Elul 11, 5776 · September 14, 2016Editor's Note:
Dear Friend,
Time is moving fast, and there are less than three weeks to Rosh Hashanah. Rabbis are practicing theirsermons, cantors are perfecting their melodies, and homemakers are already cooking and freezingholiday favorites.
Do you know someone who isn’t yet set with a place for Rosh Hashanah services? Please give her a call, and offer to take her with you. Do you know someone who does not have a family or close friends to join for a Rosh Hashanah meal? Please reach out, and invite him to your festive meal.
And if you are currently in need of a place, please don’t be shy. Get in touch with your closest Chabad representatives. We are a loving, extended Jewish family, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how comfortable you’ll feel among your fellow Jews—even those you’ve never met before.
We read in the daily prayers, “Bless us, our Father, all of us together.” When we stand united, we are assured a year of peace, security, spiritual inspiration, and prosperity for all.
Amen. May it be so.
The Chabad.org Editorial Team
P.S.: Have you ever spent Rosh Hashanah as a guest of a family you did not know? How did it go? Please share your experiences in the comment section.
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Childish EnthusiasmA child's enthusiasm comes in a storm,taking over the child's entire world.
So that when a child embraces a new, good way of being,
it enters forever, and nothing can ever take it away.[1 Iyar 5736, sicha 3.]
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This Week's Features
Printable Magazine
Shiluach Haken
Understanding the Enigmatic Mitzvah to Send Away the Mother Bird by Yehuda Shurpin
The Torah Source:
If a bird’s nest chances before you on the road, on any tree or on the ground, and [it contains] fledglings or eggs, if the mother is sitting upon the fledglings or upon the eggs, you shall not take the mother [from] upon the young. You shall send away the mother, and [then] you may take the young for yourself, in order that it should be good for you, and you should lengthen your days.1
Seems simple enough. If you find a nest and want to take the eggs or young birds, you first need to send away the mother and only then may you take the eggs or the young birds for yourself. This is the mitzvah known asshiluach haken (“sending of the nest”).
Note that this is one of only two acts for which we are promised the reward “that it should be good for you, and you should lengthen your days.”
No Reason
The Talmud refers to this mitzvah as a chok,2 a Divine decree for which no reason is given. Thus, we find in the Mishnah that someone who says “Your mercy extends upon the nest of birds” in the daily prayers is to be silenced.”3
Maimonides (in his commentary on the Mishnah) explains that the problem with such a prayer is that “he is saying that the reason for this commandment is G‑d’s mercy on birds. But this is not so, for were it a matter of mercy, He would not have allowed slaughtering animals at all; rather, this is a received commandment without a reason.”4
Yet, in his Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides writes that there are divided opinions as to whether a chok has a rationale, and that though the Talmud5indicates that it is supra-rational, he however will follow the other opinion in the Talmud that seeks reasons even in chukim, and therefore provides the following rationale:
The eggs over which the bird sits, and the young that are in need of their mother, are generally unfit for food, and when the mother is sent away, she does not see the taking of her young ones and does not feel any pain. In most cases, however, this commandment will cause man to leave the nest intact because [the young or the eggs], which he is allowed to take, are, as a rule, unfit for food. If the Law provides that such grief should not be caused to cattle or birds, how much more careful must we be that we should not cause grief to our fellow men . . .6
In this, Maimonides is following a general rule of his thatalthoughthesemitzvahs are decrees, we are nevertheless meant to endeavor to find explanations for them as well.7
If it is proper to find a rationale for these mitzvahs, why is the person who connects it to mercy in his prayers silenced? Some commentators explain that it is only in respect to doing so in prayer, but in the context of learning, it is permitted.8
It’s for Us
Others explain that the reason for the prohibition is to teach us the trait of compassion since we are saving the mother bird from witnessing us taking her young. Alternatively, it teaches us about preservation of the species: Although we are taking the offspring, the mother is still free to lay new eggs.9
An Uncompassionate Act
In an almost diametrically opposed explanation, the Zohar explains that sending away the mother is, in fact, not compassionate for the birds—and that is precisely the reason behind this mitzvah!
The Zohar explains:
There is an angel appointed over the birds . . . and when Israelperforms this commandment, and the mother departs weeping and her children crying, he agonizes for his birds, and asks G‑d: “Does it not say that ‘His compassion is on all of His works’10 ? Why did You decree on that bird to be exiled from her nest?” And what does the Holy One do? He gathers all of His other angels and says to them: “This angel is concerned for the welfare of a bird and is complaining of its suffering; is there none amongst you who will seek merit on My children Israel, and for the Shechinah which is in exile, and whose nest inJerusalem has been destroyed, and whose children are in exile under the hand of harsh masters? Is there no one who seeks compassion for them and will attribute merit to them?” Then the Holy One issues a command and says, “For My sake I shall act, and I shall act for My sake,” and compassion is thereby aroused upon the Shechinah and the children in exile.11
Thus, according to the Zohar, the idea is to arouse G‑d’s mercy and compassion on His people and finally take us out of exile.
To Seek or Not to Seek?
The different reasons cited above result in different practical applications of this mitzvah. There is a discussion in halachah as to whether it is proper to seek out a nest to send away the mother, even if we have no use for the eggs.
Now, if we say that the reason for the mitzvah is compassion for the birds, then there is no reason to actively seek out a bird’s nest to perform the mitzvah, because it would be even more compassionate to leave the birds together with their mother. And furthermore, perhaps even if one chances upon a nest, he only should perform the mitzvah if he actually wants to take the eggs or the young.
However, if it is an act intended to arouse G‑d’s compassion, then it makes sense that one should actively seek to do this mitzvah.12
Others, however, seem to be of the opinion that the debate of whether or not one should seek out to do this mitzvah is independent of the reasons laid out for it. In fact, there are commentators who seemingly give the reason as one of compassion but still advise that one should actively try to do the mitzvah, as well as some who follow the Zoharic reasoning, but still hold that one shouldn’t actively seek to do the mitzvah.13
The Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—writes that it isn’t the custom to actively seek out a nest with a roosting mother to do the mitzvah.14
Parameters of the Mitzvah
● Only kosher birds are eligible for this mitzvah. When it comes to kosher birds, the Torah does not provide identifying signs (as it does for animals and fish). The Torah does give us a list of the non-kosher birds, and we are only permitted to eat birds that were traditionally identified as not belonging to that list. However, the Talmud does provide identifying signs that are shared by all kosher birds and we may rely on those signs when determining which birds are fit for the mitzvah of shiluach haken.15
● The bird needs to be ownerless. Practically, this also means that it needs to be in a public domain since a person’s private property can often “acquire” objects on the owner’s behalf even without the owner’s knowledge. Therefore, a nest in one’s yard would generally be ineligible since the birds “belong” to the property owner.16
Some authorities hold that before the eggs are laid, one may stipulate that he does not want his property to be acquired on his behalf, and he may then use them for the mitzvah.17
● No hands or sticks necessary. According to many, one need not physically remove the mother. One can simply create a loud noise by banging on a nearby tree, shouting or clapping.18 Others however seem to hold that one needs to actually send it away with his hands.19
● It needs to be the mother. In many species of birds, the mother and father take turns tending the nest. The mitzvah, however, can only be performed with the mother, so one must ascertain that it is indeed the female sitting on the nest.20
● Take the eggs. According to most opinions, one must take eggs or chick to fulfill the mitzvah.21 However, one is permitted to return them right afterwards. Contrary to popular belief, in most instances, the mother will return to her nest and continue to care for her clutch.22 Some, however, hold that one need not take the eggs or chicks to fulfil the mitzvah.23
● No blessing is recited. For a number of reasons, no blessing is recited before performing this mitzvah.24 One simple reason is that if the mother flies off on its own after the blessing had been said before she was actively chased away, the blessing will have been said in vain.25
● Only eggs or very young chicks. Once the chicks learn to fly on their own (for most species, about two weeks after hatching), one can no longer perform the mitzvah.26
The Reward
As was noted earlier, the mitzvah of shiluach haken is one of only two mitzvahs for which the Torah lists the reward (the other is honoring one’s parents). On a simple level, the Mishnah explains that the Torah stresses the reward for this mitzvah to teach us that if one receives such a great reward for a relatively easy and inexpensive mitzvah, how much more so, for more difficult ones.27
On a deeper level, the reasons for the unique reward for this mitzvah has to do with reasons behind the mitzvah—both as one of compassion or one that arouses G‑d’s mercy on His people. Thus, in addition to the long life that is promised explicitly in the verse, the Midrash uncharacteristically gives a list of additional rewards that it learns from the context of the verses about this mitzvah. With the fulfillment of this mitzvah, one is rewarded with marriage, children and a new home. Additionally, we are rewarded with the coming of the Moshiach.28
May it be G‑d’s will that He see the Jewish people performing this mitzvah and have mercy on His children, and return His own flock of birds to their nest—the holy city of Jerusalem—with the coming of the Moshiach! Amen!
FOOTNOTES
1.Deuteronomy 22:6-7.
2.See Talmud, Berachot 33b, and Rashiad loc.
3.Mishnah Berachot 5:3; Megillah 4:9. The Talmud Berachot 33b actually offers two explanations as to why we silence one who says that. Either it is because he is placing jealousy amongst G‑d’s creations, as if to say that G‑d only has mercy on the birds but not other creations. Or it is because he is “limiting” G‑d by attempting to define Him by our human perception of His attributes, while the mercy He displays toward the bird is really a heavenly decree beyond our understanding.
4.Commentary to Mishnah Berachot 5:3.
5.See footnote 3.
6.Guide for the Perplexed 3:48.
7.See Rambam, end of Hilchot Temurah 4:13.
8.See, for example, Tosafot Yom Tov on Mishnah Berachot 5:3.
9.Ramban, Deuteronomy 22:6-7; Chinuch 545; Rabeinu Bechaye, Deuteronomy 22:6-7; Meiri Berachot 33b; See also Abrabanel on Deuteronomy 22.
10.Psalms 145:9.
11.Tikunei Zohar, Tikun 6; Zohar Chodosh Ruth 94.
12.See, for example, Rabbi Chaim Vital in his introduction to Shaar Hamitzvot; responsa Chatam Sofer, Orach Chaim 100; Aruch HaShulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:1-2.
13.See, for example, Rabbeinu Bechaye onDeuteronomy 22:6-7.
14.See Shaar Halacha Uminhag, vol. 3, p. 350.
15.Minchat Elazar 3:43.
16.Birchei Yosef 292:3; Minchat Shlomo 2:97:26.
17.See Igrot Moshe, Yoreh De’ah 4:45.
18.Rashi on Talmud, Chulin 141b.
19.See Rambam, Hilchot Shechita 13:5; Aruch Hashulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:6.
20.See Chinuch 545.
21.Aruch Hashulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:4.
22.http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/attracting/challenges/orphaned
23.See Responsum Chacham Tzvi 83.
24.Birchei Yosef, Yoreh De’ah 292:1. See, however, Aruch Hashulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:10 that a blessing is recited. However, it seems to me that following the rule “that when in doubt, no blessing is recited,” one should not recite a blessing in this instance as well.
25.Pischei Teshuvah, Yoreh De’ah 292:2.
26.Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 292:7.
27.Mishnah, Chulin 12:5.
28.Midrash, Devarim Rabbah 6:6-7, Yalkut Shimoni 930.
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Elul
The King in the Field Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
There is a profit in the land over all else, for the king is sustained by the field
Ecclesiastes 5:8 (as per Ibn Ezra on verse)
Elul, the last month of the Jewish year, is a time of paradox -- a time of what might be termed, "spiritual workdays."
