Holidays

• The Mystery of The Lit Candle

  Apr 11, 2022 Admin 0 Comments

  Have you ever wondered why we light a candle during the Bedikat Chametz or Searching for the Leavened Bread? To the outsider, this looks like an ancient ceremony, but as always there may be reasons for it and it should be something for us to look into.

   

  On the night of Bedikat Chametz we use a candle and look for 10 pieces of bread that we hid before, and also let me mention here - that we use the lit candle on Motzeh Shabbat during the Havdalah. Why do we do that? Is there a connection between these two candles? I believe there's, so let's examine it closely.

   

  The first time the fire is mentioned is in the Midrash for Parashat Bereshit, when Adam and Chavah went out of Gan Eden. When the night has fallen it says, that Adam got scared, since this would be the first time he has experienced - the nighttime. Hashem told him not to worry since it is a normal occurrence. He taught him how to start a fire with stones, and this gave Adam peace of mind and calmed him down. But I believe there's more that could be added to this Midrash or may be explained from a different angle.

   

  Let's start with a question, how come Adam and Chavah ended up outside of Gan Eden?
  
  In Parashat Bereshit, right after Hashem created the world, Hashem has told Adam not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, in turn, Adam has told Chavah not to touch the tree. Later when Adam wasn't around, Chavah was approached by a nachash, a primordial snake. And this is when the snake persuaded her - by telling Lashon Hara or slander about Hashem - to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, and she fell for it. There are several opinions about the fruit that the tree had - apple, grape, bread, etc.., but I strongly believe this tree had a ready-to-eat bread growing as fruits. 

   

  So there was Chavah - she took the fruit of that tree - a piece of bread from the Tree of Knowledge, and right before she ate it - the snake placed his poison into it - and Chavah ate the poisoned bread. And at that moment, the Yetzer Hara went into her, and then she made Adam eat it as well, and there they were with Yetzer Hara also known as - the bad character traits - jealousy, hatred, dishonesty, rudeness, and more - deeply rooted in them, and which are passed on to billions of people throughout the generations until today all across the world.

   

  Hashem wasn't happy about this. He punished Adam, Chavah, and the snake, but humanity was still infected, and Hashem had to figure out a way to somehow cleanse the people from it.

   

  And this is what Hashem did.
  
  Remember the time when Moshe Rabbeinu came to Egypt and took the Jewish nation out of Mitzrayim? In Parashat Beshalach, Hashem has given us manna in the dessert - a pure bread - food for the angels. A bread that was digested by the body fully with no waste. There's a reason why Hashem has put millions of people in the desert on this diet - only one reason - to raise the nation spiritually to the level Adam HaRishon was at when he was in Gan Eden. 

   

  But later when we get to Parashat Shelach, suddenly the selected few get this idea of spying out the Land. Hashem is not so excited about this idea, but He still lets Moshe send out an expedition, which he does. After forty days when they come back, what do they do? They say Lashon Hara or slander only this time on the Land of Israel. Hashem tried to cleanse the nation from that original sin, and raise them to high spiritual levels, but they fell for the same sin again, and this time Hashem decided to kill the males between ages 20 to 60 of that generation, and their children went into Israel years later. 

   

  But the Yetzer Hara was still inside those people that went to Eretz Yisrael.

   

  So, in Parashat Bo 12:11 it says, "So shall you eat it: your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You shall eat it in haste. It is a Passover offering to G-d." It continues in 12:34 & 39: "The people picked up its dough before it could become leavened, their leftovers bound up in their garments upon their shoulders. They baked the dough that they took out of Egypt into unleavened cakes, for they could not be leavened, for they were driven from Egypt for they could not delay." 

   

  So, it was set as a Holiday of Pesach for generations till today, to eat the unleavened bread - matzah, a bread that is pure and has no chametz in it. The Sages teach us that we should celebrate the night of Pesach, and we should feel that we leave Mitzrayim. But I don't believe that by leaving Mitzrayim, they meant that we should leave any physical location. Our Mitzrayim is our OK with the current situation, our contentment with it, and our will to continue living in it. Because the moment we understand what happened, we understand that we have lost - and we have lost BIG.

