These lines of Torah can, perhaps, at one level be understood as a parable – a parable that explains just how we can begin to walk the path carved out by the great and profound teachings of mussar and chassidus.

Eretz Yisrael may be compared to the body which can either serve as a vessel for holiness or its opposite.  The connection between the land and the people can be seen in the word Yisrael, which refers to both and represents the spiritual DNA that makes up our personal and national characteristics.  The letters yud, shin, reish, alef and lamed which form the word “Yisrael” are an acronym for the names of the Avos and Imahos, the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Jewish people: Yitzchak, Yaakov, Sara, Rivka, Rachel, Avraham and Laya whose positive middos, personality traits, were handed down to us as a spiritual legacy (according to the Ari HaKadosh, Likutei Torah, Kisvei Ari, parashas Vayishlach, d’h, Vayikra es shemo Yisrael). 

The powerful “nations of the land” who built fortified cities and established military forces are parallel to various forms of knowledge and information which could be used to construct a thriving beneficial civilization based on truth and justice or a corrupt society.  When the seven Canaanite nations who occupied the land chose to use their knowledge to live an immoral existence, those nations came to represent the seven kelipos, unholy husks, the negative counterparts of the seven positive spiritual attributes expressive of Hashem’s goodness and humanity’s true goal (Likutei Torah, Kisvei Ari, Parashas Devarim, d’h, Yesh Ladaas).  These are the middos of chessed, loving kindness for the sake of Heaven, gevura, directed holiness through discipline, tiferes, harmony through the Torah, netzach, eternal connection to the Creator’s will, hod, splendor in the service of Hashem, yesod, moral purity in righteousness and malchus, the power of royalty to orchestrate and combine them all.  These middos are hinted at in our daily prayer of Vayevareich David when we say, Lecha Hashem, “Onto you Hashem, we ascribe Hagedula (chessed), Vehagevura, Vehatiferes …”  Thus, in the hands  of the Canaanite nations, wisdom or knowledge became a vehicle for the pursuit of  amoral, unprincipled and unethical diversions.

The “beasts of the field” represent the baser emotions which will clamor for the fulfillment of personal desires at the expense of loftier goals unless they are properly channeled. These “beasts of the field” are ruled by the heart and lead one to self-serving, ego pleasing pleasure seeking.

When we enter the Land – meaning when we begin the process of transforming ourselves, we must confront two fierce adversaries which have to be subdued and controlled: One is the powerful, well fortified intellect which navigates through the world using verifiable scientific and sociological data and submits to society’s codes and mores in order to promote its survival. 

The other is the seat of equally powerful emotional drives which will urge us to bend or break the rules of society whenever they interfere with the fulfillment of personal pleasure. We can harness the intellect and the emotions and use them to aid us in the acquisition and perfection of the positive attributes that have been handed down to us, in potential, from our Avos and Imahos.  Indeed, it is the acquisition of the positive character traits of our Avos and Imahos that earns us the title of Bnei Yisrael.  In this process, we are able to affect the soul’s purpose on earth by allowing these lofty goals to guide our intellectual decisions and control our emotional responses so that we can achieve the proper service of Hashem. However, the self willed intellect and the exuberant emotions will not meekly yield to this yoke without a struggle.

It is to this struggle that our portion of Torah addresses itself. It teaches that the intellect set upon pursuing misdirected secular goals - the enemy nation - is not as harmful to us as the unbridled lower emotions - the wild beasts of the field. Importantly, it teaches that the mind, like the land, is never empty – it is either occupied by people or by wild animals - meaning by intellectual pursuits or emotional experiences. 

Thus, if in the conquest of our “land” we try to rid ourselves of non-beneficial pursuits before Torah driven values, ideas and activities have had a chance to increase, spread out and occupy our thinking, then the vacuum thus created, could, if we are not exceedingly careful, be filled by the “beasts of the field” – the lower passions and desires. Thus our Torah teaches that  “Hashem, your G-d, will thrust these nations from before you little by little; you will not be able to annihilate them quickly, lest the beasts of the field increase against you.”

Growth in the service of Hashem is like climbing a ladder.   We must be realistic about our present level and not try to pretend to a righteousness that is not yet ours.  The transformation from secular ideologies and their corresponding lifestyles cannot occur all at once, but only “little by little.”  Just as a person cannot mature from infancy to adulthood in a brief period of time, so too we cannot instantly make drastic changes in our natures. The Torah, therefore, warns that this process of vanquishing inappropriate mindsets and lifestyles needs to take place little by little to give an opportunity for the Torah driven values that we have planted to grow and spread and keep the wild beasts of the field at bay.

By way of example, let us assume that someone has attended an inspiring mussar shiur and makes a decision to forgo reading novels and secular newspapers. For someone who has spent a great many evenings in those pursuits, this is quite a tall order. The person certainly means well, but does not yet have the training, the discipline or the motivation to dedicate those long evening hours exclusively to learning Torah, doing community work or engaging in other constructive activities.  That person might feel frustrated or anguished and could, at one extreme, decide that he or she is not capable of keeping to this newfound resolve and may let go even of spiritual levels that had already been achieved.

Therefore the Torah wisely informs us that if such a person sincerely wants to change these aspects of their lifestyle they might choose to begin by looking critically at what they read and by exchanging certain harmful and debased subject matter for that which is less so, all the while increasing slowly but surely their pursuit of a Torah directed lifestyle. 

As Torah values are put in place, unnecessary and unhealthy intellectual pursuits can be safely removed or transformed into useful ‘servants’ of the soul. Unrefined emotions will have no foothold because our neshama will have spread out, filling the potential vacuum with the glory of the Divine Radiance that is waiting to shine within all of us. This means that as we mature, develop and apply the attributes that are part of our inheritance from our Avos and the Imahos, then and only then will Hashem totally remove any connection with the lifestyle of the other nations.  Eventually through effort and sincerity we can reach the level of living life according to the will of and for the sake of the Creator alone. Hopefully, through this perception and approach to life’s challenges and most importantly with the help of Hashem, we will succeed in returning to our inheritance and living within its borders in peace and holiness soon in our days.

           Tishah B’Av is one of those rare days in the Jewish calendar that seamlessly interfaces with the ordinary weekday. On Tishah B’Av we are not clothed in our regal Shabbos or Yom Tov clothing nor do we partake in any festive meals and therein lies its power and strength. Indeed, this day is quite unique in that it is dedicated to relinquishing some of our most basic needs: the learning of Torah, eating and drinking and wearing leather shoes. But it is by focusing our attention on the meaning of the day in the manner proscribed by our sages that we can attain extraordinary results.

The intensity of the feelings of the day, superimposed upon our daily lives gives us a humbling view of our actual position in this world. It is by sitting for hours on or near the ground, in serious contemplation while fasting, that we can catch a glimpse of something about ourselves that we rarely have a chance to see.  And this glimpse can be -- if we allow ourselves to take advantage of it --the inspiration for a true transformation. Tishah b’Av like teshuva aids us in reaching a profound depth within our yearning souls.  This yearning for the redemption (geula) for the time when we will find security, respect, peace and prosperity and where we will finally see an end to the  periodic eruptions that have punctuated our long exile – eruptions that  have produced  the seismographic pulsations is what we heart fully pray for all day.  

            The bitter roots of our exile were extended deeply into the soil long before the destruction of our holy Temple -- their growth  stimulated through the diminution of Torah learning and by the adoption of foreign lifestyles and cultures.  

What can we do on this day to “uproot” these perennial underlying causes that continue to hinder the rebuilding of our holy Bais HaMikdash?

             On the Ninth of Av, as we accept upon ourselves the physical restrictions our Sages have imposed, we sow seeds of renewed dedication in the soil of altruistic humility that will, with the help of Hashem, bear an abundance of fruitful blessings.

               On  this day of mourning, by not wearing leather shoes on our feet, we begin to “step” unassumingly down from our pedestals of overreaching self-confidence.              

            On this day of mourning, by not using our legs to take leisurely strolls we increase our “strides” towards holiness.  

            On this day of mourning, by not washing and anointing our bodies for pleasure, we enhance our spiritual “purification”.

             On this day of mourning, by not eating and drinking, we take the reins of control away from corporal desires of our hearts and hand them over to the soul to be our guide.

             On this day of mourning, through refraining from using the thoughts of our minds for Torah study we clearly recognize the futility and emptiness of life without it. 

            And this day of mourning, the birth date of our long awaited Redeemer (Mashaich), is the very day that is the beginning of the new dawn which will bring everlasting joy and peace to all mankind.  May we merit the final geula soon in our days.

          Bein Hametzarim - “between the tragedies.” Caught in the vise between - the 17^th of Tamuz and the 9^th of Av - days in which our Bais Hamikdash was destroyed as well as many other calamities befell us – it is difficult to perceive any redeeming aspect of this tragic period. However, we have long understood the spiritual value that lies within adversity.  For example Chazal inform us of the benefits we derived from our period of bondage in Mitzraim, which prepared us for the next level in the service of Hashem. In Mitzrayim we were given the opportunity to extract precious sparks of holiness that only the most challenging of events and epochs could release.  

          Let us try to reveal a redemptive, positive view of this difficult period that we re-visit each year at this time. Perhaps one of the “keys” to releasing ourselves from personal and national bondage lies, ironically, in the name for the period – “Bein Hametzarim”.