The Jewish calendar distinguishes between two general qualities of time: "mundane" (chol) and "holy" (kodesh). Ordinary workdays are "mundane" portions of time; Shabbat and the festivals are examples of "holy" time. On "holy" days, we disengage ourselves from the material involvements of life to devote ourselves to the spiritual pursuits of study and prayer. These are also days enriched with special spiritual resources (rest on Shabbat, freedom on Passover, awe on Rosh Hashanah, etc.), each providing its unique quality to the journeyer through calendar and life.
In the latter respect, the month of Elul resembles the "holy" portions of the calendar. Elul is a haven in time, a "city of refuge" from the ravages of material life; a time to audit one's spiritual accounts and assess the year gone by; a time to prepare for the "Days of Awe" of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by repenting the failings of the past and resolving for the future; a time to increase in Torah study, prayer and charitable activities. Elul is the opportune time for all this because it is a month in which G‑d relates to us in a more open and compassionate manner than He does in the other months of the year. In the terminology of Kabbalah, it is a time when G‑d's "Thirteen Attributes of Mercy" illuminate His relationship with us.
Yet unlike Shabbat and the festivals, the days of Elul are workdays. On Shabbat, the Torah commands us to cease all physically constructive work (melachah). The festivals, too, are days on whichmelachah is forbidden. Regarding the month of Elul, however, there are no such restrictions. The transcendent activities of Elul are conducted amidst our workday lives in the field, shop or office.
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains the paradox of Elul with the following metaphor: The king's usual place is in the capital city, in the royal palace. Anyone wishing to approach the king must go through the appropriate channels in the palace bureaucracy and gain the approval of a succession of secretaries and ministers. He must journey to the capital and pass through the many gates, corridors and antechambers that lead to the throne room. His presentation must be meticulously prepared, and he must adhere to an exacting code of dress, speech and mannerism upon entering into the royal presence.
However, there are times when the king comes out to the fields outside the city. At such times, anyone can approach him; the king receives them all with a smiling face and a radiant countenance. The peasant behind his plow has access to the king in a manner unavailable to the highest ranking minister in the royal court when the king is in the palace.
The month of Elul, says Rabbi Schneur Zalman, is when the king is in the field.
The Field
Bread is the "staff of life" that "sustains the heart of man." There was a time when most everyone plowed, sowed and harvested the grain that sustained him and his family; but even today, when only a small percentage of us farm the land, we all labor for bread. Everyone works in the field -- be it the wheatfield or cornfield, or the field of banking, steelmaking, medicine or advertising.
Indeed, the field is the prototype employed by Torah law to define the "work" that distinguishes between the holy and mundane days of the calendar. The Talmudic passage which lists the types of work forbidden on Shabbat reads:
The categories of work are forty minus one: sowing, plowing, reaping, making sheaves, threshing, winnowing, picking the chaff from the grain, milling, sifting, kneading, baking... (Talmud, Shabbat 73a)
Each of these activities represents an entire category which includes many different types of work. For example, leveling the ground to make a tennis court is tantamount to "plowing"; mixing cement is a form of "kneading"; sorting laundry would fall under the category of "picking the chaff from the grain." But the prototypes that head and dominate the list of forbidden labors are labors of the field. In the words of the Talmud, "The author of the Mishnah follows the process of bread-making."
For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the field and the palace, between the "process of bread-making" of material life and the sublime moments in which we leave the field to enter into the royal presence. In the month of Elul, however, the king comes to the field.
What happens when the king comes to the field? To understand the essence of Elul, we must first examine the relationship between the palace and the field -- between Shabbat and the workweek, between the very concepts of "holy" and "mundane." Are they really as distant from each other as their very different faces suggest?
The Sanctuary
Let us take a closer look at the "work of the field" and the "process of bread-making" that defines our workday lives.
The Torah chooses a rather roundabout way to convey to us the 39 types of work from which we must desist on Shabbat and the festivals: by linking the laws of Shabbat to the laws of the Sanctuary.
Following the revelation at Sinai, G‑d commanded the people of Israel to construct a "Sanctuary" for Him. Detailed instructions were given to Moses on how to shape fifteen materials (gold, silver, copper, wood, flax, wool of various colors and several types of animal skins) into a "dwelling for G‑d in the physical world."
In both the 31st and 35th chapters of Exodus, the commandment to cease work on Shabbat and G‑d's instructions concerning the construction of the Sanctuary immediately follow each other. The Talmud explains that the Torah juxtaposes these two seemingly unrelated laws in order to teach us that the 39 creative acts which the construction of the Sanctuary necessitated are the same 39 categories of work that are forbidden to us on Shabbat:
A person is guilty of violating the Shabbat only if the work he does has a counterpart in the work of making the Sanctuary: they sowed (the herbs from which to make dyes for the tapestries -- Rashi); you, too, shall not sow [on Shabbat]. They harvested [the herbs]; you, too, shall not harvest. They loaded the boards from the ground onto the wagons; you, too, shall not bring an object from a public domain into a private domain... (Talmud, ibid., 49b)
For the work of the Sanctuary is the prototype for the work of life. In the words of the Tanya, "This is what man is all about, this is the purpose of his creation and the creation of all worlds, supernal and ephemeral -- to make G‑d a dwelling in the physical world."
In other words, the work forbidden on Shabbat and the festivals -- the work that defines the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" days of our lives -- is not mundane work at all. It is holy work -- the work of forming the physical world into a home for G‑d. Why, then, are the days on which this work is done regarded as the "mundane" days of our lives? And why are the days on which we are commanded to cease this work "holier" than the days on which this work is done?
The Lookout Tower
Indeed, the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" times of our lives is not a difference in essence, only a difference in perspective. Yet the reality of physical life is that to achieve a change of perspective one must change the place and position from which one looks.
Beyond its mundane surface, the material world possesses a deeper truth -- its potential to house the goodness and perfection of its Creator. The purpose of our workday lives is to reveal this potential -- to develop the material world as a home for G‑d. But on the workdays of our life, this potential is all but invisible to us, obscured by the very process that serves to bring it to light. Our very involvement with the material prevents us from experiencing its spiritual essence. To do so, we must rise above it.
A "holy" day is an elevation in the terrain of time, a lookout tower that rises above the surface of our workday lives to behold the true essence of our world -- the essence we are laboring to actualize. (In the words of our sages, "Shabbat is a taste of the World to Come.") Rising to these "lookout points" means interrupting our life's work; but without these periodic glimpses from a higher, more detached vantage point, our involvement in the material may well become an enmeshment. Instead of sanctifying the mundane, we may find ourselves being profaned by it.
So one day a week, and on special occasions throughout the year, we cease our work in "the field" to gain a more transcendent view of our workday labors. Then, when we reenter the so-called "mundane" days of our lives, the Shabbat or festival experience lingers on. Enriched with insight into the true nature of our labors, fortified by the vision of what our involvement with the material will ultimately achieve, our workday lives become more focused on their goal, and less susceptible to the diversions and entanglements of the mundane.
The Exception
For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the holy and the mundane -- between the material labor of life and the spiritual vision of that labor's objective. For eleven months of the year, we must, at regular intervals, cease our work and rise above it in order to glimpse its soul and purpose.
The exception to this rule is the month of Elul. For during the month of Elul, the king comes to the field.
The king is the heart and soul of the nation, the embodiment of its goals and aspirations. The king, though sequestered behind the palace walls and bureaucracy, though glimpsed, if at all, through a veil of opulence and majesty, is a very real part of the farmer's field. He is the why of his plowing, the reason for his sowing, the objective of his harvest. No farmer labors for the sake of labor. He labors to transcend the dust of which he and his field are formed, to make more of what is. He labors for his dreams. He labors for his king.
So is the king in the field an apparition out of its element? Hardly. We may not be used to seeing him here, but is not the royal heart, too, sustained by bread? His bread may be baked in the palace, its raw ingredients discreetly delivered to a back entrance; the golden tray on which it is served may in no way evoke the loamy bed from which it grew; but it is the yield of the field all the same.
The king in the field is making contact with the source of his sustenance, with the underpinnings of his sovereignty. And the field is being visited by its raison d'être, by its ultimate function and essence.
Shabbat is when the farmer is invited to the palace. On Shabbat, his overalls are replaced with the regulation livery, his vocabulary is polished and his manners are refined, his soul and fingernails are cleansed of the residue of material life. On Shabbat, the farmer is whisked from the hinterland to the capital and ushered into the throne room.
But Elul is when the king comes to the field.
When the farmer sees the king in his field, does he keep on plowing? Does he behave as if this were just another day in the fields? Of course not. Elul is not a month of ordinary workdays. It is a time of increased Torah study, more fervent prayer, more generosity and charity. The very air is charged with holiness. We might still be in the field, but the field has become a holier place.
On the other hand, when the farmer sees the king in his field, does he run home to wash and change? Does he rush to the capital to school himself in palace protocol? But the king has come to the field, to commune with the processors of his bread in their environment and on their terms.
In the month of Elul, the essence and objective of life become that much more accessible. No longer do the material trappings of life conceal and distort its purpose, for the king has emerged from the concealment of his palace and is here, in the field. But unlike the holy days of the year, when we are lifted out of our workday lives, the encounter of Elul is hosted by our physical selves, within our material environment, on our working-man's terms.
Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson; adapted by Yanki Tauber.
Originally published in Week in Review.
Republished with the permission of MeaningfulLife.com. If you wish to republish this article in a periodical, book, or website, please email permissions@meaningfullife.com.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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VIDEO
Individualized Education
Throughout the summer months, it is customary to study Pirkei Avos - Ethics of Our Fathers. In this talk to women and girls entering the field of education, the Rebbe uses the first mishna of the tractate to lay the foundation for success as a teacher.
Watch (5:54)
http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/player_cdo/aid/3413921/jewish/Individualized-Education.htm
http://www.chabad.org/3413921
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Getting My Blood Work Done
An empty vessel draws in with greater intensity than one that is full. by Chana Weisberg Watch (1:57)
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://embed.chabad.org/multimedia/mediaplayer/embedded/embed.js.asp?aid=3390809&width=auto&height=auto"></script><span style="clear:both;" class="lb" id="lbdiv">Visit <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish.TV</a> for more <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish videos</a>.</span>
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Why People DivorceWhat makes a good marriage? by Yacov Barber Watch (5:43)
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://embed.chabad.org/multimedia/mediaplayer/embedded/embed.js.asp?aid=3421301&width=auto&height=auto"></script><span style="clear:both;" class="lb" id="lbdiv">Visit <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish.TV</a> for more <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish videos</a>.</span>
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Your Questions
Is It Normal to Have Pre-Wedding Doubts by Aron Moss
Question:
Is it normal to have doubts during an engagement? My friends tell me I should be 100% certain that I have made the right decision, but I would be lying if I said I had no doubts. Is it a bad sign if I am just not sure?
Answer:
There are two types of doubting. One is an alarm bell that should not be ignored. The other is a sign that you have made the right choice.
In a letter1 to his recently engaged son, the great Kabbalist Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson wrote that engagement and doubt go hand in hand. The union of soulmates is such a lofty and super-rational event that the mind cannot possibly grasp it. Something is at work that is beyond our understanding, and therefore there is always an element of doubt.
This doubt is not an indication that you have done something stupid. On the contrary, it means that you have touched a level that lies beyond the confines of the human mind. Finding your soulmate is such a miracle, our logic cannot process that it is really possible, that it is really true, that you have found the one for you. This wonder is a kind of positive uncertainty: Is this for real? I don't believe this is happening to me!