   

  On Motzeh Shabbat when we make the blessing for a lit candle, we look at our fingernails, which reminds us of Adam HaRishon, since it says in the Midrash that his whole skin was covered by fingernails like skin, but now we have nails only on our fingers and toes. But this is not the only loss it should remind us of. It should remind us of the fact that we no longer live in the Gan Eden, we no longer have ready-to-eat bread growing on the trees, and we have to toil hard for a piece of bread daily. We no longer have a close relationship with Hashem and thus live in the darkness. No Bet Hamikdash, and no Eretz Yisrael, with wars, diseases, hunger, death, conflicts, and a whole lot of troubles across the globe.

   

  Therefore, while we look for chametz with a lit candle, and gather the pieces of chametz - the leavened bread, we realize: Chametz, it is because of you we have lost so much. The life we have, and the life the whole world has is not what Hashem initially intended it to be - and instead, we suffer today because of the poison the snake put into the bread - which is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge - which in turn has infected us, humans, with the Yetzer Hara from which we suffer daily. We take that bread and we burn it, and with it, we annul all the chametz, that may be in our possession -- thus weakening its influence over us for the next 7 days. 

   

  And to all those that think, that G-d has abandoned the Jewish nation - should know that He has neither abandoned nor has given up on us.

   

  He has commanded us to celebrate the Holiday of Pesach for 7 days. And on this holiday we are commanded to eat the unleavened bread for 7 days. The bread that has zero chametz - the matzah. And when we eat the matzah - we grow in our belief in G-d, and most importantly we grow in holiness, which eventually will lead to the ultimate redemption, Mashiach, and Third Bet Hamikdash speedily in our days...amen.
  
  Shmuel Katanov

  Read more

• Why men are obligated to light the Chanukah candles?

  Dec 15, 2020 Admin 0 Comments

  In the story of Chanukah, when the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem, they entered the Temple and cleared off all the idols that were placed there by the army of Antiochus. When they wanted to light the menorah, they found only a small jug of pure olive oil bearing the seal of the Rabbi Yochanan Cohen Hagadol. It was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of Hashem, it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil was made available. That miracle proved that Hashem had again taken His people under His protection. In memory of this, our sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving and for lighting candles.

  
  Chachamim z"l tell us that the Second Temple was destroyed for only one sin - Sinat Chinam - Baseless Hatred. Only one sin brought down the House of G-d, and I believe we are still battling with it till today. There's no unity, and plenty of lashon hara, dislike and ill-will floating between the communities and between people. I believe that the destruction of the Bet Hamikdash is the sin of the men - this is something we as men are responsible for. 
  
  That's why the obligation to light the Chanukah menorah lies on men and we have eight days to do it - in our own homes, each one no matter what part of the world he is in, or what the situation he may be in. In addition the Sages say that there's a segulah, to look at the burning candles and hopefully this will give us the chidushim or the new understandings in the Torah. But maybe it could also mean, that we should look at the candles and ponder - how can we fix the situation of the divisiveness, the hatred and the distancing between the communities and the people. We got whole eight days to do the pondering,  and the rest of the year to carry out the plan. If anyone can do it, then it is us - men.
  
  Since the destruction of the Second Temple, Hashem has no home to reside in, the Shechina is in exile, the nation is spread around the world, there are plenty of problems in the families, in the nation, and the world as a whole. 
  
  Perhaps, this is the time we say: We had enough of it?!
  
  Perhaps, this is the time to approach this consciously?!
  
  Either, we can keep on lighting our menorahs for years to come - in exile and in our warm homes, distanced from each other, comfortable and in disagreements, or we put our egos aside, make up with each other, unite as a nation and light the Golden Menorah next year in the House of Hashem - our own Bet Hamikdash Shlishi?!!
  
  Shmuel Katanov

  Read more

• Why do we light bonfires on Lag BaOmer?

