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• The Great Shofar

  Sep 10, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Shofar has 3 distinctive sounds - Tekiah, a long, loud blast, Shevarim, three broken blows, and Teruah - nine broken blows. Why exactly are these notes being played? 
  
  The story is told in the Talmud, a mother of General Sisra would always wait for her son to return home from the battle. One of the days she waited and waited, and it got very late, and he was not coming back since usually, he should have been back a while ago, she understood that he was killed and she started to cry for her son. She cried a bitter cry, that only a mother would cry for her son.
  
  So we mimicked her cry with a shofar. 
  
  My question would be a pretty simple one, why do we mimic a cry of a non-Jewish lady in our service to G-d? What does she have to do with us? We have plenty of our personalities crying throughout the Torah, so why don't we use any of them, why is the cry of this lady being used?
  
  So, please allow me to offer you what may be the explanation.
  
  In the story of Akedat Yitzchak, when G-d comes to Avraham Avinu, He asks him to bring his son as a sacrifice. The Parashat Vayera 22:2 says: "Take your son, your only son, the one you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you." So Avraham Avinu goes and ties up Yitzchak, and places him on the Mizbeach. Once he was on the Mizbeach and Avraham was about to bring him as a sacrifice Hashem tells him, "Do not raise your hand against the boy, or do anything to him. Because now, I know that you fear G-d since you have not withheld your son, your favored one, from Me." But Midrash, says that Avraham Avinu wanted to carry out the commandment, to bring Yitzchak as a korban, and some say he did so. 
  
  So here's the question, why such a desire to hurt him, yes I know he wanted to carry out the commandment, but for Yitzchak, it wasn't a fun moment. Later we see when Avraham goes to fight for Lot and is offered prisoners instead of gold, he declines saying he won't take even shoelaces from the king as booty. Again, why not feel bad for the prisoners, and take them and maybe set them free or convert them and show them the path to serve the True G-d?! When it concerned Yishmael, and Hashem told him to listen to Sarah and throw him out, Avraham Avinu got sad, but Hashem reassured him, and said He will make a nation out of him, since he is his seed. How come Avraham didn't feel sad for the prisoners or Yitzchak? It looks like there was no compassion shown, if I may say so.
  
  We go further to the story of Chana in the Book of Samuel, Chana had no children and was praying for a child, Eli The Prophet saw her, and thought she was drunk, she asked him a question - how come you didn't see via your prophetic vision and bless me, so I can have a child, why didn't you feel bad for me? Again, no compassion was shown.
  
  More on the story of Chana and Penina. You'll be amazed at how much suffering Chana had to endure, all because she had no kids. This is yet another case of zero compassion.
  
  We go to Yaakov Avinu, when Rachel approaches him and asks him to give her a child, he says to talk to G-d, since he can't help her. Again no display of compassion.
  
  The same happens with the brothers and Yoseph. Yoseph was begging them to return him to his father, but they sold him to Egypt, again with no compassion shown.
  
  During times of First Bet Hamikdash and Second Bet Hamikdash, there was no display of compassion for each other, the nation had plenty of man-to-man problems, to the point that Hashem let the Two Temples be destroyed, millions killed and millions sent out to exile.  
  
  This is when the Men of Great Assembly made it a law to blow the shofar in exile - mimicking the cry of a non-Jewish lady - the mother of General Sisra. The nation went into exile, to be amongst the non-Jews, and there in those distant lands to blow the broken sounds of shofar and to experience hatred, humiliation, death, pain, and suffering - because the nation has displayed no compassion towards each other in Israel, in the Land of G-d, and in the House of Hashem. 
  
  And now two thousand years later, we are bitter and have suffered plenty. But how do we know that we, as a nation, have acquired the trait of compassion, and are ready for the next chapter of our history?
  
  In the Book of Prophet Isaiah, Chapter 53 talks about Mashiach and his suffering. Here comes the question, why does Hashem make him suffer? Why put him through so many - no compassion-shown moments? Let him live his life, and later appoint him to carry out his mission. Does it make sense, wouldn't you think? 
  
  And here's why Mashiach is going through the rough waters...
  