So the fact that you feel unsure may be a good sign, indicating that you have been touched by the hand of G‑d, and are left in wonder that it could really be so good.
However, this only applies when the doubts are vague and general, doubts that anyone could have: Will I be happy 20 years from now? How can I know for sure? Maybe there's someone else better suited to me? What if we change? These questions are normal. They would be there no matter who you were engaged to, and so there's no reason to be alarmed. In time these doubts will disappear like a puff of smoke.
But if your doubts have strong basis to them, like you are questioning your partner's good character, or you suspect that your feelings have not developed to the extent that they should have, then you need to seek advice.
Here's a good way of testing whether the doubts are a cause for concern or not. Are the doubts stronger when you are with your fiancé or when you are apart? Normal doubts come when you are lying awake late at night or when you are alone and your mind is churning. Ignore them. But doubts that arise from actual interactions and real conversations need to be closely examined.
Engagement can be an emotional roller coaster. And when we are emotional, we are rarely able to see clearly. Seek the advice of a wise and experienced outsider who will be able to tell you whether your doubts have a foundation, or you are simply experiencing the humbling disbelief of finding your true soulmate.
Aron Moss is rabbi of the Nefesh Community in Sydney, Australia, and is a frequent contributor to Chabad.org.
FOOTNOTES
1.Likkutei Levi Yitzchak, Igrot Kodesh, p.202. © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Women
Teaspoons of Hope by Chana Scop
The doctors announced that Chaim Boruch would need swallow therapy.
Hmmmm, this should be interesting, I thought, as I conjured up creative ways to help Chaim Boruch follow simple directions for swallowing when, the fact is, it’s challenging enough for him to simply follow directions forI was nervous and scared putting his backpack on the table.
So last week at a follow-up appointment, the doctors mixed some liquid dye into his applesauce, allowing us to see via X-ray if he is ready to begin swallow therapy.
Very slowly, they fed him increasing amounts of applesauce until they reached an amount he could swallow with ease and efficiency. And it was an extremely fine line between strengthening his swallowing ability and G‑d forbid increasing the risks of food entering his lungs, which could result in pneumonia and other health issues.
After a discussion and a closer look at the X-ray results, the doctors decided that Chaim Boruch could begin swallow therapy. The only way for his muscles to become stronger was to use them; and so, on that very day we were given the go-ahead to begin the therapy that, G‑d willing, will lead to a full ability to eat normally without a feeding tube.
What would be the designated volume of pureed food to be given to Chaim Boruch, we asked?
One-quarter of a teaspoon in a bite, with a total of eight bites in all.
My mind read the instructions as: two teaspoons of hope, faith, prayer and dreams coming true.
But I was nervous and scared.
There was much I had to watch out for. Even though this was the start of a new phase, and I had yearned for this moment, I had also been basking in the joy of getting things back to “normal.” I, for one, didn’t feel like shaking things up with the endless potential hazards that were mixed into a quarter teaspoon of applesauce.
So, I pushed off the task for a couple of days, sorting out my own feelings as a mother, and thinking about when would be the “right” time to begin. I worried about Chaim Boruch not wanting to eat after the experiences he had recently gone through. I worried about the possibility that he would want more than two teaspoons of food a day. How could I explain all of this? Would he understand? Would every bite lead to a tantrum and a meltdown?
There have been many wondrous moments in Chaim Boruch’s life that have occurred on Shabbat, a time when extra holiness exists in the world. And again, it was on Shabbat that we experienced something special.
The candles were lit, illuminating our faces at the table with a warm glow. The kids were eating challah and their favorite salads, and sipping grape juice, savoring the tastes they await all week.
I turned to Chaim Boruch and asked him if he would like to eat a little applesauce, just “small bites” like the doctor said.
He nodded with excitement and a grin that stretched from ear to ear. I said the blessing for him while he dutifully swayed back and forth, mimicking the motions of prayer.
Then his little shaky arm spooned one-It’s been six months since he tasted food quarter of a teaspoon of applesauce slowly into his mouth. I could see the effort he made to close his lips on the spoon, push the food back into his mouth and then swallow with concentration.
Wow! It’s been six months since he tasted food. As tears filled my eyes, I could only imagine how very sweet applesauce could taste and how very good it must feel to eat.
After his first swallow, Chaim Boruch erupted with a magnificent “Aaaaaahhhhhh,” while pointing to each of the other kids, who were still holding their breaths. And then, as if on cue, the kids all burst into cheers and laughter and congratulations on this very special occasion.
We were so proud of him, and so grateful to G‑d for this day.
One-quarter teaspoon.
One-quarter of my heart.
Filled to the brim with hope and trust.
Chana is a proud wife and mother living in Mill Valley, California. She is inspired by the colors and textures of everyday life, and loves sharing her creative ideas with her community. Chana writes DIY projects, crafts and recipes celebrating her Jewish life and shlichus on her blog Chana’s Art Room, and is the co-director of Chabad of Mill Valley with her husband, Rabbi Hillel Scop. To read more about Chaim Boruch, and Chana’s journey, take a look at her personal special-needs blog, Life of Blessing.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish Life
The Double Amputee Who Skis and Plays Soccer
Yinon Cohen lost his feet, but not his determination by Shlomo Rizel Place: A military training facility in the Golan
Time: Winter, 2003
Event: A heavy explosion shook the entire building, and when the smoke cleared, it was clear that not a single one of the 24 soldiers present had escaped injury. An RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) had gone off inside the classroom, leaving all the soldiers injured and in shock. It was a miracle that none of them had died.
If you were to see him today, married and the proud father of a child, teaching civics and giving lectures, standing, running, swimming, sky diving and skiing, you would never believe that Yinon Cohen had sustained the worst injury that day, losing both his legs.
The scene of the explosion
The Fateful Mistake
“Of course, I’ll never forget that day. It was a cold winter day, eight months after I had been drafted into the IDF. The drill sergeant called us into one of the classrooms to get a close look at an RPG. He stood in the middle of the room with the deadly anti-tank weapon, which was mounted on a platform, and we were all sitting on the floor in a semicircle around it. I was sitting directly in front of it.
“Since this lesson was taking place after many days of hard training and difficult hikes, I was exhausted and started dozing off in the middle of the lecture. At first the sergeant kept waking me up, but after a while he got frustrated and made me stand up, even though everybody else was sitting. And then he loaded the weapon and accidentally pressed the trigger. I and one other soldier were badly injured, four soldiers were moderately injured, nine were lightly injured, and there were nine others who had to be treated for shock.
“It happened in seconds. First there was a deafening explosion and a fireball that filled the entire room; then I felt something piercing me, cutting me in two. The rocket flew directly at me, hit me and partially exploded. My body flew to the right, and my legs flew to the left. It was fortunate that, because of the short distance, the rocket didn’t completely explode (otherwise there would have been at least ten casualties). I was injured by the partial explosion and by shrapnel from the rocket.
“After the explosion, there was a second or two of quiet, and then cries for help from every corner of the room. One soldier approached me and then went to help other soldiers instead. He thought I was dead and went to help the ones who could still be saved. Every part of my body was in unbelievable pain, and it felt as though my legs were on fire. In spite of this, I was conscious, and when I heard calls to evacuate the room in case other ammunition exploded, I dragged myself out of the room with what I can only describe as supernatural strength. Only then, when I was outside in a safe place, did I let myself pass out.”
When I ask Yinon why he calls this event a miracle, he doesn’t hesitate. “People can’t understand this, but as far as I’m concerned it was an absolute miracle. If I had been sitting, the rocket would have hit me straight in the face; it would have been the upper half of my body that would have been injured, and I wouldn’t be talking to you today. It’s a miracle because, in spite of my injuries, I’m alive and breathing. I got married and started a family. I eat, drink, travel and of course try to do what I should as a Jew, to serve G‑d.”
Rehab
Friday Night Kiddush
After the accident, Yinon hovered between life and death for a day until, on Friday night, he opened his eyes. He saw his parents standing around his bed, eyes red from tears, worry and sleep deprivation. The first words he said to them were, “Thank you G‑d, that at least I’m alive.”
“My parents were so thrilled to hear these words. That moment is one I will never forget. My father immediately made Friday night kiddush, which for him was a prayer of thanks to G‑d that I was still in this world.”
But together with the happiness, there was an awareness that he was facing the greatest challenge of his life. The recovery was long and hard. He needed extensive medical, physical and psychological treatment. Within a short time he endured 35 operations, due to numerous infections of his burns.
Accepting his new condition was even harder. “I knew my feet were gone, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at my legs and to see exactly what had happened. Until then, I had never seen a person without legs. I couldn’t imagine how a person could live like that, and I couldn’t bring myself to accept that this was going to be the rest of my life. I lived in denial, telling myself that this was just a bad dream and that I would soon wake up. Every morning, when I woke up and my legs still weren’t there, I would realize that this bad dream wasn’t going to go away, and I despaired. It was only after a month that I finally brought myself to look at my missing feet and start thinking about what I was going to have to deal with.”
A number of people who had also lost their legs visited Yinon to to try to comfort him and reassure him that he could still live a normal life.
“The truth is that these people, with all their good intentions, didn’t really manage to encourage me. None of them were missing both legs. They only had to live with one missing limb. I was certain that for me it would be impossible to manage. Unlike them I didn’t have either leg, and I didn’t see how I would be able live a regular life.”
By the sea
Recovery
There were two things that eventually helped Yinon on his path to recovery. “The first and most important was faith. In a state of depression like that, no one can really help. People can talk, comfort and encourage, but if they haven’t had the same experience, they can’t really appreciate what you’re going through. In the end it was just me and G‑d. I spoke with Him often, and in spite of the anger and hurt I was feeling toward Him, I knew that in the end I believed in Him. I knew that, in spite of all the pain and frustration, He was the one who had brought me to this state for reasons I couldn’t understand. And I knew, too, that He was the one who would give me the strength to deal with the situation I was in. He was the one who would help me cope with my limitations and my path forward. As I spoke to Him, I realized that despair and depression would only destroy me, and that if I wanted to make anything out of the rest of my life, I couldn’t give in to endless self-pity. In the end, my strong faith in my Creator kept me sane.
“The other thing that helped me recover was a visit from Yossi Hochman. As we were talking, he removed both his legs. When I heard Yossi’s story, which involved a terrorist attack in which his wife and two daughters were killed, I realized that I was far better off than him. Compared to Yossi, who had been able to continue and remarry after losing the people he cared for most, my problems seemed relatively small. I still had a warm and loving family.
“But even with my renewed determination, moving on was not easy. After the initial healing came the process of reconstruction, which included getting fitted for prostheses, and a long and difficult adjustment.
“These were extremely hard months, full of ups and downs, a small step forward and then a long fall backward. I knew I couldn’t let myself give up, that if I gave in and let myself collapse, I wouldn’t be able to cope anymore, and I would lose the battle.”
In the army, before the accident
“I Wanted to Be Invisible”
Another, no less difficult challenge, was coping with the stares of people around him. When his sister took him out to get a bit of fresh air for the first time after the accident, he turned and hid his face so that he didn’t have to see all the pitying looks. But in the evening, when he returned to his hospital room, Yinon realized that if he couldn’t bring himself to let people see him, he would never be able to go out. “I realized I had two choices, either to wilt away in my room and suffer between the four walls, or to go wherever I want, as I am, and let the people around me decide how they were going to cope with my disability.”
After a long period of treatment and physical therapy, Yinon was able to walk with his prostheses. It was easy to learn to walk, but then his scabs opened up and started hemorrhaging. This was because the explosion hadn’t amputated his legs evenly; there were bumps and hollows in the amputated areas, and the prostheses didn’t fit exactly as needed.