               Why is this time called “between the tragedies” and not “the time of tragedies”? The nature of many people, when beset by difficult challenges, is that they tend to become overwhelmed and even imprisoned in their own personal “bars” of anguish and hopelessness. Yet, many of us know those exceptional people who, in seemingly overwhelming circumstances, are able to overcome restrictions focusing not on the bars - of limitation - but on the spaces “between” them – the inner messages that offer new vistas of growth and change which are encoded “within” the challenges.

          Chazal have foretold that one day the inner lights of these days called Bein Hametzarim will be unveiled revealing the crowning gem, our long awaited Moshiach, whose birth  date is the 9^th of Av (Yerushalmi, Brachos).

            Sfas Emes tells us that the ten ma'amoros (sayings) with which the world was created world were later channeled in Mitzraim through the ten makot and finally revealed in the form of the Ten Commandments.[1] These ten sayings were the Divine D.N.A. that G-d used to formulate the world.  Had mankind cooperated and obeyed Hashem’s commandments, the world would have achieved perfection; however because of the various sins throughout the generations, a process of purification was deemed necessary including the ten plagues (makot) for the Mitzrim (at  the same time that the Jewish people were the recipients of blessings) that led eventually to the exodus.        

          However, since freedom from physical bondage was not the final goal, the benevolent Creator led us to Har Sinai and gave us the Torah whose essence is coded within the ten commandments. 

                 Perhaps we can draw a parallel from this to draw another connection among numbers: the twenty-two osios of the Torah, twenty-two days of Bein Hametzarim and to twenty-two of our holiest days. As is well known the entire creation was and continues to exist through the twenty-two holy osios of the Torah. However, due to the ongoing failings of mankind, specifically the Jewish people have designated to be a holy nation charged with rectifying and elevating the whole Creation. We are assigned at times to descend into the darkest, most dangerous realms of time in the calendar year[2]  in order to reveal the inner radiance their intrinsic holiness. It is specifically during the depths of the frigid winter referred to as SHOVAVIM (TAT), during which the Torah reading retells of the bondage of our forefathers, that we can access the spiritual “genetics” necessary to rectify not only that period but all challenging times. This lofty goal is achievable through the dynamic vibrant power contained within the twenty-two aliyot of the Torah beginning with the story of Moshe Rabbinu and the burning bush (sneh) (the forth aliya in Parshas Shemos), ( then seven aliyas each in Parshas Va’eira and Parshas Bo) and ending with the splitting of the Yam Suf (forth aliya of Pashas Beshalach) for a total of twenty-two aliot.

         It is specifically through the Torah, our spiritual catalyst, that even during the most  twenty-two searing intense summer days of Bein Hametzarim will be transformed in the near future into days of joy. Adhering to the Torah’s prescriptions will enable us to make the transition from the grip of stifling bondage to new heights of freedom in days of Divine radiance. Each and every day of the Bein Hametzarim period contains within it the seeds - the inner essence - of twenty-two of our holiest days.  [3]

          May all of us merit to see, feel and experience the blessings encoded within each and every one of these days, thereby transcending the galus of limitation to arrive at the ultimate geulah.

       Let us begin by using a 21^st Century (moshal) example of travel that “journeys” into the “highways” of our hearts and “byways” of our minds in order to enhance our relationships with others. Possibly one of the (Torah’s) Five Books of Moses intentions for recording for all posterity each of the “driving” and “parking” violations, in the course of our Nations journeys and encampments during the forty years in the (midbar) desert, was to serve as a “sign post” for future “motorists” pointing out “road hazards” in order to help them avoid potential “pitfalls” while “traveling” through life’s (galus) exile. This “driver’s education course” that teaches the “rules of the road” maximizes our safety, in addition to helping us maintain a clean “traffic record”. Passing life’s “driving tests”, especially in interpersonal relationships during these three weeks when the “road conditions” are less than optimal is a great opportunity remove some of the perceived “road blocks” and “pot holes” that can arise in relationships between people.

             It is human nature, especially in relationships with others, to become impatient and frustrated when things don’t “move along” according to our plans and timing. We live in a generation of maps, scales and watches where every inch, ounce and second is measured, therefore we sometimes find ourselves tested by the idiosyncrasies of others which seem to be at variance with our opinions or attitudes. When one is “behind the wheel”, the first rule when there is a potential problem is to put on the “brakes” – “slowing down” enough or “stopping” a moment to ask ourselves if we our “traveling” the best “route” of communication.

        Another cause of excessive “tire wear” is when a relationship with another feels like “riding” on a roller coaster. Since this person – whether friend, relative or stranger - was sent into our lives, it behooves us to ask ourselves whether these emotional “ups and downs” at this “intersection” of our “journey” might be preventable by building “bridges” between us that will smooth out” the “road conditions” and “distance” between us.

           If we appreciate the fact that a road that ascends a very steep hill must, of necessity, have various twists and turns in order to facilitate a safe, gentle journey, then we might also validate the opinions and emotions of others, which may at times differ from our own perspective.

            In order to make our journey safe and enjoyable, we would do well to follow the (derek eretz) etiquette manual that is located in the heart of every driver. Before “traveling” to meet or interact with other people, obtain a “traffic and weather” report of their attitudes and moods. Are any of their “lanes blocked” or is there a “storm” brewing around them?      

         Another invaluable tip is to learn how to “change lanes” in conversations that lead to “dead ends” and if necessary to find “alternative routes” of communication.

           Even in ones very own home, one is constantly being asked to “journey” and then “encamp” at new levels of relationships. How so? Each telephone call or door bell represents a potential “obstacle” placed in our “path” schedule. Interactions with family and friends constitute an ongoing “up hill ascent” that can sometimes make us as if  we can’t reach an agreeable “meeting ground”. If anyone “stalls” or “drives recklessly”, the ensuing “personality crash” may can cause a further “traffic jam” “slowing us down” from reaching the next “plateau” of mutual agreement.

                Let us look at some of the many components that will prove invaluable as a part of our (Chaverim) friendly - helpful “travel guide kit”. The first and foremost advice for “motorists” is to learn how to maneuver the steering wheel, so that in our conversations with others, we may “steer clear” of any “pot holes or barriers” that can might impede the smooth “flow” of “traffic” – ie. communication.  The “rear view mirror” serves as an excellent tool for observing past mistakes in order to avoid wrong turns” in the future. The “brakes” help us to “stop short” of saying or doing anything that “crashes into” another person’s feelings. It is valuable always to have our “booster cables” at hand in order to “boost the mood” of others who may be having a hard time of getting started.

         Also, an extra supply of  “fuel” - ie. an encouraging word - is reenergizing for those who have run out of “gas”. A tire jack can be an excellent tool to help “lift up the mood’ of someone whose life seems without much (ruach) air – ie. “flat”; while a flashlight is always valuable in offering a “ray of hope” at a “dark” moment.  Last but certainly not least, always have a “road map” - an inspiring Torah thought to help point out the best  direction in life.

            By faithfully following these (bain adom bi-chavero) between man and his fellow “rules of the road” we will thereby merit to reach our “destination” safely together at the (Har HaKodesh) holy Temple sight in Jerusalem soon in our days. 

              Our dreams, hopes and deeply felt needs are directed privately and quietly throughout the day to the Creator as we communicate with Him -sharing our joys and travails, our hopes and disappointments - often without uttering a word. Instinctively we believe that some of those thoughts and feelings are best left unspoken. Yet, we are taught that our formal tefillos-prayers should be said at least loudly enough to be audible to our own ears. This halachic guideline directs us to verbally express the outpourings of our heartfelt prayers and suggests that we should be attentive to what we say. What is achieved through our audible prayer?

          The author of the sefer Noam Magidim asks why the halacha requires us to utter our tefillos audibly, when the Ari zal informed us that it is sincere inner intention of the mind and the yearnings of the heart that actually empower prayer? If in fact vocalizations are required in order to awaken awe and fear of G-d (Hashem) in the heart of the supplicant then surely, at least, the tzaddik, who always is properly focused, should not be required to utter his prayers aloud. The Noam Magidim explains that audible tefillah is a Divine decree (chok) hinted at in Torah reading (Parshas Chukas -19-1) where we are taught the procedure of  sprinkling the waters of the Parah Adumah:  ”Hashem spoke to Moshe and to Aharon saying: This is the decree of the Torah, which Hashem has commanded, saying: Speak to the children of Israel, and they shall take…” That is to say even tzaddikim like Moshe and Aaron are commanded to speak – ie. - make their tefillos audible. The connection between tefillah and the halachas of the Parah Adumah possibly further suggests that even as the sprinkling of the waters of the Parah Adumah purifies the impure, so also does davening audibly “sprinkle”/anoint this world with the purifying holiness contained within our sincere words and expressions. We all appreciate how fresh flowers and spices have the power to fill their surroundings with their fragrant aroma and how revitalized and inspired we feel upon hearing joyous news or a sweet melody; even more so do our tefillos and brachos have the power to purify and enhance our surrounding as well as ourselves.

         In our efforts to understand the value of verbal prayer, it behooves us to look at another sphere of human endeavor that is credited with elevating the human spirit and that is music. Tefillah shares with music the quality that both were designed to bring joy and inspiration to the world through the means of sound. Of course music that remains in the mind of the composer is not accessible and can have no effect upon another, while prayer that remains unspoken can still have its intended benefits since the Hashem knows well what is within our hearts.  Nonetheless, a comparison between these two powerful forms of expression can be profitable.

