31 January, 2024 08:16

This week’s parsha, Yisro, records the momentous occasion in which the Jews received the Torah. The 5th of the ten commandments is that every Jew is obliged to honor/ show respect to their parents.

It is interesting to note that this mitzvah, together with a few others, were instructed earlier then the rest and was transmitted in a place called "Marrah." The verse that records this commandment includes some "extra" words that require attention. We are required to "Honor your father and your mother in the way in which Hashem your G-d instructed" – What way is being referred to?

The commonly understood reason as to why our parents "deserve" our respect is because of those sleepless nights, changing nappies, feeding us, clothing us, paying for scratching their car…. However this appears to be wrong- the way in which the mitzvah was given indicates differently. In the wilderness- "Marrah" all physical needs were taken of by Hashem, so why did the parents of the generation of the wilderness deserve respect. The honor we are obligated to show our parents, is for giving us the biggest gift of all- Life! The best way to show our gratitude to both our parents and Hashem is to use the gift to its fullest – to live a life of value and meaning.

R’ Ezer Pine

The Perfect Step

This week’s parsha contains the momentous event of the Mount Sinai experience. Hashem appeared and gave the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people. Interestingly, the parsha then concludes with instructions about the altar (20:21-23). What is the connection between the altar and the Ten Commandments. Why was it necessary that the Ten Commandments be followed by the commands regarding the altar?

One of the instructions regarding the altar was that it should not have steps but rather a ramp. What’s this all about? What is wrong with steps? The sages explain that it teaches us a lesson about modest behaviour towards others and how we should be sensitive not to shame others (See Rashi). Perhaps another idea may also be suggested.

Each step has a certain fixed height. This height obviously cannot be appropriate for everyone. It may be too high for a very young child and yet a tall person may prefer to climb two steps at one time. A ramp does not have this disadvantage. Each person can take a size step that is perfectly suitable for him.

The Ten Commandments encapsulate the whole Torah – they are the foundations of Yiddishkeit. The juxtaposition of the Ten Commandments and the altar teaches us a vital lesson. When it comes to our development in Yiddishkeit, no two people have exactly the same path. A certain size step that is appropriate for one person is not necessarily the way forward for someone else. Each person has to do what is right for him to maximize his personal growth.

The Art Of Listening

Moses’ father-in-law Yisro, sheik of Midian, heard about all that G-d had done for Moses and His people Israel when He brought Israel out of Egypt (Shemos 18:1)

What did Yisro hear about that made him come? The splitting of the Sea and the war with Amalek (Rashi).

Considering that Matan Torah (the giving of the Torah) is the foundation of the entire world – both spiritual and physical – would it not have been proper for the sages to designate a full sedrah to this occurrence alone? Why was the episode with Yisro not included in Beshalach? After all, the splitting of the Sea and the war with Amalek that Yisro heard about are both contained in that sedrah.

"And Yisro heard" (Shemos 18:1). The Zohar asks: "Did only Yisro hear and the whole world not hear? Is it not written, ‘the nations heard and shuddered?’ The answer is that the whole world heard and were not humbled, and Yisro heard and was humbled and was drawn close to fear Hashem."

Before the Torah tells us, "And Hashem spoke," we must first learn what it means to listen. Unless there is an ear to hear, even the most powerful message from the mouth of Hashem Himself is lost. For that reason, "Yisro heard," precedes the giving of the Torah. Let us now investigate what proper hearing entails.

The Mechilta relates that prior to Matan Torah the kings of the nations heard the thunderous sounds and gathered together to seek advice from Bilaam. They were concerned that Hashem was bringing another cataclysm – if not of water, then perhaps of fire – to destroy the world. Bilaam quieted their fears by telling them that Hashem was giving His people the Torah. The kings replied, "Hashem should bless his people with peace."

Yisro heard the same thunderous noises and came to join the Jewish people and accept the Torah personally.

In contrast to Yisro, the kings of the nations were concerned personally only when they thought that the awesome sounds were harbingers of their doom. Once they were told that the sounds were the sounds of Torah, they immediately distanced themselves. They directed Hashem’s blessings to His people, but did not act as if they were personally implicated. There was nothing they felt that they could gain from these sounds. Only Yisro took these sounds as a personal message and directed his blessings to Hashem so that he might personally benefit from Matan Torah.

