Torah from Beis Yeamans

This past Shabbos I had the privilege of staying with the Yeamans family in beautiful Scarsdale,NY.

After davening on Shabbos day, the Rav and the Rebbetzin of the community came over to the Yeamans home for a brief Kiddush and discussion of the weekly Parsha.

As conversation changed from the conventional chatter that comes with introductions, The Rav proceeded to ask a question stemming from Parshas Ki Sisa that he said, "had been bothering him for quite some time."

The Gemara Brachos 7a (See "Parshas Ki Sisa - "...First isn't the worst") discusses Moshe's refusal to see the Ribbono Shel Olam's face, even after G-d insists that he does. With an inquisitive tone the Rabbi asked, "If G-d offered Moses the Divine opportunity to see his face, who is Moses to say no?!"

After internalizing the question for a moment or so, I suggested (Yes, I believe that I raised my hand!), Perhaps Moshe did not refuse. He saw G-d "panim al panim", but he chose not to internalize his vision.

There are times in our lives when we read, see, or even experience things that we chose not to internalize. Moshe Rabbeinu saw the Ribono Shel Olam in His full glory, he just never saw him with the right perspective. Only when he stood on Har Sinai did he chose to view G-d with the correct intentions. Unfortunately, by that point in time it was too late.

It seems that many of our mistakes throughout history have not been in practice but in perspective. So much so that the Second Temple was destroyed because of it. It is said that the Temple was destroyed because we did not say Bircas HaTorah before learning Torah. Can this be? Did every person in Klal Yisrael make the same mistake? Is it possible that after generations of saying a blessing, that everyone communally made the decision to drop this piece of their tradition?

One is forced to answer that the reason for the Temple destruction was not because they didn't say Bircas HaTorah, of course they did! The reason was because they didn't have the right perspective or approach to the learning of Torah. It was more of an intellectual pursuit than a way of life. We had the wrong perspective

The lesson that Moshe learned at Har Sinai was not one of his generation a lone but it is one that will remain for Dorei Doros. Moshe might have been the first person to have a test at a burning bush, but each and every one of us regularly is tested at a burning bush of our own.

Parshas Ki Sisa - "Second is the Best, but First Isn't the Worst"

QUICKIE/FUNFACT: (Shemos 33:20) "He said, You Shall not be able to see My face, for no human can see My face and live."

The (Gemara Brachos 7a) mentions that Hashem said to Moshe, "when I wanted to reveal myself to you (at the burning bush) you did not want to see me, now that you want to see me, I don't want to see you."

Rav Yechezkel Abramsky Zt"l exlains that at the burning bush Hashem wanted Moshe to see him and to have an understanding of G-d's initiative for Klal Yisrael. This was so they would not sin. Nonetheless Moshe did not want to look. Now at Har Sinai when Moshe finally wanted to glance at the Ribbono Shel Olam, Hashem turned him down because the only reason why looking at Hashem was necessary was when there were no prior sins or a Torah to live by. Now that the Torah was given, G-d has no reason to reveal himself.

Commenting on the words, (Shemos 34:1) "Psol Licha Shnei Luchos Avanim Karishonim" "Carve for yourselves two Tablets like the first ones", the Medrish Tanchuma says that from the moment Hakadosh Baruch Hu said, "I am the Lord your G-d" the tablets were destined to be broken because an Eyin Hara was cast on them.

Only after the first Luchos had been broken does Hashem tell Moshe that the Second set of Luchos will be given in private. A simple question that must be asked is, if Hashem knew that the first Luchos were destined to be broken because they were given in public, why didn't Hashem give them in private?

Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik Zt"l answers that when we say the Havdala prayer on Motzei Shabbos we recognize a few different types of havdalas (contrasts). There is the difference between Kodesh and Chol (Holy and Secular), Ohr and Choshech (Light and Dark), and Yisrael and the Amim (Israel and all other nations).