  After a long exile and plenty of suffering, Hashem wants to see - if and when the Nation of Israel will find a potential Mashiach, Hashem awaits for the nation to feel his pain and “to rescue him" and to "come over to the Mizbeach on which Mashiach is tied and suffering", and this time say to Him - to Hashem:
  
  "Hashem, Hashem, Do not raise Your Hand against the boy, or do anything to him. Since now, You know that we fear G-d... - for thousands of years, away from home, in exile, scattered all over the world we have seen it all - death, illnesses, wars, pogroms, hunger, hatred, humiliation, difficulties, pain, suffering, and have had plenty of other unpleasant events happen to us. We have seen them all, and we have experienced them all, but we have stayed as Jews and still fear ONLY You. And now the time has come to "take this boy OFF the Mizbeach", and offer our korban - this prayer, and blast the shofar, just like Avraham Avinu did on That Day. And with that blast, he has started the exile, but Today - this exile will end with us right Now, also with the blast of the shofar. The blast of Tekiah - a long loud blast - תקע בשופר גדול לחרותנו - Teka b’Shofar Gadol l’Cherutenu - Sound the Great Shofar for Our Freedom. No more the sound of the broken blasts - no more sorrow, tears, pain, and hardships.”
  
  And with this long blast of shofar, the nation closes the old chapter of Exile, of this Galut and begins a new chapter in History - the Chapter of Geulah Shlemah, a Complete and Long Awaited Redemption.

  May it be so, and in our days, Amen.

  Shmuel Katanov

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• Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue

  Sep 9, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Sometimes you see a word in the Torah, which triggers a whole new understanding, and once you sit down to write it, it takes you to some uncharted territory where you have never been. As it always goes with anything I write - it is just my own opinion, an understanding of how I see the passages based on learning the Holy Books. So with that disclaimer out of the way, let's look at something that I think is simply amazing. And maybe, it may even help you see it in a different light, and perhaps even consider using it in some way or form on higher levels. With that said, let's begin. 
  
  Parashat Shoftim has plenty of thought-provoking pesukim, but there's one that stands out, at least it seemed so to me.  
  
  Pasuk 16:20: "צֶ֥דֶק צֶ֖דֶק תִּרְדֹּ֑ף לְמַ֤עַן תִּֽחְיֶה֙ וְיָרַשְׁתָּ֣ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־ה׳ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ נֹתֵ֥ן לָֽךְ׃ - Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may thrive and occupy the land that your G-d Hashem is giving you." I believe this pasuk is the answer to how to bring peace to the nation of Israel or any nation in the world. The key to this would be the word Justice which for some reason, was mentioned two times. 
  
  For example, imagine this scenario: Two people come to court because they disagree on some issue. One is rich, and the other is poor. A judge judges the case and announces the verdict. Both are free to go since the case is solved. So, the condition of the first Justice is met. 
  
  But why does the Torah include the second word: Justice shall you pursue?
  
  This is when the judge, would ask the poor man to stay, and after the rich man has left the courtroom, the judge will start a whole new type of questioning, that would go something like this:
  
  Let's say the poor person's name is Chaim. The judge would ask him: "Chaim, I remember, or I have been told, that 20+ years ago you were a pretty successful businessman or had a job, you had a family or you may even still have one, and you were living a pretty comfortable lifestyle. But I see that something happened during these years, or maybe I shall say "someone happened" during these years, and your life took a wrong turn. Please, tell me about it."
  
  And this is when the judge finds out, that the things were pretty good. He held a job or had a business, but "he crossed someone's path", and that person made it - a goal of his life - to go after him and ruin his life. And so it was. Slowly he lost his livelihood, his reputation was blemished and he had to move to a different city. But those people still found him. He couldn't find a job or open a business since no one wanted to associate with him - simply he was done. All the doors for him were closed. 
  
  Years have passed. The money he had saved up from his prosperity years - was gone. Kids were growing up, the wife was nervous, and news about him was all over. So, this is when he was forced to go around and beg for a piece of bread.
  
  There are two ways out of this humiliating situation: suicide - which solves those people's problems but is not a good option for him, or homicide - if he starts to talk about those people, death will be his likely end.
  
  And this is where we come to Parashat Shoftim 21:1-9, which tells us about the Eglah Arufah. The body of a poor person is found in the field between the two cities. The person was traveling between the cities to collect enough money for bread to feed himself and his family. But his sin is - that he talks about the wrong that was done to him, he is asking people to take up on his cause and do justice on his behalf, and as much as those people try to shut him up by discrediting him, he keeps on talking. They didn't think he would be that stubborn, others were quiet after a few years - but this one won't stop - but finally, now he is dead. And the killer is unknown.
  