  May 13, 2020 Admin 0 Comments

  Imagine it is dark, and there are hundreds of people dancing, and in the middle there's a huge bonfire lighting the excited faces of all the people that are present around it. But let me ask you a question, why do we have this tradition for so many hundreds of years?
  
  It says in the Zohar: "Rabbi Shimon said: All my life, I've been begging to reveal this secret. And up until today, my request has been turned down. But today, I received permission. I decree that this day does not turn into the night like any ordinary day. This day belongs to me, as I begin to reveal the secrets..." Rabbi Shimon sat down, engaging in the Divine Torah. Rabbi Aba sat down in front of him and took notes... A fire burned around them, and the sun did not set. He revealed hidden Torah secrets from the Kabbalah until he reached the verse "... For there the L‑rd commanded the blessing, life forever." Rabbi Aba said: "Our teacher had not finished enunciating the word chaim ('life') when his words began to become increasingly imperceptible... Throughout the day a fire burned in the house, and no one could come near him because he was engulfed by light and fire."
  
  Why was the daylight extended until he finished teaching? The Bnei Yissaschar explains that it was to signify that all the lights of the world were created for the Torah. Our bonfires mirror the sunlight that shone in honor of this special day.
  
  Another explanation - the bonfire that is lit, it is the fire inside every individual that maybe have been extinguished and is rekindled once again so this person will carry this light and light others, who maybe were not present at the bonfire event or feel down in their serving of HaShem, so they can also feel the excitement, see the beauty and taste the sweetnes of Torah and mitzvot.
  
  But there are may be another explanation which I would like to present to you today.
  
  Interestingly, if you ever been on this event either in Meron or in your neighborhood, you may have noticed that people are holding in their hands a small jug of oil and some have candles and during dancing they throw them into the fire, why do they do that?
  
  The reason we hold Sefirat HaOmer is because Rabbi Akiva's students did not treat each other with respect, they did not see eye to eye, could not agree with each other's opinions and did not accept each other's differences. As a punishment, they started dying, and on the 33rd day they stopped passing away.
  
  From the first day of Omer to Lag BaOmer we count from 1 to 33 days, where Kabbalistically they represent different Kavanot. But in simple terms, we are required to work on our middot - the character traits, during this time of the year, and day by day become better people and be better then we used to be before.
  
  So here we are, dancing around the fire, and holding our jug of oil in our hands, and suddenly we see that guy, yes that guy that did bad to us, spoke bad about us, or caused us to lose money or other things - simply someone we can't stand. So what do we do? Rabbi Akiva's students died since they mistreated each other, and we are not supposed to repeat their mistake, and we need to fix the situation - make the Tikun. But we can't, as we are circling around the fire, it throws different shadows that make that person more unbearable and causes much agony to us.
  
  There's a story in the Zohar of the day when Rabbi Shimon came out of the cave. "When the father and son left the cave they passed a field where they saw Jewish farmers working on the land, they said, "Imagine people giving up the sacred study of the Torah for worldly matters!"
  
  The moment they uttered these words, than all the produce of the field went up in smoke. Then they heard a heavenly voice saying, "Have you come out to destroy My world? Go back to your cave!" They returned to the cave for another twelve months, and left it again, only after they heard the same heavenly voice calling them to leave.
  
  Seeing a Jew carrying two bunches of myrtle, rushing home on Friday afternoon, they asked him what he was going to do with the myrtle.
  
  "It is to adorn my house in honor of the Shabbat," the man replied.
  
  "Would not one bunch of myrtle be sufficient to fill your house with fragrance?" they asked.
  
  The stranger replied, "I am taking two bunches, one for 'Remember the Shabbat day' and the other for 'Keep the Shabbat Day holy.'"
  
  Said Rabbi Shimon to his son, "See how precious the mitzvot are to our brothers! Despite all the decrees and persecution of the Romans, the Jews still observed the commandments and especially the Shabbat. Rabbi Shimon and his son felt greatly encouraged."
  