As I’m sure you’ve realized by now, Yinon is a real fighter. The fact that his sister, who was the one escorting him everywhere, was getting married in two and a half months, motivated him to push through the whole process yet again. And so, when the wedding day arrived, he did the impossible and showed up walking.
“Until today they tease me, saying that I stole the show from my sister and her husband. It was supposed to be their big day, but when I showed up walking, people just stood there and cried. Then they started clapping and cheering. I don’t know if there was a single dry eye in the entire hall.”
Skiing with his new feet
In the Merit of Tzitzit
“Before the accident a lot of soldiers made fun of the way I refused to be without my tzitzit for even a moment, even though it doesn’t fit with the standard army uniform. I had to keep defending myself and arguing with them, telling them that in my opinion the tzitzit were the best protective vest you could find. Before being drafted into the army, I wasn’t so careful about tzitzit. I put them on mostly out of habit and for my parents’ sake, but once I was in the army I started to think about the fact that tzitzit are our reminder to keep the mitzvahs, and that it was my responsibility to be a good Jew and wear them every day. After the accident everybody started asking me the same question: How is it that you, who prays three times a day without fail, was the most badly hurt of all? What happened to your ‘special’ protective vest? The answer was clear to me: Were it not for the mitzvahs I do, I would not have survived the explosion! And the fact is that the upper part of my body, the half that was covered by the tzitzit, wasn’t affected at all. It was only my legs, where the tzitzit threads end, that got hurt. In my opinion, we’re talking about a big miracle. The tzitzit did their job and protected me.”
Before you start pitying him, Yinon wants to make it clear that in his opinion he is truly fortunate. “Every morning I say Modeh Ani, ‘I gratefully thank you, living and eternal king, for You have compassionately returned my soul to me. Your faithfulness is abundant.’ This prayer means a lot to me. I know how easily a person can die and how much thanks we owe the Creator for every morning that He continues to have faith in us and give us back our lives.”
Yinon also says that he is no longer jealous of anybody. “I found unbelievable strength inside myself, and I found that I can do almost anything. Nothing can hold me back. I do everything that everybody else does, just in a different way.”
In Rambam Hospital
An Unbelievable Wedding
This incredible story comes with a happy ending. After some unsuccessful efforts to find his soulmate, Yinon met Meirav, now his wife, through mutual friends.
Meirav does not suffer from any disabilities, but after she met Yinon and saw what kind of person he was, she wanted to marry him. “It wasn’t easy for her parents to accept, and they nearly called it off, but we were meant for one another. Most of the girls I went out with backed off when they saw how disabled I was, and each time I thanked G‑d that they were backing out early on and that the feeling was pretty much mutual. Meirav accepted me the way I am, mostly because of my personality. I always told my parents that in a way I’m lucky, because the girl who marries me will do it because she’s attracted to me as I am and not for any other reason. And that will show that she herself is a good person.
“Make no mistake, it wasn’t an easy decision at all, and there was a lot of uncertainty along the way. What caused her to decide was the awareness that just like I could become an invalid overnight, so could she or any other person. Nobody has a promise of safety, and there’s no use thinking about what will be decades from now.”
The wedding itself was, of course, an incredibly happy and emotional occasion. The guest list included many of the doctors who had treated Yinon, as well as prominent public officials, military officials and his friends from the army. One of the highlights of the wedding was when dozens of disabled soldiers, who had become friends with Yinon over the years, danced around the young couple in a circle of wheelchairs.
Incidentally, Meirav’s parents, who had been so set against the idea of the marriage at first, became two of Yinon’s closest friends.
It would have been nice if after the wedding there were no further problems and everyone could settle into happily ever after, but real life doesn’t work like that, and new problems arose with Yinon’s legs. Thankfully, this proved to be the last stretch. The young couple moved to New York for about a year in order to find the proper prostheses for his legs, ones that would allow him to live without scabs causing problems every couple of months. After a lot of effort, and at the cost of $150,000 (donated by three organizations: Return Israel, Advancing to Life and Refuge for the Injured), he received three sets of prosthetic legs for three different needs. These let him return to the activities he enjoyed before the injury: running, swimming, skiing, playing soccer and basketball, and carrying out daily activities with almost no sign of his injuries.
The most touching moment for him was when he managed to run again for the first time in 12 years. “I cried like a baby. I just couldn’t stop crying. I found myself running, and the wind was rushing past my face. It was a very special moment. By the way, if any of the people reading this article would meet me in the street, I’m convinced they wouldn’t recognize me as the double amputee they’re reading about.”
Always Have Faith
Yinon and his wife now live in Moshav Maor, a little to the south of Hadera, and Yinon tells his story in lectures he gives all over Israel. “The most important thing for me is to send the message that a person should always have faith; faith in the Creator and also faith in himself. Each person needs to know that he has inner strengths far beyond what he knows.”
Yinon tries to see the good in everything. He half-jokingly says that he’s got it better than other people: he can walk around in puddles all winter without worrying about getting cold feet, and if he knows that he has an important meeting early the next day, he can prepare his feet and put his nice shoes on before he goes to bed.
“I have no doubt that I am where I am today because I didn’t let myself give in to depression. Always pray to G‑d to give you strength, and don’t give up hope. Look ahead and see the light at the end of the tunnel. That light is always there, even if the path through the tunnel is longer than you expected. If right after the explosion you had told me, my parents, the doctors or fellow soldiers that I would marry a woman with no disabilities at all, and that I would stand on my feet, play every sport I wanted to, and be able to travel and support my family, no one would have believed it. Start believing in yourself and in the Divine strength you have within yourself. Limitations are just in the head, and one who breaks through them can go anywhere.”
Shlomo Rizel is a Chabad chassid who works for Radio Kol Hai in Israel and speaks on behalf of charitable organizations.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish Life
Touring Alaska: Shabbat in the Inside Passage by Faygie Levy Holt
(Photos: Faygie Levy)My husband loves going on cruises. Me, not so much. But there was one destination we both agreed we had to see from the deck of a ship: Alaska’s Inside Passage. While I looked forward to the majestic scenery, I wasn’t exactly excited by the frozen kosher meals I had arranged for us to dine on during our Alaskan adventure. And if the meals we received the first night onI was more than a little excited! board our cruise were any indication, it was going to be a long trip with us feasting on nothing but peanut-butter sandwiches, fresh fruit and veggies.
Thankfully, G‑d had another plan.
The next morning, as I was standing near a bank of elevators, someone came over to me, and asked if my husband and I were the other “kosher” couple. I answered that yes, we keep kosher.
“We’ve been looking for you!” he said, explaining that there were five other couples on the cruise ship who were Shabbat- and kosher-observant, and they were eating their meals together. Not only that, but a tour group from Israel was also on board. The group, which numbered about 30 or 40 people, had arranged for daily minyans and kosher meals. We were invited to join them for breakfast and dinner every day—meals that included freshly baked bread, salmon and eggs.
Needless to say, I was more than a little excited to relay this information to my husband. Goodbye, peanut butter! Hello scrambled eggs, roasted veggies and toast with butter!
Still, the food didn’t compare to the beauty that we enjoyed during our one Shabbat at sea. Just after lighting Shabbat candles (though we could not light an actual candle at sea), my husband and I went down to join the Friday-night prayers. I ended up standing by the door to a card room that the tour group had transformed into a makeshift synagogue.
Throughout Minchah and Kabbalat Shabbat, the door to the room remained open, drawing some curious glances from cruise-goers on their way to dinner or a show. A few people peeked in and smiled. One woman broke off from her group and asked if she could join us for services. I didn’t hesitate to welcome her and share my siddur.
A few minutes later, a man came in with his children and asked if he could pray with us. His two daughters sat behind me, while he and his son joined the men. An extra siddur was somehow found for father and son.
Then there was the older gentleman. Well-dressed and obviously on his way somewhere, he was drawn to the doorway by the Jewish tunes and Hebrew words.
He stood quietly, sadness in his eyes as he listened to the prayers. I asked him if he wanted to join us. He shook his head. “It’s been many, many years since I’ve been inside a synagogue.”
I assured him it would be fine if he came inside the room, but he turned and left. The look in his eyes said it all: His Jewish soul had called out and, for those few minutes, he had answered it.
It wasn’t just the praying that turned into a welcoming gathering for Jews on board. As our little group settled down for Friday-night dinner at our usual table—where, to my delight, loaves of fresh-baked challah were waiting for us—I happened to glance around the room. Sitting right behind us, at the very nextThe door to the room remained open, drawing some curious glances table, was the father who had brought his children to our services. The rest of his family was there, too.
After a little chit-chat and the recitation of Kiddush by one of the men in our group, the mother at the other table said: “I didn’t even think of getting challah for Shabbat.”
I reached into the basket on our table, pulled out several challah rolls and passed them to the other family. They were unbelievably happy to have this little taste of Shabbat on vacation.
Needless to say, what was supposed to be a cruise full of packaged meals and solo praying became one of the most moving, inspiring and amazing Shabbat experiences of my life.
Editor’s Note: If you will be traveling on a cruise over Shabbat, consult a competent rabbinic authority. Also see: May I Go on a Cruise on Shabbat?
Faygie Holt is an award-winning journalist and regular contributor to Chabad.org and other media outlets. She is also the author of “The New Girl” and “Trouble Ahead,” the first two novels in her Achdus Club book series for girls. Learn more at her website.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Story
Fire in the Courthouse
It was an unusual job for an Eastern-European Jew at the turn of the 19th century, but Aryeh did his job faithfully. As the mayor of his town, he was responsible for recording births, deaths and other important events.
It once happened that the son of a non-Jewish family decided to convert to Judaism, an offense that could cost him dearly in those days,The man could not use his official papers when it was illegal for a Christian to leave his faith. But he was determined to follow the G‑d of Israel, and the Jewish nation welcomed him warmly and sheltered him from any harm.
There was just one problem. The man could not use his official papers, where he was identified as a non-Jew, since his Jewish appearance would give away his “crime.” But neither could he request Jewish identity papers without raising suspicion.
Finally, a solution was found. A Jewish man of approximately the same age had passed away. If Aryeh “neglected” to record his death, the convert could simply assume his identity and live openly as a Jew.
Seeing the man’s distress, Aryeh agreed to turn a blind eye.
But things went horribly wrong. Someone (possibly a relative of the convert) exposed the plot, and Aryeh soon found himself in the thick of a legal battle for his life.
Distressed, Aryeh made his way to Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi and poured out his heart.
After hearing the date of the impending court hearing, Rabbi Schneur Zalman advised him to request a deferment.
When the second court date loomed close, Aryeh once again came to Rabbi Schneur Zalman, who again advised him to delay the case, which he was able to do once again.
When he was no longer able to push off the trial, the rabbi advised him, “Soon my granddaughter will marry the grandson of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. The wedding will be in the town of Zhlobin. See to it that you attend the wedding and try your hardest to speak to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. He will surely be able to help you.”
But things were not so simple. The town of Zhlobin (halfway between the hometowns of the two illustrious rabbis) was packed with thousands of visitors who had come to witness the spiritually charged nuptials. Every time Aryeh tried to approach Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, he found his way blocked by hordes of others who also wanted to spend a few precious moments in the presence of the holy man.
Feeling desperate, he decided to present himself at the door of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s room, ensuring that he would be the first one to be allowed in the following morning.
(As he waited, he observed how the great sage lay in bed, and two assistants read to him simultaneously, one from the Mishnah and the other from the Zohar. The rabbi lay motionless, appearing to be asleep, but whenever one of the readers would stumble, he would call out, “Nu, nu!” This lasted for two hours, until Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was refreshed.)