  The locals measure the closest location of the corpse to the city that the corpse is closest to. The closest city is assumed to be responsible - meaning: he was in that city last and came out from that city, so the killer may be from that city. So, the elders of that city, nearest to the corpse shall take the heifer, which has never worked, and never has pulled the yoke. They break its neck, wash their hands, and make the declaration: "Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it done. Absolve Oh L-rd, Your people Israel whom You redeemed, and do not let the guilt for the blood of the innocent remain among Your people Israel. And they will be absolved of the bloodguilt. And this will be morally right in the G-d's eyes."
  
  That poor person was collecting charity. Charity or Tzedaka same as the word Tzedek or Justice when you switch the letters around. Just like Cohen HaGadol's mother is giving out cookies in the Cities of Refuge, so the people residing there should not pray for Cohen HaGadol's early death (Mishna Makot 2:6), so is the poor person who collects charity - it is us the community when we give him charity - for the time being, postponing a judgment until someone wakes up and does justice to those people that caused that poor person all these trouble and suffering. 
  
  In the Eglah Arufah case, a person went to collect charity, and since he is known everywhere, they haven't given him much - they have not done Justice due to him, so he is forced to go to another city, and another city, and constantly talk to others because of his pain and frustration to the point where someone who had enough of him, have killed him so to put an end to this. 
  
  Comes Torah and says, Justice, Justice Shall You Pursue - first Justice is meant to be for the case that is in front of the Judge - this is what the two parties came for, judge this case, and let them go in peace. 
  
  But the second part is Justice Shall You Pursue - which means finding out how the person got to this point of his life, where the poor person is forced to collect charity and find those people who caused this situation upon him. Since they have done it, and will do it again in the future - the same proven strategy to others. While they do that, they always stay under the radar, and are considered to be respected members of the society, where they live, work, and thrive, while on the lookout for those that challenge "their honor".
  
  Do you hear those poor people? Walking around with stretched hands and asking for Justice?! When we - the community - don't do our part to pursue justice on their behalf, the poor scream out to Hashem, and He has to get involved...He Must - which causes all sorts of problems in the Nation.
  
  So what is the secret to thriving and living in the Land that Hashem has given us? And I believe, the answer would be - Justice, Justice We Shall Pursue!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• The Battle with The Divine

  Aug 26, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Sometimes there are clues spread in the Torah, and in this article, we'll look into one of them. 
  
  In Parashat Ekev - וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֤ת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה וּשְׁמַרְתֶּ֥ם וַעֲשִׂיתֶ֖ם אֹתָ֑ם וְשָׁמַר֩ ה׳ אֱלֹהֶ֜יךָ לְךָ֗ אֶֽת־הַבְּרִית֙ וְאֶת־הַחֶ֔סֶד אֲשֶׁ֥ר נִשְׁבַּ֖ע לַאֲבֹתֶֽיךָ׃ - And if you obey these rules and observe them, your G-d will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers. 
  
  So the most interesting word here would be the word Ekev, and besides the normal translation as a heel, there's an awesome secret hidden in it, that I would like to discuss. So, with your permission, let's delve into it!
  
  וְהָיָ֣ה ׀ עֵ֣קֶב תִּשְׁמְע֗וּן - Vehaya Ekev Tishmeoun - When you will listen - there's lots of great promises made by Hashem. To unlock this sentence, we need to refer to another place. 
  
  In Parashat Toldot we are told a story of Yitzchak and Rivkah. The Midrash tells us that when Rivkah Imeinu was pregnant, and she would pass by the synagogue the child would be active, and if she passed by the place where the idol is worshipped the child would be active again, as if it would want to come out. She was worried - why her child would be so puzzled - drawn after holy and unholy. So, she went to inquire. 
  
  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה׳ לָ֗הּ שְׁנֵ֤י (גיים) [גוֹיִם֙] בְּבִטְנֵ֔ךְ וּשְׁנֵ֣י לְאֻמִּ֔ים מִמֵּעַ֖יִךְ יִפָּרֵ֑דוּ וּלְאֹם֙ מִלְאֹ֣ם יֶֽאֱמָ֔ץ וְרַ֖ב יַעֲבֹ֥ד צָעִֽיר׃ 
  and Hashem answered her,
  “Two nations are in your womb,
  Two separate peoples shall issue from your body;
  One people shall be mightier than the other,
  And the older shall serve the younger.” 
  
  And so it was. When her time to give birth came, there were twins in her womb. 
  
