Dvar Torah - Parshat Terumah

This week we are privileged to read the portion of Terumah. Hashem requests that the Jews build a dwelling for His Presence amongst the Jews. For the project of building this Mishkan (Temple), it was necessary to receive donations of Gold, Silver, Copper and precious stones, and several other materials, for the completion of the project. Hashem commanded that donations be accepted from all, as this was going to be the Center for "all" Jews. The Torah goes on to describe the details of all the artifacts which were placed in the Mishkan, such as the Aron (ark), the Menorah, the Shulchan (table), Mizbeiach (altar) and so on.

I'd like to share with you some interesting facts related to details of the artifacts. The Aron in which the Tablets (Luchos) were placed, which held also the Torah, had special wooden staves covered with gold, which Torah commands us, shall never be removed from the ark. see Shemos 25/15. The staves, known as the Badim, symbolize those who support Torah. This is a message that those who support Torah will merit to be with those who learn and spread Torah in the world to come, as they are inseparable. We also know what our sages teach us that the Aron carried those which carried it. We know that the Aron was extremely heavy, it consisted of three boxes, two of which were pure gold and one was wood, probably the weight of a van... Miraculously during the journey thru the desert, it was moved from place to place, because the Aron carried those that carried it. So too, those who support Torah will be carried by the Torah.

Another observation commented by Chasidic masters. The Torah refers to the border made for the shulchan (table), in Shemos 25/27 "across the border shall be the rings". Leumas Hamigeres tihyeno Hatabaos. The word misgeres (border) comes from the word sogur - locked. Chassiddic masters teach us that when one reaches a situation where he feels locked in and bordered (limited), he shall loo to the rings, referring to the ring which Pharaoh gave Yosef, after having gone though such a difficult period, and the ring which will be reading about shortly, the ring which Achashveirosh gave Mordechai. Hashem is always there for us, even in the most difficult and unimaginable times, thing could turn for the best.

Dvar Torah - Parshat Yisro

This week we are privileged to read the portion of Yisro. The portion begins with Yisro, Moshe's Father In Law joining the Jewish people, bringing his daughter Tzipora, Moshe's wife and her two children to re-unite with their father. Yisro advised Moshe to set up a system of lower judges and leaders so that not all questions will need to be answered by Moshe himself. The Main topic of the portion is the purpose of creation, kabolas Hatorah,- receiving the Torah. The Ten Commandments are written in this week's portion.
In the beginning of the portion we learn that Moshe had two sons his oldest was named Gershon, the second Eliezer. Gershon, for I was a stranger in a foreign land. Eliezer, for the G-d of my father assisted me and rescued me from the sword of Pharaoh.
Why is it that Moshe did not name his first son after the great rescue ? The Tiferes Shlomo explains the reasoning. When Gershon was born the Jewish nation was still enslaved in Egypt, and although Moshe personally, managed to escape, he didn't view this a full rescue. For to Moshe as long as his brothers and sisters were under slavery, he was not at peace. His second son, Gershon, was however born, after Hashem had already informed Moshe that he will free the Jews from Egypt. This is why Moshe was already able to say that he was rescued. Now that his brethren were in the process of redemption, he felt comfortable naming his son for his rescue.

Perhaps this is what it means to be - k'ish echod b'leiv echod - as one man with one heart. The phrase used by our sages, to describe the unity prior to receiving the Torah. When we feel each other's pain as our own and we rejoice with one another's simcha as it is our own then we reach the level of k'ish echod b'leiv echod.
Just as during Matan Torah, everyone was healed from all illness, may it now too be a time for healing of all Klal Yisroel physically, spiritually and financially.

עברא דדשא

חסיד ופרוש
עובד ה' בכל נפשו
גאון נפלא בש״ס ופוסקים בבלי ירושלמי
סיני ועוקר הרים בראשונים ואחרונים
בקי בנגלה ונסתר
ה"ה מרן הגאון הרב שאול אלתר שליט"א.

נתבשרנו שזה עתה יצא לאור חלק שני מספרו עברא דדשא, פשוטו כמשמעו מבהיל על הרעיון.
לפעמים הקב״ה זורק לנו כוכב משיתא, אשר מבריק באור עצום כאור שבעת הימים. מופלג במדות, בבחינת מה הוא אף אתה.
אחד מתלמידי החכמים אמר פעם למרן רשכבה"ג הרב הגאון יוסף שלום אלישיב זצללה"ה, בתוך שיחה בדברי תורה, שהגר"ש אלתר שליט"א הביא מקור בעניין הסוגיא שדנו בה, כיון שהגיד וכו'. מיד הגיב מרן זצ"ל, אי אפשר לתפוס את הגר"ש אלתר שליט"א בחוסר ידיעה בסה"ק, אפילו בספר קצות החושן.

וציויתי את ברכתי

השלג והגשם היורד ברציפות בניו יורק עם הקור הגדול, קובע שיאים חדשים. ידוע שמרן הגר"ח קניבסקי שליט"א,  אמר כמה וכמה פעמים, ברכת וציויתי את ברכתי, היא ברכה גם מחוץ לארץ ישראל. והנה אנחנו רואים, הן בארץ והן מחוץ לארץ את ברכת ה' בריבוי הגשם.

בכל יום אנו מתפללים ומבקשים שים שלום, אמנם לדאבונינו עדיין לא זכינו לראות את מילוי תפילותינו, לצערינו עדיין יש מחלוקת ויש שנאה.
לית מאן דפליג שמותר לחלוק, בכל הדורות לא הסכימו תמיד תלמידי החכמים ומורי הדרך בעם ישראל על אותה הדרך. אבל אסור לשנוא!
זה נורא כואב, כשיודעים שבכל צד עומדים גדולי תורה ועובדי השם. כואב הלב כשרואים את סימני עיקבתא דמשיחא במילויים, כמה דחוצפא מסגי. המצב כיום, אינו מביא כבוד שמים. אדרבה, אופן ההתנהגות והגרורות של המחלוקת, גורם לחילול השם, ומביא מסר ברור לדור העתיד שמותר לבזות ולהכות תלמידי חכמים.
איננו מקנאים באף אחד שנגרר לעשות מעשים כאלו, ואפילו אם נדמה לו שעושה כביכול לשם שמים.

ותנו כבוד לתורה!