Many sounds and sights reach our ears and eyes, but only one with the capacity to really focus can absorb their message. The Gemara relates that the turning point in the life of Rabbi Akiva was when he witnessed the erosion of a stone by water. Many observed the same thing, but only he derived the message: if water can erode stone, then Torah can change the heart. The whole world summons one with an attuned and attentive ear to the service of Hashem: "The heavens declare the glory of Hashem" (Tehillim 19:2). Look at the sky, listen to the ocean and acquire yiras shamayim: "My heart says to me in your name, ‘Seek out my face’" (Tehillim 27:8)

As we once again experience Matan Torah, with the reading of the sedrah of Yisro, let us learn from Yisro to attune our ears to hear the uninterrupted voice of Hashem, directed personally to each and every one of us from every quarter of creation.
(Rabbi Zev Leff)

Who Takes Priority

A man needed a kidney transplant urgently. He had two sons who both wanted the mitzvah of helping their father. The eldest son claimed that since his younger brother was also obligated to honour him (learned from the fact that the Torah adds an extra word when writing the mitzvah of honouring parents – Parshas Yisro 20:11), he should acquiesce to his wishes and he should have the mitzvah. The youngest brother claimed that he was not prepared to forgo the mitzvah because when it comes to mitzvos, he is not required to honour his older brother.

When it comes to a person’s physical well being, his own body takes priority and therefore if he is stuck in a desert with someone else and he only has enough water for one person, his life comes first. If this is true for his body, how much more so for his own spirituality – his life comes first (Shaarei Teshuva).

There was a wealthy person who wanted to purchase a lulav for a Rav. Another person came along and outbid him and bought it for himself. The wealthy person told the buyer that he should not have taken away the lulav from the Rav, he should have honoured the Rav. He replied that when it comes to mitzvos, we first concern ourselves with ourselves. (Shaarei Teshuva)

Therefore even though there is a mitzvah for him to honour the older brother, this is not at the expense of a mitzvah that is for his benefit. Therefore a lot should be cast to determine the donor. (VeHa’arev Na)

Miller’s Musings – Parshas Beshalach

בס”דלעילוי נשמת לאה בת אברהם and רפואה שלמהאוריה חיים בן חנה יהודית, שרה נעמה בת רבקה עליזהand יהושע יוסף בן מלכה שרה

This week’s Miller’s Musings is sponsored

לעילוי נשמת

יצחק בן משה (יארטצייט י"ט שבט)

בתיה בת ישראל and

האפרים בן אברהם מש

MILLER’S MUSINGS

פרשת בשלח

Command of the Sea

From the vantage point of the sea, the sight of the Jewish nation encamped by its banks and the onrushing Egyptian army, must have been a spectacular and awe-inspiring sight. From that point of view there could be only one outcome; the Jews would surely be decimated and the Egyptians victorious. And yet, as we well know, this was not to be. The sea split, the Jews traversed it on dry land and the Egyptians perished beneath its raging water. The words in Tehillim “the sea saw and fled” refers to this very event and the Yalkot comments that what it saw was the coffin of Yosef. It explains that Hashem instructed the sea to flee from before the Jewish people because of the feat of miraculous proportions that Yosef accomplished in fleeing from the relentless advances of his master’s wife. But if Hashem had commanded the sea to split, why would it also require seeing the coffin of Yosef to do so?

The suggestion that Hashem’s command to the sea would undoubted be listened to, is of course true. A command from Hashem, to all but those with free will, is a statement of reality about to come into existence. The sea can no more refuse to split, than it can to crash against the shore. That being the case, the only realistic solution to our question, and the one offered by the Darchei Mussar, is that it was not truly the command of Hashem at all. He clarifies this point by telling us that it was in fact Moshe’s directive to split, as we see from the fact it was he that was told to “stretch your hand over the sea and split it.” A Tzaddik’s decree has dominion over creation and nature. But when the sea initially heard Moshe’s order, it did not want to submit to his will, for it considered him no better than itself. “We both do exactly what Hashem commands of us, so why should I listen to you?” Then it saw Yosef and saw the greatness of humankind. Not that we obey Hashem’s instructions, but that we do this despite the tremendous challenges we face and the tests to our fortitude, our faith and even our reason. Yosef risked his position, his life and ultimately his freedom, but he did what was right. This is a level nothing else in creation, even the angels on high, can reach and was why the sea submitted to do as it was told.

Are we aspiring for greatness or are we just getting by? I think it’s a fair question and one we should probably be asking ourselves. To be clear, greatness does not suggest renown, power or status. It may exist within even the most unassuming of individuals. Greatness, as the sea learnt, is overcoming whatever test and trial we face. For some it may be simply carrying on, whilst for others it is facing down our greatest fears. But for greatness truly to be found in our actions, we must be sincerely doing battle, not just living on past victories. We have to ask ourselves when the last time was that we did something that really challenged us. When did we last truly battle with our instincts and overcome a part of us rooted deep within our character? These are the moments that set us aside from the rest of creation. These are the choices that allow us to be more than the sum of our circumstances and design. These are the opportunities for us to rise above ourselves. We can be kind to other people when it makes us look good. We can daven and learn because this is what we always do. But unless we are engaged in that desperate, bitter, valiant struggle with our mortal foe, we are not truly doing what we are here to accomplish.