  וַיֵּצֵ֤א הָרִאשׁוֹן֙ אַדְמוֹנִ֔י כֻּלּ֖וֹ כְּאַדֶּ֣רֶת שֵׂעָ֑ר וַיִּקְרְא֥וּ שְׁמ֖וֹ עֵשָֽׂו׃ - The first one emerged red, like a hairy mantle all over; so they named him Esau. 
  וְאַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֞ן יָצָ֣א אָחִ֗יו וְיָד֤וֹ אֹחֶ֙זֶת֙ בַּעֲקֵ֣ב עֵשָׂ֔ו וַיִּקְרָ֥א שְׁמ֖וֹ יַעֲקֹ֑ב׃ - Then his brother emerged, holding on to the heel of Esau; so they named him Jacob... 
  
  And here we find out that Hashem was referring to Yaakov as the one holding onto the heel of Eisav. 
  
  So, another way to read this pasuk we have started with would be not Vehaya Ekev Tishmeoun - When you will listen, but should be read as Vehaya Yaakov Tishmeoun - "When Yaakov will listen to these rules and observe them carefully, your G-d will maintain faithfully for you the covenant made on oath with your fathers." When the nation will listen and follow the laws, then Esav the older brother, will serve Yaakov the younger brother.
  
  But let's go even further. Remember in Parashat Vayishlach 32:25-29, Yaakov Avinu went to get some jugs and was alone, and suddenly an angel jumped on him and they fought. It was a long fight, until the break of dawn. When the angel saw that he had not prevailed against him, he asked to be let go. Then the angel said, "Let me go, for the dawn is breaking." But Yaakov answered, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." Said the angel, "What is your name?" He replied, "Yaakov." 
  
  וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃ - Said the angel, "Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but Israel, for you have fought with beings divine and human, and have won." 
  
  Yisrael means Yashar El - straight to Hashem, all the prayers are going straight to Hashem, no longer with a delay, as the one who is attached or very close to G-d. Before the fight with an Angel, Yaakov Avinu was just a prophet and a righteous married man - with 4 wives and 13 children, but after he won the battle with an angel, and passed the hardships with people - that made him into a giant - a father of the tribes, and a forefather of the nation.
  
  How can this all be applied to us and our everyday life?
  
  When the child is born, that child stands at the level of Ekev or the Heel, until the age of Bar Mitzvah. But once he has reached his 13th birthday and girls the age of 12, suddenly the neshama or soul changes, since now it has Yetzer Hara and Yetzer HaTov or Good and Bad Inclinations inside, and until the age of 120 there's a battle that goes on inside the person whether one should do good or evil. And since this inclination or Yetzer is part of his Divine Soul, this person is like Yaakov Avinu battles with his exclusive and internal Divine Angel. Hashem puts him through many tests and situations in life, until one day he passes his tests, subdues his Yetzer Hara to total control, chooses to do good and not evil, and continues so for the rest of his life. This is when this person graduates from the level of Yaakov to the level of Yisrael and becomes even closer to Hashem. 
  
  Did you hear of Olam Habah or The Future World, the one that will start after Mashiach comes, which will be one long and the most enjoyable time ever? Any ideas on how to get the entry ticket to it? There's a pasuk that gives it away. Kol Yisrael Yesh Lahem Chelek Le Olam Habah - All Israel have a share in the World To Come - All Israel, which by the way doesn't mean Every Jew, only those Yaakovs that have graduated from the level of Yaakov to the level of Yisrael. They have battled men - by halacha, and battled Divine - their Yetzer Hara, subdued it to the point where it was under their total control, embraced Torah and mitzvot for life, and thus graduated from the level Yaakov to the level Yisrael, and only then got their ticket to the World To Come. 
  
  And since we've come this far, let me ask you this: Do you know why good people suffer and bad ones have it smooth and easy? 
  
  Those who go through life without paying attention to the laws of the Torah - always stay at the level of Yaakov. At this level, they get all their goodness here on this Earth but lose their entry ticket to the World To Come. 
  
  But the righteous ones, who seem to suffer more than the others, are under strict supervision of the Almighty. Since He loves them and wants them to earn their passage into the Future World, and wants them there next to Him. He tests them and creates unpleasant situations for them through other people who ought to be punished, puts them through trials and tribulations, so they learn to fight their Evil Inclination, and eventually, get it under their total control, and submit themselves to Hashem, to His laws, and Torah way of life. 
  
  But I bet you hear this often: This is how I am, I have always been like that!! Most probably, I am a reincarnation of some person who battled it then, and I can't change this, about myself now. 
  
  So... little about reincarnations or the gilgulim. 
  
  Some very high souls have few things to fix about themselves. For them, the transition from Yaakov level to Yisrael is easy and almost unnoticeable for others, due to their environment, their targeted efforts, and their insatiable and burning desire to reach those heights.
  
