the joy in Aaron’s heart when he saw
his brother Moses again after so many years. Had he known that his feelings
would be commented upon favorably (Exodus 4,14), he would have gone out to meet
his brother accompanied by an orchestra of many different musical
instruments.  

Had
Boaz known that his offering Ruth food and drink in abundance would be recorded
for eternity as a good deed of his, he would have fed her the choicest parts of
a fatted calf, instead of merely bread and vinegar (Ruth 2,14). 

https://www.sefaria.org/Rabbeinu_Bahya,_Devarim_28.47.1 

….writes
further  

Naturally,
the joy which accompanies the performance of a commandment by an individual Jew
is in a class by itself. Seeing that performance of the commandments is
called עבודת ה',
“serving the Lord,” we can understand what is written in Deut. 28,16 תחת אשר לא עבדת את ה' אלוקיך בשמחה,
“on account of the fact that you did not perform the commandments of the Lord
your G’d with joy, etc.”  

When
David writes in Psalms 100,2 עבדו את ה' בשמחה,
“serve the Lord with joy,” he does not refer to the offering of sacrificial
animals but to the performance of each and every commandment which it is our
duty to perform.  

Joy
is the ingredient which makes service of the Lord something perfect. This
concept helps us understand the unusual phrase in Numbers 4,46 לעבוד עבודת עבודה.
Concerning this expression our sages in Erchin 11 ask what kind of service this
is that the Torah speaks of there. The answer given in the Talmud is that the
Torah speaks of offering songs and hymns.  

The
Levites are commanded to offer songs and encourage expressions of joy to
accompany the sacrificial offerings. All of this was to ensure that joy is the
prevailing sentiment accompanying service of the Lord.  

Arizal: joy
increases one’s desire and love of adhering to HaShem-יהו״ה,
blessed is He, ….. For, a person who serves HaShem-יהו״ה,
blessed is He, with melancholy, is likened to a servant who serves his master
with a sullen and annoyed face. 

https://www.sefaria.org/Sha'arei_Kedusha,_Part_2_4.30 

1. Mesillas
   Yesharim -….And our sages said: 'the
   Divine presence rests on a person only through his rejoicing in a
   mitzva' (Shabbat
   30b). 

Rabbi
Samson Raphael Hirsch points out that the
Hebrew word same'ach (=
happy), is closely related to the word tzome'ach (=
growing). This is because human happiness is contingent on spiritual growth. If
we fail to feel the joy of mitzvos, it is because we are unaware that mitzvos
make us grow. 

Rabbi
Manis Friedman (chassidish answer) is that the charge 'serve Hashem
b'simcha' is not a charge to be happy when serving Hashem. It's a result.
If you truly serve Hashem, meaning you are serving Him, you finally get to
escape yourself for a while!  

Serving
ourselves, making our lives about us (even if it means 'my spiritual
growth'!) is what makes us depressed. If we realise that we are fulfilling
Hashem's essential Ratzon, it's about Him not us, and at the same time doing
the vitally important work of bringing His plan to completion, fulfilling your
very purpose, then automatically you will be b'simcha. 

So
read it 'if you serve Hashem, you'll be b'simcha' 

The
Torah is not telling us that we didn’t serve Hashem. It is telling us that we
didn’t serve Him with joy. Is this by itself such a severe transgression that
is should bring about all those terrible punishments described in the Torah? 

The
Rebbe Reb Bunim of Parshischa explained this with a famous parable: A teacher
taught the Alef-Bais to his little student, and pointed to each letter: “What
is this?” “An Alef,” said the boy. “What’s under the Alef?” asked the teacher.
“A kometz,” said the boy. The teacher continued with the other letters, until
he reached the Hey. 

“What’s
this?” he asked. “A Hey,” said the boy. “What’s underneath the Hey?” 

To
the teacher’s surprise, the boy refused to answer. “I won’t say!” he declared,
looking a little scared. After the teacher threatened to punish him, the boy
finally stammered, “Underneath the ‘hay’ is the stolen goat…” The teacher
finally understood why the boy didn’t want to answer. His father had warned him
not to tell anyone what he hid underneath the bale of hay in their barn! 

“The
same could be said about us,” Reb Bunim would conclude. “Tachas - what lies
underneath our apathetic service of Hashem? Why are we not serving Hashem with
joy? The answer to this question explains why the Jewish people deserved the
terrible tochacha.” When a person performs the mitzvos properly and values the
Torah, he serves Hashem with true inner joy. His life has a totally different
meaning, and he is deserving of the Torah’s blessings. 

It
was chol hamoed Sukkos, when writing is prohibited except under pressing
circumstances. Despite his busy schedule, the Chofetz Chaim penned a careful
letter to the rosh yeshiva of Lomza, Rav Eliezer Shulevits, and sent it to
Lomza posthaste. 

The
contents of the letter were surprising. In the missive was contained only a few
terse lines: Regarding the individual you consulted me about, whether he should
be offered the position of mashgiach in your yeshiva, I had originally told you
that he was a suitable candidate. However, I am withdrawing my advice and ask
that you don’t offer him the position. 

(Rav)
Yisroel Meir Hakohein Kagan 

The
rosh yeshiva of Lomza was very surprised. He had gone to consult with the
Chofetz Chaim before the Yomim Noraim and asked his opinion about the very same
candidate. On that occasion, the Chofetz Chaim had waxed enthusiastic about the
young scholar, praising him as a lamdan, a yorei shomayim, and a ba’al middos.
What had changed in the interim? And why was this such an important message
that it had to be delivered on chol hamoed? 

Fortunately,
the candidate had not yet been hired, and Rav Leizer did not have to deal with
retracting his offer. Still, at the first opportunity, he traveled to Radin to
ask the Chofetz Chaim about the letter. 

The
Chofetz Chaim, who guarded every word that emerged from his lips, explained: 

“When
you had asked me if the candidate was an appropriate choice, I had a high
opinion of him and felt he would be a role model for the bochurim. However, in
the interim he came to see me, and began to krechtz about his life, his
difficult financial challenges, etc. When I saw how full of bitterness and
negativity he was, I quickly wrote a letter retracting my position. After all,
a person who only sees the darkness and constantly focuses on the challenges in
his life, to the exclusion of the many blessings, such a person cannot be in a
position of leadership, especially for young, impressionable bochurim.” 

הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃

Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,And let us come back;Renew our days as of old!

https://www.sefaria.org/Lamentations.5.21

לְמִימֵ֨י אֲבֹֽתֵיכֶ֜ם סַרְתֶּ֤ם מֵֽחֻקַּי֙ וְלֹ֣א שְׁמַרְתֶּ֔ם שׁ֤וּבוּ אֵלַי֙ וְאָשׁ֣וּבָה אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֖ם בַּמֶּ֥ה נָשֽׁוּב׃

From the very days of your ancestors you have turned away from My laws and have not observed them. Turn back to Me, and I will turn back to you—said GOD of Hosts. But you ask, “How shall we turn back?”

https://www.sefaria.org/Malachi.3.7

וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֗ם כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת שׁ֣וּבוּ אֵלַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם יְהֹוָ֣ה צְבָא֑וֹת וְאָשׁ֣וּב אֲלֵיכֶ֔ם אָמַ֖ר יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

Say to them further:Thus said GOD of Hosts: Turn back to me—says GOD of Hosts—and I will turn back to you—said GOD of Hosts.

https://www.sefaria.org/Zechariah.1.3

Midrash Eicha Raba 

“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return; renew our days as of old” (Lamentations 5:21).“Return us to You, Lord, and we will return.” The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, it is incumbent upon You to return us.’ He said to them: ‘It is incumbent upon you, as it is stated: “Return to Me and I will return to you, said the Lord” (Malachi 3:7).’ Eikhah_Rabbah.5.21

. וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָשׁוּב הַמְקַצֵּר בָּהֶם בְּלִבּוֹ וּבִלְשׁוֹנוֹ וְיִשְׁתַּדֵּל לַעֲשׂוֹת אוֹתָם וְלֹא יִשְׁנֶה קִצּוּרוֹ בָּהֶם יִמְחֹל לוֹ הַבּוֹרֵא וְיִשְׁתַּוֶּה עִם הַצַּדִּיק אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִצֵּר בָּהֶם, וּבִכְמוֹ זֶה נֶאֱמַר הַשָּׁב מִן הַחֵטְא כְּמִי שֶׁלֹּא חָטָא וְאָמְרוּ רז״ל עָבַר עַל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ כָּרֵת וְעָשָׂה תְּשׁוּבָה אֵינוֹ זָז מִמְּקוֹמוֹ עַד שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג) שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם.

The explanation of the first case: That the lacking was in a positive commandment which does not carry the punishment of Karet (spiritual excision), such as tzitzit, lulav, sukka, or the like. 

When the person repents on them in his heart and in speech, and exerts himself to fulfill them, and does not repeat his neglect to do them, the Creator will forgive him, and he will be equal to the tzadik who never sinned in them. On such a penitent, it is said: 'one who repents from a sin is as if he never sinned', and our sages said of them: (Yoma 86a) 'one who transgressed a positive commandment which does not incur Karet (spiritual excision) and repented - he is forgiven right away, as written: 'return to Me and I will return to you' (Malachi 3:7)'.

https://www.sefaria.org/Duties_of_the_Heart,_Seventh_Treatise_on_Repentance_8.2

Four motives in matter of repentance 

הָרִאשׁוֹן – הַשָּׁב מֵחֹזֶק הַכָּרָתוֹ אֶת אֱלֹהָיו. וְהוּא כְּמוֹ עֶבֶד הַבּוֹרֵחַ מֵאֲדֹנָיו, וּכְשֶׁחוֹשֵׁב בַּטּוֹב אֲשֶׁר גְּמָלוֹ, שֶׁמֵּרְצוֹנוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ מְחִילָה מִמֶּנּוּ. וּבְכָמוֹהוּ אָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ירמיהו ד א): ״אִם תָּשׁוּב יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם יְיָ אֵלַי תָּשׁוּב״ – קֹדֶם בּוֹא הָעֹנֶשׁ. וְאוֹמֵר (מלאכי ג ז): ״שׁוּבוּ אֵלַי וְאָשׁוּבָה אֲלֵיכֶם״.

The first is when a man repents because he has come to recognize his God. And he is like a servant who flees from his master, but when he thinks of the good which his master has done to him, he returns to him of his own free will to seek forgiveness from him, and of such as him the Scripture says, 'If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, yea return unto Me' (Jer. 4:1). And further, 'Return unto Me, and I will return unto you' (Malachi 3:7).

https://www.sefaria.org/Orchot_Tzadikim.26.62

Natan Nachman 

Moshe Katz 

הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ (ונשוב) [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃

Take us back, O LORD, to Yourself,And let us come back;Renew our days as of old!

https://www.sefaria.org/Lamentations.5.21

Tisha B'Av at night: The scroll of Lamentations. It is the emotions of the prophet Jeremiah's soul and his dirge that he took up about the destruction of the holy city of Jerusalem and the Temple. And it is especially about the sin that Jerusalem and his people sinned, which is what caused that awful destruction to happen. And while glancing with eyes full of tears, he instructs and shows the path that leads to repentance and towards the revival of Israel, to renew our days as of old (alluding to Lamentations 5:21).

https://www.sefaria.org/Horeb.666.33

Kedushat Levi 

“Take us back, Lord, to You, and let us return, renew our days of old” (Eicha 5:21). To be specific, what does “[days] of old” mean? And one could explain this by way of the midrash: “And now, O Israel, what does the ETERNAL your God demand of you? (Deut 10:12) and it says in the Midrash: “Now is nothing other than Teshuvah” (Bereshit Rabbah 21:6) and it is explained thus, because each person from Israel is obligated to believe with full faith that at every moment we receive life from the Creator, Blessed Be, as it is explained, “Every [thing that] breathes praises — every single breath phrases Yah, ” (Bereshit Rabbah 11, Psalms 150:6) — that in every moment, the living wants to leave a person, the Holy One Blessed Be, sends to [that person] in ever moment, new life. Because of this, for Teshuvah to be effective for each person, for at the moment that [person] does Teshuvah, that person believes that they are created with life anew and with this God, may God be Blessed, with God’s enormous mercy, does not remind them of their earlier sins. But, if, God forbid, they do not believe this, God forbid, the Teshvuah is not effective. This is the explanation of the Midrash, “Now is nothing other than Teshuvah,” since that [person] believes that they are made with life anew, the Teshuvah is effective for them. This is the interpretation of the verse, “Take us back, Lord, to You, and let us return,” and how is “renew our days of old?” this is what it says in the Gemara (Sanhedrin 98) [Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi encountered the Messiah and said] “When will the Master [Messiah] come?”...“Today, if you will listen to his voice” (Psalms 95:7). When you [act] according to this quality, each day [a person] will be made with life anew.

https://www.sefaria.org/Kedushat_Levi,_Deuteronomy,_Megillat_Eicha.16

Avudraham 

And bring us back in complete repentance before You: is based on the verse, 'Bring us back, Adonai, to You, and let us come back; renew our days as of old.' (Lam. 5:21) In other words, if we begin to repent, You will help us to perform complete repentance before You. This is similar to the approach of the sages: 'If one comes to purity, they assist him.'

לשונו. והיינו, כי ישראל שואלים שיפתח להם הקדוש ברוך הוא הרהורי תשובה, כענין הכרוז שמכריז שהם הרהורי תשובה הבאים, והקדוש ברוך הוא משיב כי צריך התשובה במעשה שיתחילו בה.

https://www.sefaria.org/Reshit_Chokhmah,_Gate_of_Repentance_1.22

 Jacob then made a vow, saying, “If God remains with me, protecting me on this journey that I am making, and giving me bread to eat and clothing to wear, Genesis.28.20  

 Ohr HaChaim The proper explanation of what Jacob said is that he was prepared to conduct himself in such a way that G'd would consent to associate His name with him even during his lifetime.   

R' Bachya Yaakov wanted to teach his future offspring that the time to make vows is when one finds oneself in difficulties one does not know how to extricate himself from. Although, as a general rule, the Torah frowns on the making of vows, when a person vows due to finding himself in distress this is perfectly permissible. 

 וַיְהִ֕י כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר יָלְדָ֥ה רָחֵ֖ל אֶת־יוֹסֵ֑ף וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙
אֶל־לָבָ֔ן שַׁלְּחֵ֙נִי֙ וְאֵ֣לְכָ֔ה אֶל־מְקוֹמִ֖י וּלְאַרְצִֽי׃ 

After Rachel had
borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, “Give me leave to go back to my own
homeland.  