  Many times in the Zohar, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai is referred to as butzina kadisha - "The Holy Candle" since he brought to light the secrets of the Torah, and was able to rise to the levels where he was able to have a different outlook on life.
  
  So as we dance around the bonfire suddenly we realize that 33 days of Omer that we been counting, have not done their job and we still have a lot to fix. And at that moment, one thought gives us hope, that we still have another 16 days of Omer left to work on our middot. And that moment before throwing a jug of oil into the bonfire, we say our prayer: "Ribbono Shel Olam, please accept my small jug of oil and make it a Butzina Kadisha - 'the holy candle' that should join the grand fire and make my flame be part of it. Just like Rabbi Shimon was able to change his view of the world, to accept everyone and become the holy candle, so I should be able to do the same, since a bonfire is a collection of flames that dance together in unison and make one flame, a big bonfire - so is the community, that has all sorts of people as each individual flame burning away in one big fire called Life".
  
  As the Shavuot approaches, we have the remaining 16 days to achieve that level of Butzina Kadisha - "The Holy Candle" and truly become one flame and be together as one community and one nation - Ba Lev Echad and Guf  Echad - One in Heart and One in Body and to accept the Torah once again on the night of the Shavuot as One Nation under G-d.
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  
  

  Read more

• Why the community of ancient Jerusalem was destroyed?

  Aug 13, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

  The 9th of Av is the most horrible and darkest day in Jewish history. Thousands of Roman troops came to the walls of Jerusalem and on 9th of Av, Jerusalem was on fire. Why? What did the Jews in the community do, so this happened to the nation?
  
  The Talmud, Gittin 55–56 says, that Second Bet Hamikdash was destroyed because of an argument of two people - Kamtza & Bar Kamtza. The story goes like this, there are was a man who made a party and he asked his servant to go and invite his friend Kamtza. The servant went, but instead of going to Kamtza, by mistake he invited his enemy Bar Kamtza. Already on the party, as the host was going from table to table, he noticed his enemy sitting and having a good time with the rest of the people. The host came over and asked him: What are you doing here? Bar Kamtza answered politely and said, that he was invited by his servant. That's when the host realized that his servant made a mistake, and called the wrong guy. Furiously, he asked the guy to leave the party, but Bar Kamtza offered to pay for his meal and asked him not to make a scene and humiliate him in front of everyone. But the host refused and asked him again to leave. Bar Kamtza offered to pay for half of the cost of the party and then for the whole party, but the host refused and threw him out from the party.
  
  The Talmud says, that people present at the party, especially the Torah sages, sat quietly and didn't get involved. The Talmud rebukes this behavior and says at the end, that this incident was the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple.
  
  Any argument is accompanied by gossip and spreading of rumors.
  
  The same thing happened many times in our history, and every time the reaction from Hashem was very severe. 
  
  - Yosef was saying about his brothers to his father, and for that they hated him. Because of this, the brothers sold Yosef, and later the whole family emigrated to Egypt. (Bereshit Chapter 37, and Bereshit Rabah 84:7)
  
  - Moshe was puzzled at why the Jewish people had such a hard life being slaves in Egypt. But when he found out that amongst them were people that spread rumors, he understood why this was their fate. (Shemot and Rashi 2:14)
  
  - When the spies came back and slandered the Eretz Yisrael, those that believed paid with their life - all the adults died and were buried in the desert. (Parashat Shelach)
  
  - Doeg, the Head of Sanhedrin, was solely responsible for the killing of the City of Kohanim. (Shmuel 22:9)
  
  - The armies of Shaul HaMelech were losing battles with Philistines because people were spreading rumors about (already anointed and future) King David. (Midrash Shocher Tov 7:8)
  
  There are lots of other stories where people slandered and all of them have one thing in common - all these events break one commandment: The Commandment of Lashon Hara - which means to say something bad, even though this is true. (Shulchan Aruch, Orach Hachaim 156:10)
  
  - It is forbidden to repeat something about someone, even though this may not be negative, this is called Rechilut. (Vayikra 19:16, Mishneh Torah, Chilchot Deot Chapter 7)
  
