Monday, September 10, 2007
Rosh HaShanah 5632 Second Ma'amar
On Rosh HaShanah, God provides abundance for the entire year. God’s blessing begins as something spiritual that becomes physical in the material world. In the transformation from spiritual to physical, other changes take place as well. Spiritual abundance is uniform. Physical forms, on the other hand, differ. This concept is suggested by the very name of the holiday. Literally, Rosh HaShanah means the head of the year. However, the word shanah/year also means change. In this sense, Rosh HaShanah connotes the beginning or source of abundance before it changes from spiritual to physical.
Sunday, September 09, 2007
Rosh HaShanah 5632 First Ma'amar
There is a popular custom to eat specific fruits and vegetables on the night of Rosh HaShanah. Each food represents some specific thing that we want for the coming year.[*] When contemplating this custom one is struck by the difference between the custom and the actual prayers of Rosh HaShanah. Whereas the foods that we customarily eat represent the requests that we would ask of God, the actual prayers do not even contain a hint of these requests. Why not simply insert the requests into the prayers? Click here to see entire ma'amar.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Elul 5640
“אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי לִי/I am for my beloved and my beloved is for me.” The first letters of each word of this pasuk spell out “Elul.” What is the connection between the month of Elul and this pasuk?
The Sfas Emes explains. First, we need to know and understand that there is a special relationship between the nation of Israel and God that has nothing to do with the nations of the world. Shabbos, for example, was given solely to us. God declares, “בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא/It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel.” Yeshayahu prophesied, “I have formed this nation for Me,” and, “you are My witnesses.” The nation of Israel is on a level on which we can live a life of holiness dedicated to God without associating with the nations of the world.
The goodness of our hearts, though, dictates that we help the nations as well. In fact, Israel’s collective mission is to elevate and rectify the Creation. In order to do this, many times we need to come into contact with elements of society and situations that are less than ideal spiritually.
This applies to the entire year. However, during the month of Elul we need to draw inwards, to connect with our roots. During the entire year we dirty ourselves with sins because we integrate with the world and are exposed to the evil in it. During the month of Elul, the principle of “your own life comes first” applies.
Chazal hinted at this concept when they established Rosh Chodesh Elul as the Rosh Hashana for ma’aseir beheimah. The mitzvah of ma'aseir beheimah entails tithing domestic animals that we own. Every tenth animal is tithed. The halachah requires that only animals born in the same year be counted for the tithing. The cutoff date is Rosh Chodesh Elul. An animal born before Rosh Chodesh Elul cannot be counted with an animal born after Rosh Chodesh Elul.
It is highly significant that Rosh Chodesh Elul is the Rosh HaShana for ma’aseir beheimah. Indeed, the concept of ma’aseir beheimah applies to our year as well. Even though during the entire year the holy and mundane are naturally integrated, during the month of Elul, we separate and concentrate on the holy alone. We introspect and remember that ultimately we were created to serve God. We thus fulfill, “אֲנִי לְדוֹדִ/I am for my beloved.
If we succeed in fulfilling, “אֲנִי לְדוֹדִ/I am for my beloved” during Elul then God fulfills וְדוֹדִי לִי/and my beloved is for me” during Tishrei showering life and holiness upon the entire coming year.
The Sfas Emes explains. First, we need to know and understand that there is a special relationship between the nation of Israel and God that has nothing to do with the nations of the world. Shabbos, for example, was given solely to us. God declares, “בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹת הִיא/It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel.” Yeshayahu prophesied, “I have formed this nation for Me,” and, “you are My witnesses.” The nation of Israel is on a level on which we can live a life of holiness dedicated to God without associating with the nations of the world.
The goodness of our hearts, though, dictates that we help the nations as well. In fact, Israel’s collective mission is to elevate and rectify the Creation. In order to do this, many times we need to come into contact with elements of society and situations that are less than ideal spiritually.
This applies to the entire year. However, during the month of Elul we need to draw inwards, to connect with our roots. During the entire year we dirty ourselves with sins because we integrate with the world and are exposed to the evil in it. During the month of Elul, the principle of “your own life comes first” applies.
Chazal hinted at this concept when they established Rosh Chodesh Elul as the Rosh Hashana for ma’aseir beheimah. The mitzvah of ma'aseir beheimah entails tithing domestic animals that we own. Every tenth animal is tithed. The halachah requires that only animals born in the same year be counted for the tithing. The cutoff date is Rosh Chodesh Elul. An animal born before Rosh Chodesh Elul cannot be counted with an animal born after Rosh Chodesh Elul.
It is highly significant that Rosh Chodesh Elul is the Rosh HaShana for ma’aseir beheimah. Indeed, the concept of ma’aseir beheimah applies to our year as well. Even though during the entire year the holy and mundane are naturally integrated, during the month of Elul, we separate and concentrate on the holy alone. We introspect and remember that ultimately we were created to serve God. We thus fulfill, “אֲנִי לְדוֹדִ/I am for my beloved.
If we succeed in fulfilling, “אֲנִי לְדוֹדִ/I am for my beloved” during Elul then God fulfills וְדוֹדִי לִי/and my beloved is for me” during Tishrei showering life and holiness upon the entire coming year.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Nitzavim 5631 First Ma'amar
“לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא לֵאמֹר מִי יַעֲלֶה-לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ ... כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד .../It is not in heaven [so as] to say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven to take it for us? … rather it is very close to you …” Rashi cites Chazal who say that if the Torah were in heaven, we would in fact, be required to ascend to heaven to learn it. What does this mean?
The Chidushei HaRim explains that Chazal are teaching something very significant about learning Torah. Intuitively we understand that we need to work hard to attain goals that are far from us. We view the goal as static so we need to move a long way to get to it. When the goal is close, we do not need to work as hard to attain it. The Torah, however, is not static. When we desire Torah and work hard for it, the Torah itself responds and comes close to us. It appears that it was never far from us. When, however, we do not work for it, it remains far away.
This, then, is what Chazal mean. When we want to connect to the Torah so much, with all our heart, that we would search for a way to get it even if it were in heaven, then it is indeed very close. It is specifically because we would ascend to heaven to get it, if required, that it is very close to us.
The Chidushei HaRim explains that Chazal are teaching something very significant about learning Torah. Intuitively we understand that we need to work hard to attain goals that are far from us. We view the goal as static so we need to move a long way to get to it. When the goal is close, we do not need to work as hard to attain it. The Torah, however, is not static. When we desire Torah and work hard for it, the Torah itself responds and comes close to us. It appears that it was never far from us. When, however, we do not work for it, it remains far away.
This, then, is what Chazal mean. When we want to connect to the Torah so much, with all our heart, that we would search for a way to get it even if it were in heaven, then it is indeed very close. It is specifically because we would ascend to heaven to get it, if required, that it is very close to us.
Monday, September 03, 2007
VaYeilech 5631 First Ma'amar
“... וְאָעִידָה בָּם אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ/… And I will call upon the heavens and the earth to testify about them (i.e. the nation of Israel).” The heavens and the earth represent the entire Creation. How does the Creation testify? The Chiddushei HaRim explains Click here for entire ma'amar.
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