Category: A Taste of Torah

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

Meeting the Enemy Within and Without

Parshas Berashis tells us about the creation and of the creation of the most noble of creations – man. The Torah tells us that man is created in the image of G-d and was originally placed in the Garden of Eden where he was to be served by the rest of creation as the master of Hashem’s entire world. The story quickly takes a turn where the evil inclination depicted as the cunning serpent seduces Chava, Eve, into eating from the Tree of Knowledge. She in turn involves Adam and the future of mankind is altered for all of time.

We learn this story as very young children and we must adjust our understanding as we mature. The purpose of the Torah’s narration is not to entertain; it is to teach us practical lessons for life. We intuit that there is great depth to this story, but we must seek some level of understanding to be able to gain the self-awareness that is necessary to deal with our evil inclination.

Rav Samson R. Hirsch (1808-1888), leading Rabbi and Chumash commentator in Germany, understands that this story is a primer in how man’s physical senses entice him. We are tempted by the allure of a physically satisfying experience to forget our morals. This temptation often leads us to rationalization. We can become quite philosophical when we justify depraved behavior, but the real rationale is the seeking of pleasure.

Rav Yisroel Salanter (1809 – 1883), the father of the Mussar movement, describes this as the internal Yetzer Hara,evil inclination. This is our natural gravitation to satisfy our animal spirit which lusts for pleasure. There are other internal tempters which he identifies as emerging from our imagination. We dream up all kinds of realities to strive for and many of them can destroy us. Ambition, greed, jealousy and lust for pleasure and power are all forces in our psyche which can have a very positive function, yet they can wreak havoc with our lives.

Reb Yisroel points out that this story also describes an external tempter. The serpent is the outside influence which introduces us to unseen temptation and to unknown influences. These can be societal pressure, a poorly chosen friend or an unexpected encounter which throws us out of equilibrium. It can also be the exposure to extreme materialism and consumerism which can turn out to be a bottomless pit for us. We must recognize these as well and understand the potential harm these external temptations can have on us.

We are told this story as a cautionary tale. Hashem wants us to understand the enemy within and without so that we can be strategic and stay away from trouble before it happens. We have turned a new page after the exalted days of Tishrei, and when we head back into our daily lives we should strive to use this lesson well.

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

In the Clouds

Tonight we begin sitting and eating in the Sukkah as we celebrate the holiday of Sukkos. One reason given for why we do this is to commemorate the Clouds of Glory that surrounded our ancestors while they traveled in the desert. The question arises  – what lesson is there for us today that we should be thinking about as we sit and eat in the sukkah? It was a miracle then; what relevance is it for us today?

The Vilna Gaon shares a little background information that will help us understand this. He quotes the Chazal who tell us that after the sin of the golden calf, the Clouds of Glory disappeared. This disappearance of these clouds was G-d’s message to B’nei Yisroel of his displeasure with their actions. The removal of the clouds was G-d’s way of physically distancing himself from them. It wasn’t until Moshe pleaded with the B’nei Israel to do teshuvah and they complied that B’nei Yisroel was forgiven.  This act of G-d’s forgiveness culminated on Yom Kippur when they received the second Luchos signifying that G-d and B’nei Yisroel were once again close. Immediately after the completion of this act, the Clouds of Glory returned which was right before the holiday of Sukkos.

Now, we can understand what we are commemorating. We are not recognizing the Clouds of Glory that were with B’nei Yisroel all those years in the desert. Rather, we are recognizing the ones that came back illustrating that we are once again close with G-d at this time of the year. May we all feel that special relationship throughout the coming year.

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

Believing in the Power of Yom Kippur and the Power of Teshuva

The awesome day of Yom Kippur is upon us, and we approach it with dread since it is a day when our fate is decreed for the coming year. As we say in U’Nesane Tokef, “…on the fast day of Yom Kippur, it is sealed who will live and who will die.” This dread and fear should drive us to utilize the days leading up to Yom Kippur to review our previous successes and failures and figure out what we can change so that the future has more successes and less failures. No matter how well we do in this endeavor, there is something else we must do to utilize the wonderful gift of Yom Kippur to its fullest extent. We must believe in the gift of teshuva (repentance) and the gift of Yom Kippur!