  - It is forbidden to listen when someone says something negative about someone. The person should admonish the speaker, and if this is not possible, he needs to remove himself from his presence. (Chafetz Chaim 6:2, based on Talmud Ketubot 5A and many other sources)
  
  - And even if the person heard something negative about someone, he is not allowed to believe it, on the contrary, he needs to give him a benefit of the doubt and justify his actions, and always judge a person for good. (Talmud Pesachim 118A, also in the commentaries of Rashbam in Perek HaMekabel)
  
  In the Book of Shemot, Parashat Vayera 18:1 - 18:33 talks about Avraham Avinu right after he made a brit, the three angels came to him. One of the angels said that he came to destroy the cities of Soddom and Gomorrah. When Avraham Avinu heard that, he started praying to Hashem and asked Him if there are fifty righteous people that live there - for their sake not to destroy the cities. Hashem told him, there are not. Then he asked him to save the cities for forty five and again He said they are not there. Then he asked for thirty, and twenty and still he got a negative answer. Then once again he approached Hashem in prayer and asked to save the cities for ten righteous people and still, Hashem said even ten don't exist in those cities. Rashi says, that lawyer - Avraham Avinu fell silent, and Hashem left his presence since there are were not even ten tzaddikim in order to save the cities in their merit.
  
  In the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza, there are were no ten members of the community that have thought well of Bar Kamtza, and who were willing to get up and publicly defend him and stop the host of the party. People have been gossiping about Bar Kamtza, and others believed and have been spreading it further, this was an epidemic in the society that had laws against this kind of behavior. People were so sure that Bar Kamtza was the guilty party, that they have assumed the roles of the observers at the party. They were judging Bar Kamtza unfavorably since they already had an opinion of him, which was under an influence of all the gossiping and rumors going around before this incident at the party. And with all of this - laws of lashon hara and other laws were broken, which led to the destruction of the Second Temple, loss of millions of lives and an exile till our time.
  
  We are in exile, which means this disease is still plaguing us. And if there's a person amongst us, about whom everyone is talking, and talking very badly, and people believe and spread rumors, and based on these rumors he is being judged and treated differently, while imposing on him more and more of the new labels and accusations - this is called Lashon Hara - talking badly, spreading of rumors and gossiping, which Torah calls in two words - Sinat Chinam or Baseless Hatred. 
  
  And if in that place you still have 50, 45, 30, 20 or 10 righteous people, that do not believe all that gossip - contrary to public pressure, then there's still hope that Hashem's fury can be turned away. We should always try to prevent the community from speaking and spreading rumors, using our influence and communal pressure, and squash this type of behavior right from the start. 
  
  And if not? And the rumors went far - then there's a job to do - he should be cleaning up - when he sees those that heard and those that might have heard, he needs to convince them that this is not true, and ask Hashem for mercy. (Sefer Chafetz Chaim). Otherwise as was said in the previous articles, our Small Batey Mikdashim - homes, synagogues, and social places are at stake.
  
  Our Chachamim taught, "Any generation in which the Temple is not built, it is as if it had been destroyed in their times" (Talmud Yerushalmi, Yoma 1A). Because that generation continues at the footsteps of the one that caused the destruction of the Temple. They are not trying to fix the mistakes of the past generations, but continue doing the same destructive sins in the eyes of Hashem and the nation.
  
  Our goal - is to build strong families and communities which have to live by Torah laws. Based on our life experience we need to help people, by giving them advice, guiding and encouraging all those that fell in life - and to do this not because we owe them or they owe us, but just like that, as the Gemara says: Loving and helping another Jew without any reason - Achavat Chinam - Baseless Love. 
  
  This action alone will grow, multiply and strengthen the Jewish Nation and our communities while doing an unforgettable act of bringing peace between people and families, for which Hashem Himself will repay. This action will be responsible for many that have left to return back to Hashem and to His Torah and mitzvot. And based on everything that is said above, we and our families will merit to see Moshiach, while doing our part to his speedy arrival to free us from this prolonged exile.
  