  But for the rest of us, that have it tough, and got plenty of things to change about ourselves… what do we do?
  
  Many say Hashem loves you - they are not lying to you. He does, since He has given you hardships. Because each hurdle makes the next one easier to overcome even though it hurts more than the last time, each hardship is a stepping stone that gets our Evil Inclination under control - slowly muting its voice and minimizing its importance. Slowly but surely, step by step, year after year, blow after blow, until we finally stand on our feet with Yetzer Hara under our full control. At that moment the Divine becomes our life and calling. This is when we graduate from the level of Yaakov to the level of Yisrael, and we become very close to Hashem in this world, as His extension here on Earth with a guaranteed ticket to the Olam Habah. 
  
  So, my friend..now, are you ready to battle your angel?!! Challenge it, you won’t regret it!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  

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• Why Did Moshe Rabbeinu Hit The Rock?

  Jul 16, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  In Parashat Chukat 20:6-13, Hashem tells Moshe to take a staff and talk the rock, but Moshe hits it. Plenty of water came out, people drank, and the animals drank as well. But what is this miraculous stone?
  
  In Masechet Chagigah 12A:7, it talks about the Tohu va Vohu, and Vohu are the damp stones from which water emerges. Hashem wanted to introduce the nation to Vohu stones - the damp stones, a lifesaver in Israel or any dry climate that depends on rain. These stones could help greatly with agriculture since the nation is about to enter Eretz Yisrael. With the knowledge of the type of stone that has that capability, the nation can irrigate the land anywhere in Israel’s dry climate, which means good crops and prosperity. 
  
  So, the water came out. As is, it's a great miracle, but why both of the brothers were punished? 
  
  Every time Moshe had a question, he was always consulting with Hashem, but this time, the people were pressuring him to bring the water, and for a second, Moshe, if I may say - lost his cool or got angry - instead he should of stick to his rule of asking Hashem as he did always in the past. So, in a way, Moshe made the same mistake as Aharon and hurried with his decision, by hitting instead of asking Hashem. Moshe said from which should we bring, and took credit for both. Aharon was there, and since this scenario was familiar to him, and he did not stop his brother, both got punished pretty much for the identical sin.
  
  Hashem wanted him to talk to the rock, and people would have learned a lesson - look even the rock listens to Moshe who tells over the word of G-d, so we the people should do the same.
  
  But there may be even a deeper explanation.

  Since the times of Avraham Avinu and earlier, rock has been used for idols, Hashem wanted Moshe to teach them a different way of using rock in service of the Divine. But it didn’t happen. The nations of the world since then have used it for idols - there are humongous statues of different deities, and other symbols and buildings built across the globe dedicated to anyone but G-d Almighty. Moshe had an opportunity to fix it then, but he missed this opportunity. That’s why the sin is so great which lasts thousands of years and is practiced by billions across the globe till today, and the impact of it is simply huge. That’s why Hashem punished them both and forbade them to enter the Eretz Yisrael. That would be also why Hashem didn’t want Moshe to build the Bet Hamikdash, since he didn’t elevate the use of the stone properly, thus he lost the opportunity of building the Bet Hamikdash that is made out of the stone.

  The above is just to get us familiar with the story. But once again, let's go even more deeper.
  
  In Parashat Balak, when Bilaam is invited to "bless the Nation", in his first blessing he said: מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃ - Who can count the dust of Jacob, Number the dust-cloud of Israel? May I die the death of the upright, May my fate be like his! -- I would like to stop on the word Kamohu - Like his or can be read Like him. Bilaam is talking about the upright of the generation, but for a second, let's look at what other explanation may be.
  
  Kamohu - like him, we not exactly sure who he means, to zero in on the specific personality, we need to go to Parashat Shoftim 18:15,  נָבִ֨יא מִקִּרְבְּךָ֤ מֵאַחֶ֙יךָ֙ כָּמֹ֔נִי יָקִ֥ים לְךָ֖ הי אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ אֵלָ֖יו תִּשְׁמָעֽוּן׃ - From among your own people, your G-d will raise up for you a prophet like myself; that is whom you shall heed. Here it says Kamoni - like me, so we know it is Moshe he is referring to. And later Hashem confirms in 18:17: נָבִ֨יא אָקִ֥ים לָהֶ֛ם מִקֶּ֥רֶב אֲחֵיהֶ֖ם כָּמ֑וֹךָ וְנָתַתִּ֤י דְבָרַי֙ בְּפִ֔יו וְדִבֶּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲצַוֶּֽנּוּ׃ - I will raise up for them from among their own people a prophet like yourself, in whose mouth I will put My words and who will speak to them all that I command; Kamocha - like you. 
  
