Who's Driving?

A wealthy man was once riding along the countryside and saw a crippled beggar sitting on the side of the road. After receiving a few coins from the wealthy man, the cripple asked him for a ride into the city.

The wealthy man felt compassion for the cripple, and helped him up to the horse, giving him the front seat and even allowing him to hold the reins. The cripple was most appreciative. The wealthy man got up behind the cripple, and together they rode the horse into the city.

Strangely enough, upon arriving in the city and into the crowded marketplace, the cripple turned to the wealthy many and said: "Now you may get off the horse, and I will ride myself to my house."

Inside Outside

מה בין תלמידיו של אברהם אבינו לתלמידיו של בלעם הרשע

(Avos 5:19)

The Mishna enumerates key differences between the character of the students of Avraham and the character of the students of Bilam.

The question is asked: Why doesn't the Mishna just enumerate the differences between Avraham and Bilam themselves? Certainly, the difference would be just as obvious as the difference between their respective students!

In a Sicha, the Rebbe explains that, on the outside, Bilam espoused to be like Avraham: he put on a nice show of righteousness, kindness and nobility. Yet, Bilam's true character and deepest aspirations were quite the opposite of Avraham's.

And it was the unspoken, intangible, yet ever-present reality that had the ultimate and greatest impact on his students. Thus, much like Bilam himself, his students were haughty, had an evil eye, and flagrant character.

Who's Calling?

ויקרא אל משה וידבר ה' אליו

At first, it does not say who called Moshe. Yet, Moshe does not falter or ask “who is speaking to me?”

This is immediately followed by וידבר ה' אליו.

There are times when we wonder: Why is this happening? Who is doing this? Things may reach a point where the Alef is small – we do not feel the presence of Hashem in the challenge. Things seem as if וַיִקֶר - Vayiker - they are happening by chance, without a plan, C”V.

But then we remember that the Alef is always there.

No matter how small His presence may seem, He is there. We need only to wait for Him to finish the verse, and we will see that He was there all along. 

May Hashem bless us with only revealed good. And when we are faced with challenges, may Hashem bless us to have true Bitachon, and that we merit seeing the revealed positive outcome of every situation.

Color War

Based on the Ma'amar להבין ענין חושן ואיפוד תשכ"ו.

The Ephod was woven with special threads, each one spun with a blend of different colors and materials. As well, unlike a regular apron, it was worn on the back of the Kohen Gadol, rather than on the front.

This uniquely varied blend of colors and materials, represents the wide-ranging and often conflicting character traits inborn within our psyches; the unique-to-each-individual's own blend of Midos, both good and bad. 

The Avodah of a Jew is to sort through these "colors", cultivate the good Midos, and transform the bad ones. 

Don't Be Content

Reading the news is so sad, painful and frightening. When I was a teenager, news affected me in a selfish way. It scared me personally, and indeed it certainly still does. But as I've "grown up", I've noticed that compassion has started to play a bigger role. As a teenager, it was, "How does this affect me." Now it's more like, "Oy, that's so terrible. Please, Hashem, end the suffering." I've started to understand the tiniest tip of the iceberg of Wanting Moshiach. I say the tip, because I am sure my desire for Moshiach is lacking much.

The Golden Touch

"And they shall make for me a dwelling place, and I will rest in them." (Shemos 25:8)

Our Chachomim teach us that the plurality in "them" refers to the personal Mishkan that every Yid creates for Hashem in his own life.

This refers to the dedication of time; for Davening, learning, Mitzvos, etc. and the dedication of place and material belongings; setting aside from our finances, home, and the physical sacrifices we make to support our Tafkid and our Avodas Hashem.

Reish Lakish said: The world was not worthy of receiving gold. Why, then, was it created? For the Mishkan and Beis Hamikdash. (Bereishis Rabba, 16:2)

When enumerating the laws of building the Beis Hamikdosh, the Rambam writes that, if it is feasible, the Yidden are required to coat (cover) the Beis Hamikdosh in gold.

Cymbal of Hope

In honor of Chof Beis Shevat, Yahrtzeit of Rebbetzin Chaya Mushkah A"H

“Miriam took a tambourine, and all the women came out after her with tambourines.” (Shemos, 15:20)

It is understandable that Miriam, a Prophetess, foresaw the redemption, and prepared for herself a tambourine with which to celebrate. Yet, from where did the other women have tambourines?

Since the Egyptians must have had one or two tambourines with which to celebrate at their family festivals, etc. - and we know that the Jewish People took along the riches of the land when they left Egypt - we can answer that, along with all the other things, the Jews took the Egyptians’ tambourines.

Nevertheless, while many women would have had an Egyptian tambourine among their possessions, it is unlikely that all of the Jewish women had tambourines with them, yet, the Possuk says “…All the women came out... with tambourines” ?

Where did all the tambourines come from?

A Jew in the Stars

When Pharaoh’s astrologers predicted the birth of the Redeemer of the Jewish People, Pharaoh ordered all Jewish newborn baby boys to be thrown into the Nile River. On the actual day of Moshe’s birth, Pharaoh extended this decree to the Egyptian baby boys as well.

Why did Pharaoh included also the Egyptian baby boys in his decree?

Rashi explains that the astrologers were unable to see in the stars if the newborn Redeemer was a Jew or an Egyptian.

The question remains: If the astrologers were able to determine that the Redeemer was a boy, and by reading the stars they were able to update Pharaoh when Moshe was thrown into the Nile, why were they unable to get a more detailed description of the Redeemer of the Jewish People? Why weren’t the stars accurate enough to include the crucial detail of his being a Jew?

Wine of Hope

After revealing his identity to his brothers, Yosef instructed them to travel back to Eretz Yisroel and bring his father to Mitzrayim. Along with provisions for the way, Yosef sent a lavish gift to his father, along with - Rashi specifies - he sent aged wine.

The Rebbe teaches us that while the gift in general was a show of respect for his father, the aged wine had a double significance: it was an enhancement on the Mitzvah of Kibud Av Va'em, as aged wine is especially appreciated by older people. As well, the aged wine served as a special message for Yakov.

Our sages teach us that for the duration of Yosef's separation, the brothers did not drink wine. This was not a form of Teshuva, rather a form of mourning. 

Three Oils. One Hero.

A Chanuka Dvar Torah

When the Greeks came into the Beis Hamikdosh, they deliberately defiled the oil that was designated for the purpose of kindling the Menorah. Later, when the Chashmonaim sought to rededicate the Beis Hamikdosh, they could not find any pure oil. Eventually, they found one flask, still intact with the seal of the Kohen Gadol. However, there was only enough to last for one day... (Shabbos, 21b)

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There were three "grades" of oil used in the Beis Hamikdosh. Oil that came from the first drop (squeeze) of the first harvest of olives, oil that came from the second drop, and oil that came from the third. 

Our sages explain that given the expense involved in harvesting and preparing the highest grade of oil, this "Grade A" oil was reserved for the Menorah, which required only 3.5 Loig per day. The lesser grades were used for the Menachos. Since Menachos require much more than 3.5 Loig on a daily basis, the costs of using only Grade A oil in such great quantities was prohibitive.