‫בסד‬ ‫ לענ ר אברה אליעזר ב ר נת בנימי זל‬,‫לענ הב מתתי עה ב יבלחטא משול זישא הלוי ני‬ ‫ לענ הב ישעיהו דוב עה ב יבלחטא יצחק צבי ני‬,‫לענ לאה בילא בת אלכסנדר משה זל‬ ‫לזכות לשידו בקרוב לר נת בנימי ב ליבא שליטא ולזכות לשידו בקרוב לר יעקב שמעו ב אסתר שליטא‬ Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of America (‫ז‬:‫ידד‬:‫רני ושמחי … )זכריה ב‬ :‫ מק הפטרה‬:‫פרשה‬ !‫כט א ליכטיג או פרייליכ חנכה‬:‫כדז‬:‫ במדבר ז‬:‫מפטיר‬ Please do not read this publication during ‫קדיש‬, ‫ קריאת התורה‬or ‫חזרת הש‬. Torah Thoughts ‫מברכי רח טבת‬ 27 Kisleiv, 5771 — December 4, 2010 Vol: 12 Issue: 10 Adapted from: Talelei Oros (with kind permission from Feldheim) .‫ׁש ֵמ ַע … ּכִי ַה ֵּמלִיץ ּבֵינ۟תָם‬ ۟ ‫א יָדְעּו ּכִי‬a ‫וְהֵם‬ And they did not know that ‫ יֹוסֵף‬heard, because the interpreter was between them. (B’reishis 42:23) The ‫ ) ִּפ ְרקֵי ְד ַרּבִי ֶאלִי ֶעזֶר כט( ִמ ְדרָׁש‬tells us that ‫ יֹוסֵף‬was really meant to live for one hundred and twenty years. But when he allowed his brothers to say the words ‫בִינּו‬l k‫ ַע ְב ְּד‬, my [our] father, your servant, ten times and he did nothing to stop them, he lost ten years of his life, one year for each time he heard those words. The ‫ ִמ ְדרָׁש‬continues, if honoring one’s father lengthens one’s life, then allowing him to be dishonored shortens it. The question arises: If we were to count the number of times ‫ֲקב‬ ۟ ‫ יַע‬is referred to in the ‫ּפְסּוקִים‬ as “my [our] father, your servant,” we find only five such references. They are: ‫בִינּו‬lְ‫ ל‬k‫ַיאמְרּו ָׁשלֹום ְל ַע ְב ְּד‬ ۟‫ו‬ — And they said, “Your servant, our father, is well” (43:28). ‫בִי‬l k‫“ — וַיְהִי ּכִי ָעלִינּו אֶל ַע ְב ְּד‬And it was when we went up to your servant, our father” (44:24). ‫ ֵאלֵינּו‬k‫בִי ַע ְב ְּד‬l ‫ַּיאמֶר‬ ۟ ‫“ — ו‬And your servant, my father, said to us” (44:27). ‫בִי‬l k‫“ — וְ ַעּתָה ּכְב۟אִי אֶל ַע ְב ְּד‬And now, when I will come to your servant, my father” (44:30). ‫בִינּו ְּביָגֹון ְׁשא۟לָה‬l k‫ אֶת ֵׂשיבַת ַע ְב ְּד‬k‫“ — וְהֹורִידּו ֲע ָבדֶי‬And your servant will have lowered the old age of your servant, our father, with sorrow into the grave” (44:31). Why, then, does the ‫ ִמ ְדרָׁש‬hold ‫ יֹוסֵף‬responsible for hearing it ten times? The Vilna Gaon explains that, indeed, ‫ יֹוסֵף‬heard it repeated ten times. He understood the brothers’ statements, of course, in the original Hebrew. The interpreter was only there to further his pretense of being an Egyptian heathen. When their statements were translated into Egyptian by the interpreter, ‫ יֹוסֵף‬was hearing the brothers’ offensive words for the second time. Thus, although they uttered them five times only, he heard them ten times. There are many lessons we can learn from this ‫ ִמ ְדרָׁש‬and the interptretation of the Vilna Gaon. However, there is one lesson that might easily be missed. ‫ יֹוסֵף‬had no control over the first time the brothers said “‫בִינּו‬lְ‫ ל‬k‫” ְל ַע ְב ְּד‬. Why was he was still punished, even for the first time? There is a important lesson we can learn about watching a wrongdoing and not protesting. ‫ יֹוסֵף‬would not have been punished if he would have protested after the first time he heard his brothers using the words “ ‫בִינּו‬lְ‫ ל‬k‫” ְל ַע ְב ְּד‬. ‫ יֹוסֵף‬should have protested immediately and asked his brothers to refrain