  Shmuel Katanov
  
  
  

  Read more

• За что была наказана община в древнем Иерусалиме?

  Aug 11, 2019 Admin 0 Comments

  9 Ава - это один из жутких и тёмных дней в истории Еврейского народа. Тысячное войско римлян подошло к  стенам Иерусалима и девятого Ава Иерусалим горел. А почему? Что такое сделали евреи чтоб такое произошло с народом?
  
  Талмуд Гиттин 55-56 рассказывает, что Второй Храм был разрушен из-за раздора двух людей Камцы и Бар Камцы. Однажды один человек сделал пир и пригласил множество гостей, и сказал своему слуге позвать его друга Камцу. Но слуга перепутал и случайно позвал его врага Бар Камцу. Уже в разгаре пира, хозяин торжества заметил что его враг сидит за столом. Подойдя к нему он с удивлением спросил его, что он здесь делает? Тот вежливо объяснил что его пригласил его же слуга. Поняв ошибку своего слуги, он потребовал чтобы тот немедленно покинул торжество. Тогда "незваный гость" предложил заплатить за своё место за что он получил отказ. Тогда он предложил заплатить за половину торжества, а после и за всё торжество, но он опять получил отказ и был выставлен за двери. 
  
  Талмуд говорит, что присутствующие гости, а именно знатоки Торы молча сидели и не остановили хозяина во время стычки с этим гостем. Талмуд очень осуждает это поведение и говорит в конце, что это и послужило причиной разрушения Второго Храма. 
  
  Любой спор сопровождается сплетнями и разносами ложных слухов. 
  
  Такое же повторяется много раз в истории нашего народа, и каждый раз ответная реакция Г-спода очень суровая. 
  
  - Ёсеф говорил негативно своему отцу Яакову про своих братьев, за что они его ненавидели. Это поведение привело к тому что его продали и вся семья должна была переселиться в Египет. (Берешит глава 37, и Берешит Раба 84:7)
  
  - Моше удивлялся почему Еврейскому народу досталась такая тяжелая участь быть рабами в Египте. Но когда он узнал что среди них есть разносчики слухов, он понял почему у них такая судьба. (Шемот и Раши 2:14) 
  
  - Когда разведчики оклеветали землю Израиль то поверившие им люди поплатились жизнью и никто не попал в Израиль. (Глава Шелах)
  
  - Доэг, Глава Санхедрина, был виноват в бойне всего Города Коэнов. (Шмуэль 22:9) 
  
  - Армии Царя Шауля проигрывали бои с Филистимлянами потому что люди пускали слухи про (уже помазанного и будущего) Царя Давида. (Мидраш Шохер Тов 7:8)
  
  Есть много других историй где клеветали, и все они имеют что-то одно общее в себе - все эти события нарушают один запрет: Запрет Лашон Ара - что означает говорить о ком-то плохо, даже если это правда. (Шулхан Арух, Орах Хаим 156:10)
  
  - Запрещено повторять что-то о ком-то, даже если это не негативное, это называется Рехилут (Ваикра 19:16, Мишней Тора, Хильхот Деот Глава 7)
  
  - Запрещено слушать когда говорят о ком-то плохо. Человек должен сделать говорящему выговор, а если это невозможно, просто убрать себя из этой ситуации. (Хафец Хаим 6:2 основываясь на Талмуд Кетубот 5А и на другие источники)
  
  - И даже если человек услышал что то негативное о ком-то, то ему запрещено этому верить. Наоборот, человек должен оправдать того человека и всегда судить другого человека в хорошую сторону. (Талмуд Песахим 118А, а также в комментариях Рашбама в Пэрэк ХаМекабэль).
  