Musicians who wish to bring to the listener’s ear those sound sequences that had previously been kept in the privacy of their minds and hearts must evoke the ideal sound that resides within their thoughts and feelings through the vibrations of key and string creating notes and cords.  It is only when the music is played aloud that the musicians can determine whether  the music they have intended and hoped to express was actually what emerged. They can then endeavor to refine the performance so that it comes as close as possible to the perfect synthesis of rhythm, melody and harmonic sound.

How much more so, when we audibly express our prayers, we gain an additional ability to assess and then enhance our efforts through now hearing our inner expression from a vantage point outside of ourselves. Our heartfelt, audible words of prayer and praise then resonant with the rest of creation adding its special uniqueness and value that each of us has been blessed with. May all our tefillos be accepted on High as a fragrant offering (rei’ach necho’ach) for Hashem.  

             Don’t go away, as we will come back to the Rav’s decision later, along with an inspiring twist in this unusual story.    

             Most people live their lives focused on two major financial goals, that of satisfying ones daily needs and securing a comfortable future “retirement”. In Pirkei Avos, which we read this time period between Pesach and Rosh Hashanah, our Sages offer us weekly advice on how to obtain both.

                The holy Torah sub-divides all potential investments of into two major sectors/categories. The first being a composite of two hundred forty eight – top rated – investments that are to be pursued with all ones abilities referred to as the  mitzvos aseh fund and the second consists of three hundred sixty five - lo-saaseh which are to be avoided at all costs.

             As most of us our novice investors we should take advice from the most qualified investment experts in the field. Thus let us turn to our Sages, who opening share with us the best possible strategies for maximizing our assets as well as minimizing our loses.

                  The first of many beautiful metaphors that alerts us the value of daily adding to our “savings” account is in Gemora Shabbos 127a: “These are the precepts whose fruits a person enjoys in this world but whose principal remains intact for him in the World to Come. They are (the investment sectors of): honoring your father and mother, acts of kindness, early attendance at the house of study morning and evening, hospitality to guests, visiting the sick, providing for a bride, escorting the dead, intention in prayer, bringing peace between man and his fellow, and between man and his wife – and the study of Torah is equivalent to them all.”

              In Mishnah 20 - Perek 3 Rabbi Tarfon gives us additional far-sighted advice informing us: “The day is short, the task is abundant, the laborers are lazy, the wage is great and the Master of the house is insistent.” He also used to say (2/20-21): “You are not required to complete the task, yet you are not free to withdraw from it. If you have studied much Torah, they will give you great reward; and your Employee can be relied upon to pay you the wage for your labor, but be aware that the reward of the righteous will be given in the World to Come.”

               Rabbi Yonasan reveals to us the secret to true wealth in Mishnah 11 - Perek 4: “Whoever fulfills the Torah despite poverty, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth; but whoever to neglects the Torah because of wealth, will ultimately neglect it in poverty.”

              Rabbi Yaakov then alerts to us the importance of using our time wisely in Mishnah 21 - Perek 4 when he said: “This world is like a lobby before the World to Come; prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall.”

                   Ben Bag Bag elaborates further on the value of plummeting the depths of ones abilities in Mishnah 26 - Perek 5 when he said: “Delve in it (the Torah) and continue to delve in it; look deeply into it; grow old and gray over it, do not stir from it, for you can have no better portion that it.” Ben Hei Hei adds that reward and effort have a symbiotic relationship in that: “The reward is in proportion to the exertion.”

             Mishnah 5 - Perek 6: Offers us some sage advice on what to avoid, thereby maximizing our benefits: “Do not seek greatness for yourself, and do not crave honor; lest your performance exceed your learning. Do not the lust for the table of Kings, for your table is greater than theirs, and your crown is greater than their crown; and your Employer is trustworthy to pay you remuneration for your deeds.”

               Then in Mishnah 9 – Perek 6 – Rabbi Yose ben Kisma shares with us invaluable investing strategy when he tells us of a story of a man who offered him vast wealth for coming and living in his city, to which he answered: “Even if you were to give me all the silver and gold, precious stones and pearls in the world, I would dwell nowhere but in a place of Torah…”

              Rabbi Akiva then eloquently sums up our financial responsibilities within this life stating in Mishnah 20 – Perek 3: “Everything is given on collateral and a net is spread over all the living. The shop is open; the Merchant extends credit; the ledger is open; the hand writes; and whoever wishes to borrow, let him come and borrow. The collectors make their routes constantly, every day, and collect payment from the person whether he realizes it or not. They have proof to rely upon; the judgment is a truthful judgment; and everything is prepared for the final festive banquet.”

                    Oh yes, as for the conclusion of the story at the beginning of this article – the Rav told all those present that the burial society was correct and then the Rav then added that the nifter had some time earlier left a sealed envelope which he requested be opened by his family only after his passing. The children immediately opened the letter and read it out loud. “My dearly beloved, by now you have heard the pasak halacha which reaffirms that even if a person were to have all the money in this world, he cannot bring with him even one pair of socks to the Olam HaEmes.  

                This is just as Rabbi Yose ben Kisma informs us in Mishnah 9 Perek 6: “When a man departs from this world, neither silver, nor gold, nor precious stones nor pearls escort him, but only Torah study and good deeds…” Then he concludes: “It (The Torah and good deeds) shall speak on your behalf - in the World to Come. And as it is said: ‘Mine is the silver, and Mine is the gold, says Hashem, Master of Legions.’”                

            The Pesach seder with its unusual foods and customs is not the only holy time that summons the question, “Ma Nishtana” –Why are we doing things differently?.   On Shavuos we can also very legitimately ask the same question: “Why is this Yom Tov different?  On other Yomim Tovim , we honor the holidays with flesic meals; on this Yom Tov we also have a dairy meal.  Why?  The relationship between the Creator and the Jewish people has been compared to the relationship between a parent and a child.  Loftier than the relationship between a king and his subjects the parent-child relationship epitomizes ultimate devotion and unconditional love.  Parental giving transcends all limitations and finds no barrier too high or too wide to prevent the flow of benefits to the child. This parental giving is understood through and symbolized by chalav.  In fact, the ultimate level of devotion is described as the “milk of human kindness. Just as a parent sustains their children, providing every need, how much more so does Hashem nurtures and sustains us.

              Through our custom of making one of our Shavuos seudas a dairy meal, we are perhaps expressing that we acknowledge that the Torah is the “perfect formula” for our health and existence. We clearly understand that Hashem sustains us long before we have done anything to deserve such devoted care as we find when the Creator promised to take us out of Mitzrayim and bring us to a land flowing with milk and honey  (Shemos 3:7-8). The commentators inform us that we merited this extraordinary treatment because of our potential to receive and keep the Torah.  This reveals an important aspect of Hashem’s governance of this world. The Giver of all life has an even greater desire to share His goodness with us than we do to receive it. Thus, perhaps one of the reasons, we eat dairy foods on Shavuos is to remind us that many of the benefits and blessings we enjoy are granted to us even before we have accumulated the merits to earn them.

                 Torah, of course, is not just for children, but it does keep us young.  Torah offers constant rejuvenation, the true “fountain of youth” from which its adherents can drink from its continuous wellsprings. Torah never ages, nor does its eternal wisdom become obsolete. Its pure spiritual “nutrients” help us to clarify from that which is superficial from that which is essential. Interestingly in this regard, chalav which is nourishing but not fattening, shares the same letters as the word, chalev, which  if not required to provide energy is stored in the body. Perhaps one of the many lessons the Torah teaches us in forbidding the consumption of  chalev, and in the time of the Temple to burn it on the altar, is a remez to us that the energy, talent, strength, wealth and wisdom that we are blessed with should all be used solely in the service of Hashem.

           Notably sharing our blessings, in turn, enhances the attribute of humility as is hinted through the similar words of chalav and chalev whose gematria are both forty. Is it any coincidence that a Bas Kol declares ones besheret forty days before conception; that the mabul, which purified the world in the generation of Noach, lasted forty days; that  Moshe Rabbainu fasted forty days before receiving the Torah and that the minimum measurement for the mikvah, which purifies and transforms us especially on Shavuos morning, all had and have the ability to -- so to speak – skim off the chalev from the chalav. 

               With these thoughts in mind this Shavuos, may the Creator bless each of us with an abundance of everything we need so as to be able to share our blessing with others. May we soon merit the inauguration of our holy Bais HaMigdash, thereby being able to once again offer up the chalev of our korbanos as a small expression of our gratitude for all the chesed that we are blessed with.

     This world is filled with treasure hunters—people looking for riches in all of its forms --wealth, power, position and glory.  They search high and low for clues and directional signposts to show them the way. A successful hedge fund manager, whose fund returns a whopping 36% a year  uses  a  vast array of sophisticated computing equipment reputed to be worth over 600 million dollars and 150 employees who hold doctoral degrees in fields as diverse as  astrophysics and linguistics rather than in finance.  All of this combined brain power is used to sift through huge amounts of raw data eliminating what appears to be irrelevant information or “noise”  and  scrutinizing what remains for patterns with the goal of  discerning   investment trends and directions.  If we think about it, the tools for this search may be  new, but the methodology is not. It is the age old process of mining for minerals and gold by clearing through tons of dirt and rock  to reveal the riches within, using computers rather than digging tools.