from using that phrase. He did not. ‘Not protesting’ was the reason ‫ יֹוסֵף‬was punished. If one notices improper behavior or speech and one has the ability to effect a change in the situation, then remaining silent shows ones approval. During WWII, R’ Elya Meir Bloch ‫ זַצַל‬walked into a ‫ ְס ָפרִים‬store on the Lower East Side and asked for a ‫ַחֹוׁשן‬ ֶ ‫קְצֹות ה‬. With tears in his eyes, the owner handed R’ Bloch a dusty ‫ קְצֹות‬and said, “This is the last ‫קְצֹות‬ to be sold in America. There is no demand!” R’ Bloch responded: “Don’t worry, I can assure you that thousands of ‫קְצֹותִים‬ will be printed and sold in America.” ‫ וְ ָחכָם ָעדִיף ֵמנָבִיא‬- A wise person understands better than a prophet! New York City Only ‫עשק‬ Yahrtzeits of our ‫ד(לי יִ ְ& ָר ֵאל‬ ֵ ‫ְג‬ ‫כ כסלו‬ 5667 - 5741 1906 - 1980 R' Eliyahu Meir Bloch ‫ זַ ַצל‬was born in Telshe, Lithuania. His father, R' Yosef Leib, was the ‫ רָב‬and ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬of Telshe. After his marriage, he spent 12 years as a ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬at Telshe. When the ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ י‬could not continue under the Soviets, R' Elyahu Meir and his brother-in-law, R' Chaim Mordechai Katz ‫ זַ ַצל‬travelled to America, to raise funds to move the ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ י‬to either ‫ִׂש ָראֵל‬ ְ ‫ ֶארֶץ י‬or America. When he arrived, he heard of the Nazi invasion and later learned that he lost his wife and 3 of his 4 children. In 1941, he restarted the ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ י‬in Cleveland, Ohio, and as the ‫ ישיבה‬grew he won the admiration of the locals. He was a staunch supporter of ‫ִׂש ָראֵל‬ ְ ‫ ֲאֻגדַת י‬of America and was a leading figure of their ‫ִׂש ָראֵל‬ ְ ‫מֹו ֶעצֶת ּגְדֹולֵי י‬. ‫סו) זמ‬ ‫קריאת שמע‬ Understanding Davening ‫לענ ר משה צבי בן הר טוביה הלוי זצל‬ …‫מָעֹוז צּור יְׁשּו ָעתִי‬ O Mighty Rock of my salvation … The term ‫ מָעֹוז צּור‬is borrowed from the words in ‫ְּת ִהלִים‬ (‫)לא ג‬, ‫ְהֹוׁשי ֵענִי‬ ִ ‫ ֱהיֵה לִי לְצּור מָעֹוז … ל‬, become for me a Mighty Rock … to save me. V‫ ד‬is often referred to as ‫צּור‬, a Rock. In ‫מֹודִים‬, we say ‫צּור ַחּיֵינּו‬, He is the Rock of our lives. Why would we refer to V‫ ד‬as a Rock? V‫ ד‬does not ‫חַס‬ ‫ְׁשלֹום‬ ָ ‫ ו‬change; we do, and so do our circumstances. Every description of V‫ ד‬describes our relationship to V‫ ד‬at that moment. When we say ‫רַחּום‬, merciful, we feel and need His mercy. When we say ‫ צּור ַחּיֵינּו‬in ‫מֹודִים‬, we are saying: just as a rock never changes, so too, V‫ ד‬constantly performs daily miracles for us. This is the meaning of ‫—מָעֹוז צּור‬we are guaranteed that V‫ ד‬will not foresake us. He never has and He never will. This week’s edition is dedicated by This week’s edition is sponsored by The Mermelstein Family The Friedlander Family ‫ טבת‬0‫ יארצייט ב‬,‫ יקותיאל זושא ע*ה‬0‫לע*נ גיטל בת ר‬ ‫ מנחם מענדל ע*ה‬0‫ משה דוד בן ר‬0‫לע*נ ר‬ ‫ וברו מרדכי ב טעסיל‬,‫ ור יהושע שמחה אליה ב רבקה צירל ביילא‬,‫לרפוש ר אלטר חיי ב יהודית‬ ‫ וחוה נחמה מליא בת חנה מחלה בתו שאר חולי ישראל‬,‫ וביילא ברכה בת אסתר‬,‫ ווארדא פנינה בת רבקה‬,‫ולרפוש מרת ליבא בת זיסל‬ ‫הדלקת נרות‬ ‫סו) זמ תפלה‬ ‫שקיעה‬ ‫ות טל‬ ‫ומטר‬ ‫לברכה‬ ‫מוצשק‬ PAI NEWS On behalf of Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of America, we take this opportunity to wish all of our readers and all ‫כלל ישראל‬: Aah lichtigen ‫!