When Aryeh was finally ushered in, the holy man asked him, “Who sent you here?”
“My rebbe,” was the reply, “Rabbi Schneur Zalman.”
“Oh, my new in-law, he is a righteous man, a sage, a G‑dly person,” repeated Rabbi Levi Yitzchak a number of times, each time enumerating the fine qualities of his colleague. “Nu, sertze,” said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak (using the endearing Slavic term for “heart”). “What can I do for you?”
“I am a mayor of my town,” began Aryeh, briefly outlining his problem.
“What is a mayor?” wondered Rabbi Levi Yitzchak aloud.
After Aryeh explained his duties, he asked, “What? A Jewish mayor? Who ever heard of a Jew being a mayor? How can that be?”
“My rebbe himself told me to accept the position of mayor,” replied Aryeh.
“If it is indeed the case that you took the job with the"Who ever heard of a Jew being a mayor? blessing of my in-law,” said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, again waxing eloquent in his praise for Rabbi Schneur Zalman, “you have nothing to fear. G‑d will surely help you and guard you from all evil.”
With that, the audience drew to a close.
Upon hearing what had taken place, Rabbi Schneur Zalman said to Aryeh, “Nu? Did I not give you good advice? Was it not a good idea to go to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak?”
The date of the trial came steadily closer, and Aryeh still had no idea how he would defend himself. After all, he had indeed allowed the poor convert to use the identity of the deceased man.
But then, a day before the trial, a fire broke out in the courthouse, and all the records were burned to a crisp—including all incriminating evidence against Aryeh.
(From the stories of Rabbi Leib Edelman, Shemuot Vesippurim II, pp. 91-03.)
From Shemuot V’Sippurim by Rabbi Rephael Nachman Kahan.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshah
The Inner Woman of Beautiful Form by Menachem Feldman
One of the most puzzling commandments in the Torah is the commandment regarding the “woman of beautiful form,” which opens this week's Torah portion. The Torah states that when an Israelite goes to war and captures a beautiful gentile woman, and he desires her, he may marry her providing that he follows the conditions stipulated by the Torah.
When you go out to war against your enemies, and the L‑rd, your G‑d, will deliver him into your hands, and you take his captives. And you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you desire her, you may take [her] for yourself as a wife. You shall bring her into your home, and she shall shave her head and let her nails grow. And she shall remove the garment of her captivity from upon herself, and stay in your house, and weep for her father and her mother for a full month. After that, you may be intimate with her and possess her, and she will be a wife for you. And it will be, if you do not desire her, then you shall send her away wherever she wishes, but you shall not sell her for money. You shall not keep her as a servant, because you have afflicted her.1
This law seems strange. Isn't the purpose of the Torah to lead us toward greater moral heights, to elevate us to a life of spirituality and holiness? Yet, this commandment seems to give permission for man to follow his most animalistic instincts?
The conventional answer is that the Torah understands the nature of man and is “speaking to his evil inclination.” In other words, the Torah recognizes that the person's evil inclination is so powerful that if it would prohibit all possibility of marrying this woman, the person would disregard the prohibition, ignore all morality and exploit the vulnerable woman. Instead the Torah prefers to give a “road map” to a kosher marriage, thus ensuring that the captive woman be given the protections of marriage.
There are, however, mystical explanations that interpret this law, not as a concession to human weakness, but as a deep lesson into the nature of a Jew’s spiritual journey on this earth.
The Kabbalists read these verses as an analogy. What if the “woman of beautiful form” who is in captivity is a metaphor for the soul? What if this commandment is a lesson in appreciating the pain of the soul, which is often trapped and unable to express itself while in the confines of the body? What if this commandment is teaching how to set the captive free?
Then the verses would read as follows:
When you go out to war against your enemies: When we enter this world, we must know that the journey we are embarking on is not a spiritual cruise, but rather a spiritual battlefield. Every step of the way we will be challenged by our evil inclination, the enemy of spirituality.
the Lord, your God, will deliver him into your hands: Although at times it seems that the evil inclination is exceedingly powerful, nevertheless, G‑d gives us the strength to be victorious over the evil inclination.
you take his captives, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman: The beautiful woman is the soul, which was taken captive by the evil inclination. When the evil inclination entices us to do something wrong, we invest the energy of the soul into the negative act, which in turn places the soul in captivity in the hands of the evil inclination.
and you desire her: The key to releasing the soul from spiritual captivity is desire. We need to awaken a passion and desire to connect to and bond with our own soul. The desire, which was previously directed toward earthly pleasures is now directed toward the inner soul.
you may take [her] for yourself as a wife . . . You shall bring her into your home: The soul will then enter the home, i.e., the soul will now be able to express herself in the body and in our life.2
After that, you may be intimate with her and possess her, and she will be a wife for you: Once the soul is freed from captivity, you may be intimate with her; you may enjoy the great spiritual pleasure of bonding with the soul.3
And so, according to the mystics, this puzzling commandment is a lesson in being sensitive to the pain of the beautiful soul which is in captivity within the body. Only we have the power to release her from captivity and allow her to express herself. Only we have the power to set her free.4
Rabbi Menachem Feldman serves as the director of the Lifelong Learning department at the Chabad Lubavitch Center in Greenwich, Conn.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deuteronomy 21:10-14.
2.Once the soul has been freed from captivity, it can work on purifying itself from the unholiness of the captivity . . .and she shall shave her head and let her nails grow. And she shall remove the garment of her captivity from upon herself, and stay in your house: The soul will then remove the negativity attached to the it from the time of the captivity in the hands of the evil inclination.
and weep for her father and her mother for a full month:The soul experiences the pain of being distant from it's father, G‑d, and mother, the collective Jewish people.
3.And it will be, if you do not desire her, then you shall send her away wherever she wishes, but you shall not sell her for money. You shall not keep her as a servant, because you have afflicted her: Even if we do not feel a desire to bond with the soul in a particular moment, we must still make sure to set the soul free and not send it back to spiritual captivity.
4.Based on the writings of the Or Hachaim Hakadosh. © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshah
The Inner Meaning of the Fallen Donkey by Yitzi Hurwitz
In the portion of Ki Teitzei, we read: “You should not see your brother’s donkey or his ox falling on the way and pretend as if you don’t see them. [Rather] you should pick up [the load] with him.”
The simple meaning here is to help someone in need.
On a deeper level, it is about seeing someone who has fallen spiritually.
What lessons can we take from here for helping pick up someone who has fallen spiritually? Many view those less observant than them negatively. They may ignore them or even worse, tell them off and denigrate them.
This is a terrible mistake and not the Torah way.
The first thing is to realize that he is your “brother,” not an enemy. Treat him with love and brotherhood.
The next thing is to realize that it is his animal that has fallen—not him. His neshamah is pristine. He is essentially holy and wants to be G‑d’s. It is only his “animal”—his circumstances, nature and upbringing that put him where he is today.
Then the Torah warns not to pretend that you don’t see him. This is not only hateful, but you will cause him to fall even further.
Finally, help pick up his load with him. Show him love, and you will lift his spirit and strengthen him. Then he will start to pick himself up, and you will only need to help.
Now, in the month of Elul, we must increase our love towards each other. Overcome and destroy the walls that divide us. Embrace your brother, sister or friend that you are at odds with. Let us enter the new year united. G‑d loves most when we are together.
Together, our prayers are powerful. Together, we will be granted a good year. Together, we will be given our greatest wish: He will send Moshiach and put an end to this painful, bitter exile.
Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz—father of seven, husband of Dina, and spiritual leader at Chabad Jewish Center in Temecula, Calif.—has been rendered immobile by ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Unable to speak or type, he uses his eyes to write heartfelt thoughts on the weekly Torah portion.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshah
Respecting the Earth, and Our Part in It by Karen Wolfers-Rapaport
We live in a world where eating clean, living green, recycling and biotechnology have become commonplace jargon and practices. The majority of people have come to understand that only so many resources in this world are available for human consumption. To keep these resources feasible and viable, we need to support, cultivate and protect them.
Well before environmental spokespeople were echoing a call for greater sensitivityDoes it not sound like the Torah is advocating for sustainability? towards the planet planet, G‑d had formulated the concept in Parshat Ki Teitzei.
Here, we read of a most curious situation. When we see a mother bird hovering over a nest that contains chicks or eggs, and we wish to eat them, we must send the mother bird away first. The mother bird must not be part of our bountiful catch.
There are several beautiful explanations for this, one of which is the following: People have the right to take and consume the eggs in this scenario, but they cannot kill an entire species. And even though they are not actually doing that in this example, it is as if they are, for they are extinguishing two generations of birds.
There is something cruel about killing a mother together with her children—something that sounds a lot like over-consumption. Indeed, there is something ethically corrupt in pursuing practices that may lead to extinction1.
Here, not only do we see a touching sensitivity towards animals, but we hear language that sounds like the forerunner to some basic environmental principles!
Does it not sound like the Torah is advocating for the concept of sustainability?
Sustainability, in the modern sense of the word, means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Or, in simpler language, don’t take more than your fair share.
The Torah was an environmental trailblazer, way ahead of its time. It teaches us that in order to perpetuate the fragile balance of our ecosystem, we cannot exploit it, and we shouldn’t take more than we need.
When we capture animals faster than they can reproduce, we endure too many losses to maintain a healthy population. That over-killing can drive a species to extinction. Ultimately, this can collapse the ecosystems that we depend on.
More than that, the act of sending away the mother bird—like all acts of compassion—teaches deep lessons. A person can only be compassionate by shelving self-centeredness and considering the entire situation he or she is part ofOver-killing can drive a species to extinction before acting. When we send away the mother bird, we are being sensitive to her needs, to the earth’s need and to the greater future needs of humanity.
G‑d gave us the right to eat and not deplete. We have a right to the eggs, but not a right to the mother.
To be attuned to the needs of the mother bird is to be attuned to something larger than ourselves; in doing so, we elevate all that is part of this most delicate, timely and universal message.
Karen Wolfers-Rapaport is a psychotherapist specializing in Narrative Therapy. She holds a BA from UCLA, and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She received her training from Tufts University. In addition to her therapeutic work and freelance writing, Karen works with families from Israel’s Prime Minister’s office and Ministry of Defense, teaching them English in preparation for their diplomatic posts abroad. A proud mother, she is blessed to live in Israel.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deuteronomy 22:6-7 © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshat Ki Teitzei In-Depth
Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Parshah Summary
The Parshah of Ki Teitzei (“When you go out”) contains a significant portion of the Torah’s laws: no less than 74 mitzvot (out of a total of 613) have been counted by the halachic authorities as deriving from our Parshah. The first of these is the law of the “beautiful captive woman”:
Also: “A woman shall not wear a man’s articles, nor shall aman put on a woman’s garment; for all that do so are an abomination to G‑d.”
The Torah also specifies a number of forbidden incestuous relationships, as well as a list of persons who are precluded from marrying into the community of Israel (e.g., a bastard). Ammonites and Moabites “shall not enter into the congregation of G‑d, even to their tenth generation,” but Egyptians and Edomites who convert to Judaism are accepted after three generations.
Many of the laws of marriage are derived from the verses legislating the rules of divorce, which are also followed by the following rule:
When taking possession of an object as security for the repayment of a loan, certain restrictions apply. It is forbidden to impound the debtor’s tools of trade, such as his millstones, for then you “take a man’s life as security.” Also:
The active transgression of a biblical prohibition is punishable by 39 lashes.