            So much of mankind is on a seemingly never ending search for success and fortune, however, at best, their endeavors  produce only transitory gains. This is in contrast to the enduring legacy of our nation which we acquired 3300 years ago when we merited to receive the durable, eternal wealth of our holy Jewish teachings (Torah).

            At the giving of the Torah, we were not asked to be searchers seeking out subtle clues and vague directives.  We did not have to explore the heavens and plumb the depths of the seas.  We did not even have to climb to the top of the lowest mountain upon which it was given in order to receive it. It was brought down to us—by our leader and emissary, Moshe Rabbeinu. The question then as now was not how to find it,  but rather how are we to comprehend, appreciate and incorporate its treasured value into our lives?  There are maps and guideposts that are available to help us with this exploration.  All it requires is for us to take a fresh look at some old familiar landscapes.

              To start we might wish to consider the place of its presentation. The desert is a place that is separated from the busyness of the world—a place where the world’s standards and distractions do not impinge—a place where we lacked the ability to be self sustaining, but in fact had to rely upon the Creator’s (Hashem’s) kindness and protection.  In this place, greatness is measured in humility rather than in power and wealth for ones’ very survival depended upon the willingness to humbly accept the direction of the Creator of the Universe.  And thus we find our first  prerequisite for “mining” the treasure that is our Torah—that is the ability to allow the Torah to guide us rather than us making determinations that impose our own limitations upon it.

          Another key for accessing the Torah’s eternal wisdom and guidance is derived from the fact that it was given from above but was received below.  This alludes to the fact that the Torah emanates from a place that is “above” natural law, but in order for us to benefit from the wealth of our Torah these teachings need to descend into all facets of our lives.

             How does this happen? Ordinarily, it is difficult to evoke changes in habits and behavior, therefore perhaps the intense roaring thunder and streaking lightening bolts at Har Sinai may have been much more than just an introduction of the giving of the Torah but actually served to “jolt” the whole nation out of their old mind set in order to elicit the new spiritual revelation that was to follow.  For us it can serve as a lesson reminding us that  before valuable growth in the service of Hashem) can occur, there often comes a challenging “storm” – ie: a difficult situation or person that  jolts us and in so doing actually helps us to realign with Torah directed sensibility and sensitivity. 

             This perhaps explains the fact that the entire nation experienced a transposition of the senses in which they heard what they saw and saw what they heard. We, who are the beneficiaries of the Sinai revelation, can continue to benefit from this vital experience, if when hearing of some else’s difficult problems – we see what we can do to help them. Likewise when we see someone struggling – if we allow ourselves to hear our inner voice guiding us as to how we can react most sensitively to their needs, we will hopefully bring closer the final redemption (geula), may it be soon in our days.

© Yehoshua Binyamin Falk

All rights reserved

First publication: Hamodia newspaper

    This  true story, written in the first person, happened to  a young Jewish man who, at twenty four, knew very little about Yiddishkeit  and was finding his way home. This incredible story teaches that there is no detail too small for Hashem’s kindness and Providential Guidance.

   It is a hot summer day in Bnei Brak.  As a beginning Bal Tashuva struggling to put aside my former carefree ways and accept the mantle of Torah with its obligations and discipline, I experienced many ups and downs.  On this day, I was losing the battle.  The unrelenting heat made me very uncomfortable.  My feet were hurting because my only pair of shoes was worn out and  tight .  The painful bruise on my heel refused to heal. In my old life, I would have taken off my shoes but decided that that would be inappropriate.   In our Holy Books we are told that every  new spiritual gain [alia ]  is preceded with a challenging test  [yoreda ].

            Late that afternoon, I decided to take  a short walk and found myself  on one of the side  streets  of this holy city  whose people are filled with Torah and  the fear of Heaven.  In the middle of one such block, I heard a faint voice calling out. I turned toward the sound and saw an elderly lady dressed in the clothing of my great grandmother’s day with a high collar, long ruffled sleeves and a black taffeta skirt.  I was the only one on street when she called out and motioned in my direction.  I did not know why she was calling to me, but  approached her thinking perhaps that she needed something and I could help her.

            She lived in a small one family home that was centered in the middle of a large piece of property, with a large sagging porch wrapping around the front  door.   When I reached the porch, I noticed that she a small box in front of her.   She said nothing, merely gestured and after a  moment or two I realized  that she wanted me to take the box. When I told her that  I had no money, she said it was a gift.    Normally, I would have been suspicious of such an offer, but her sincerity and kindness was apparent so I accepted the gift graciously and went back to the Yeshiva. The whole way back I thought about  the mysterious box in my hands.  What, I wondered, could be inside the box: perhaps precious stones or money and even maybe a pair of shoes I chuckled to myself.

            Back in my room, I closed the door and like a detective cautiously opened  this unusual gift. Lo and behold my chuckling thoughts were right on the button- a brand new pair of black, low cut shoes.  The ordinariness of the gift became a lot less so as I removed my worn out, uncomfortable shoes and slipped my feet into what was to be the best fitted, most comfortable  pair of shoes I have ever owned. The shoe had a latticed  front that allowed air to circulate and the back was cut low so it did not  rub against my bruise.

My  summer job as a shoe salesman- had taught me that getting a pair of shoes that fits just right involves a great deal of effort and “mazel” even in a store filled with shoes to choose from -- so  as I am telling you this  story  these many years later, I get goose-pimples just  thinking about this inexplicable “miracle”.

          Let us ask: Why did she choose to give me the shoes?  Although I don’t think the bruise made me limp, even if you want to imagine that she noticed a barely perceptible change in my gait and saw how old my shoes were and decided to do me a kindness and quickly find a me a new pair of shoes somehow in her house; How did she know my exact size and needs?     What connection do I have with her in this life time or previous one that would inspire her to give me those shoes? What was I supposed  to learn from this miraculous  event?

         Of the first three questions I have no answer, but many thoughts have filled my mind and heart over the years as to what to learn from this  wondrous event.

            First allow me to continue to shed some more light that will help us all in closing that gap between seeing events as a chain of accidents or realizing life is an act of Divine providence. Time passed, I married and eventually with my growing family moved to New York. About ten years after this amazing incident, I was in Bnei Brak for a few days and decided to return to the kind elderly women and thank her. Much to my chagrin, the house had been torn down and all that remained was a large empty lot. I assumed that she ascended to the Heavenly realm, so I offered a prayer for her. There was a large sign on the property which indicated what was to be built there. I went on my way not to return to that area for another five years. This time my visit to that spot was filled with elevated emotion as I saw a large three story building filling nearly the entire property. On the front a sign read— Yeshiva of ---------------- .

          I walked inside the Bais Hamidrash and merited to see, hear and feel the “kol Torah” of this generation reverberating in every corner. I was so very elevated to realize that this kind elderly lady merited to a have a living monument to her memory in the same place she lived her life in holiness. The mitzvoth and acts of kindness that no doubt permeated her life would surely be good advocates for her in the World of Truth.

            I don’t know why I merited this amazing experience but it surely   brings a great uplift in being able to see an example of [Hashkaka Partis] Divine Intervention in one’s life. We should all come to merit not only to be on the receiving end of [chesed] acts of kindness as I was, but to be worthy to be on the giving end of good deeds as was this gentle soul who was truly  an emissary of The Creator.                       

So as we make our bedikas chumetz or any other mitzvah, we should try to do so with the un-self conscious innocence, inspiration and joy of a child.

          Now with a better understanding of the need for the bedika, let us ask but why search in the darkness of night? We might think that it is not such a good idea as evening symbolizes the powers of the dark side- the sitra achra.  However, on this special night, we are given the assignment and ability to enter its realm on a “search and destroy mission”.  In those moments, that ner/candle is a holy spiritual beam that is able to penetrate deeply to expose any sign of ego inflation. In the esoteric tradition the Ner represents a vessel for the - shefa - the holy influence that channels the Divine Radiance thereby illuminating any dark or hidden places, allowing us find, identify and remove any impurities. Through the removal of any “excess baggage” we are then prepared  to receive  the special (kiddusha) holiness that permeates  the night of Passover.

                  One final thought on the multifaceted value of the bedikas chumetz. The ideal way to perform this minhag is to allow some member of the house or close friend to hide some small portions of bread or mezzonos. Many have the custom of  placing ten pieces for esoteric reasons and also to insure the finding of some chumetz in an already thoroughly clean home.  But this practical reason is not necessarily the only explanation.

  This hunt for chumetz is a joint mitzvah that gets everyone involved in an effort to accomplish this task.       So in the years when my children were young, we would use this night to send a not-so-subtle message to them.  Chumetz  would be put in places where old battles were fought.  So, for the child who would leave his shoes in the middle of the room for others to trip over, chumetz would be put in that shoe.  For another

child, a messy closet was the battle ground and she would find a piece of chumetz there.  We would all end our bedikas chumetz laughing over things that frustrated us during the year. Pesach is a time of unity and what better way to nurture this idealistic state than making a bedika  from within and without.  

   This captivating ritual of bedikas chumetz,  one of the many heart warming mitzvot of Pesach, transforms a mundane cleaning process  into a sacred and mystical rite. This creates the atmosphere in which Pesach is renewed each year – And as Pesach is renewed - so are we. As for the young delivery man who was standing at the entranceway, may that glimpse into the Pesach experience be just the right “prescription” for his transformation.