We must believe that no matter how far we have strayed and no matter how severe our misdeeds are, we can achieve repentance and be redeemed by Hashem’s dual gift of teshuva and Yom Kippur. In the liturgy of Tzom Gedaliah we refer to the case of Menashe, king of Yehuda. Menashe committed the most heinous of crimes, murdering countless people, uprooting the spiritual edifices and Torah learning that his father and predecessor, Yechizkiyahu, had created. He went as far as murdering his grandfather, the prophet Yeshayahu! After such a terrible career, he was captured and tortured by his Assyrian enemies. Menashe first called out to all of his false deities, and only when there was no response, did he turn his entreaties for help to Hashem.  The Midrash in Megillas Rus (5:15) tells us that the ministering angels argued that he was not worthy of grace. After all the crimes he had committed and the insulting behavior of turning to Hashem only as a last resort, why should he be saved? Hashem did not follow their counsel. He created a special pathway of teshuva for this grotesque sinner so that no one would ever have the excuse not to repent by saying that he/she were beyond redemption.

Our sages (Pesikta 21) note that teshuva is not logical. Once we have been disrespectful to our Creator, we have lost the right to exist. Yet, as we say when we recite the שלש עשרה מדות, the thirteen attributes of mercy, Hashem tolerates our missteps and affords us the opportunity to do teshuva. Teshuva is a special kindness that is a product of Hashem’s mercy; it can accomplish far more than we can understand. We use our human interactions as a frame of reference to limit the power of teshuva. Hashem doesn’t see it that way.

The same idea is present when we think about Yom Kippur. We prepare for this holy day through תשובה – תפלה – צדקה and that is our feeble way of showing that we are serious about the process. Hashem, in his magnanimity, takes it to a completely different level. Yom Kippur is the ultimate cleansing which Hashem graces us, completely disproportionately to our efforts. This is the meaning of  כי ביום הזה יכפר  עליכם – It is with this day He will atone for you. Our job is לפני ד’ תטהרו, to cleanse ourselves before Him so that we are worthy of this tremendous gift of forgiveness.

While we are in fear of the judgement, we trust in Hashem’s kindness and believe that this day will bring us redemption from the mistakes we make. The more we believe in the power of the day, the more it will change us. If we leave Yom Kippur with the feeling that we have a new lease on life, the longer we will be able to act as a reborn people.

May we merit to experience the full beauty and majesty of this day and emerge pure and reconciled with our Maker so that we move forward serving Him with love and joy!

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

There are two interesting midrashim that discuss the history of teshuva, repentance. One (Tanchuma Nosso 11) says that the concept of teshuva predates the creation. The other (Braishis Rabba 22) relates that Adam encountered his son Cain after he had murdered his own  brother, Hevel. Adam inquired what had occurred when he was judged by Hashem. Kayin answered, “I repented, and we worked it out.” When Adam heard this, he felt terrible that he had not utilized the tremendous power of teshuva after his own sin of the Tree of Wisdom. He then went on to compose the psalm of Mizmor Shir L’Yom HaSHabbos which is a psalm that describes the world in a perfect state after the coming of Moshaich which is called the state of “eternal Shabbos.”

These midrashim seem to indicate that teshuva is a concept that exists even in a perfect world where there is no sin and even in a world that hasn’t even been created yet. This is in contrast to the description which we find in this week’s parsha, ”…and when all of these events happen to you, the blessings and the curses, you take it to heart amongst the nations in which you dispersed and you will return to Hashem.” These words refer to the baal teshuva who returns as a response to suffering the consequences of bad choices. 

The overall concept of teshuva, and indeed its name implies,  is a return to a better relationship with our Maker. It happens when we evaluate how close we are to Hashem and what we are investing in that relationship. Are we focused on appreciating His greatness and kindness? Have we become unfocused and swept away in materialism or other distractions? Do we consider what we can do to be closer to Him and follow through on those thoughts? That is the essence of “returning” to Hashem.