חנכה‬ Living with the Torah Focus on Middos Pleading for Privacy Adapted from: Touched by a Story 2 (with kind permission from ArtScroll) A Chofetz Chaim Moment: ‫ סעיף י*ג‬0‫ספר ח*ח הלכות לשון הרע כלל ב‬ Can any of the group discuss Eli’s business opportunity with others? The ‘Yeshiva boys club’ had a meeting to discuss the options of their annual trip during the ‫ ֲחנֻּכָה‬vacation. Eli mentioned to the group of five, that he had found an unusual business opportunity that should be able to help him fund his trip. He explained that Mr. Rose, who owned a warehouse in the center of town, was trying desperately to clear out all of its contents. Eli had cut a secret deal with Mr. Rose in which he, Eli, had exclusive rights to sell off the contents. *Stories adapted from Guard Your Tongue, A Daily Companion, A Lesson a Day and various real life situations. Answer: Normally, if one is told about a secret business deal, then it is forbidden to repeat it to others; however, since Eli told it to the group ‫ּפֵי ְּת ָל ָתא‬qְ‫ ּב‬and did not request that it be kept secret, he showed that he does not mind if it is repeated to others. One still needs to keep the ‫ ְּתָנאִים‬of ‫ּפֵי ְּת ָלתָא‬qְ‫ּב‬. Please be careful to handle this sheet in the proper manner as required ‫עַל ּפִי ַה ָלכָה‬. Dear Talmid, Once, at an alumni convention of Telshe ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫י‬, the ‫۟ראׁש‬ ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫י‬, R' Eliyahu Meir Bloch ‫ ַז ַצל‬sharply departed from his typical uplifting shmuess. He began his keynote speech with the words: " ‫מעֶן‬ ‫ — טר נִיׁשט זײַן ַּגּנָב‬One is not allowed to be a thief!" Agitated, he told the assembled of his personal experience on a recent trip. Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬was short of cash. He asked a businessman whom he knew quite well to lend him one hundred dollars until the next day, when he could cash a check. The ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬detected some hesitancy on the man's part. The ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬smiled and diplomatically reassured the businessman that he would bring him the money the very next day. The man was still reluctant. The ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬was pained and said incredulously, "I was clear that I will bring you the money tomorrow. Don't you trust me?" The man, embarrassed, said, "It's not that I don't trust you Rabbi. It's just that I've had a bad experience with a loan." When the full impact of his words hit Reb Elya Meir, he was beside himself. Apparently another ‫ ַּת ְל ִמיד ָח ָכם‬had borrowed money from him and had not yet repaid the debt as promised. He raised his voice in anger and distress to the ‫ ַּת ְל ִמי ִדים‬: "Do you understand what matters have come to? A ‫ ַּב ַעל ַה ַּביִת‬does not trust a ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬with one hundred dollars till the next day because of a 'bad experience!' You came here expecting to hear some deep thoughts. You may go back home and say that you came to Cleveland to hear the Telshe ‫ְׁשיבָה‬ ִ ‫ ۟ראׁש י‬say, '!