           La Shana Haba bi-Jerusalem  -  La Shana Haba bi-Jerusalem

                   Wars of liberation have been fought throughout history by captive peoples attempting to re-establish their autonomy.    Their strategy is fairly straightforward.  Once diplomacy has failed,  they may take other , more extreme measures – secretly preparing an extensive escape plan –preparing to do battle if necessary  even though their captors may be much stronger.  They might use spies and subterfuge, and create a battle plan making the best use of men and materiel.  Each and every person would receive a specific assignment that would help to ensure success with the least amount of casualties. Many would serve as  front line military personal armed with weapons , each assigned to a specific area. Other people would serve as lookouts, messengers and  food  suppliers.

               Now let us look at the strategic approach the Bnei Israel actually took to free themselves from Egytpt  and see if we notice anything unusual. The offensive military strategy seemed primarily to  consist of removing all the chumetz  [leavened bread] in their abodes and preparing the Pesach offering and eating the Pesach offering the night of the outgoing from Egypt  while the defensive tactics  consisted of placing dam [blood] on the door posts and lintels at the entrance way of their homes.

                 Can we even imagine the reaction a military strategist would have when hearing how we prepared ourselves for the potential battle and ensuing Great Escape. Yet every Jew who followed this supernal protocol left safely filled with blessings. How can we explain this miraculous phenomenon?

            In Egypt, the Creator chose to utterly suspend cause and effect in a manner we perceive as miraculous.  However, even in our era, where open miracles do not occur, we can use this glimpse into spiritual technology to understand that those things that we assume are causing our successes or our failures do not represent actual causes.  It is the Creator who is the Only Cause and so when we observe His commandments, we achieve a spiritual release from  bondage to the cause and effect  paradigm of the natural world. Following the guidelines of the Torah offers us the opportunity to experience a panoramic view of supernal consciousness. This shift in awareness not only allows us to perceive the ethereal position of the soul’s relationship with the entire cosmos but also affords us the opportunity to delve deeply within and  effectuates our ability to choose to follow the guidance of  our Creator  so that we may be led to the proper path.

   We wish you a happy sweet Pesach.                   

     In a few  verses (pesukim) in the beginning of the Book of Exodus (Sefer Shemos) , the Torah sets in motion the political and emotional forces that were to keep the children of Israel in bondage for the next two hundred and ten years.  These same forces which were aimed at keeping this nascent people enslaved to  materialistic pursuits, goals and values have operated as a snare throughout history and are present today, only the stage setting has changed and the fact of the bondage has been well concealed.

The mindset that led to the subjugation of the Children of Israel in Egypt was their yearning to be like everyone else - to assimilate into the Egyptian culture.  In their eagerness to be a part of that culture, many mistakenly replaced their service of the Creator (Hashem) with loyal service to the governing regime in a manner far beyond and above that which is required by the ordinary dictates of good citizenship.                     

            Pharaoh, who personifies the Jewish nemesis, the yetzer hara, understood that as long as the Jewish people were living in accordance with high standards of spiritual development,” he would not be able to subjugate them.  They were the beneficiaries of Hashem’s promise to Avraham our forefather  - a promise which was to be eternally evidenced by the bris mila, covenant of circumcision.  However, after Joseph died, some of the Jews stopped circumcising their sons because they wanted to emulate the Egyptians.  (Midrash Rabba I:8).  In order to prevent their assimilation, Hashem transformed the appreciation the Egyptians previously had into a feeling that the Bnei Israel had become a threat to them.

The yetzer hara, in the guise of Pharaoh, then changed its form, face and presentation in order to subjugate the Israelites and turn them into servants of the state. 

To induce the Israelites to participate in their building program, the Egyptians hung a brick kiln around Pharaoh’s neck, inviting the Jews to join him in brick making.  Each Israelite man went to work making as many bricks as possible, which thereafter became the expected quota. The Jews thus became willing accomplices in their own enslavement, wooed and won over by this appeal to “love of country.” This technique, oft repeated in Jewish history, trapping them into assimilation and distancing them from their connection to the teachings (Torah) of the Creator. 

              Modern society today poses a different but equally challenging test, by placing the modern equivalent of the brick kiln around the necks of those who act as role models teaching that true  value can be measured only in terms of money and or  fame.

                                         Addicted to Bondage

By the time the Israelites began to see the futility and hypocrisy of their alliance with Pharaoh, it was too late. The bondage had become an addiction.   The Bnei Yisrael were given the task of building arei miskenos, cities, whose names were Pisom and Ra’amseis. The word miskenos has the same root as the word miskein which means misfortune or poverty.    Pisom means sudden or immediate.  It also can refer to the mouth of the abyss, pi tehom (Midrash Rabba I:10).  Ra’am means loud, like a thunderclap.

            In our hectic lives, where sudden and immediate claims upon our time are an all too frequent occurrence, if we are not discerning, we may find that we are building Pisom.  We may also necessarily be building Ra’amses, since these calls to duty are usually loud and very difficult to ignore. One of the ploys of the yetzer hara is to persuade us that we must accomplish everything we have set out to do which can lead to feel overwhelmed. Pharaoh well understood that working without respite on purposeless tasks that could never be completed would weaken the physical, mental, emotional and most importantly spiritual health of the Nation.

         Acting too quickly and assuming excessive obligations without enough considered thought as to their value and purpose can make a person feel like a slave. The connection between such a distressing state of affairs and the bondage in Egypt is apparent. We can now readily see how these words of our eternal Torah apply to anyone at any time:  “They embittered their lives with avoda kasha, hard work, bechomer, with mortar and with leveinim, bricks, and with every labor of the field; all the labors that they performed with them were with crushing harshness” (Shemos 1:14).   The work was kasha, hard.  This word is related to the word for straw, kash, to hint to us that work is hard when it is like straw to us, that is, when it is commonplace and purposeless.   Mortar, chomer, which in Hebrew also means material, represents that which is stripped of spiritual content and inspiration.  Even without purpose and without inspiration we can still produce leveinim, bricks, but when one works under those circumstances they are reduced to field laborers (avoda basadeh) deprived of higher motivation, dignity and joy.

                                                            Salvation

But take heart; there is a way out.  There is an answer that may surprise us.  Moshe Rabbeinu told Pharaoh to release us because we are being called upon to serve Hashem.   Service of the Creator is not always easy, but it has all of the components that make it humane and perfect.  It provides meaningful obligations that have an eternal reward.  It provides periodic rest periods on Shabbos and Holy Days dedicated to  joy and rest for our weary souls. 

           When we stop and take stock of our options and our strengths, the time we have, the things we must do in order to fulfill our obligations as Jews as opposed to those things that we may be doing to serve some other cultural demand, we may be pleasantly surprised by the result.  We may be able to simplify our lives and our goals and live in greater harmony then we ever thought possible.

 The job of the Egyptian taskmasters was to maximize the burdens upon the Israelites which ultimately shortened their servitude and enhanced their purification in the caldron that was Egypt.  It is precisely when the “task masters of time” bear down upon us that we have the opportunity to cull the necessary from the unnecessary and focus upon those matters that are essential to our spiritual work.  This level of discernment can be  achieved by sincerely asking for Hashem’s help in the process. 

This will actualize Pharaoh’s fear that we will  “go up [be raised up] from the land.”  “The land” which represents our physical and mental attachment to this world will no longer have a hold on us.  When we cleave to Hashem through His Torah, we will be elevated to a higher level of consciousness referred to as “the children of (Bnei) Israel.”

The Torah teaches us that the more the Jewish nation was afflicted the more they increased and spread out. This means that even during this period when we, as a nation, were far from reaching the perfect service of Hashem, His Divine Radiance was still with us.  In the dark and immoral environment of Egypt, Israelite slaves, who were deprived of all the benefits that culture and civilization are thought to bestow, were being forged into a holy nation.  The very harshness of the bondage actually strengthened the potential in each Israelite, so that when the time was ripe, Hashem would redeem us. The teaching here is very profound as it is a lesson to us that suffering and affliction can have very beneficial results. We do not ask for tests, but if they come, they can inspire our best performances. From this spiritual plateau we will not only be free from Pharaoh and Mitzrayim but we will be able to fulfill the will of the Creator in the holy land of Eretz Israel.

               May we merit this soon in our days.  

  It’s the night of the first seder and your grandfatheris sitting at the head of the table. He breaks the middle matza, wraps it upand hides it behind his  pillow. This isthe afikoman which is destined to become the highlight of the seder.

  You are still very young and don’t yet appreciate its value. Your grandfather gets upfor a moment and when your uncle points to the pillow saying, “Get it now,quickly, while he’s not looking,” you hesitate, feeling quite shy.

Itisn’t just this unfamiliar prompting, but it’s everything –the house looks sodifferent. The table is much longer than usual-- it’s white and beautiful withlots of shiny glasses, sparkling silver and guests. All the table tops andcounter tops are covered with colorful plastic and the sink has some kind ofmetal tub inside it. Nonetheless, you finally get up and  with a burst of courage you move closer to yourgrandfather’s chair, hesitating, until some one prompts you, “Quick, grab itand run.”