כאשר ילדה רחל את
יוסף WHEN RACHEL HAD BORN JOSEPH — after the birth of him who was to become
Esau’s adversary (Genesis Rabbah 73:7) — as it is said (Obadiah 1:18) “And the
house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame and the house
of Esau for stubble“. Fire (Jacob) that has no flame (Joseph) has no effect at
a distance. Therefore, when Joseph was born Jacob put his trust in the Holy
One, blessed be He, and wished to return home (Obadiah 1:18).  

Rashi explains
that Rikvah had sent Devorah to get Ya’akov to tell him it was safe to come
back as she had promised. And Yishak sent two servants  

Rashi explains that she was there
because Rebecca was fulfilling a promise she made to Jacob 36 years earlier. As
her son was departing to Charan,
she told him, “I will send for you and bring you from there [and bring you
home].”5 Sending Deborah to her son was her way of keeping
her promise to send for him and bring him home.  

The Medrash (Esther Rabba 7:9) tells us that it is a
reference to a conversation that occurred between Mordechai and the servants of
the King. The King’s servants asked Mordechai, why do you refuse to bow down to
Haman especially in light of the fact that your ancestors bowed down before the
ancestors of Haman? Mordechai asked, 'Which of my ancestors bowed down
before the ancestors of Haman?' The King's servants replied, 'Did not
your ancestor Yaakov bow down before Eisav his brother, who was Haman’s ancestor?'Mordechai
answered, 'I am descended from Binaymin and when Yaakov bowed down before
Eisav, Binyamin was not yet born and he did not bow down before any human all
his days... Just as my forefather did not bow to Eisav, I who hail from the
tribe Binyamin ('ish yemini') will not bow to his descendant
either.'  

 The
Gemara in Megilla (17a) teaches that Yosef disappeared from his father for
twenty-two years 'mida k'neged mida,' corresponding to the twenty-two
years that Yaakov did not honor his parents while he was in Lavan's house. (The Gemara in Megillah 16b teaches that
Yaakov was not punished for the fourteen years he spent learning in Yeshivas
Shem V'Ever as Rabba said in the name of Rav Shmuel Bar Marta 'The study
of Torah is greater than honoring parents' - see also Shulchan Aruch Yoreh
Deah 240:13) 

Reposting as requested 

The Talmud's Taanit 29a says that Tisha B'Av is a day of mourning because God metaphorically said, 'Since you cried for no reason, I'll give you something to cry about!' . Tisha B'Av commemorates five calamities that the Jewish nation has experienced: 

• The sin of the spies 
Before the Israelites entered the land of Israel, 12 spies explored the land and brought a bad report to Moses, causing the Jews in the desert to refuse to enter. 



• Destruction of the First Temple 
In 586 BCE, the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar, destroyed the First Temple built by King Solomon. The Talmud says the destruction began on the Ninth of Av and continued throughout the Tenth of Av. 



• Destruction of the Second Temple 
In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed the Second Temple built by Ezra and Nehemiah. 



• Destruction of Beitar 
In 135 CE, the Romans suppressed the Bar Kokhba revolt and destroyed the city of Beitar, killing over 500,000 Jews. 



• Plowing of the Temple Mount 
Roman general Turnus Rufus plowed the Temple area in Jerusalem, rebuilding the city as a pagan city. 



לָכֵן֙ בִּגְלַלְכֶ֔ם צִיּ֖וֹן שָׂדֶ֣ה תֵֽחָרֵ֑שׁ וִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ עִיִּ֣ין תִּֽהְיֶ֔ה וְהַ֥ר הַבַּ֖יִת לְבָמ֥וֹת יָֽעַר׃ {פ}

Assuredly, because of youZion shall be plowed as a field,Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruinsAnd the Temple Mount a shrine in the woods.

Rabbi Yosef Bitton writes: . The least known of these tragedies is also one of the most relevant, as in some way, the relevance of this act is still present. 

I refer to the 'plowing of the city' of Jerusalem (חרישת העיר) in the year 130 CE. To understand why the city was plowed—and what this meant at the time—we must review what happened after the Romans destroyed the Second Temple (year 68 CE).

And Hashem said to Avram, “Go (to) (for) yourself, from your land, from your birth place, from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. (Breishit 12:1) 

Go,yourself,' A hint to him, 'When you will be 100 years old (30+20+30+20), then I will make you a great nation.' For then Isaac will be born. Baal HaTurim 

G'd did not tell Abraham if he was meant to set out on his journey immediately or if he should wait till He would specify the exact location He wanted Abraham to move to. This ambiguity was part of the test to which G'd subjected Abraham. G'd also hinted
that He would show Abraham the whole of the land of Israel by broadening his field of vision, etc, as we know from 13,14: 'lift your eyes from where you are and look northward, southward,
eastward, and westward. Or_HaChaim

 Is There Ever Enough Gold? 

We begin the Fifth book of the Torah this week, the
book of Devarim. We have mentioned many times that the Rabbis teach us that
this book made up primarily of Moshe Rabeynu’s final speech and testament was
an optional book to be included at Moses discretion. The first three portions
feature Moses narrating a brief history of the past four decades to those about
to enter the land (see our short class on Deravim, memory and Tisha BeAb). 

The opening verse is as follows:  

אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר
דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר
בָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַחֲצֵרֹ֖ת
וְדִ֥י זָהָֽב׃ 

These are the words that Moses addressed to all
Israel on the other side of the Jordan.—Through the wilderness, in the Arabah
near Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab, 

The Rabbis teach us that these words refer to places
and hint at where the Jews sinned in the desert. But then Moses adds one more
place, “Di Zahav.” 

Rashi explains: “In the vicinity of Di Zahav”, he
alluded to the affair of the golden calf, that due to Am Yisrael’s excessive
wealth they sinned and fashioned a calf out of gold. 

I would like to share a story and a lesson based on
the teachings of Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef ZSL as posted by Halacha Yomit which
should motivate each of us lilmod ulelamed. Not only to learn but to realize
the best path to learn is to give over what I learn, lishma, for the sake of
Heaven.  

There was once a gaon, philosopher and kabbalist,
Rebbi Yehudah Aryeh of Modena z”l (1571-1648) who has a book called “Ari Nohem”
and responsa. This gaon was graced by Hashem with a great talent for learning,
his was literally a fulfilment of the passuk, “the words of his palate are
sweet and he is all delight” [Shir HaShirim 5:16]. He lived in Venice and
during his time there was a huge bet knesset in the city which could seat a
thousand men. 

One day the gabbaim of the bet knesset came to the
rav and asked him that since they don’t have a rav who can give derashot that
he come on Shabbat to the bet knesset and give them a derashah before Musaph.
The rav replied that since the bet knesset was far from his home and he was
getting old he was unable to come and give them a derashah. The gabbaim greatly
pressured him to head to their request to come just for one Shabbat. Until the
rav was unable to withstand their pressures and he ceded to their request to
come and give them a derashah. 

On Shabbat Kodesh before Musaph the rav was honored
to stand before the whole kehillah and he gave a derashah for a full hour about
the Parashah of the week. The rav darshened and his mouth spoke pearls and
gems! The congregation made their ears receptive to hear his sweet words and
they very much enjoyed it. They were literally unaware that a whole hour had
passed! 