*May we enjoy Shabbos in peace, whilst in battle.*

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Shimmy Miller
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07531322970 | rabbimiller.mesivta| http://rabbimillersmusings.blogspot.co.uk/
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Parshas Beshalach

The sages praise Moshe Rabbeinu – when the Jewish people left Egypt, they were involved with taking the bounty of Egypt with them. But not Moshe Rabbeinu. He was busy with taking the bones of Yosef to bury them in Israel as the verse says, “And Moshe took the bones of Yosef with him” (13:19). The sages applied the verse, “He who is really wise, will take mitzvos” (Mishle 10:8) to Moshe.

There is a deeper understanding of this teaching of the sages. Taking physical possessions does not leave a (very) long term impression. Once a person departs this world, all his physical takings don’t help very much. In the grave there is no use for them. Moshe Rabbeinu took the bones of Yosef with him meaning that this act of involving himself with the mitzvah of taking the bones of Yosef was with him and stayed with him even after he departed this world. It was a true long lasting taking. It was eternal. (R’ Mordechai Ilan – quoted)

Moshe Rabbeinu knew what were the real assets to acquire.

Always look on the bright side of life…

This week’s parsha, Beshalach, opens with the start of the Jewish nation’s journey through the wilderness on their way to the promised land – the Land of Israel. The Torah, at this junction, tells us that Moshe took the coffin of Yosef with hm in order to fulfill the promise that had been made by Bnei Yisrael to Yosef, that they would take his body out of Egypt with them and rebury him in the Holy Land of Israel. The commentators ask why the Torah waited until now to tell us that Moshe took with him Yosef’s body, surely it would have been more appropriate to be mentioned at the end of last week’s parsha, Bo, at the very beginning of the exodus.

They suggest the following profound answer. Yosef, during his lifetime, had experienced many trials and tribulations. From being hated and sold by his brothers as a slave, to being thrown into a dungeon for 12 years for a crime he didn’t commit. Throughout his difficulties, he never gave up, he never lost his spirit – his faith remained strong. Yosef’s life represented a lesson which the Jews needed to learn as they embarked on what was to be a trying episode. Therefore the Torah makes mention of his coffin being transported at the very commencement of their long arduous journey in order to indicate the significance that his presence represented.

Everyone has times of difficulties in their lives, we would do well to remind ourselves of Yosef’s attitude towards adversity – to possess an inner strength sustained through a belief in the Almighty that ultimately everything is for our best.

R’ Ezer Pine

Stay Away

Who does not want to do the right thing? We all do. But sometimes we find ourselves in situations where we cannot resist. In a sense we lose control over ourselves. What is the solution?

When the Jewish people came out of Egypt, there was a danger. The easiest route to Israel was via the land of the Philistines. But this itself was the danger. When they would be faced with the threat of war, the Jewish people would maybe change their minds and would want to return, on the easy route, back to Egypt. Therefore G-d did not allow them to travel on the easiest route and instead the Jewish people traveled on a more difficult route making returning to Egypt a harder option (13:17-18).

From here we see a solution to potential pitfalls – avoid the danger! Do what you can to stay far away from a situation that you know that you may not be able to pass the challenge (Rav Dessler – quoted).

In physical matters we can all relate to this. Obviously, when we are waiting for the train we don’t stand right at the end of the platform next to the train tracks. Why not? Because we may get pushed or fall. We are all very particular to keep medicine out of the reach of young children. Why? Because they do not hold themselves back. So too we should do what we can to avoid dangers in moral and spiritual matters.

A Beautiful Tallis

We know that there is a concept of beautifying mitzvos – hiddur mitzvos – such as to use a nice lulav and esrog. The source of this comes from a verse in parshas Beshalach, that can be understood as, "This my G-d, and I will beautify Him." Interestingly, Rashi (Bava Kamma 9b) mentions a nice tallis as an example of hiddur mitvzah. This example is not mentioned in the gemara (Shabbos). Seemingly, the lack of mention is understood. The tallis itself is not the mitzvah, rather the tzitzis on the tallis are the mitzvah. Therefore it would seem that the concept of hiddur mitzvos, to beautify mitzvos should not be relevant to the tallis, only to the tzitzis (Dvar Avraham – quoted)!