Fora second, you feel afraid, but as soon as it is in your hand, your brothertells you to quickly run and hide it. You run to do what he says and you startto feel excited and happy.  The sedermoves ahead. Everyone has eaten. Just when  you are starting to feel very sleepy, yourgrandfather asks you for the afikomen. You go to get it, and your big brother tells you to wait, and explainsthat you must ask for a really big present and get a promise  before you give it back. This scene isrepeated in tens of thousands of Jewish households across the world on Passovernight.

Doesn’tit seem a bit odd?  Here we are seeminglyallowing our small children to take something that doesn’t belong to them and ontop of that extort a prize for their efforts. All this takes place on one ofthe holiest nights of the year.  How canwe possibly understand this conduct?

  Usually the evil inclination tries to lure aperson into improper behavior using thrills and excitement. Even though we wantto avoid such conduct, the problem we face is that we simply cannot discard theevil inclination.  As in the well known Medrash,when the Sages prayed to remove the yetzer hara and Hashem answered their prayers,even the chickens stopped laying eggs. The evil inclination is necessary but needsto be controlled. The challenge to us is to sur mei ra, avoid evil, yetpreserve our enthusiasm and direct it to our good deeds.  But how do we do this? 

     We are, perhaps, doing precisely this whenwe encourage our children to take the afikomen. We are allowing our young and pure children to experience the excitementthat is motivated by the evil inclination when engaged in risky, dangerous andthrill seeking conduct.  We do this bygiving them a controlled dose of the “taste of desire.” As the child grows up,that spiritual inoculation that was administered in the name of Heaven and withlove continues to act as an antidote against the infectious powers of the evilinclination.  Indeed, that small dose, onPassover Night, affords the child the ability to rekindle those exuberant feelings directing them in a positive mode while learning Torah, performing mitzvos and good deeds.

How can the same small “taste of desire” act as a vaccine shielding the child from harm, while at the same time inspiring the child with enthusiasm for all things that are Holy? It is because of the setting in which this taste is given.  The seder night is called, lay’l shemurim,the night of watching - the perfect night for this process to take place. It isa time when the forces of evil are subdued. 

    You may be wondering, how can this spiritualinoculation continue to protect us into our adult years?   Possiblythe answer is we use booster shots!  Oh,we are not suggesting that this Pesach you grab the afikoman, however we shouldwatch the child who is taking it and allow that small child inside of us torelive and rekindle those feelings of joy, exuberance and enthusiasm. Thatalone will allow us to tap into our wellspring of positive emotions.

Maywe all merit to bring the korbon Pesach,Passover sacrifice, to the Holy Temple inJerusalem soon in our days.

                 He quickly jotted down the names and their dates of birth and death. Time was short as he had to catch the last train back to Strasbourg before his flight.  Just as he was about to leave, he spotted a small monument in the corner of the plot that was almost completely covered with vines. He quickly walked towards it, bent down and cleared the greenery away from the stone. This stone was clearly the oldest of them all, dating back over two hundred years. When Yosef Dovid managed to decipher the worn and faded engraving that spelled out the Hebrew name, he stood speechless and in awe in front of it. The name on the monument was Yosef!

 Later Yosef Dovid joyfully discovered  through his brother’s research that he was a direct lineal eighth generation descendent of the Yosef whose resting place he had found.

                 Those two great grandfathers, Yosef from his father’s side and Dovid from his mother side waited patiently under the Heavenly throne and only when this sensitive soul many generations later, who would eventually return to his Jewish heritage, was born that the Heavenly realm decreed their names be rekindled and eventually revealed through this soul.

 The soul always knows who we are and why we are here, hopefully someday that knowledge is also shared with us.  

           The ways of Hashem are wondrous!

            Purim is the perfect time to invite guests who think that Judaism is stodgy and restrictive.   As we stomp all over Haman’s name during the Megilla reading, and then sit down to a meal that’s more liquid then solid, I most enjoy watching Purim dismantling all of their pre-conceived notions.   I don’t tell my guests (who are having too much fun to worry about it) that even as we do something that seems strange or unusual, we are making a powerful statement that reverberates through time in order to bring the ultimate redemption.

            Stomping Out Haman 

             The custom of stomping at the sound of Haman’s name begins at the feet, so let us take off our shoes and examine the bottom of our “soles/souls”.  Most of us have a live and let live relationship with our feet.  If they do not bother us, we don’t worry about them.  We don’t usually buy special vitamins or minerals to enhance their functioning and at best we notice them because we need them as a place to put our shoes. 

Our feet don’t seem to  “kick up” much of a fuss about this attitude because they are too busy either standing or walking.  Walking is an amazing process, that we take for granted, which involves the foot’s ability to be rigid and calloused, yet flexible and mobile:  taking steps begins with the foot in a rigid state, the heel  hitting the ground, it then continues  with the foot unlocking and flexing so the knee can pass over it.  Our weight is then transferred to the ball of the foot as we propel ourselves over the toes whereupon the foot again becomes rigid to provide the momentum for the next step.  Although small in comparison to the body, the foot is able to support its full weight using muscles, tendons sinews and interestingly twenty six bones. 

The feet are furthest from the head and seem to be unconnected from all the other organs.  Yet according to a fairly popular alternative medical practice called reflexology, applying pressure to designated points on the feet can restore health and well being to each part of the body for a wide variety of ailments. According to this system, there are said to be, even more interestingly, 7200 hundred nerve endings in the feet which connect to zones so that each part of the foot corresponds to some part or organ of the body.  For example, the various organs and systems of the body are represented on the sole of the foot while the big toe corresponds to the head.  The lungs correspond to the ball of the foot while the waist is a line crossing the instep and the small intestine and bladder are located towards the heel.  

The feet also seem to be the farthest removed from that which is holy and pure.  Yet, it would be very difficult to interact with the world in the fulfillment of many (mitzvoth) specific good deeds without their assistance.  And it is that interaction with the world that Purim is so much about as this holiday begins with an awakening from “below”.

Our generation’s place in history lies on that end of Hashem’s time line that is embedded deeply within a mindset that often connects itself to self gratification, that is at the bottom end of  the  fourth of our four  exiles, [1] yet, we play a “pivotal” role.  Like the “soles” of the feet, most “souls” today are distant from the achievements of earlier generations, yet it is our duty to lift ourselves up, “striding” ever forward bringing the knowledge of Hashem into the here and now – which time is referred to as the (ikvei) [heels] footsteps of the HaMasiach.  Although this last exile like our heels has become somewhat calloused it is precisely that quality that gives us the opportunity to illuminate this epoch in time so that the ultimate redemption can occur.

Interestingly, our feet play a crucial role in this epic drama. They serve as the liaison between our “souls” and the ground. By having “our feet on the ground” – ie. in this material world, we are vulnerable to the nefarious plans of (Haman/Amalak) those who personify evil, but at the same time this positions give us a solid “foot-hold” in this battle.

Although our physical “soles” are connected to earthliness, our holy “souls” are unified with the true Source of All.  We therefore literally have the power to “stamp out” the influence and memory of  Haman  and Amalek with each “step” bringing us closer to their “de-feat” and the our ultimate redemption.

 Purim samayach!!!

         

         On your way to (Pesach) Passover,don’t  pass over Purim.  Ah Purim, how we all appreciate you eventhough you tantalize us,  mystify usand  laugh with us as we struggle to understandyou.   Like Yom Kippur, you help us toreach a destination called forgiveness but what a difference in the trip.  You allow us to atone for our sins withmerriment and with eating and with drinking-- a lot of drinking.    On Yom Kippur we abstain. On Yom Kippur weremove our shoes, while you get us to put on an extra pair of clown shoes. OnYom Kippur we refrain from anointing ourselves while you allow us to us smearour faces and bodies with extra creams and cosmetics. On Yom Kippur we stayawake and focused while you – Purim - lead us to take an extra drink and or alittle extra sleep.  How does this happen?

             Maybe we can find an answer using  your mitzvah of drinking wine –everythingbecomes clearer with a little wine and even clearer with more wine  . . . Let’s see, where was I ? Oh yes, Drinking can easily bring a person tofrivolity and nonsense, yet you, Purim, are (mehapech) the opposite,  you make a switch and the wine we drink takesus up the spiritual ladder towards purity and strivings towards kiddusha.

You’re reallyclever.  You  fool our (yetzer hora) negative inclinationby giving  it just what it wants lots ofwine and maybe even some more and then all of a sudden, it can’t connive ordeceive any more because (nichnas yayin yotzei sod) once wine goes in, on thisunique holy day, then the inner yearnings of our pure Jewish soul come out. 

You put masks onus to strip our masks away. All of a sudden we may realize that our regular,ordinary, middle of the road conduct is really the result of our inner battlebetween these two forces. Now we get a chance to glimpse at our dark side andthrough the special loftiness of this day can actually laugh at it, with that laughter freeing us from its negative influence hopefullynot just for this day, but forever.

When we see beyondthe mask, we learn how not to judge. Throughout the year we may be guilty oftoo quickly evaluating and judging others on a very shallow level. On Purimwhen a (adel) sweet person puts on a scary mask, we are not frightened becausewe know that behind the mask is a precious soul.  So, too, in the real world, every Jew hasgood points which we should focus on and therefore not be so quick to judgeanyone superficially.