On Sunday the gabbaim came to the rav’s home. They
said to him, “Kavod harav we have brought you something, not chas veshalom as a
payment, for it is impossible to paid his honor for the words more precious
than gold and fine gold, just a token due to ‘appreciation’, we brought his
honor a gold watch!” The rav saw and accepted the watch. The gabbaim said to
him, “Kavod harav, his honor saw how much the congregation benefitted from his
words on Shabbat, do us a favor for Hashem’s sake and darshen before us also
this coming Shabbat, this is a matter of meriting the many!” The rav responded,
“I cannot! It is difficult for me to make the journey to you on Shabbat!” The
gabbaim said to him, “How hard is it? Since this Shabbat his honor already came
to us, if so, just like on one Shabbat his honor was able to walk, so shall he
do also on this coming Shabbat!” The rav answered them, “Fine, I will come also
this Shabbat! One Shabbat and that will be enough!” 

The rav was further honored to darshan and the bet
knesset was packed from wall to wall and all the congregation were listening
most intently to every word that came out of his mouth, “words that come out of
the heart enter the heart!” [The source of this adage is Rav Moshe ibn Ezra z”l
1055-1140 in his Shirat Yisrael.] A whole hour did the rav speak and then he
returned home. 

On the next day, Sunday, again the gabbaim arrived
at the rav’s home, they said to him, “Kavod harav the payment which his honor
is entitled to has no bounds, but we have just brought a token gift, they
produced an expensive chandelier and presented it to the rav.” Immediately
afterwards they again pressured the rav that he come again on the next Shabbat
to the bet knesset to darshan for a third time since “a three-ply cord Is not
easily severed” [see Kohelet 4:12] and the rav’s words in a further derashah will
certainly make a tremendous impression! 

The rav agreed and again arrived in the bet knesset
, but this Shabbat the rav’s derashah was extraordinary, above anything that
the kehillah had heard. The derashah was full of words of wisdom which were
pleasant for the ear to hear and the congregation rejoiced in it in an
exceptional way. 

Again, on Sunday the gabbaim went up to the rav’s
home and presented him with a unique gift, an etrog box of pure silver! And as
they were accustomed to, they again pressured the rav that he continue to give
derashot in their bet knesset. The rav answered, “Enough! I already told you
that I will darshan a third time because ‘a three-ply cord Is not easily
severed’, and is now required ‘a four-ply cord’? What do you want from me?”
They pressured and pressured, and attempted to convince the rav that he present
on a permanent basis in the bet knesset. 

Eventually the rav conceded, but he said to them, “I
have a condition! Before I become the permanent darshan in your holy camp, take
with you all the gifts which you gave me, the watch, the chandelier, the etrog
box, take everything with you! Only then will I agree to darshan!” 

The gabbaim were astonished. “What’s the connection?
Why is the rav not prepared to accept the gifts?” The rav replied to them, “I
will respond with a parable. A person entered a watch shop. He was interested
in a unique expensive gold watch, he paid the full price and immediately in
front of the seller he took the watch and threw it on the floor smashing it at
his feet! The shop keeper won’t be angry with such a person, since he paid for
the watch, on the contrary perhaps now he will buy another watch! 

“In contrast a chatan stood under the chuppah and
one of his loved ones came to him and in their hand was a gold watch which they
purchased as a gift with their money. Suddenly the chatan took the watch and
threw it to the ground and smashed it at his feet! Surely such behaviour will
offend the giver! How dare the chatan despised his precious gift! This is so
offensive! 

‘The analogy is as follows. I see that I gave
derashot in the bet knesset three times. Indeed, the congregation were
attentive and very much enjoyed them, but I didn’t notice that the words
influenced them to change their ways, and why is this? Because they know that
the gabbaim took money from the congregation’s funds, and bought gifts from it!
If so, the feeling of the congregation is that they paid me for the derashot!
And now they don’t care to address things in a practical level! In contrast to
this, when I speak for free and the congregation hear the derashah and they
know that I don’t receive payment for it, they won’t be brazened to despise the
matters, the rav stands and makes every effort in his old age to darshan, surely,
they will learn that they must change their ways!” 

Likewise with Moshe Rabbeinu a”h he said to Am
Yisrael, “See! I have taught you rules and laws as Hashem my L-rd has commanded
me” (Devarim 4:5), “Just like I taught for free - so shall you teach for free”,
Moshe Rabbeinu didn’t take a penny from Am Yisrael, because then, each person
that influences the community for the sake of heaven, Hashem gives him grace
and kindness that his words be heard. 

Each person that has the ability to enthuse others
to fulfil Torah and mitzvot, especially regarding Torah-study, for through the
merit of Torah-study Hashem will send Eliyahu HaNavi because the Bet HaMikdash
was destroyed due to not sufficiently studying Torah. Likewise, the redemption
will be due to the merit of Torah-study, as it states, “Remember the Torah of
Moshe My servant, which I commanded him at Chorev for all of Yisrael – [its]
decrees and [its] statutes”, and immediately after this the prophet said,
“Behold, I send you Eliyahu HaNavi before the coming of the great and awesome
day of Hashem. And he will turn back [to Hashem] the hearts of fathers with
[their] sons and the hearts of sons with their fathers” (Malachi 3:22-4).
Be”Ezrat Hashem we will merit Eliyahu and Mashiach Bimhera Beyameynu Amaen!  

I would like to share an alternative answer as well
based on a reading of the Gemara in Berachot which tells us that Moshe, in an effort to defend the Jews, told
Hashem that the Jews were not completely at fault for the sin of the Golden
Calf because “You gave them so much gold, until they said ‘enough.'” The
abundance of gold caused them to sin. 

מַאי ״וְדִי זָהָב״? אָמְרִי
דְּבֵי רַבִּי יַנַּאי: כָּךְ אָמַר מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא:
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, בִּשְׁבִיל כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב שֶׁהִשְׁפַּעְתָּ לָהֶם
לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, עַד שֶׁאָמְרוּ ״דַּי״ — הוּא גָּרַם שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל. 

We must clarify: What is the meaning of and Di
Zahav? The Sages of the school of Rabbi Yannai said that Moses said the
following before the Holy One, Blessed be He, to atone for Israel after the sin
of the Golden Calf: Master of the Universe, because of the gold and silver that
you lavished upon Israel during the exodus from Egypt until they said enough
[dai]; it was this wealth that caused Israel to make the Golden Calf. 

Rav Mordechai Kamenetzky asks a question and shares
the following story: There is still a troubling detail. We know the famous
adage of the sages, “One does not die with even half of his desires fulfilled,”
and “One who has one hundred desires two hundred.” How is it that the Jews in
the desert were satisfied with the gold they received? Why did they say,
“Enough”? 

A grandson of Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l,
a Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh in Bnei Brak, bought a gift for his grandparents – a
beautiful mirror nameplate for their front door, completely customized with the
Hebrew name “Lefkowitz” engraved – a standard household ornament in Israel.
However, a few weeks went by and the front door remained bare. Rav Lefkowitz
did not put up the nameplate. 

He finally approached his grandfather and asked him
why he is not using the nameplate. Rav Lefkowitz hesitated before
finally admitting the truth. “Our apartment is old,” he began, “And the front
door has seen better days. If I put up the nameplate, it is only a matter of
time before someone will suggest that I replace the door. After all, the
nameplate must match the décor of the apartment. Once the door is replaced,
someone will suggest that the interior walls need to be repainted. One thing
will lead to another, and before long, I will be living in a completely
redecorated apartment! I’d rather life a much simpler life with the least
amount of distractions, and serve Hashem with all my abilities.” 