Sometimes a most holy soul is imprisoned in the depths of the kelipot (the “husks” which conceal G‑dliness in our world). Thus it comes to pass that the Jewish soldier is attracted to a captive woman, because his soul recognizes the “beauty” imprisoned within her. (This is why the Torah refers to her as a “beautiful woman,” even though—as the Sifri derives from the verse—the same law applies if one is attracted to a physically ugly woman.) Hence the Torah provides the procedure by which she is to be cleansed of the impurity of the kelipot and “brought into your house”—included in the holy community of Israel . . .
Also from one’s spiritual enemies one must “capture captives.” Anything negative in man or in the world can be exploited for the good, if one can derive a lesson from it in the service of the Creator.
The law of the “wayward and rebellious son” applies only if he steals [money] from his father and consumes at one meal a tartemar of meat and half a log of Italian wine. Rabbi Yossi says: A maneh of meat and a log of wine . . .
The wayward and rebellious son is executed on account of the future, as the Torah penetrates to his ultimate intentions. Eventually he will squander his father’s money, seek what he has become habituated to, not find it, and stand at the crossroads and rob people [killing them, thereby incurring the death penalty]. Says the Torah, “Let him die innocent, rather than have him die guilty . . .”
Both his parents must bring him to the court. If his father wants [to have him declared a “wayward and rebellious son”] but his mother doesn’t want to, or if his mother wants to but his father doesn’t want to, the law cannot be applied . . .
Said Rabbi Shimon: Because he ate a tartemar of meat and half a log of Italian wine, his father and mother will take him out to be stoned? Indeed, [a case of a “wayward and rebellious son”] never was, and never will be. So why was it written in the Torah? So that it should be studied, and we should be rewarded [for studying it].
Rabbi Yonatan says: I saw such a case, and I sat at his grave.
This is a degradation of the divine King in whose image man is created, and the Israelites are G‑d’s children. This is analogous to a case of two identical twin brothers. One became king, while the other was arrested for robbery and hanged. Whoever saw him would say, “The king is hanging!”
Our masters taught: There was a “dealing stone” in Jerusalem. Anyone who lost something would go there, and anyone who found something would go there. This one would stand and announce [his find], and the other would stand up, give identifying signs and take it.
If he finds wooden utensils, he should use them, so that they should not rot. Copper vessels can be used with hot food, but not over fire, which wears them out; silver utensils should be used with cold, but not with hot, which blackens them. Gold and glass utensils should not be touched until the coming of Elijah . . .
And the other one said: “Just as you fear the punishment for theft, so do I. I sold you the ruin and everything in it—from the depths of the earth to the heights of heaven!”
The king summoned one of them and asked him: “Do you have a son?” Said he: “Yes.” He then summoned the second one and asked him: “Do you have a daughter?” Said he: “Yes.” Said the king to them: “Let them marry each other, and the treasure shall belong to the two of them.”
Alexander was amazed. Said the king to him: “Did I not rule well?” Said he: “No, you did not.” Said he: “If such a case came before you in your country, what would you do?” Said he: “I’d cut off both their heads, and send the treasure to the royal palace.”
Said the king of Katzya to Alexander: “Does the sun shine in your country?”
Said Alexander: “Yes.”
“And do rains fall upon you?”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps there are cattle and herds in your land?”
“Yes, there are,” said Alexander.
“By my life!” said king of Katzya. “It is for the sake of the cattle and herds that the sun shines for you and the rains fall upon you . . .”
One who says (in prayer), “Your mercy extends to a bird’s nest . . .” should be silenced . . . since this reduces the mitzvot to humane laws, when in truth they are divine decrees.
Maimonides writes that the reason for these mitzvot is so that “one should not kill the child in sight of the mother, for the animal has great pain from this. There is no difference between the concern of a person and the concern of an animal for their children, because a mother’s love and compassion for the fruit of her womb is not a function of the intellect or speech, but a function of the thought process that exists in animals as in people.”
Nachmanides takes issue with this explanation, arguing that if that were the reason, it should be forbidden only to kill the young before the mother, not vice versa. “It is more correct to say,” he writes, that the reason for these commandments is “so that we should not have a cruel heart that is devoid of compassion”—since, in any case, killing a mother and its young on the same day is an act of cruelty. He also offers another reason: “Because the Torah would not permit a practice that could cause the destruction of the species, though it permits the slaughtering of a single member of the species.”
Both Maimonides and Nachmanides point out that their explanations seem to contradict the above-cited passage from the Talmudic tractate Berachot, which warns against explaining the mitzvah of “sending away the mother” as deriving from G‑d’s compassion on the mother bird. Maimonides also cites Midrash Rabbah, which states: “Does it make a difference to G‑d whether one slaughters an animal from the throat or from the back of the neck? In truth, the mitzvot were given only to refine the human being.”
Maimonides explains that there are, in fact, two opinions as to the nature of the mitzvot: a) that the mitzvot are supra-rational divine decrees; b) that there are reasons for the mitzvot, even if the reasons for certain mitzvot have not been revealed to us. The passage in Berachot, says Maimonides, expresses the first opinion, “that the mitzvot have no reason other than that they are the divine desire, while we believe according to the second opinion, that every mitzvah has a reason.”
Nachmanides takes a different approach, arguing that there is no contradiction between his explanation and the Talmud’s statement. The Talmud objects to explaining the reason for the mitzvah as G‑d’s compassion for the bird or animal; rather, it is to teachus compassion and prevent the trait of cruelty from taking root in our hearts. In the words of the Midrash, “the mitzvot were given only to refine the human being.” In this connection, Nachmanides also cites the verses (Job 35:6–7), “If you sin, how have you affected Him? If your transgressions multiply, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give Him? What can He possibly receive from your hand?” The things that G‑d commands us to do are not anything that He wants or needs, nor are the divine prohibitions things that “bother” Him—He is above that all. The “reasons” for the mitzvot are the ways that they are beneficial to us, sanctifying our lives and refining our characters.
The Torah calls him “the falling person” because it was ordained from heaven that he would fall, in any case. Nevertheless, you should not be the one to bring about his death, for meritorious things are executed through meritorious people, while things of ill fortune are executed through guilty people.
There was once a man who was very scrupulous about the precept of tzitzit. One day he heard of a certain harlot overseas who took four hundred gold dinars for her hire. He sent her four hundred gold dinars and scheduled a day with her. When the day arrived he came and waited at her door, and her maid went and told her, “That man who sent you four hundred gold dinars is here and waiting at the door,” to which she replied, “Let him come in.” When he came in she prepared for him seven beds, six of silver and one of gold; between one bed and the other there were steps of silver, but the last were of gold. She then went up to the top bed and lay down upon it naked. He too went up after her in his desire to sit naked with her, when all of a sudden the four fringes of his garment struck him across the face, whereupon he slipped off and sat upon the ground. She also slipped off and sat upon the ground and said, “I swear by the Roman Caesar, I will not let you go until you tell me what blemish you saw in me!”
“I swear,” the Jew replied, “that I have never seen a woman as beautiful as you. However, there is one mitzvah which we were commanded by our G‑d, andtzitzit is its name. Concerning this mitzvah it is twice stated in the Torah ‘I am the L‑rd your G‑d’—‘I am the one who will seek retribution, and I am the one who will reward.’ Now the four tzitzit appeared to me as four witnesses, testifying to this truth.”
“I still will not let you go,” the prostitute said, “until you provide me with your name and the names of your city, your rabbi, and the school in which you study Torah.”
He wrote down all the information and handed it to her.
The woman sold all her possessions. A third of the money she gave to the government (as a payoff so that they would allow her to convert to Judaism), a third she handed out to the poor, and the remaining third she took with her—along with the silver and gold beds—and she proceeded to the school which the man had named, the study hall of Rabbi Chiya.
“Rabbi,” she said to Rabbi Chiya, “I would like to convert to Judaism.”
“Perhaps,” Rabbi Chiya responded, “you desire to convert because you have taken a liking to a Jewish man?”
The woman pulled out the piece of paper with the information and related to the rabbi the miracle which transpired with the tzitzit.
“You may go and claim that which is rightfully yours [i.e. the right to convert],” the rabbi proclaimed.
She ended up marrying the man. Those very beds which she originally prepared for him illicitly, she now prepared for him lawfully. Such was his reward for meticulously observing the mitzvah of tzitzit.
Our sages tell us that when when the children of Israel assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai, “G‑d held the mountain over them like a jar and said to them: ‘If you accept the Torah, fine; if not, here shall be your grave’” (Talmud, Shabbat 88a).
But the Jewish people had already expressed their desire and willingness to enter into the covenant with G‑d. Why did G‑d coerce them? But perhaps G‑d desired to ensure that their bond would be eternal and irrevocable. By forcing Himself on them, He was binding Himself with the law that “he may not divorce her all his days.”
The School of Hillel rules: [He may divorce her] even if she burnt his meal.
Rabbi Akiva says: Even if he found another more beautiful than she.
more
Certain opportunities and potentials are so lofty that they cannot be accessed by the conscious self; they can come about only “by mistake.” An example of this is the mitzvah of shikchah, which can be fulfilled only by forgetting.
[The Hebrew word karchah, “he met you,” can also mean “he cooled you.” Thus the Midrash says:]
What is the incident (of Amalek) comparable to? To a boiling tub of water which no creature was able to enter. Along came one evildoer and jumped into it. Although he was burned, he cooled it for the others. So too, when Israel came out of Egypt, and G‑d split the sea before them and drowned the Egyptians within it, their fear fell upon all the nations. But when Amalek came and challenged them, although he received his due from them, he cooled off the awe in which they were held by the nations of the world.
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Lifestyle
Sticky Orange-Glazed Carrots by Miriam Szokovski
It's customary to eat carrots on Rosh Hashanah. There's Tzimmes, which is very traditional, but I've enjoyed playing around with some alternatives like my (very popular!) Ginger-Infused Roasted Carrot Soup, and these sticky, orange-glazed baby carrots.
Shiluach HakenUnderstanding the Enigmatic Mitzvah to Send Away the Mother Bird by Yehuda Shurpin
The Torah Source:
If a bird’s nest chances before you on the road, on any tree or on the ground, and [it contains] fledglings or eggs, if the mother is sitting upon the fledglings or upon the eggs, you shall not take the mother [from] upon the young. You shall send away the mother, and [then] you may take the young for yourself, in order that it should be good for you, and you should lengthen your days.1
Seems simple enough. If you find a nest and want to take the eggs or young birds, you first need to send away the mother and only then may you take the eggs or the young birds for yourself. This is the mitzvah known asshiluach haken (“sending of the nest”).
Note that this is one of only two acts for which we are promised the reward “that it should be good for you, and you should lengthen your days.”