‫"'מעֶן טר נִיׁשט זײַן ַּגּנָב‬ My ‫ ַּת ְלמִיד‬, remember! You represent the ‫ ַּת ְל ִמיד ָח ָכם‬to the rest of the world! Your every action or non-action has a ripple affect. The same idea is true, explains the ‫ ָחפֵץ ַחּיִים‬with giving a loan. It does not stop by the simple favor, but it continues, it helps the recipient's family life, his ‫ ַּפ ְרָנסָה‬and the ‫ זְכּותִים‬grow with each new generation! ‫ ְּביְדִידּות‬, Your ‫ֶרּבִי‬ Sage Sayings Source: In their Shadow (Feldheim Publishing) R’ Elya Meir Bloch ‫ַצל‬ ַ ‫ ז‬traveled 22 hours to ‫ ֶא ֶר ִי ְ& ָר ֵאל‬on an urgent communal matter. After arriving, he ask to be ‫ר‬-.‫יח ִצ‬ ַ ‫ ִל‬/ְ for ‫ ִמ ְנ ָחה‬as it was his mother’s ‫ט‬0‫רצ‬1‫י‬ ַ . Someone questioned his traveling on his mother’s ‫ט‬0‫רצ‬1‫י‬ ַ and missing reciting /‫י‬2ִ ‫ ַק‬. He explained, “?‫סער‬ ֶ ‫ע‬. ֶ ‫יל‬3ִ ‫מע‬4‫מ‬ ֶ 0‫מ‬ ַ ‫ז‬4 ‫נט ִאיר‬0‫מ‬ ֵ ‫ס‬13 — What do you think my mother prefers? — /‫י‬2ִ ‫ג ַק‬1‫ ז‬6‫ז ִאי‬4 — that I say the words of /‫י‬2ִ ‫ ַק‬, ‫ל‬2ַ ַ 7‫נגע ִי ְת‬ ֶ ‫רע‬. ֶ ‫ס‬13 ‫ֲ&י‬ ִ ‫ ַמע‬-‫ ט‬6‫דער ִאי‬1 ֶ ‫א‬.ָ ‫ ַר‬9‫ ֵמ‬/ְ /2ַ ‫ — ְו ִי ְת ַק‬or I do things that will bring glory to ‫”!ד‬ Halacha Corner * ‫ה‬:; ָ ‫ ֲחנ‬:‫י(מא‬ ָ ‫ִה ְלכ(ת ִענְ ָינֵי ְד‬ • • If possible, one should try to daven ‫ ִמנְחָה‬on ‫ ֶערֶב ַׁשּבָת ֲחנֻּכָה‬before lighting the ‫נֵרֹות ֲחנֻּכָה‬. A wife should first wait for her husband to finish lighting his ‫נֵרֹות‬ ‫ ֲחנֻּכָה‬before she begins lighting her ‫נֵרֹות ַׁשּבָת‬. If the time is getting late she may begin lighting her ‫ נֵרֹות ַׁשּבָת‬after he lights the first ‫נֵר‬. *Since we only discuss 1-3 ‫ה ָלכת‬, ַ it is important to consider these ‫ ַה ָלכת‬in the context of the bigger picture. Use them as a starting point for further in depth study. ‫י‬/ִ ‫ ַר‬Questions of the week: 1. What ‫ ְּב ָרכָה‬did ‫ יֹוסֵף‬bestow upon his brother ‫ ִבנְיָמִין‬that the other brothers had received at an earlier time? 2. What stirred ‫’יֹוסֵף‬s compassion towards his brother [as opposed to his brothers]? Answers 1. All the other brothers had been blessed with ‫( חֵן‬see 33:5) before ‫ ִבנְיָמִין‬was born. ‫ יֹוסֵף‬now gave the ‫ ְּב ָרכָה‬of ‫ חֵן‬to ‫ ִבנְיָמִין‬. ‫נִ י‬.ְ > ְ‫ָחנ‬ ְ ‫( דה ֱא= ִקי י‬43,29) 2. ‫ ִבנְיָמִין‬explained that all his children’s names allude to his “lost” brother and the troubles that met up with him, thus stirring ‫’יֹוסֵף‬s compassion towards ‫ ;חִיו‬- his brother. ‫ ַר ֲח ָמיו‬-‫י נִ ְכ ְמר‬:ִ ‫( דה‬43,30) .‫ וַּיַעַש ָלהֶם ּכֵן‬p‫ָׁשיב ַּכ ְסּפֵיהֶם אִיׁש אֶל ַׂשּקֹו וְָלתֵת ָלהֶם ֵצדָה ַל ָּד ֶר‬ ִ ‫וַיְצַו יֹוסֵף וַיְ ַמלְאּו … ְּכלֵיהֶם ּבָר ּו ְלה‬ ‫ יֹוסֵף‬commanded that they fill their vessels with grain, and to return their money, each one’s to his sack, and to give the provisions for their journey; and so he did for them (Bereishis 42:25). The brothers came to ‫ ִמ ְצ ַריִם‬during a famine to purchase food for their family. Posing before his brothers as the suspicious viceroy of ‫ ִמ ְצ ַריִם‬, ‫ יֹוסֵף‬sent them home to their father with instructions to return with their youngest brother, ‫ ִּבנְיָמִין‬. ‫ יֹוסֵף‬treated them considerately by sending them provisions for the road, in addition to the full vessels of grain which they were bringing home. On the other hand, ‫ יֹוסֵף‬secretly instructed his assistants to take the