He quoted his grandfather, Rav Binyamin Kamenetzky, zt”l offers the
following explanation. Before the evil inclination, yetzer horah, became a part
of man’s inner being, man was pure. He was able to withstand the pressure and
desires for physical pleasure and possessions. But after Adam sinned by eating
from the Tree of Knowledge, the evil inclination became part of him, and the
infamous daily struggle of man began. 

When the Jews received the Torah at Mount Sinai, and
Hashem revealed Himself with all his glory, they reached such a lofty spiritual
level, that their impurity ceased (“paska zuhamasan”). The evil inclination
left their bodies, and only affected them externally. When they took the
Egyptians’ gold and riches from the shores of the Sea of Reeds, they were able
to control controlled themselves. They took what they needed and then said,
“Enough!” 

The Rabbi concludes: During the time when we mourn
the two Batei Mikdash – both destroyed on Tisha B’av, we too can look around at
the world we live in, and see how fortunate we are to have what we need. At
this point in history, when Hashem in not dwelling in His Beis Hamikdash, do we really need one more
golden nugget? We can also sacrifice for Hashem, and say, “Enough”. 

Who is strong enough to say enough? Only great
rabbis? No!  

I have told the story of how my friend Abie and I
fretted one evening over yerida hadorot, 'the decline of the
generations', as we looked at ourselves and compared ourselves with our
meritorious fathers and holy grandfathers. In comparison, we were the bottom of
the barrel and what would our children be? And how we breathe a sigh of relief
that we are blessed to live in the age of Mashicach when children will teach
their fathers. We are blessed with special children and we remain the bottom of
that barrel.  

I give tremendous credit to our children who
sacrifice much to make Eretz Yisrael their home. In many ways, life is more
luxurious, care free and monetarily richer in the United States, but they and
those who have made Aliyah have in essence said, “di Zahav” – enough. This is
something human beings are rarely capable of doing. They have reached back to
the soul within them which connects to the soul of Adam before the sin. And
this deserves, blessing, protection and the promises of Mashiach. They should
be blessed in happiness as Adam and Chava in Gan Eden. They should be blessed
with parnassa, health, peace and prosperity and through their sacrifice and
example, Hashem should bring Eliyahu as He promised!  

 Tonight, we begin shemini aseret which in Israel is a single
day. For us in Galut, we divide the two days of chutz la aretz into the two
parts of the holiday. We come to think of tomorrow as the day of tikun hageshem
where we praise Hashem for bringing rain and Sunday, Simcha Torah, as
celebrating the Torah. But in reality,
it’s a single 8th day of the holiday. And the question was asked, what’s it all
about?  

We always attempt to connect the holidays of this month,
which begin with Rosh Hashana and conclude with Simcha Torah. 

Rosh Hashana relates to Adam. It is the day Adam was created.
It is the day, he was commanded not to eat from the tree, It was the day he
sinned and that was the day G-d mercifully pushed aside or forward the punishment,
setting a precedent as a day of judgment where Hashem will hopefully, treat us
with mercy. 

Now we always connect the Rosh Hashana with Yom Kippur as bookends
of Aseret Yemey Teshuba, but Yom Kippur follows Rosh Hashana 2449 years and 10
days later. We left Egypt in Nisan or April and we sinned with a golden the
golden calf in Tammuz or July. Moses went back up a few more times begging for
forgiveness. And it is on Yom Kippur that Moses returns and again we have some
level of forgiveness or pushing off the punishment. We can suggest even though
there was no Yom Kippur in the beginning, Hashem created the world based on the
blue print presented in the Torah. And what appears to be coincidence, is
really part of the big plan.  

Now let’s look at Sukkot which falls five days after Yom
Kippur with four intermediary days between the two. We can suggest that that
holiday should have fallen in April or Nissan, but the rabbis explain that the
reason why it’s not as April because it would be natural to go camping or move
to an outdoor area when the sun comes out in the weather gets warm, and here
we’re doing it when the weather starts to change and people are returning back
inside to their homes. 

A possible answer is that when the people sinned with the
golden calf, they deserve to lose everything, Hashem mercifully refused to withhold
food and water, because they couldn’t survive without either of those, but Hashem
could take away the clouds. So, after they sin with the golden calf in Tammuz
or July, the clouds are removed which must’ve been a rough time of year to
remove the clouds and then what happens? 

Moses returns on Yom Kippur with the second set of luchot or
tablets and the next day he begins the fundraising campaign for the Mishkan. Moses
collects all he asks for and more over the next few days because the people
want to feel the presence of Hashem among them again to the point where he has
to tell them enough. And so they begin building the Mishkan on the first day of
Sukkot and with that the clouds return. With that in mind, it makes sense to
celebrate this holiday, on the day that the clouds returned because Sukkot celebrates
the clouds of glory.  

The essence of a suhhah is its shade. If there is more sun than shadow, it is invalid. 

'In His shadow, I delighted there and there I sat, and the fruit of His Torah was sweet to my palate.' (2:3) בְּצִלּוֹ֙ חִמַּ֣דְתִּי וְיָשַׁ֔בְתִּי וּפִרְי֖וֹ מָת֥וֹק לְחִכִּֽי 

אֲוַז הַבָּר הַמְּשׁוֹטֶטֶתבַּמִּדְבָּר. כְּשֶׁרוֹאֵה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹסְקִיםבַּתּוֹרָה אוֹמֶרֶת. קוֹל קוֹרֵא בַּמִּדְבָּר,
פָּנוּ דֶּרֶךְ יי, יַשְׁרוּ בַּעֲרָבָה מְסִלָּהלֶאֱלֹהֵינוּ, וְעַל מְצִיאוּת מְזוֹנוֹתֶיהָ בַּמִּדְבָּראוֹמֶרֶת. אָרוּר הַגֶּבֶר אַשֵּׁר יִבְטַח בָּאָדָם,
בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בְּיי וְהָיָהיי מִבְטָחוֹ: 

The Wild Goose flying in the wilderness, when it sees Yisra’el busy with Torah, is saying “A voice cries, Prepare in the wilderness the way of YHVH, make straight in the desert a path for our elo’ah. And upon finding its food in the wilderness, it says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in human beings…” Blessed is the man who trusts in YHVH, and YHVH shall be his assurance.”  

Extremely powerful class discussing reincarnation of entire generations, the tikun olam, tragedy of unfilfilled potential, the flood, the tower, the beauty of Sedom and the Torah of Olam HaBah. 