The midrashim saying  that teshuva exists in a perfect world are telling us that imperfection and mistakes are part of perfection. Teshuva is a journey in which we reflect on our behavior, and we endeavor to resolve the underlying causes for our failings. It is a ladder that we climb as we internalize our yearning for closeness to G-d, and we never arrive because it is all about the yearning and the journey.

There is a range in the motivation to repent. Some might do teshuva because they fear divine retribution (Teshuva M’Yirah, repentance out of fear), and some do teshuva because they have an enhanced awareness of Hashem and this leads to embarrassment of their misdeeds. The highest form of teshuva is that which is done out of love for Hashem where a person wants to draw closer to Hashem and feels that his shortcomings are in the way. This is called Teshuva M’Ahava, repentance out of love.

Of course, repentance involves the aspects of recognizing our mistakes and taking responsibility for them. However, it does not end there. It continues with our recognition that He awaits our return and that he is capable of a great deal of forgiveness. These are all components of teshuva and our goal is to rise to the highest level.

As we enter the awe inspiring Yamim Noraim, we begin by proclaiming Hashem as our King. A king must have a following and Hashem desires us to be His subjects. Once that is in place, we begin the process of cleansing our sins and failures during the Asres Y’mei Tesuvah. May we succeed to rise to the level of Teshuva M’Ahava, repentance out of love, and be blessed with a happy, healthy and fulfilling year!

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

Understanding the Message of Bikkurim

In this week’s Torah portion, we are introduced to the mitzva of Bikkurim – the farmer’s bringing of his first fruits to the Kohen. As the  farmer approaches the Kohen, the Torah gives him a directive to go back in time and state the passage of “Arami Oved Avi…  – What Lavan tried to do to our forefather Jacob…” and then to continue reflecting that we also went down to Egypt and contemplate more of our struggles and that G-d saved us in all of these situations. Although, it is nice to reflect on history and be grateful for what happened then, why is the farmer given this instruction to do so at this point?  What is the relevance of bringing up our past struggles as a people and G-d’s salvation for us?

Rav Aron Kotler ZT”L (the founder of Lakewood Yeshiva) answers this question with another question. He points out in the Birkat Hamazon, the grace after the meal, that not only do we thank G-d for the food that we have eaten, but also thank Him for the land of Israel, taking us out of Egypt, and for giving us the Torah. Why is this included as we thank G-d for the food we just ate?

Both of these questions illustrate a fundamental lesson in life to be learned about giving gratitude. Most of us like to think of ourselves as independent people. Therefore, to be grateful and to admit to others that you need them can be a difficult task. To acknowledge the presence of G-d for the simple things such as eating the food on our table can be a challenge as well. Through these examples, the Torah is teaching us when one is in a grateful mode, extend that gratefulness to other situations. Although it may not seem related to the function at hand, such as bringing bikkurim, reciting the Birkat Hamazon, the essence of these mitzvos is to bring out the attribute of gratitude in all other areas of our lives. As we approach the New Year, may we all merit the ability to recognize the many things for which we have to be grateful.

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

It Isn’t Easy to Commit

When the Torah discusses the mitzvah of tzedakah, charity, the possuk  says, “כי בגלל הדבר הזה”  –  “as a result of this matter (your generosity) Hashem will bless you in all of your endeavors.” Rashi quoting the Sifri notes the choice of the word “davar,” which literally means thing or matter, can also mean speech or word. Rashi, therefore, explains that one is rewarded not only for the charity he does, but also for the words he said when he made the commitment. What is the importance of the words; don’t the actions speak much louder than the words?

We can understand this in one of three ways. Firstly, the Torah is teaching us the importance of inspiring others when we do a mitzvah. The Mishna in Avos (5:13) says that one who desires to give and that others should give as well is a chasid, a pious person. Our sages instruct us to publicize those who do a mitzvah in order to inspire others to follow suit. (See Yoma 31a). This does not contradict the principle of being modest and humble in our service of Hashem if our public participation in a mitzvah is predicated on the intent to get others to join and not for self-aggrandization.