  So Bilaam means Moshe, that he wants his fate to be like his. But Moshe means a prophet to be appointed at the end of days, a Mashiach himself, and he wants him to be like Moshe Rabbeinu, Hashem confirms his request and says that He will do so. We need to find out why Moshe is making such a request. Why Moshe is asking that Mashiach should be like Moshe Rabbeinu?
  
  Bilaam and Balak came to the desert for one reason only, Balak the king of Moab wanted to "bless" the Jewish nation, and Bilaam was invited to carry out the order, so when their armies meet in the battle or even without it - the Jewish nation should lose. This all sounds good, but when they came to the desert to carry out the plan, Bilaam understood that this was an impossible task. Thus the word Kamohu - like him means, Bilaam saw a giant – and said - even I cannot go against a person like him!!
  
  Ever since Moshe separated himself from his wife Tziporah, starting from Parashat Yitro and in Vaetchanan, Moshe was growing in Torah knowledge, and getting closer to Hashem, but as he was doing all this, he also was getting ready to meet his challenger - Bilaam HaRasha, and not only him. 
  
  In the Midrash, we are told of a story. One day Hashem showed Adam HaRishon in a prophetic vision of all the personalities that came from him, from the beginning of time till the end of days. Adam watches it all, and then he sees a small child who lives for a few minutes and dies after a short while. Adam asks Hashem, why he died, Hashem tells him that this is how his fate or mazal is, so Adam gives him 70 years of his life, and this child is David HaMelech, who lives a full life of 70 years because Adam has given him a chance to live. 
  
  It is a nice story - but for the kids. Let me ask you a question...do you think something is not told in this story? Why suddenly does Adam feel so philanthropic, and gives away years from his own life to this infant? Many kids pass away around the world, how come Adam didn't give to any of them, but gave to this little kid named David? With your permission, I would like to fill in the blanks of what may be the reason.
  
  Adam HaRishon watches all the events and personalities and gets nervous towards the end of the days - Ketz HaYamim. Why? Because of the following story. When his oldest son Kayin killed Hevel, Adam decided not to have any more children, so for 130 years he was sitting inside a river and not coming close - not being together with his wife Chava. But Adam was a healthy male, and while in the river, not on purpose - he wasted seed. Since he was created by Hashem, and was a holy being, his seed turned into demonic beings, that went roaming the earth (Zohar, Parashat Bereshit), and in 130 years he created plenty of those creatures.
  
  As he was watching this "movie", he was horrified to see how those beings attacked the people and nations throughout history causing all sorts of problems and events to occur. But then he noticed one man, that went against them - the son of David, and he was successful in this battle.  As he traced his lineage, he came to this kid - David who died a few minutes after being born, which means there will be no Son of David and no one to fight those battles in the future. Realizing his mistake - of creating and unleashing these beings into this world, and driven by the desire of teshuvah - fixing his sin, Adam HaRishon has given 70 years of his life to David, so he can father Shlomo, so the lineage could continue and the Messiah should be born into this world, to fix the mistake of Adam HaRishon - to battle the wars of G-d, Milchamot Hashem.
  
  Hashem wanted to make Yehoshua bin Nun a Mashiach - Mashiach ben Yosef, since he was from Efrayim, the son of Yosef HaTzaddik, and then Yehoshua would have prepared the environment for the arrival of Ben David. But Moshe felt, and he foresaw, since he was a prophet, that it was too early, and the kings that would come later wouldn't be able to do what Moshe did and would not follow the ways of their forefathers. With the capabilities of the Vohu stone - the damp stone, access to drinking water and abundance of it for irrigation, and power and prosperity that comes with it, it will be misused throughout the ages, and instead of the good - all would turn out for the worst.
  
  When Miriam was alive, and they had water, Moshe lived separately in the tent - back then he wore many hats. During the day he was a leader and a teacher of the nation, but at night, he was their spiritual protector. When Bilaam came and tried to curse the nation, Moshe Rabbeinu had built already an invisible wall of protection around the camp. His learning, his prayers, and simply his being there amongst the nation were enough to make sure no Bilaam's or anyone's curses could penetrate the camp's spiritual defense line.
  