The idea behind the example of tallis for hiddur mitzvah is that it refers to a tallis used for davening. Since it is worn for the sake of fulfilling the mitzvah of tzitzis, it has the status as an item of a mitzvah and therefore hiddur mitzvah is appropriate. (Iggros Moshe – quoted)

A Three Days Journey in the Desert

I declare that I will bring you out of the wretchedness of Egypt to the land of the Canuanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Yebusites – to a land flowing with milk and honey…. You and the elders of Israel will then go to the King of Egypt. You must tell him, Hashem, God of the Hebrews, revealed Himself to us. Now we request that you allow us to take a three day journey into the desert to sacrifice to Hashem our God (Shemos 3:17-18).

The commentators are puzzled by the fact that when Hashem revealed His plan for the Jewish people, He immediately told Moshe of their destiny in Eretz Yisrael, but at the same time instructed Moshe to ask Pharaoh only for permission to leave for three days. Many answers have been proposed to this question (see Ohr Hachaim to Shemos 318). We shall offer yet another based on one of the unique aspects of matzah.

The matzah, the bread of slavery, is at once the symbol of our slavery and the symbol of freedom. In the Pesach Haggadah it is both poor bread" and the symbol of how Hashem redeemed us in an instant.

It could be asked why a richer, more tasty cake was not chosen as a symbol of our redemption from the bitter slavery of Egypt. The answer is that we did not cease to be slaves with our redemption. As the Gemara (Megillah 14a) says, commenting on the verse (Tehillim 1131), "Praise God, give praise, you servants of Hashem" "Originally we were slaves to Pharaoh; now we are slaves to Hashem." We did not emerge from slavery to freedom; we remained slaves with a new master.

The Jew is not free. "Frei" is the password of alienation from Judaism. The Jew is the model slave, accepting the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven, and unequivocally yielding to his master, the Master of the Universe, Who he serves with unswerving dedication. The Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah to Berachos (9b) explain the halachah that the blessing of geulah (redemption) must be linked to Shemoneh Esrei, service of the heart. There is for the Jew no hiatus, no free moment between redemption and acceptance of God’s yoke.

After our redemption, we continued to dine on the bread of slavery to emphasize that our status as slaves had not changed. Even the good Land that we were given is a land suited to slaves, whether they be slaves to human masters or slaves to the King of kings. It was first given to Canaan, who himself bears the curse of eternal servitude.

Our freedom is the freedom to be God’s slaves. And it is this servitude which is the ultimate freedom. On the Tablets was engraved our freedom "Do not read ‘engraved on the Tablets’ but ‘freedom on the Tablets.’ " Freedom is total immersion in Torah, total dedication and obedience to God Himself. Only when the Jew is able to express his deepest inner will, the thirst to do God’s will, is he truly free. He is no longer a slave whose inner will is suppressed and stifled by the "se’or sheb’issa"-literally, the yeast in the dough, and figuratively, the yetzer hara with its infinite array of desires and lusts that wrench one from submission to God’s will.

Subjugation to the nations of the world, whether physical or cultural subjugation, is enslavement, for it suppresses our ability to express our inner will, to come close to Hashem. Redemption from that enslavement is totally God’s doing. We are passive objects when God takes us into His jurisdiction. We do not bring our redemption; we graciously and gratefully accept it.

But we must show ourselves worthy of freedom by displaying an understanding of the implications of freedom from outside forces, a desire for the opportunity to subject ourselves to Hashem.

The Ruler of the World did not need permission from Pharaoh to take us out of Egypt. Therefore Moshe did not approach Pharaoh with a request to leave Egypt to settle in Eretz Yisrael. But, the Jewish people, then under Pharaoh’s rule, had to show that they deserved geulah. That is why they petitioned Pharaoh for three days in the desert to sacrifice to God. The nature of these sacrifices was not clearly defined even to Moshe. As he told Pharaoh, "For we do not know how we are to serve Him until we get there" (Shemos 10 26).

Three days after leaving Egypt, Hashem told the newly freed Bnei Yisrael to return towards Egypt. Return towards Egypt, give up your newly acquired freedom, cease running towards safety and put yourselves in the clutches of your oppressors. Why? Because God wills it. That was the "sacrifice" after three days in the desert-not animal sacrifices, but the giving up of the thing most dear to them, their new freedom. That was the test of their worthiness for redemption.

We stand today on the brink of redemption and are being tested to see if we merit God’s redemption. We can safely leave bringing Mashiach to Hashem, but we must merit his coming. Only by intensifying our commitment to Torah and mitzvos, by dedicating ourselves to serving Hashem in all areas of life, by removing the chametz from our hearts, will we successfully discharge our three days in the desert.