A second explanation is that making a commitment raises the level of difficulty in doing the mitzvah.  Once a pledge is made, we’ve obligated ourselves to do something and that is uncomfortable. Our sages teach us that one who does things because they are obligated gets a greater reward than one who does things voluntarily beyond what is required of them. This may seem counterintuitive, but it is an important insight into our humanity. We like to be heroes; we don’t like to pay bills. Once we make a commitment, it is harder to stick to it and fulfill what we said.

A third explanation is that when we make a public commitment, we are avoiding the pitfall of cynicism. Often, when people are asked to participate in a worthy cause, they have many reasons to say no. It could be lack of trust of the leadership, non-belief that effort will be successful, feeling that they have a better plan, etc. We are wonderful “armchair quarterbacks” when it comes to communal issues. When we commit to a communal cause, we are avoiding that bad behavior and resisting the cynical response that robs us of communal initiative.

All three of these lessons are helpful when we speak to our children about getting involved. We should do mitzvos with the hope that others will join us. We should make commitments because we become obligated by them, and we should value being part of worthwhile communal endeavors.

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

Leadership at Its Best

In this week’s Torah portion Eikev, G-d tells Moshe to relay the following message to the Jewish people. “What does G-d ask of you but to fear Him?” The Talmud analyzes this statement and makes the following observation. In using the term what, it implies that the matter is quite simple. With that, the Talmud wonders is fear of G-d a small and trivial thing? To truly have an awe of G-d in one’s everyday life is the work of a lifetime. Therefore, how can it be phrased in such a manner that makes it seem like it is an easy thing to attain?

The Talmud goes on to answer that yes, for Moshe, to have an awe of G-d is a small thing. However, we are now left wondering how this answers the question asked above. G-d commanded Moshe to relay this message to the Jewish people. This wasn’t a command to Moshe alone. Yes, it may be easy for him, but it is certainly not easy for the rest of Bnei Yisroel.

There is a great lesson in leadership to be learned from this. A leader leads by example. If a leader exemplifies and demonstrates a characteristic trait to the masses and makes it look easily attainable, the masses will follow his lead. It is true, on our own, to attain the level of fear and awe of G-d may be an arduous task. However, now, that we, the Jewish  people, experienced Moshe’s leadership, we realize that to relate to G-d, fear G-d and to live an inspired life of observing Torah and mitzvos is attainable.

Having a role model from which to learn is a great lesson for all of us as parents, educators, lay leaders, etc. We all need to have special individuals in our lives that enable us to strive for more than we could have imagined in our own spiritual growth. We must then, in turn, try to become role models for the next generation.

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

  נַחֲמוּ נַחֲמוּ עַמִּי יֹאמַר אֱלֹהֵיכֶם

This week’s haftarah, the first of seven which comfort us after Tisha B’Av, opens with the sentence, “Be comforted, be comforted, oh my nation. Speak to the heart of Yerushalayim and call to her (encourage her) since she was punished doubly for her sins.” The Midrash (Eicha ch. 1) notes that Yerusahalayim is consoled doubly to compensate for her being punished doubly.

This Midrash is not just a play on words. Rav Chayim Shmuelevitz ZT’L (Rosh Yeshiva in Mir, Poland and Yerushalayim, 1902-1979) explains that once the redemption comes, we will be consoled doubly because we will be able to understand that the redemption was actually staged in the very worst of times. The seeds of redemption are sown when we are at our lowest ebb. This is the meaning of the well-known gemara that teaches that Mashiach was born at the time of the destruction.

Reb Chaim also quotes the gemara at the end of Makkos which related an incident in which Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues passed the ruins of the Bais HaMikdash and saw a fox exiting the place where the holy of holies had stood. Rabbi Akiva’s friends began to weep in response to the terrible desolation and desecration they were witnessing. Rabbi Akiva was smiling, and when he was asked for an explanation, he said that the same prophet who said that Zion would be ploughed over because of our sins also said that old hoary men and women, each one holding their staff, will yet again sit in the streets of Yershalayim. Now, that we witnessed the fulfillment of the first part of this prophecy, we can surely anticipate the second part. How did this answer assuage the pain of the destruction?