Memory means connecting 

The disconnect between generations is tragic 

The attempt of the rabbis is to remove the disconnect 

הִנֵּ֤ה אָנֹכִי֙ שֹׁלֵ֣חַ לָכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֵלִיָּ֣ה הַנָּבִ֑יא לִפְנֵ֗י בּ֚וֹא י֣וֹם יְהֹוָ֔ה הַגָּד֖וֹל וְהַנּוֹרָֽא׃

Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of GOD.

https://www.sefaria.org/Malachi.3.23

וְהֵשִׁ֤יב לֵב־אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים וְלֵ֥ב בָּנִ֖ים עַל־אֲבוֹתָ֑ם פֶּן־אָב֕וֹא וְהִכֵּיתִ֥י אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ חֵֽרֶם׃

He shall reconcile parents with children and children with their parents, so that, when I come, I do not strike the whole land with utter destruction.Lo, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of the awesome, fearful day of GOD.

https://www.sefaria.org/Malachi.3.24

והשיב, והוא ישיב את כל העולם בתשובה, עד שהבנים שהודחו מתורת אבותיהם ישיב לב הבנים אל אבותיהם לחזור אל הדת ותורת אבותם, ועי'כ ישיב לב אבות על בנים, ומבאר הטעם שיקדים לשלוח את אליהו בעת ההיא לישר את העם מפני כי פן אבוא פתאום והכיתי את כל הארץ חרם, ולכן יקדים לשלוח מלאך הברית להשיבם בתשובה ולהיות מוכנים לפני ה' בבואו לשפוט את הארץ והיתה לה' המלוכה:

https://www.sefaria.org/Malbim_on_Malachi.3.24.1

מִיכָּן הָיָה רִבִּי פִינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר אוֹמֵר. זְרִיזוּת מְבִיאָה לִידֵי נְקִיּוּת. נְקִיּוּת מְבִיאָה לִידֵי טַהֳרָה. טַהֳרָה מְבִיאָה לִידֵי קְדוּשָּׁה. קְדוּשָּׁה לִידֵי עֲנָוָה. עֲנָוָה לִידֵי יִרְאַת חֵטְ. יִרְאַת חֵטְ לִידֵי רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ לִידֵי חֲסִידוּת. חֲסִידוּת לִידֵי תְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים. תְּחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים לִידֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב. זְרִיזוּת לִידֵי נְקִיּוּת. וְכִלָּה וְכִיפֵּר. נְקִיּוּת לִידֵי טַהֳרָה. וְכִפֶּ֥ר עָלֶי֛הָ הַכֹּהֵן֭ וְטָהֵֽרָה. טַהֳרָה לִידֵי קְדוּשָּׁה. וְטִֽיהֲרוֹ וְקִידְּשׁוֹ. קְדוּשָּׁה לִידֵי עֲנָוָה. כִּי֩ כֹ֨ה אָמַ֜ר רָ֣ם וְנִישָּׂא שׁוֹכֵן עַד֙ וְקָד֣וֹשׁ שְׁמ֔וֹ מָר֥וֹם וְקָד֖וֹשׁ אֶשְׁכּ֑וֹן וְאֶת־דַּכָּא֙ וּשְׁפַל־ר֔וּחַ. עֲנָוָה לִידֵי יִרְאַת חֵטְ. דִּכְתִיב עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְי. אָמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק בַּר אֶלְעָזָר. מַה שֶׁעָשָׂת חָכְמָה עֲטָרָה לְרֹאשָׁהּ עָשָׂת עֲנָוָה עֵקֶב לְסוּלְייָסָהּ. דִּכְתִיב רֵ֘אשִׁ֤ית חָכְמָ֨ה ׀ יִרְאַ֬ת יְי. וּכְתִיב עֵ֣קֶב עֲ֭נָוָה יִרְאַ֣ת יְי. יִרְאַת חֵטְ לִידֵי רוּחַ הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. דִּכְתִיב אָ֗ז תָּ֭בִין יִרְאַ֣ת ה' וְדַ֖עַת אֱלֹקִים תִּמְצָֽא׃ רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ לִידֵי חֲסִידוּת. דִּכְתִיב אָ֤ז דִּבַּ֪רְתָּֽ־בְחָ֡זוֹן לַֽחֲסִידֶ֗יךָ. חֲסִידוּת לִידֵי תְחִיַּית הַמֵּתִים. דִּכְתִיב וְנָֽתַתִּ֨י רוּחִ֤י בָכֶם֙ וִֽחְיִיתֶ֔ם. תְּחִייַת הַמֵּתִים לִידֵי אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב. דִּכְתִיב הִנֵּ֤ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ שׁוֹלֵחַ לָכֶ֔ם אֵת֭ אֵלִיָּ֣ה הַנָּבִ֑יא לִפְנֵ֗י בּ֚וֹא י֣וֹם יְי הַגָּד֭וֹל וְהַנּוֹרָֽא וְהֵשִׁ֤יב לֵֽב־אָבוֹת֙ עַל־בָּנִ֔ים וְלֵ֥ב בָּנִי֭ם עַל־אֲבוֹתָ֑ם. תַּנֵּי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי מֵאִיר. כָּל־מִי שֶׁהוּא קָבוּעַ בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹכֵל חוּלָיו בְּטַהֳרָה וּמְדַבֵּר בְּלָשׁוֹן הַקּוֹדֶשׁ וְקוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע בַּבּוֹקֶר וּבָעֶרֶב מוּבְטַח לוֹ שֶׁהוּא מֵחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

“From here did Rebbi Phineas ben Yair say, promptitude brings to cleanliness, cleanliness brings to purity, purity brings to holiness, holiness to meekness, meekness to fear of sin, fear of sin to the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit to piety, piety to the Resurrection of the Dead, the Resurrection of the Dead through Elijah, may his remembrance be a blessing.”“Promptitude to cleanliness,” he finishes, and he atones.“Cleanliness to purity,” the Cohen shall atone for her, then she will be pure.“Purity to holiness,” he shall purify it and sanctify it.“Holiness to meekness,” for so says the High and Elevated One, Who thrones eternally, His name is Holy, in sublimity and holiness I dwell, and the suppressed and of meek spirit.“Meekness to fear of sin,” the consequence of meekness is fear of the Eternal. Rebbi Isaac bar Eleazar said, what wisdom proclaimed as a crown to its head, meekness made a heel for its sandal, for it is written, the head of wisdom is the fear of the Eternal, but it is written, the heel of meekness is fear of the Eternal.“Fear of sin to the Holy Spirit,” as it is written, then you will understand and knowledge of God you will find.“The Holy Spirit to piety,” as it is written, then You spoke in a vision to Your pious.“Piety to the Resurrection of the Dead,” as it is written, I shall give My Spirit into you and you will live.“The Resurrection of the Dead through Elijah, may his remembrance be a blessing,” as it is written, behold I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Eternal, that he turn the fathers’ hearts to the sons and the sons’ hearts to their fathers.It was stated in the name of Rebbi Meïr: Anybody permanently in the Land of Israel who eats his profane food in purity, speaks in the holy language, and recites the Shemaˋ mornings and evenings is assured to participate in the life of the World to Come.

https://www.sefaria.org/Jerusalem_Talmud_Shabbat.1.3.11

 Ki
Tavo El HaAretz - When you come to the land and celebrate the first fruits. 

Our
newlywed children Mariyah and Moshe moved into their apartment this week and
were busy building plant racks for the balcony and arranging things. Mariyah
sent me a picture after shopping at Machaneh Yehuda of her new refrigerator
stocked with fruits and vegetables and it was so apropos considering the
opening topic of this week’s portion. Moving from America with the luxuries we
get used to including immediate food deliveries through Instacart and setting
up a home in Jerusalem with lots of red tape and bureaucracy, presents its
challenges. But they view it as returning home. 

And
today was our granddaughter Orly Adele’s third birthday. She celebrated at home
with her siblings and parents in the Holy Land while her oldest sister Choux
Choux brought home her homework to do, all in her native tongue, Hebrew.  