  Moshe was concerned for the nation, too much was at stake. Besides fighting wars on the battlefield, plenty of wars needed to be fought in the spiritual realm. People like Bilaam and Balak are always watching and trying to do evil to the nation, by manipulating the unleashed ancient demons or trying to hurt the nation any other way they see fit. Moshe felt that Yehoshua and the people that would come after him would not be able to fight them off till the Son of David arrived, and till year 6,000 mark or even earlier is a long time to expose the nation to those types of situations, where others will be trying to take over the land because of its abundance. Hashem has assured him that this task would be taken on by the biggest hidden and known tzaddikim in every generation. Each generation has its giants that are there quietly protecting us, and we may know them or find out about them after a tragedy hits us, and then we realize that it is because that protector is no longer around, so this is when the next generation of tzadikim step in quietly and take their place instead.
  
  So there was Moshe, not talking to the rock, but hitting, and not once but twice - fully believing in his choice, and making the ruling - psak for the nation, and deciding as a leader, and postponing the revelation of the knowledge of the stone.
  
  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ יַ֚עַן לֹא־הֶאֱמַנְתֶּ֣ם בִּ֔י לְהַ֨קְדִּישֵׁ֔נִי לְעֵינֵ֖י בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לָכֵ֗ן לֹ֤א תָבִ֙יאוּ֙ אֶת־הַקָּהָ֣ל הַזֶּ֔ה אֶל־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תִּי לָהֶֽם׃ - But Hashem said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust Me enough to affirm My sanctity in the sight of the Israelite people, therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the land that I have given them."
  
  Even though Moshe chose not to go with the plan of Hashem, Hashem kept His word by being with the Nation, and never abandoning it even for a second. Yehoshua bin Nun took the nation across the Jordan River, battled and won 31 kings, and conquered the Eretz Yisrael, thus becoming one of the greatest generals and prophets in our history. Hashem also has sprinkled in every generation till our times the hidden and known Tzadikkim, who are giants, and always there for us battling in the spiritual realm in and out of the spotlight. 
  
  This would also explain why in Parashat Matot-Masei, Moshe allowed 2.5 tribes to stay outside of Israel, since redemption is not happening any time soon. And why in Parashat Vaetchanan, Hashem told him not to pray anymore, since Moshe made the choice, and now he has to live with it.
  
  And why do we need that Vohu - the damp stone? Since it was never revealed to us, the Land of Israel never experienced true prosperity and is always dependent on rain. Dependence on rain means weak prosperity, a weak economy, and a weak army, which would explain the destruction that has been happening for thousands of years. Today in Israel they have the technology for irrigation, and because of this the deserts have been turned into gardens, and Israel has a strong economy, and a strong army. But with the coming of Mashiach, Hashem will reveal to us this stone, and with Kibbutz Galuyot – an ingathering of the exiles, the prosperity will grow exponentially across the board, as it says in the Book of Prophet Yeshayahu.
  
  But until then, there are wars around the globe, pandemics, mournings, unrest, vacations, elections, parties, fun, and lots of noise going on in every corner of the world. But stop all of that noise for a second and listen. Do you hear the knock on the door? Who is it you may ask? It is the Son of David. Can someone answer the door?
  
  - Shmuel Katanov

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• The Sound Of The Clock

  Jun 26, 2024 Admin 0 Comments

  Have you ever tried to hear the sound of a clock?
  
  In Parashat Terumah 25:31-40, "Hashem tells Moshe Rabbeinu to build a Menorah from a pure gold, hammered out shall the Menorah be made" The Hallacha says that if parts of it were made separately and then attached later on to make it look as one piece, this would make the Menorah not kosher and not fit for the service. Midrash Tanchuma tells us even more interesting details, Moshe could not visualize how the Menorah should look, so Hashem showed a Menorah of fire. Even then he could not understand how to make it, so Hashem told him to throw the ingot, a huge solid chunk of gold into the fire, and voila! A completed golden Menorah emerged from the fire, as explained by Rashi. 
  
  So, why does the Menorah need to be made from one solid piece of gold? And why does it need to be hammered out to give it the shape and look of the Menorah? Let's try to answer these questions. 
  
  In Parashat Ki Tisa 32:1-5, when people approached Aharon HaCohen after killing Chur and asked him to make them an intermediary between them and Hashem. Aharon’s response was - Bring me the gold. He thought that till they go and get the gold from the ladies, who will not be very thrilled about the idea of parting with their jewelry, Moshe Rabbeinu will come. Just like he suspected - the women refused to give their jewelry, but he didn’t expect men to give their own instead. So in no time, they have gotten together the necessary amount of gold for their project. Aharon HaCohen threw that gold into the fire, and from that fire, the golden calf emerged.
  