There is a major distinction made that humans and animals can see the contrast between light and darkness. To a certain degree even the flowers and the shrubs can recognize the difference these two things. This is in contrast to the difference between the Sacred and the secular. This difference is one that is almost completely hidden from the eye. (Kiddushin 68a)In the story of the Akeida, only Avraham and Yitzchak could see the holiness that hovered above the makom of the Akeida/ Mt. Moriah and not Yishmael who came with them (see Gemara for more details). We can see from this Gemara that the difference between the sacred and the secular is almost undetectable.

Lastly there is the difference that G-d created between the nation of Israel and the rest of the nations. When creating mankind Hakadosh Baruch Hu decided that everyone's exteriors, both Jewish and non-Jewish, would be similar. Thus meaning that this final difference is hidden to the human eye. There are many Jews who are meticulous with Torah commandments even though on the streets they may not look like Jews at all. Only once they close their doors and are in the confines of their homes does their true Jewish side come out.

When Hashem gave Klal Yisrael the first Luchos the entire world shook. At that point, in fear that G-d was destroying the world, all of the nations came running to Bilaam's court asking him to save their lives. After listening to every single one of them plead and cry, Bilaam answered, "Hashem Oz Liamo Yitein Hashem Yivareich Es Amo BaShalom." He told them that they have nothing to worry about. G-d was delivering the Torah to his people, the nation of Israel. Even though Hashem knew that the first Luchos were going to be destroyed, He still gave them in public so that everyone in the world would know the difference between Klal Yisrael and all of the other nations. They were G-d's chosen people. (Also said in the name of R' Meir Shapiro Zt"l , who is most famous for instituting the Daf Yomi cycle.)

HAVE A FANTASTIC SHABBOS!!!

ViChayei Olam Nata Bisocheinu - Purim Katan

As I’m sure many of you know, today was Purim Katan. Aside from it being the 14^th day of Adar Rishon and a day of minimal levity it is also the Yartzeit of the late Rav Shimon Schwab Zt”l….

Tonight in the Yeshiva University’s main Beis Medrish, Rabbi Elchanan Adler Shlit”a addressed the student body in an intriguing and thought evoking speech. He reflected upon a major part of this week’s Parsha.

In this weeks sedra we learn of the infamous occurrence with the Golden Calf. Many meforshim commenting on this grave sin, mention that the causers of this despicable act were not from Jewish decent but were in fact Egyptian converts (Eirev Rav).

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz Zt”l asks in his work Sichos Mussar, many people seem to find comfort in the fact that it wasn’t the Jews themselves who originally sinned but that it was the non-Jews who directly distorted the Jews ideas. Rav Chaim says, unfortunately there should not be any comfort found in this. The Egyptians saw and even experienced all of the miracles that G-d performed in Egypt and at the sea!

How is it possible that even the Eirev Rav could have sinned so gravely after experiencing these unbelievable events?!

Rav Chaim answers, that often times we have experiences which give us momentary highs. At the point of theses temporary euphorias we believe that we have been eternally changed. Shortly after the high leaves however, we realize that it was nothing more than a mirage.

When the Eirev Rav saw all of the miracles that were performed by G-d in Mitzrayim they were mesmerized. This placed them into a momentary trance that had them following the ways of klal yisrael up until mamad Har Sinai. Unfortunately this love of Hashem was only a quick fix and left immediately after they were “abandoned” my Moshe at Har Sinai.

Rav Adler recalled a specific meeting that he once had with Rav Shimon Schwab Zt”l. Rav Schwab told him a story that involved the true meaning of the words, “Vichayei Olam Nata Bisocheinu”.

As a child R’ Schwab had the opportunity to meet the Chofetz Chaim. The Chofetz Chaim barded the child (R’ Schwab) with rhetorical existential questions. The main one being, “where will you be in 100 years?” “where will you be in 1000 years?” “where will you be in 1,000,000?” After each question the Chofetz Chaim appropriately answered with increasing emotion, “with the Ribbono Shel Olam!”

R’Schwab commented that when a person says “ViChayei Olam Nata Bisocheinu”, it should not be a temporary fix, but it should be something that is permanently ingrained within each and every one of us. We should truthfully believe that we are and will always be with the Ribbono Shel Olam.