               Ah Purim, you don’t have ussimply ask (mechila) forgiveness, of our friends, you tell us to say it withpresents.  How so? We give two gifts toat least one friend and minimally one gift to each of two poor people. One ofthe great Rabbis makes an observation asking why are we obligated to give atleast double to a friend and only minimally one gift to each of the poor?  He answers that the poor gratefully accept whateverwe offer, but we might have offended our friends over the course of the yearand they may continue to harbor resentment. On Purim we are commanded to make aspecial effort to repair these breaches in all relationships especially thosewhich have weakened. Therefore we should  “redouble” our efforts with sincere gifts andsend a clear message to both close friends and  estranged acquaintances  that we are sincerely interested in healing thepast and rebuilding the future together. Also we give them gifts that don’tneed preparation – ie. ready to eat - to hint to them that they do not have tomake any - preparations - changes in themselves - in order for us to acceptthem as they are.

            On Purim, the poor can make usrich.  One reason we are only minimallyrequired to give one gift to each of at least two needy people is because aslong as we don’t see the poor as our friends we ourselves are spiritually poor,however, if we see every Jew, including the needy, as our friends, then we willgenerously lavish them with gifts thereby taking them out of their physical povertyand ourselves our of our spiritual poverty.

       Ah Purim,

leave us with one more gift,leave us with your special smile which inspires our hearts as we prepare forthe next stage of our journey that being the wonderful Pesach transformation.

The Torah encourages a person to perform kind deeds in order to be rewarded. That is so that the reward will publicly demonstrate to one and all that the bounty one reaps from his kindness is as predictable as the harvest the farmer gathers from his planting. The philanthropist should train himself to feel that there is no loss involved in tithing – it is all guaranteed gain. It is not merely permissible to look forward to riches as a result of charity, it is an obligation! (Rabbi Avrohom Chaim Feuer, The Tzedakah Treasury, Mesorah:2000)

 

The crowded bus lurched and swayed through the city streets. David* looked out the window and saw the familiar landmarks of his beloved city passing by, a city of Torah and chessed that he felt privileged to live in. His thoughts turned inward – a place where he did not want to be, because his head was filled with numbers, large numbers – the huge sums he owed to too many gemachim, to friends who now needed the money as badly as he did.

 

His thoughts turned to his wife and young children at home in their small, crowded apartment. He saw his wife cringing each time the phone rang.  She was too embarrassed to answer it any more because she had run out of excuses, and she couldn’t shop in the local stores any longer because the unpaid bills had piled up so high that the storekeepers reluctantly had cut off their credit. Although David had the utmost faith in the Provider of parnassah, he himself was pained and embarrassed that his wife had to endure all this, and he thought sadly that perhaps he just wasn’t meant to continue sitting in kollel and learning. He couldn’t borrow any more money for he would never in a million years be able to pay it back the way things stood. It was likely that his only recourse now was to sell his apartment to pay his debts. With a small sigh, he opened his sefer and lost himself in the holy words.

 

Three months earlier across an ocean:

Moshe Rubin’s* beard was now snow white, though his face still looked youthful and he retained a cheerful, optimistic outlook on life. A phone call had just reminded him of the days when he had struggled to manage on kollel pay, because that’s how he had supported himself and his family during the years he’d sat and learned in Eretz Yisrael.  He remembered the tiny rented apartment, the gemach loans he’d juggled constantly and the way his wife would extend the life of the children’s clothing to last yet another season. How she did it, he still didn’t know. 

 

Wondrously, however, each time there’d been genuine need, Hashem in one way or another provided a shaliach who’d offered support or helped in exactly the right proportion. Moshe remembered, too, the yearning that accompanied his sacrifices throughout all those years to be able, some day, to be on the giving side of chessed.

 

Well, that day arrived when Moshe’s wealthy uncle passed away and Moshe found himself an heir to a substantial sum of money. Moshe set about implementing his longing, and distributed maaser from the inheritance to charitable institutions and worthy causes. He also wanted to do more than that. He wanted to be able to offer a really large loan on favorable terms to a worthy and needy individual, to whom it might make a lifesaving difference.

 

Moshe, of course, had his own large family to consider, and he wondered what he would do if, chas vechallila, the worthy individual would be unable to pay back the loan. After all, he and his married children were still living in rented apartments, he still had children to marry off and he was not getting younger. So, although he could afford to take the risk of making such a loan and supposed that the borrower would have a reliable guarantor, Moshe hesitated. His conscience bothered him, though, because he knew what it means to be on the needy side of the equation, and he finally resolved to offer a long-term loan to the next person he heard about who was in serious debt. At this point he hadn’t yet heard about David.

 

Moshe heard that his rebbi and mentor, Rav Cohen* was in failing health and his family was having a hard time. Medical expenses had exhausted all the family’s personal funds and there were no gemachim left that they hadn’t turned to. The Cohens needed a very large sum of money.  Moshe’s heart went out to his rebbi, but his two yetzers carried on a raging debate within him about making the loan. Should he, shouldn’t he? Could he couldn’t he?

 

Finally, Moshe realized that he had to settle this inner battle one way or the other and, in the face of his fears and trepidations, he strengthened his resolve and made a commitment to loan the money to the Cohen family. He went to his bank and nervously ordered the transfer of the money.

 

The loan, baruch Hashem, accomplished its purpose.  Rav Cohen’s family was able to care for their ailing parent without the specter of debt overwhelming them. As for Moshe, the day after he transferred the money and before he started to worry about the significant hole the loan had made in his bank account, Moshe noticed that his stock-market shares began to increase in value. In just six weeks, Moshe’s holdings increased in an amount equal to the size of the loan! After that, the stocks remained stable without any unusual fluctuation, unlike Moshe’s emunah, which now took a sharp rise, and kept rising.

 

Three months after this inexplicable event, a close relative of David’s told Moshe of David’s plight and asked if Moshe could help out with even a small amount. Moshe asked a few questions and soon understood that David required a bit more than a few hundred dollars to avoid having to sell his home. Again, in a quiet moment, Moshe sat down and battled with himself, wondering whether to give or not to give, whether to worry about getting repaid or left in the lurch. Moshe reminded himself of the chazal that says charitable loans have the most dependable Co-signer in the world, as he had already been privy to see.

 

Moshe made arrangements through the mutual relative, a Rav, to have David sign a loan agreement and turned over the money to the Rav.

 

David got off the bus and plodded slowly homeward. His wife, holding the hand of their youngest child, was half-running toward him breathlessly, trying incoherently to tell him something.

 

“Hurry, David, hurry home. There’s a phone call … Rabbi Levi* … something about a loan, a large loan … your cousin in America … he’s holding on … go answer the phone…”

 

David raced up the stairs and picked up the phone. Rabbi Levi explained briefly that a friend of his had called from the States. His friend was David’s cousin, who had arranged with an unknown donor to loan David a really large sum of money on easy terms and asked when David could come to his house to sign the loan agreement.

 

“I’ll be right over,” he gasped.

 

Once again, Moshe saw the workings of hashgachah clearly. About a week after David signed the loan agreement, Moshe’s brother called him with good news. It seemed there was more to the inheritance they had recently received from their uncle. The accountant and lawyer for the estate had withheld a large amount in reserve to cover taxes and other death duties. When all the outstanding charges were paid, the remainder of the reserve could be paid out to the heirs almost immediately.

 

Moshe’s share (you’ve probably guessed it) was equal to the amount of his loan to David. Hodu laShem ki tov! This really happened.

 

*Names have been changed

       Reaching the perfect balance between the hishtadlus of earning a living and the - mesirus nefesh of sitting and learning as much Torah as possible, according to one's situation in life, is a substantial challenge. Often parents are concerned that a proper balance will not be achieved.

       Josh is the second of three sons that were born to loving parents brought up in a Reform Jewish home.  At the age of twenty-four he began his quest to discover his Jewish roots and find out as much as he could about his heritage. As he progressed, his appreciation of the great gift of Torah grew and he decided to dedicate as much time as he could to learning.

        Even after his marriage and with a growing family to support, Josh made every effort to maximize his learning whenever he was free from work. His father, a successful businessman, found it extremely difficult to understand Josh’s unwavering goal of studying the Torah for its own sake. He had provided each of his sons with an excellent secular education in the hope that they would follow in his footsteps in the business world. 

Over the years, his parents would visit the growing family, and Josh always hoped and prayed that some day they would be able to not just accept but even appreciate their son’s chosen lifestyle. However, this particular visit seemingly was not going to be the time.

During their stay, as the family was sitting in the living room, there came a loud knock at the front door. Josh opened the door and saw a large, burly figure who flashed a badge and handed him an eviction notice. Josh stood numbly at the door, sort of smiling and nodding as the sheriff explained that the owner of the house had defaulted on his mortgage payments and the bank was foreclosing. The sheriff apologized for bearing "uncomfortable" news and wished Josh good luck.

By this time, Josh and his wife and weathered other challenging predicaments without compromising their convictions, and they had learned to accept the fact that everything was hashgacha and place their trust in Hashem. Now, standing alone at the door, Josh recalled some of the challenges he had encountered.

Josh's parents had watched their son evolve into a religious Jew over a span of twenty two years. They respected his decision, even though they never fully understood it.  About a year before their battle of ideologies had taken another turn. His parents really loved their children and grandchildren and decided at that point to offer the couple a very tempting offer. They would make the down payment on a house, and all Josh would have to do would be to carry the mortgage and expenses, but there was one string attached. Josh would have to promise to remain in America and spend more time at work and less time learning. It had been difficult indeed to turn down this tempting offer, but their desire to return to in Eretz Yisrael outweighed his parents' generosity.