  This is where I would like to analyze these two events closely. 
  
  Do you realize what happened? These two scenarios are very similar but with different outcomes and responses. When Moshe Rabbeinu was presented with a task he did not fully grasp, his response was - I don’t know, or I am not sure and I have to ask Hashem, as it was in the making of the Menorah we have discussed above, also judging the cases like with wood-gatherer or blasphemer in Parashat Shelach and Emor. But Aharon HaCohen's response was - Bring me the gold. 
  
  I strongly believe that Hashem has put Aharon HaCohen in this situation for Aharon to turn to Heaven and ask Hashem for assistance, and this is where something amazing would have happened. Aharon HaCohen would have risen in the level of prophecy, Hashem would have answered him and made him much closer to Himself, to the point where he would have been not far away in prophecy from Moshe’s level. 
  
  Even in Parashat Balak, when the delegation came to Bilaam HaRasha to invite him to "bless the Jewish Nation", his first response was - I need to ask Hashem.
  
  But since Aharon HaCohen made the call and did not get Hashem involved, his closeness was postponed and has taken a different road. 
  
  By the way, how big was the level of Moshe Rabbeinu or how close was he to Hashem? When Miriam and Aharon were discussing Moshe’s behavior towards his wife Tziporah, Hashem told both of them that they were nowhere near Moshe, since he was - the trusted one in His house, and his level of prophecy was far above anyone. (Parashat Behaalotcha 12:4-9)
  
  Now Hashem needs to bring Aharon HaCohen closer to Himself, but how can He do that? Aharon could have had that level by requesting help from Hashem, but since he did not turn to Hashem when he was in the situation of a golden calf, going forward he had to put in the required work and years of effort to attain it.
  
  So in Parashat Behaalotcha 8:1 Hashem gave a commandment to Aharon HaCohen to light the Menorah, and made it a part of the daily service in the Bet Hamikdash, thus making it a way for him to come closer to Hashem.
  
  How do we know that Aharon HaCohen succeeded in this task, and came closer to Hashem, and those lofty levels?
  
  Centuries later, King David wrote in the Book of Tehillim, in Psalm 99: "Moshe, Ve Aharon be Kohanav, u Shmuel be Kore Shemo, Korim El Hashem Ve Hu Yaanem - Moshe and Aharon are among his priests, and Shmuel among those who invoke His name, they would call to Hashem and He would respond to them." King David confirmed in prophecy that Aharon HaCohen was able to accomplish that closeness with Hashem, and rose in the level of prophecy. 
  
  My dear reader, let me ask you a question. When you are in a situation where you can do good or evil, do you call out to Hashem? Do you ask Him for His opinion on how to respond to the situation you may be in? Do you bring to your memory the Torah knowledge or life experiences, the values you have been brought up with or learned in life, to make sure you make the best possible decision? 
  
  Hashem puts us in situations, just to see the type of decisions we will make, and then we have to live and deal with those decisions and their consequences - be it man to man, or man to G-d.
  
  Each one of us hammers out his own Golden/Spiritual Menorah by the decisions we make down here on Earth. Every move we make, every decision we make, and every statement we make - slams and hammers out a dent on our own Menorah for Hashem to view in the spiritual realm, which is the only place where it is all truth, where one can't mask those dents, or simply lie about them. 
  
  Some have nice and symmetric menorahs - Kudos to them since lots of work went into it and it's not an easy task. The rest of us may have very dented, twisted proportions and ugly-looking shapes. But these are our menorahs, and we keep on hammering away on them daily, and hopefully bringing our menorahs to the right symmetry, and making them look nicer than they previously were. 
  
  Shhh..quiet down a bit and listen, do you hear the sound of the clock - tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock... How does your menorah look? Will you have enough time to fix it?
  
  Our decisions of the past and in the future make dents that matter. Whether good or bad, it is our dents, and our responsibility - dents made by us, and for us to fix. Decisions...an unending flow of more decisions pounding on us daily...it’s time to own up to those decisions. Maybe after 120, when we have had our chance to work on our menorahs, we won't be ashamed to view them, and we will be the Cohanim Gedolim of our Menorahs, and we will light it daily in front of Hashem, and we will come closer and closer to Hashem - just like it was done by Aharon HaCohen. 
  
  So, now do you hear the sound of the clock? It is always ticking away...nonstop, without skipping a beat, and not waiting for anyone. There's no way to stop it, but to use it to our advantage. There's so much to fix and so little time to do it. How does your menorah look? Maybe the time has come to make the right dents?!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov

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