Before
there was the internet and podcasts, before there were CD’s and learning via
zoom, there were Rabbi Beryl Wein’s cassette tapes. And spending an hour or so
with the Rabbi each day going through each of his history series was a part of
my daily study curriculum. Rabbi Abittan would explain that understanding
Jewish history, and where and when each of our great leaders and poskim lived
and the socio economic conditions they lived under is crucial in understanding
Torah and halacha, 

Rabbi
Wein points out to what we refer to as exaggerated stories or fairy tales
brought by the great sage Rabba Bar bar Hana in Baba Batra 73B and clarifies
that the Talmud’s fairy tales often reflect the realities of life in a very
prophetic way. 

“And
Rabba bar bar Ḥana said: Once we were traveling on a ship and we saw a certain
fish upon which sand had settled, and grass grew on it. We assumed that it was
dry land and went up (onto this island) and baked and cooked on the back of the
fish, but when its back grew hot (because of the fire from the cooking), it
turned over. And were it not for the fact that the ship was close by, we would
have drowned. 

Rabbi
Wein tells us to look at this story and ponder how it reflects on the history
of the Jewish people. Often, and throughout time, we think that we are on solid
ground; what we call terra firma, but in reality, we’ve settled on a floating
fish, and when things get hot, the fish turns and we get thrown into the sea. 

He
recalled when he was the rabbi in Monsey, New York, they were building a new
study hall and synagogue where certain huge ceiling beams were required. He
found a company in Canada that made these beams and they guaranteed them for 80
years. One of the members of the synagogue asked why he purchased these beams
from Canada when there was a company in Finland which charged a few dollars
more, but would give a guarantee for 300 years. 

Rabbi
Wein asked: are we planning for 300 years to have a building in exile? Are we
not considering returning home? Are we thinking about building a building for
the people who will take over our synagogue. 

As
he told the story, I remembered the stories he would tell about his
father-in-law in Detroit, and how they built a Synagogue and years later when
the neighborhood changed, they all moved away. They built a new synagogue, in
the new neighborhood, while selling the first synagogue to a black minister and
his flock. 

And
then years later, when they were going to move again, and they were selling
their synagogue to the same group a second time and building a third synagogue,
the minister told them he wanted to be on the building committee for the third
synagogue because he figured eventually he would buy that too, once the Jews
moved away.  

Rabbi
Wein in his special way pointed out that the pity is that we think that we’re
living on dryland, and that nothing is going to move us. We are sure there is
bedrock below us and we have a stable and perfect foundation, but the reality
is everything in Jewish history, from the Torah to the prophets and all through
the last two millennia tells us that we are really living on that fish, and
once the fish gets hot, we get tossed. 

In
his synagogue in Jerusalem, there was a certain men who, for the last 16 years,
was the chazan on the eve of Rosh Hashanah for selichot. And this past year,
this man who is a diabetic, must’ve taken an incorrect dosage of insulin, or
had some reaction and there was some imbalance. Towards the end of the prayer,
he was unable to continue, and almost passed out. The words just didn’t come
out and they sat him down and gave him some orange juice and someone else took
over. And it occurred to the Rabbi that this is us. One small imbalance and we
can’t continue. 

All
of life is like this, but too often we blind ourselves from realizing it. We
have people who build fortunes, and they think those fortunes will last forever
and a generation or two later, and sometimes not even that long, the fortunes
disappear. 

We
have to remember the words of Rabbi Bar Bar Chana when he admits that if not
for the boat, he and they would’ve all drowned. The only way that we don’t
drown in this world is to stay in the boat. The boat is Torah, the boat is
mitzvot, the boat is morality, the boat is kindness, the boat is Hashem’s boat. 

The
boat is everything that the world mocks, and the Creator of the world proves
this to us.  

And
as I think of the opening words of the perasha, when you will come to the land
and consider that we have one little piece of dryland in the world, a fraction
of a fraction of the world. If you ask anybody on the planet, they’ll swear to
you that this piece of land we’ve returned too after two thousand years is the
prime example of sitting on the back of a fish waiting to be thrown off.  

But
this piece of land is in fact a protected boat, just as the boat is our
synagogue and the boat is our family. 

Many
people arrive with a long list on Rosh Hashanah, but stop for a second and ask
yourself, what if you could only have one item on your list? What if you could
only ask for one thing? What would that be? 

Perhaps
to be on that boat with our children and grandchildren and settled in the land
that was given to us, whether shopping at machane Yehuda to fill the new fridge
in Jerusalem or celebrating a birthday with a three year old sabra in Tel Aviv.
 

“Then
you will rejoice in all the good things that the Lord your God has given you
and your family, along with the Levites and the stranger in your midst.” Amen  

A couple of years ago, I was out shopping in the days before Rosh Hashana when I noticed two yeshiva boys in their suits and white
shirts with their mom. The mother pulled a set of small bowls off a shelf into her wagon and one boy asked why they would need such small bowls. The mother responded that they would be good for the simanim - the special foods we serve on the night of Rosh Hashana.  

  The other boy laughed and asked, 'Ma, what do you think? That this is Pesach? Ma, it’s not the Seder! Why such a big deal over some foods that we don't want to eat anyway? Do you really think it matters?'    

 I couldn't mind my own business. The mother was a bit aggravated. She went one way and the boys went the other way.
So I went over to speak with them.  

The truth is that their question is very valid. Just imagine for a second getting a speeding ticket in some small town in upstate New York or New Jersey. You arrive at this small town court.
The cop who wrote you the ticket is there and the judge asks you how you plead. You try some guilty with explanation excuse and then the judge cuts you short, asks the cop a few questions and tells you if you're done he will decide the verdict. 

 Try telling it to the Judge   

 You tell him to wait one more minute. You pull out from your bag a jar of honey and some sliced apple and as you dip the apple into the honey you state aloud, may it be the will of your honor the judge to sweeten my verdict just like this honey sweetens the apple and you eat the apple, relishing each bite in front of the court. Odds are that the judge will either throw you into a cell for a few hours charging you with contempt or ask that you be taken to the local hospital for observation.  

 Rosh Hashana is supposed to be the day of judgment. And as we learned in school as children, G-d takes out the scale. On one side go our sins and on the other go our merits. If we are worthy, we are judged positively and if not then we're in for some trouble.  

 How can eating a pomegranate or some blacked eyed peas increase our merits? How can eating a gourd or some dates
help destroy our enemies? How can an apple in honey sweeten out judgments? How is it possible through these foods to change sins into merits? What's going on here?  

 Is There Such a Thing as a Good Omen? 

 Is there such a thing as a good omen? And on Rosh Hashana is it the food or the prayer? And if it's the prayer then why do we need the food? The Talmud tells us about omens. If someone wants to know if they will be judged for life then on the days between
Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur he should light a candle in a draft free room. If the candles burns then fine, if the candle goes out, he better get some more life insurance quickly.  

 If he wants to know if he will merit a good parnasa or livelihood, he should take a chicken. He should feed it and if after a while it gains weight than all is good. But if it loses weight, he should get on the phone and call the bankruptcy attorney because tough times are ahead. And there are more.  

 The Talmud then warns not to try any of these at home. “Perhaps he will not see it and worry and as a result he will experience misfortune”.  