money which the brothers had given as payment, and hide it in their sacks. What was ‫’יֹוסֵף‬s motive in hiding the money in their sacks? We don’t find any apparent significance in the hidden monies. R’ Shimon Schwab, quoting the Brisker ‫רָב‬, suggests: ‫ יֹוסֵף‬wanted to ensure that the brothers would return to ‫ ִמ ְצ ַריִם‬. He knew that as descendants of ‫ ְב ָרהָם‬q, ‫ יִ ְצחָק‬and ‫ֲקב‬ ۟ ‫יַע‬, his brothers would not be at peace with themselves knowing that they had someone else’s money in their possession. Thus, they would feel forced to return to ‫ ִמ ְצ ַריִם‬, if for no other reason than to return the money which was not their own. ☼☼☼☼☼ R’ Schwab himself was renowned for his integrity in all areas. In monetary matters he went far beyond the strict requirements of ‫ ַה ָלכָה‬, and in so doing, sanctified the Name of Hashem. Once, R’ Schwab visited his son R’ Myer when the latter was a student at Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin. The two then went to a subway station to travel to Manhattan. Near from the token booth, R’ Myer spotted a few quarters lying on the ground. His father instructed him to give them to the clerk at the token booth. R’ Myer was prepared to obey, but he was somewhat puzzled, for a subway station is considered a public domain and the ‫ ַה ָלכָה‬clearly allows one to keep an item like money (which has no identifying characteristics) when it is found in such an area. Respectfully, he asked his father for an explanation. R’ Schwab explained: “Certainly you are correct — from a halachic standpoint, the money is yours. But in our day and age, we have to utilize every opportunity to be ‫ ְמ ַקדֵׁש ֵׁשם ָׁש ַמיִם‬and demonstrate what ‫ ּתֹורָה‬Jews are all about. You hand the money to the man in the booth and I will stick my beard into the window so that he will see who we are!” Years later, R’ Schwab visited R’ Myer in Denver, where he serves as Dean of the city’s Bais Yaakov. One day, R’ Myer brought home two of his father’s suits from the cleaners. Upon examining the receipt and counting his change, R’ Schwab realized that he had mistakenly been charged for only one suit. When R’ Myer checked the figures, he said, “Yes, it’s certainly a mistake. Tomorrow I’ll pass by the store and pay the difference.” “It should not wait for tomorrow,” his father replied. “We should take care of it right now. I will come along.” At the time of his visit to Denver, R’ Schwab was still able to walk, but with difficulty. Nevertheless, he insisted on going with his son to contribute his share to this ‫ַּׁשם‬ ֵ ‫קִּדּוׁש ה‬. They arrived at the shopping mall and R’ Myer pulled up right in front of the cleaners so that the proprietor could see his father sitting in the front seat. R’ Myer entered the store, explained what had happened and paid for the suit. The proprietor turned to look out the window and R’ Schwab smiled and waved at him from the car. The proprietor said to R’ Myer, “Rabbi, you didn’t have to make a special trip for this — you could have brought the money in tomorrow!” “I know,” R’ Myer replied, “but to my father, the matter could not wait until tomorrow; it had to be rectified right away.” ‫בסד‬ Adapted from The Jewish Observer For newsletter &/or learning sponsorship opportunities: 212 797 9000 ext 272.