Rav Chaim explains that the reconstructed Bais HaMikdash and the restoration of our people to our land are going to be on a much higher level of existence than we had in the past. The staffs held by the old people described in the prophecy symbolize abilities that far surpass what old people can do today. The destruction paved the way for this new existence and that is part of the consolation for our people. While the pain for our people is very real and justified, it is still mitigated with the knowledge that it isn’t for naught. It is purposeful and it lays the foundation for a brighter future.

The Jewish people have always overcome their generation’s adversity with the belief that tomorrow will be better. That isn’t enough. We must not only have faith in Hashem that he is just and kind. We must also have trust in his judgment. We must believe that he is always creating a brighter future with today’s events. We will be able to fully understand this at the time of redemption when the world will reach a perfect state, and we will have the double consolation of being redeemed and knowing that our troubles were actually for our own good.

Written by: Rabbi Mordechai Raizman

Coming Together

Our sages tell us that any generation where the Temple was not rebuilt in their time, it is as if it was destroyed in their time. The simple understanding of this statement is that if we haven’t experienced the ultimate redemption yet, it is because the baseless hatred that existed then (which the Talmud tells us led to the destruction of the second Bais Hamikdosh), still exists now.

This statement is hard to comprehend. There were so many generations before us that contained very worthy and righteous people. If the Temple wasn’t rebuilt in their generation, what chance do we have?  The Chofetz Chaim Z”L (Rabbi Israel Mayer Kagan, leader of the Jewish people pre-World War II) who was responsible for a major initiative in learning the laws of loshon hora (evil speech ) and was known for his meticulous attention to loving his fellow Jew is a perfect example of such a person, and if he wasn’t successful in experiencing the ultimate redemption, what can we do?

The Sfas Emes (19^th century Chasidic Rabbi) explains the statement of our sages in the following manner. Our charge is to be builders. G-d demands of us effort, not perfection and completion. The sages are telling us if the Temple wasn’t built in “your” time that means there was no effort made to be a more sensitive people to eradicate the baseless hatred, and, therefore, we are no different than those living at the time the Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed. However, if we are putting forth effort to love our fellow Jew, then we are a generation that can be worthy of that redemption. 

I once read the following in one of Rabbi Mattisyahu Solomon’s, (the Mashgiach of Lakewood Yeshiva), seferim. It seems in tragic times, we rally and come together. Why do we have to wait for that to happen? It is time to start coming together, whether it be for a simcha, such as a shalom zachor, or simply calling someone you know to show that you care. Be a part of the community. Let us not wait for the tragedies; let us be pro-active in creating an atmosphere of unity among all Jews. May we merit to be a generation of builders to see the future redemption in our times.

Written by: Rabbi Avrohom S. Moller

These Are the Stations of the Jewish People

This week’s second parsha, Massei, begins with a listing of the 42 places that the Jewish people camped in during the journey from Egypt to Eretz Yisroel. It begins with Raamses in Egypt and ends with the encampment on the plains of Moav overlooking Jericho. What is the purpose of this listing? Rashi gives the explanation that it is a retrospective reflection on all of the travails that our people endured during the stay in the desert and that in spite of those difficulties, Hashem stayed with us and pulled us through.

As a people, we have endured much travail and barely survived many of them. Our survival is a testimony to G-d’s covenant with His chosen people and the tenacity of the Jewish spirit. The challenges to our existence and our eventual triumph over these challenges are not the entire purpose of these difficulties. When Hashem places his people in any setting, it has many positive outcomes for us as a people. Every station that we have been placed in has provided us with opportunities to learn about ourselves and to integrate new abilities into our national character. An example of this is the Spanish period where we developed the field of Jewish philosophy, poetry and Hebrew grammar. Sure, there were grave threats to our spiritual and physical safety, and it didn’t end well for us, but we did gain these important competencies because of our 500 year stay there. This is true for individuals as well. Every community we live in and every relationship we have polishes us and adds to our competencies.

Parshas Massei is read during the three weeks of mourning for the Churban, the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash. We are sad for the loss of our national pride, the dispersion of our people, our alienation from Hashem and the manifestations of his closeness to us. At the same time, we should reflect on how far we have come, the areas we have developed, and the strengths we have gathered during our long exile. This will give us comfort and a feeling of purpose for what  we have endured as a people.