No Reason
The Talmud refers to this mitzvah as a chok,2 a Divine decree for which no reason is given. Thus, we find in the Mishnah that someone who says “Your mercy extends upon the nest of birds” in the daily prayers is to be silenced.”3
Maimonides (in his commentary on the Mishnah) explains that the problem with such a prayer is that “he is saying that the reason for this commandment is G‑d’s mercy on birds. But this is not so, for were it a matter of mercy, He would not have allowed slaughtering animals at all; rather, this is a received commandment without a reason.”4
Yet, in his Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides writes that there are divided opinions as to whether a chok has a rationale, and that though the Talmud5indicates that it is supra-rational, he however will follow the other opinion in the Talmud that seeks reasons even in chukim, and therefore provides the following rationale:
The eggs over which the bird sits, and the young that are in need of their mother, are generally unfit for food, and when the mother is sent away, she does not see the taking of her young ones and does not feel any pain. In most cases, however, this commandment will cause man to leave the nest intact because [the young or the eggs], which he is allowed to take, are, as a rule, unfit for food. If the Law provides that such grief should not be caused to cattle or birds, how much more careful must we be that we should not cause grief to our fellow men . . .6
In this, Maimonides is following a general rule of his thatalthoughthesemitzvahs are decrees, we are nevertheless meant to endeavor to find explanations for them as well.7
If it is proper to find a rationale for these mitzvahs, why is the person who connects it to mercy in his prayers silenced? Some commentators explain that it is only in respect to doing so in prayer, but in the context of learning, it is permitted.8
It’s for Us
Others explain that the reason for the prohibition is to teach us the trait of compassion since we are saving the mother bird from witnessing us taking her young. Alternatively, it teaches us about preservation of the species: Although we are taking the offspring, the mother is still free to lay new eggs.9
An Uncompassionate Act
In an almost diametrically opposed explanation, the Zohar explains that sending away the mother is, in fact, not compassionate for the birds—and that is precisely the reason behind this mitzvah!
The Zohar explains:
There is an angel appointed over the birds . . . and when Israelperforms this commandment, and the mother departs weeping and her children crying, he agonizes for his birds, and asks G‑d: “Does it not say that ‘His compassion is on all of His works’10 ? Why did You decree on that bird to be exiled from her nest?” And what does the Holy One do? He gathers all of His other angels and says to them: “This angel is concerned for the welfare of a bird and is complaining of its suffering; is there none amongst you who will seek merit on My children Israel, and for the Shechinah which is in exile, and whose nest inJerusalem has been destroyed, and whose children are in exile under the hand of harsh masters? Is there no one who seeks compassion for them and will attribute merit to them?” Then the Holy One issues a command and says, “For My sake I shall act, and I shall act for My sake,” and compassion is thereby aroused upon the Shechinah and the children in exile.11
Thus, according to the Zohar, the idea is to arouse G‑d’s mercy and compassion on His people and finally take us out of exile.
To Seek or Not to Seek?
The different reasons cited above result in different practical applications of this mitzvah. There is a discussion in halachah as to whether it is proper to seek out a nest to send away the mother, even if we have no use for the eggs.
Now, if we say that the reason for the mitzvah is compassion for the birds, then there is no reason to actively seek out a bird’s nest to perform the mitzvah, because it would be even more compassionate to leave the birds together with their mother. And furthermore, perhaps even if one chances upon a nest, he only should perform the mitzvah if he actually wants to take the eggs or the young.
However, if it is an act intended to arouse G‑d’s compassion, then it makes sense that one should actively seek to do this mitzvah.12
Others, however, seem to be of the opinion that the debate of whether or not one should seek out to do this mitzvah is independent of the reasons laid out for it. In fact, there are commentators who seemingly give the reason as one of compassion but still advise that one should actively try to do the mitzvah, as well as some who follow the Zoharic reasoning, but still hold that one shouldn’t actively seek to do the mitzvah.13
The Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—writes that it isn’t the custom to actively seek out a nest with a roosting mother to do the mitzvah.14
Parameters of the Mitzvah
● Only kosher birds are eligible for this mitzvah. When it comes to kosher birds, the Torah does not provide identifying signs (as it does for animals and fish). The Torah does give us a list of the non-kosher birds, and we are only permitted to eat birds that were traditionally identified as not belonging to that list. However, the Talmud does provide identifying signs that are shared by all kosher birds and we may rely on those signs when determining which birds are fit for the mitzvah of shiluach haken.15
● The bird needs to be ownerless. Practically, this also means that it needs to be in a public domain since a person’s private property can often “acquire” objects on the owner’s behalf even without the owner’s knowledge. Therefore, a nest in one’s yard would generally be ineligible since the birds “belong” to the property owner.16
Some authorities hold that before the eggs are laid, one may stipulate that he does not want his property to be acquired on his behalf, and he may then use them for the mitzvah.17
● No hands or sticks necessary. According to many, one need not physically remove the mother. One can simply create a loud noise by banging on a nearby tree, shouting or clapping.18 Others however seem to hold that one needs to actually send it away with his hands.19
● It needs to be the mother. In many species of birds, the mother and father take turns tending the nest. The mitzvah, however, can only be performed with the mother, so one must ascertain that it is indeed the female sitting on the nest.20
● Take the eggs. According to most opinions, one must take eggs or chick to fulfill the mitzvah.21 However, one is permitted to return them right afterwards. Contrary to popular belief, in most instances, the mother will return to her nest and continue to care for her clutch.22 Some, however, hold that one need not take the eggs or chicks to fulfil the mitzvah.23
● No blessing is recited. For a number of reasons, no blessing is recited before performing this mitzvah.24 One simple reason is that if the mother flies off on its own after the blessing had been said before she was actively chased away, the blessing will have been said in vain.25
● Only eggs or very young chicks. Once the chicks learn to fly on their own (for most species, about two weeks after hatching), one can no longer perform the mitzvah.26
The Reward
As was noted earlier, the mitzvah of shiluach haken is one of only two mitzvahs for which the Torah lists the reward (the other is honoring one’s parents). On a simple level, the Mishnah explains that the Torah stresses the reward for this mitzvah to teach us that if one receives such a great reward for a relatively easy and inexpensive mitzvah, how much more so, for more difficult ones.27
On a deeper level, the reasons for the unique reward for this mitzvah has to do with reasons behind the mitzvah—both as one of compassion or one that arouses G‑d’s mercy on His people. Thus, in addition to the long life that is promised explicitly in the verse, the Midrash uncharacteristically gives a list of additional rewards that it learns from the context of the verses about this mitzvah. With the fulfillment of this mitzvah, one is rewarded with marriage, children and a new home. Additionally, we are rewarded with the coming of the Moshiach.28
May it be G‑d’s will that He see the Jewish people performing this mitzvah and have mercy on His children, and return His own flock of birds to their nest—the holy city of Jerusalem—with the coming of the Moshiach! Amen!
FOOTNOTES
1.Deuteronomy 22:6-7.
2.See Talmud, Berachot 33b, and Rashiad loc.
3.Mishnah Berachot 5:3; Megillah 4:9. The Talmud Berachot 33b actually offers two explanations as to why we silence one who says that. Either it is because he is placing jealousy amongst G‑d’s creations, as if to say that G‑d only has mercy on the birds but not other creations. Or it is because he is “limiting” G‑d by attempting to define Him by our human perception of His attributes, while the mercy He displays toward the bird is really a heavenly decree beyond our understanding.
4.Commentary to Mishnah Berachot 5:3.
5.See footnote 3.
6.Guide for the Perplexed 3:48.
7.See Rambam, end of Hilchot Temurah 4:13.
8.See, for example, Tosafot Yom Tov on Mishnah Berachot 5:3.
9.Ramban, Deuteronomy 22:6-7; Chinuch 545; Rabeinu Bechaye, Deuteronomy 22:6-7; Meiri Berachot 33b; See also Abrabanel on Deuteronomy 22.
10.Psalms 145:9.
11.Tikunei Zohar, Tikun 6; Zohar Chodosh Ruth 94.
12.See, for example, Rabbi Chaim Vital in his introduction to Shaar Hamitzvot; responsa Chatam Sofer, Orach Chaim 100; Aruch HaShulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:1-2.
13.See, for example, Rabbeinu Bechaye onDeuteronomy 22:6-7.
14.See Shaar Halacha Uminhag, vol. 3, p. 350.
15.Minchat Elazar 3:43.
16.Birchei Yosef 292:3; Minchat Shlomo 2:97:26.
17.See Igrot Moshe, Yoreh De’ah 4:45.
18.Rashi on Talmud, Chulin 141b.
19.See Rambam, Hilchot Shechita 13:5; Aruch Hashulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:6.
20.See Chinuch 545.
21.Aruch Hashulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:4.
22.http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/attracting/challenges/orphaned
23.See Responsum Chacham Tzvi 83.
24.Birchei Yosef, Yoreh De’ah 292:1. See, however, Aruch Hashulchan, Yoreh De’ah 292:10 that a blessing is recited. However, it seems to me that following the rule “that when in doubt, no blessing is recited,” one should not recite a blessing in this instance as well.
25.Pischei Teshuvah, Yoreh De’ah 292:2.
26.Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 292:7.
27.Mishnah, Chulin 12:5.
28.Midrash, Devarim Rabbah 6:6-7, Yalkut Shimoni 930.
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Elul
The King in the Field Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe
There is a profit in the land over all else, for the king is sustained by the fieldEcclesiastes 5:8 (as per Ibn Ezra on verse)
Elul, the last month of the Jewish year, is a time of paradox -- a time of what might be termed, "spiritual workdays."
The Jewish calendar distinguishes between two general qualities of time: "mundane" (chol) and "holy" (kodesh). Ordinary workdays are "mundane" portions of time; Shabbat and the festivals are examples of "holy" time. On "holy" days, we disengage ourselves from the material involvements of life to devote ourselves to the spiritual pursuits of study and prayer. These are also days enriched with special spiritual resources (rest on Shabbat, freedom on Passover, awe on Rosh Hashanah, etc.), each providing its unique quality to the journeyer through calendar and life.
In the latter respect, the month of Elul resembles the "holy" portions of the calendar. Elul is a haven in time, a "city of refuge" from the ravages of material life; a time to audit one's spiritual accounts and assess the year gone by; a time to prepare for the "Days of Awe" of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur by repenting the failings of the past and resolving for the future; a time to increase in Torah study, prayer and charitable activities. Elul is the opportune time for all this because it is a month in which G‑d relates to us in a more open and compassionate manner than He does in the other months of the year. In the terminology of Kabbalah, it is a time when G‑d's "Thirteen Attributes of Mercy" illuminate His relationship with us.
Yet unlike Shabbat and the festivals, the days of Elul are workdays. On Shabbat, the Torah commands us to cease all physically constructive work (melachah). The festivals, too, are days on whichmelachah is forbidden. Regarding the month of Elul, however, there are no such restrictions. The transcendent activities of Elul are conducted amidst our workday lives in the field, shop or office.
Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi explains the paradox of Elul with the following metaphor: The king's usual place is in the capital city, in the royal palace. Anyone wishing to approach the king must go through the appropriate channels in the palace bureaucracy and gain the approval of a succession of secretaries and ministers. He must journey to the capital and pass through the many gates, corridors and antechambers that lead to the throne room. His presentation must be meticulously prepared, and he must adhere to an exacting code of dress, speech and mannerism upon entering into the royal presence.
However, there are times when the king comes out to the fields outside the city. At such times, anyone can approach him; the king receives them all with a smiling face and a radiant countenance. The peasant behind his plow has access to the king in a manner unavailable to the highest ranking minister in the royal court when the king is in the palace.
The month of Elul, says Rabbi Schneur Zalman, is when the king is in the field.
The Field
Bread is the "staff of life" that "sustains the heart of man." There was a time when most everyone plowed, sowed and harvested the grain that sustained him and his family; but even today, when only a small percentage of us farm the land, we all labor for bread. Everyone works in the field -- be it the wheatfield or cornfield, or the field of banking, steelmaking, medicine or advertising.
Indeed, the field is the prototype employed by Torah law to define the "work" that distinguishes between the holy and mundane days of the calendar. The Talmudic passage which lists the types of work forbidden on Shabbat reads:
The categories of work are forty minus one: sowing, plowing, reaping, making sheaves, threshing, winnowing, picking the chaff from the grain, milling, sifting, kneading, baking... (Talmud, Shabbat 73a)
Each of these activities represents an entire category which includes many different types of work. For example, leveling the ground to make a tennis court is tantamount to "plowing"; mixing cement is a form of "kneading"; sorting laundry would fall under the category of "picking the chaff from the grain." But the prototypes that head and dominate the list of forbidden labors are labors of the field. In the words of the Talmud, "The author of the Mishnah follows the process of bread-making."