 

            Josh, still at the door, pasted a smile on his face, stuffed the eviction notice in his pocket and walked back into the living room. Parents being parents, they immediately saw right through Josh’s effort to cover up his dilemma and asked him what was wrong. Josh showed them the papers and his parents said they would look them over back at their hotel. A subtle undertone of tension remained in the air for the rest of the day.

           That night Josh and his wife discussed the possibility of giving in to his parents' earlier proposal but in the end renewed and reconfirmed their decision to do nothing to compromise their goal of returning to Eretz Yisrael.  

The next day Josh’s parents made one last visit before returning to their home in California. In a quiet moment, his father explained how shaken they were by the thought of their children and grandchildren being forced to move suddenly. And after so many years of a gentle clash of ideologies between father and son, each staunchly committed to his principles, something wondrous happened.

         Josh’s parents, in a one hundred eighty-degree change of heart, announced that they had decided to redeem the mortgage of Josh's house and allow Josh and his family to live in it rent- and mortgage-free with no strings attached — including moving away if they ever so desired. They had already spoken with a lawyer and an accountant that morning to negotiate the purchase. Naturally Josh and his wife thanked his parents profusely for their loving generosity, and then offered a special thanks to the Boss, for who else could have set the scene so perfectly to create these results?

Furthermore, thanks to not having to pay rent or repay a mortgage, Josh was able to put aside sixty thousand dollars during the next five years and use it for dowries and expenses for the marriage of his first three children. Josh and his wife now decided it was time for the family to return to Eretz Hakodesh. He hesitantly but firmly notified his parents of their decision. Astonishingly, they accepted the news graciously and even added positive words of encouragement and blessing. After almost twenty-five years of a loving but often rocky relationship with their son because of differences on certain issues, Josh’s parents had come to respect his sincerity and determination to follow Jewish ideals.

The Sages tell us that the three precious gifts of yishuv haaretz, limud Torah and Olam Haba are acquired only with pain, yesurim. Josh and his family fulfilled their dream of moving to Eretz Yisrael and found it well worth the accompanying challenges. Josh's parents found a buyer for Josh's house immediately, and made a clear profit of sixty-thousand dollars – exactly the amount they had relinquished to help their children. As the Rambam tells us in Hilchos Shemitta Veyovel 13:12-13, “Every person who is given the opportunity to be a financial partner in Torah is actually a shaliach from Hashem." Their parents' help, though seemingly a natural event, was no less than a miracle. Because, as our Sages explain, you cannot have Torah without flour, and therefore when a person dedicates his life to Torah, he will be treated like a levi or a kohen, who receive what they need from Hashem.

 

 

         Avraham, at nineteen years of age, received a draft notice informing him of his candidacy for military service. Since he didn’t relish the idea of becoming a foot soldier in the Vietnamese jungles, Avraham immediately enlisted in the Naval Reserve which obligated him to serve two years of active duty followed by four more years of monthly reserve meetings.         

           After a short basic training, Avraham was flown to his new duty station, the USS Reeves, a guided missile destroyer, stationed in Japan, that housed to four hundred plus sailors. After leaving port, heading towards their duty station off the coast of North Vietnam, the ship was engulfed in a raging typhoon which caused it and its hapless crew bob up and down like a cork, listing and rocking among the surging thirty foot waves. When the storm reached its peak, the Captain reassured all those on board that the ship was virtually unsinkable because it had a stabilizer mechanism.

        After surviving the storm, Avraham, who was raised as a Reform Jew, would often go to the back deck late in the evening and gaze up into the star-filled sky. He was not only awed by its beauty and the sheer magnitude, but more importantly he began to ask himself many penetrating questions such as: What is the purpose of this awesome creation and what is mankind’s role in relationship to it? Since he had until now never received any meaningful answers to these kind of questions, he decided to pursue this spiritual quest upon his discharge from the Navy. 

           After Avraham had completed one full year in military service, the USS Reeves returned to the United States. By now the unpopular Vietnam war was challenging  Congress  to find new exit strategies, which included huge cutbacks in military spending.  The Navy, in response offered early military discharges to reservists who had served overseas for at least one year and were now back in the United States. Avraham qualified and within a few days walked down the gangplank for the last time, honorable discharge in hand, happily thinking his was forever free from all Naval obligations and as well as typhoons .

         Shortly thereafter Avraham began to fulfill his promise to search for the true purpose in life by putting his back pack and travelling to the Far East. There he attended classes in health and nutrition given by a gifted, highly well educated teacher who was very familiar with diverse cultures and traditions. Astoundingly, in more than one class he expressed his profound respect and admiration for the Divine wisdom of the Torah and its sages. These words stunned Avraham who was relatively uneducated about his own tradition.

            Alone one day on a mountaintop, Avraham having already realized that the Far Eastern culture was not to be his destiny, he turned humbly to G-d asking for help and direction. Almost instantly Avraham began humming a Jewish melody that he hadn’t thought of for many years, along with contemplating the words of praise he had just heard about his Jewish heritage. With tears in his eyes and a yearning heart, Avraham now understood the need to journey to Eretz Yisrael and eventually into one of its first Baal Teshuvah Yeshivas to learn more about his Jewish roots.

                The Gemora tells us: “All beginnings are difficult” and so it was for Avraham as he “set sail” in the “sea” of Torah he encountered a number of “powerful storms” of doubt and “volatile winds” of indecision that pounded fiercely on his small “craft” which was built out of fragile desires to reach the “shores” of truth. A number of times when his Jewish identity semed ready to “capsize”, Avraham strengthened his resolve by reminding himself of the Captain’s words that “the ship would always re-stabilize”. Fortunately those “storms” subsided and Avraham merited to marry and begin raising a wonderful family whose “voyage” through life has for the last three and one half decades been exclusively in the “waterways” of the Torah.

            May all our Jewish brethren merit to safely reach their souls true “port” of destination soon in our days.

“Meditate”

By: Amy Beth Falcon

Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved

On Ocean Waves PleaseMeditate,

Allow The Water ToRelate.

Allow The Tide ToCarry Song,

Do Nothing Else ButSing Along.

Feel The Sand KeepWarm Your Toes,

Be Grateful Cause G-DALWAYS KNOWS.

BE THANKFUL for theSeagull’s Dance,

LAUGH WheneverThere’s A CHANCE.

Create True Solace INYOUR MIND,

BY GIVING CARE ANDBEING KIND.

Walk The BoardwalkBack AND Forth,

Live IN BOTH TheSouth AND North.

Live IN BOTH The EastAND West,

VARIETY OF LIFE’S THEBEST.

BE GRATEFUL For YOURHUMAN BIRTH,

NOTE YOUR TALENTS ANDYOUR WORTH.

BE GENTLE TO OURPLANET’S WHOLE,

MEDITATE UPON THATGOAL.

OUR PLANET WILLFULFILL US TOO,

LET’S MEDITATE ONWHAT TO DO.

TAKE THE PROS andleave the cons,

So ugly ducklingsTURN TO SWANS.

CREATIVE SOULS ALLREALIZE,

ORIGINAL WON’TCOMPROMISE.

It’s Most EndearingTO Relate,

JUST CLOSE YOUR EYESAND MEDITATE.

  After the Divine miracle of the splitting of the sea, when our entire nation passed safely through the parted waters, we sang a new song—a  shir chadasha.  What is the underlying relevance of this unique melody? 

             Our long difficult years of bondage left it with us with a spiritual “laryngitis” that impeded the full expression of our souls.  Like the person who has profound insights to share with others but has “lost” his or her voice our years of slavery in Egypt greatly impeded the inner expression of our souls. The remedy for this spiritual malady was our willingness to immerse in the sea of our sub-conscious before it was split. (In spiritual terms the earth corresponds to our conscious state of existence, whereas underneath the seas corresponds to our unconscious state of awareness). Therefore submersion into the subterranean depths of our subconscious had the power to reawaken our soul connection. Az Yashir is the eternal song that is the quintessential prophetic melody of our Nation’s unified soul. 

Although we are now freed from the bondage of Egypt, the dangers of other forms of limitation and servitude continue to lurk at the “passageway” between our thoughts and emotions. Metaphorically speaking, Pharaoh and his palace are located at the back of the neck (oref) between our minds and hearts. Pharaoh and Egypt correspond to any powers that inhibit spiritual development and the full expression of our soul. Therefore in each of our lives, the “splitting of the sea”, kreas yam suf, is that decisive moment, when the powers of limitation, doubt and negativity are “drowned” and our previously “enslaved” super-conscious surfaces  from the depths of our hearts in blissful song .

              Just as there are seven physical days of the week, so also there are seven musical notes within this finite limited world. (There are actually eight notes but the 1^st and the 8^th are both the same note of doe.) Therefore not only did the entire Jewish nation, at the “splitting of Yam Suf”, traverse the sea but they also transcended the limitation of the natural order. [This is hinted to within the word Az whose numerical value is eight.] From this new ethereal plateau every man, women and child merited the highest level of prophesy. This eighth melodic “note” which is above nature corresponds to the sefira of Bina as it gives birth to the Daas consciousness. From this exalted position of higher awareness the powers of Pharaoh were nullified enabling us to sing a -Shira Chadasha – new song of divine awakening. Kreas yam suf is therefore the Torah’s classical paradigm to teach us that there are no impassable barriers in the physical, mental or spiritual realms.