  В Книге Шемот, Глава Ваера 18:1 - 18:33 рассказывается что когда Авраам Авину сделал себе обрезание, то к нему пришли 3 ангела. Один из ангелов сказал что он пришёл разрушить города Содом и Гоморра. Услышав это Авраам Авину попросил Г-спода не разрушать эти города в заслугу пятидесяти праведников которые там живут. В ответ Г-сподь сказал ему что там их нет. Тогда он попросил а может там сорок пять в ответ было нет. А может там тридцать, всё то же нет, а может двадцать и опять нет. И тогда Авраам Авину попробовал в последний раз и спросил а может десять, и он услышал всё то же нет. Раши говорит, что когда адвокат - Авраам Авину замолчал, Г-сподь покинул его, потому-что там не было даже десяти праведников чтобы в их заслугу спасти эти города. 
  
  В истории с Камцой и Бар Камцой не оказалось даже десяти членов общины которые думали бы о Бар Камце хорошо, и посчитали бы нужным публично за него заступиться и остановить хозяина торжества. Про Бар Камцу разносили слухи, а другие верили и разносили дальше, это было эпидемией в обществе в которой есть законы против такого вида поведения. Люди настолько были уверенны в том что Бар Камца был не прав, что они молча смотрели со стороны на их спор. Они судили его негативно потому что они уже имели о нём мнение которое уже было под влиянием слухов и которое было привито им до этой встречи. И этим поведением они нарушили законы злословия и ряд других законов, что и послужило разрушению Храма, потере миллионов жизней и изгнанию до сегодняшнего дня.
  
  Мы в изгнании, а значит этот недуг всё ещё с нами. И если среди нас есть счастливчик про которого говорят, и говорят очень даже плохо, и все верят и разносят слухи ложные или даже правдивые о нём, и этим его судят и смотрят на него по новым меркам, навязывая на него всё новые и новые ярлыки и обвинения - это и называется Лашон Ара - Злоязычие и распространение слухов, которую Тора называет в двух словах - Синат Хинам или Беспричинная Ненависть. 
  
  И если в том местечке всё ещё есть 50, 45, 30, 20 или 10 праведных людей, которые не верят всем тем слухам - наперекор общественному давлению, то всё ещё есть надежда что гнев Г-спода можно предотвратить, ну а если нет? Мы всячески должны стараться не допустить чтобы  в общине говорили и распространяли слухи, используя наше влияние, должны присекать такое поведение прямо в начале. А в случае если они были уже распространены - то у него есть работа надолго - он должен заняться чисткой - при встречах с теми кто слышал, и как далеко это пошло, переубедить их что это не правда, и просить Г-спода о пощаде. (Сефер Хафец Хаим). Иначе как было сказано в предыдущих статьях, наши Маленькие Батей Микдашим - дома, синагоги и социальные заведения на кону и стоят под ударом. 
  
  Наши Мудрецы говорят, "В том поколении в котором Храм не был построен, как будто он был разрушен в их дни" (Иерусалимский Талмуд, Трактат Ёма страница 1А). Потому что, это поколение следует по тем же стопам тех поколений из-за которых был разрушен Храм, не стараясь исправить ошибки предыдущих, а продолжая делать всё те же самые разрушающие и пакостные преступления в глазах Г-спода и народа. 
  
  Наша задача - построить сильные общины и крепкие семьи которые должны жить по законам Торы. Основываясь на наш жизненый опыт мы должны помогать людям, давая хорошие советы, помогая и подбадривая всех тех кого подкосила жизнь - и делать всё это не потому что мы им чем-то обязаны или они нам, а делать всё это просто так, или как Гемара называет: Любить и помогать другому еврею без причины - Ахават Хинам или Беспричинная Любовь к ближнему. 
  
  Этим мы способствуем росту и укреплению всего Еврейского народа, делая незабываемый вклад в мирные отношения между людьми и семьями, действие которое может по настоящему оценить и наградить только Вс-вышний. А также это возвратит обратно всех тех которые ушли от Торы, и возвратит их к Торе и исполнению митцвот. Основываясь на всё что сказано выше, мы и наши родные удостоимся увидеть Мошияха, делая свой вклад к его скорейшему приближению и полному освобождению из этого затянувшегося изгнания.
  
  Шмуэль Катанов
  
  

  Read more