 A Reason to Be More Confused   

 Then Abaye goes on to say that what does work is eating pumpkin, fenugreek, leeks, beets and dates. These are good omens. He doesn't mention any yehi ratzons, nor prayers. Eat those foods he suggests. And if you were confused when we started, you should be even more puzzled now. How can we begin to understand what is going on here? The Arizal suggests that the person who lit the candle and sees the candle go out goes into depression. Perhaps the “Satan” blew it out just to mess with your mind. Sadness is a tool of the other side as it disconnects us from Hashem. Recall our forefather Jacob who in mourning for the loss of Joseph for 22 years lost his Ruach HaKodesh – his connection with G-d. Abaye in his brilliance suggests that if depression can
disconnect us and damage our Mazal then joy can do the opposite. And these special foods should bring us joy.  

 In Parashat Ki Tavo we read of 98
chilling curses. Why are we subject to curses? The Torah tells us it's because
we didn't serve Hashem with joy and a good heart. We are commanded again and
again to be happy and to serve Hashem with joy.  

 These foods which make up the
simanim of Rosh Hashana can be sweet but sometimes sour. If we taste them and
appreciate them; If we taste the sweetness and forget the tart; If we are
thankful of the world G-d gave us and are happy with Hashem then Hashem is
happy with us. If we are satisfied and happy then there is no place for
sadness, anger or jealousy. Satisfaction and joy have the power to change us
and change our lives.  

The
Benefits of Regarding Hashem as Our Father 

 If we are happy with Hashem and look
at him as a father then Hashem will look at us as his children. A child who
does something wrong and comes to his parent admitting his sin, feeling bad not
only for doing something wrong but for embarrassing his parent and truly tries
to never do the same wrong again in essence converts the sin into a merit. The
father cherishes the child and the entire act becomes part of a victory tale.  

 On Rosh Hashana, Hashem's behavior
towards us mirrors our own behavior. If we are happy with the world and
satisfied; If we share and care; If we look towards G-d as a parent, then he
looks at us as a child. 

The
Power to Change Our Mazal 

 Eating those foods, appreciating
them, being satisfied with them and enjoying them really has the power to
change our Mazal. We really can turn a sin into a merit. They have the power to
change the scale by literally converting the sins on the left side of the scale
into merits on the right side.  

 The key lies in our own hands. The
key lies in our own attitudes. On this Rosh Hashana as you sit with your family
and taste these foods stop and smell the proverbial roses. Go around the table
and ask everyone to focus on what they have to be thankful for. Focus on the
glass half full. Commit to being satisfied and fighting jealousy and anger.  

 Don't forget that what we project
finds its way back to us. May we project love and unity, satisfaction and
appreciation, and may we be blessed with a year of health, happiness, peace and
prosperity. Amen! 

Tizku LeShanim Rabot  

David Bibi   

How do we understand the concept of serving Hashem with joy? 

Is there really a misvah gedola lihiyot besimcha tamid? 

How do we define simcha ? 

David corrected Michal his wife, daughter of Shaul's misconception concerning the meaning of simchah in the service of Hashem. He
emphasized that this type of simchah must be expressed physically
and outwardly—even if it means that one must seemingly act beneath one’s dignity for the sake of Hashem— and display his simchah like a commoner.  

 Zohar hakadosh (Toldos 138a): “אצטריך יצר הרע לעולם —כמטרא לעולם, דאלמלא יצר הרע חדוותא דשמעתא לא ליהוי” the world requires the yetzer Hara just like it requires rain; if not
for the yetzer Hara, simchah related to Torah study would not
exist. What a powerful and incredible idea! 

Based on the Shvilei Pinchas: The yetzer Hara yearns to be transformed into a force for good, so that it, too, can participate in the service of Hashem. Yet, when people do not serve Hashem with simchah, it remains in its original evil state. In fact, it is angry
with man for not having rectified it and transformed it. As
revenge, it prevents man, as well, from elevating himself in the
service of Hashem; it rallies all of its forces to bring man down
spiritually by means of its various traps. These are the very
same forces that man, had he been wiser, could have transformed
into instruments for good by simply performing misvot
with simchah.  

 “When you go out to the war against your enemies, and the
L-RD your G-d delivers HIM into your hand and you capture HIS captive  

 And you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you
desire her and would take her to wife, 

 How can the Torah permit soldiers raping and capturing
women in battle and keeping them against their will? It seems so inconsistent with so much else the Torah teaches us about marriage – and about waging war? 

 The Status of Those Defeated in War in the Past: In ancient
times, the victors of wars would do whatever they pleased with those they vanquished. Any type of abuse was considered acceptable, both legally, and morally. Those who fell in captivity were considered the property of the victors. Many of them were killed and publicly abused (for that reason, King Saul asked to be killed with his own the sword, rather than be captured by the
Philistines). Some were slaughtered as sacrifices on the altars of their gods, while others were taken for murderous games and used as gladiators in wars against wild beasts or between one another, until death. 

“Chodesh Av,” the Month of Av, is referred to in the TORAH as the “Fifth Month,” counting from Nisan, the “First Month.” There is a Biblical reference in BaMidbar (33:38), where we find “And Aharon the Priest went up to Hor Hahar at the command of G-d, and he died there in the fortieth year after the Jewish People had left Egypt, in the fifth month, on the first of the month.” (BaMidbar 33:38). This is the only Yahrzeit mentioned in the Torah specifically with a date.

The kavana and permutation of Hashem's name which we have in mind during the blessing of the month on Rosh Hodesh in the Amidah of Musaf is 

ה ו י ה

It comes from the pasuk in Devarim 

ט) וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ וְהַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים הַלְוִיִּ֔ם אֶ֥ל כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֵאמֹ֑ר הַסְכֵּ֤ת ׀ וּשְׁמַע֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ נִהְיֵ֣יתָֽ לְעָ֔ם לַיהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃ 

(9) Moses spoke, and the levitical priests, to all Israel, saying: Hasket! Hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of your God יה - - וה:

Rav Yisrael Simcha Schorr quotes an Agra d’Kallah (from the Bnei Yissaschar) that cites a Zohar at the end of Parshas Pinchas which states that Yaakov and Esav divided the months between themselves. Yaakov symbolizes the middas harachamim, compassion, while Esav symbolizes the middas hadin, justice. Certain months are connected more to din and others are connected to rachamim. Esav wanted to take all the summer months, Tammuz, Av, and Elul. As we know, Tammuz and Av are difficult months for us, times of din. However, Yaakov would not allow Esav to take the month of Elul, as it would be too hard on Klal Yisrael to come into the din of Rosh Hashanah without the rachamim of Elul. We need Hashem’s compassion for a full month in order to face the great Day of Judgment.

Esav complained that Yaakov has tricked him twice, that he had taken away from him those two months.

Every year during the month of Elul, this struggle between Yaakov and Esav is renewed. Esav wishes to retrieve the month for himself. 

Yaakov in seeking ways to sweeten jusgment with lovingkindness, Ya’akov managed to liberate the second portion of Av from Esav. (This took place when he defeated the Sar of Esav in the 'wrestling' match. The result is that now the second half of Av is joined with the entire month of Elul, the month of Teshuvah, the best time for getting back into alignment with the Divine will. Indeed, the Holy Qedushat Levi, Rebbe Levi Yitzhak of Berditchev, noted that Av is an acronym for Arur (cursed) and Barukh (blessed). The blessing part of Av begins with this parashah and reaches its height on the 15th of Av.

Shoftim Eglah Arufah 

Rabbi Akiva - Miriam 

Rav Dessler

Mussar 

Raising Children