For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the field and the palace, between the "process of bread-making" of material life and the sublime moments in which we leave the field to enter into the royal presence. In the month of Elul, however, the king comes to the field.
What happens when the king comes to the field? To understand the essence of Elul, we must first examine the relationship between the palace and the field -- between Shabbat and the workweek, between the very concepts of "holy" and "mundane." Are they really as distant from each other as their very different faces suggest?
The Sanctuary
Let us take a closer look at the "work of the field" and the "process of bread-making" that defines our workday lives.
The Torah chooses a rather roundabout way to convey to us the 39 types of work from which we must desist on Shabbat and the festivals: by linking the laws of Shabbat to the laws of the Sanctuary.
Following the revelation at Sinai, G‑d commanded the people of Israel to construct a "Sanctuary" for Him. Detailed instructions were given to Moses on how to shape fifteen materials (gold, silver, copper, wood, flax, wool of various colors and several types of animal skins) into a "dwelling for G‑d in the physical world."
In both the 31st and 35th chapters of Exodus, the commandment to cease work on Shabbat and G‑d's instructions concerning the construction of the Sanctuary immediately follow each other. The Talmud explains that the Torah juxtaposes these two seemingly unrelated laws in order to teach us that the 39 creative acts which the construction of the Sanctuary necessitated are the same 39 categories of work that are forbidden to us on Shabbat:
A person is guilty of violating the Shabbat only if the work he does has a counterpart in the work of making the Sanctuary: they sowed (the herbs from which to make dyes for the tapestries -- Rashi); you, too, shall not sow [on Shabbat]. They harvested [the herbs]; you, too, shall not harvest. They loaded the boards from the ground onto the wagons; you, too, shall not bring an object from a public domain into a private domain... (Talmud, ibid., 49b)
For the work of the Sanctuary is the prototype for the work of life. In the words of the Tanya, "This is what man is all about, this is the purpose of his creation and the creation of all worlds, supernal and ephemeral -- to make G‑d a dwelling in the physical world."
In other words, the work forbidden on Shabbat and the festivals -- the work that defines the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" days of our lives -- is not mundane work at all. It is holy work -- the work of forming the physical world into a home for G‑d. Why, then, are the days on which this work is done regarded as the "mundane" days of our lives? And why are the days on which we are commanded to cease this work "holier" than the days on which this work is done?
The Lookout Tower
Indeed, the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" times of our lives is not a difference in essence, only a difference in perspective. Yet the reality of physical life is that to achieve a change of perspective one must change the place and position from which one looks.
Beyond its mundane surface, the material world possesses a deeper truth -- its potential to house the goodness and perfection of its Creator. The purpose of our workday lives is to reveal this potential -- to develop the material world as a home for G‑d. But on the workdays of our life, this potential is all but invisible to us, obscured by the very process that serves to bring it to light. Our very involvement with the material prevents us from experiencing its spiritual essence. To do so, we must rise above it.
A "holy" day is an elevation in the terrain of time, a lookout tower that rises above the surface of our workday lives to behold the true essence of our world -- the essence we are laboring to actualize. (In the words of our sages, "Shabbat is a taste of the World to Come.") Rising to these "lookout points" means interrupting our life's work; but without these periodic glimpses from a higher, more detached vantage point, our involvement in the material may well become an enmeshment. Instead of sanctifying the mundane, we may find ourselves being profaned by it.
So one day a week, and on special occasions throughout the year, we cease our work in "the field" to gain a more transcendent view of our workday labors. Then, when we reenter the so-called "mundane" days of our lives, the Shabbat or festival experience lingers on. Enriched with insight into the true nature of our labors, fortified by the vision of what our involvement with the material will ultimately achieve, our workday lives become more focused on their goal, and less susceptible to the diversions and entanglements of the mundane.
The Exception
For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the holy and the mundane -- between the material labor of life and the spiritual vision of that labor's objective. For eleven months of the year, we must, at regular intervals, cease our work and rise above it in order to glimpse its soul and purpose.
The exception to this rule is the month of Elul. For during the month of Elul, the king comes to the field.
The king is the heart and soul of the nation, the embodiment of its goals and aspirations. The king, though sequestered behind the palace walls and bureaucracy, though glimpsed, if at all, through a veil of opulence and majesty, is a very real part of the farmer's field. He is the why of his plowing, the reason for his sowing, the objective of his harvest. No farmer labors for the sake of labor. He labors to transcend the dust of which he and his field are formed, to make more of what is. He labors for his dreams. He labors for his king.
So is the king in the field an apparition out of its element? Hardly. We may not be used to seeing him here, but is not the royal heart, too, sustained by bread? His bread may be baked in the palace, its raw ingredients discreetly delivered to a back entrance; the golden tray on which it is served may in no way evoke the loamy bed from which it grew; but it is the yield of the field all the same.
The king in the field is making contact with the source of his sustenance, with the underpinnings of his sovereignty. And the field is being visited by its raison d'être, by its ultimate function and essence.
Shabbat is when the farmer is invited to the palace. On Shabbat, his overalls are replaced with the regulation livery, his vocabulary is polished and his manners are refined, his soul and fingernails are cleansed of the residue of material life. On Shabbat, the farmer is whisked from the hinterland to the capital and ushered into the throne room.
But Elul is when the king comes to the field.
When the farmer sees the king in his field, does he keep on plowing? Does he behave as if this were just another day in the fields? Of course not. Elul is not a month of ordinary workdays. It is a time of increased Torah study, more fervent prayer, more generosity and charity. The very air is charged with holiness. We might still be in the field, but the field has become a holier place.
On the other hand, when the farmer sees the king in his field, does he run home to wash and change? Does he rush to the capital to school himself in palace protocol? But the king has come to the field, to commune with the processors of his bread in their environment and on their terms.
In the month of Elul, the essence and objective of life become that much more accessible. No longer do the material trappings of life conceal and distort its purpose, for the king has emerged from the concealment of his palace and is here, in the field. But unlike the holy days of the year, when we are lifted out of our workday lives, the encounter of Elul is hosted by our physical selves, within our material environment, on our working-man's terms.
Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson; adapted by Yanki Tauber.
Originally published in Week in Review.
Republished with the permission of MeaningfulLife.com. If you wish to republish this article in a periodical, book, or website, please email permissions@meaningfullife.com.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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VIDEO
Individualized EducationThroughout the summer months, it is customary to study Pirkei Avos - Ethics of Our Fathers. In this talk to women and girls entering the field of education, the Rebbe uses the first mishna of the tractate to lay the foundation for success as a teacher.
Watch (5:54)http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/player_cdo/aid/3413921/jewish/Individualized-Education.htm
http://www.chabad.org/3413921
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Getting My Blood Work DoneAn empty vessel draws in with greater intensity than one that is full. by Chana Weisberg
Watch (1:57)<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://embed.chabad.org/multimedia/mediaplayer/embedded/embed.js.asp?aid=3390809&width=auto&height=auto"></script><span style="clear:both;" class="lb" id="lbdiv">Visit <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish.TV</a> for more <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish videos</a>.</span>
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Why People DivorceWhat makes a good marriage? by Yacov Barber Watch (5:43)<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="http://embed.chabad.org/multimedia/mediaplayer/embedded/embed.js.asp?aid=3421301&width=auto&height=auto"></script><span style="clear:both;" class="lb" id="lbdiv">Visit <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish.TV</a> for more <a href="http://www.chabad.org/multimedia/default_cdo/aid/591213/jewish/Video.htm">Jewish videos</a>.</span>
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Your Questions
Is It Normal to Have Pre-Wedding Doubts by Aron Moss
Question:Is it normal to have doubts during an engagement? My friends tell me I should be 100% certain that I have made the right decision, but I would be lying if I said I had no doubts. Is it a bad sign if I am just not sure?
Answer:
There are two types of doubting. One is an alarm bell that should not be ignored. The other is a sign that you have made the right choice.
In a letter1 to his recently engaged son, the great Kabbalist Rabbi Levi Yitzchak Schneerson wrote that engagement and doubt go hand in hand. The union of soulmates is such a lofty and super-rational event that the mind cannot possibly grasp it. Something is at work that is beyond our understanding, and therefore there is always an element of doubt.
This doubt is not an indication that you have done something stupid. On the contrary, it means that you have touched a level that lies beyond the confines of the human mind. Finding your soulmate is such a miracle, our logic cannot process that it is really possible, that it is really true, that you have found the one for you. This wonder is a kind of positive uncertainty: Is this for real? I don't believe this is happening to me!
So the fact that you feel unsure may be a good sign, indicating that you have been touched by the hand of G‑d, and are left in wonder that it could really be so good.
However, this only applies when the doubts are vague and general, doubts that anyone could have: Will I be happy 20 years from now? How can I know for sure? Maybe there's someone else better suited to me? What if we change? These questions are normal. They would be there no matter who you were engaged to, and so there's no reason to be alarmed. In time these doubts will disappear like a puff of smoke.
But if your doubts have strong basis to them, like you are questioning your partner's good character, or you suspect that your feelings have not developed to the extent that they should have, then you need to seek advice.
Here's a good way of testing whether the doubts are a cause for concern or not. Are the doubts stronger when you are with your fiancé or when you are apart? Normal doubts come when you are lying awake late at night or when you are alone and your mind is churning. Ignore them. But doubts that arise from actual interactions and real conversations need to be closely examined.
Engagement can be an emotional roller coaster. And when we are emotional, we are rarely able to see clearly. Seek the advice of a wise and experienced outsider who will be able to tell you whether your doubts have a foundation, or you are simply experiencing the humbling disbelief of finding your true soulmate.
Aron Moss is rabbi of the Nefesh Community in Sydney, Australia, and is a frequent contributor to Chabad.org.
FOOTNOTES
1.Likkutei Levi Yitzchak, Igrot Kodesh, p.202. © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Women
Teaspoons of Hope by Chana Scop
The doctors announced that Chaim Boruch would need swallow therapy.Hmmmm, this should be interesting, I thought, as I conjured up creative ways to help Chaim Boruch follow simple directions for swallowing when, the fact is, it’s challenging enough for him to simply follow directions forI was nervous and scared putting his backpack on the table.
So last week at a follow-up appointment, the doctors mixed some liquid dye into his applesauce, allowing us to see via X-ray if he is ready to begin swallow therapy.
Very slowly, they fed him increasing amounts of applesauce until they reached an amount he could swallow with ease and efficiency. And it was an extremely fine line between strengthening his swallowing ability and G‑d forbid increasing the risks of food entering his lungs, which could result in pneumonia and other health issues.
After a discussion and a closer look at the X-ray results, the doctors decided that Chaim Boruch could begin swallow therapy. The only way for his muscles to become stronger was to use them; and so, on that very day we were given the go-ahead to begin the therapy that, G‑d willing, will lead to a full ability to eat normally without a feeding tube.
What would be the designated volume of pureed food to be given to Chaim Boruch, we asked?
One-quarter of a teaspoon in a bite, with a total of eight bites in all.
My mind read the instructions as: two teaspoons of hope, faith, prayer and dreams coming true.
But I was nervous and scared.
There was much I had to watch out for. Even though this was the start of a new phase, and I had yearned for this moment, I had also been basking in the joy of getting things back to “normal.” I, for one, didn’t feel like shaking things up with the endless potential hazards that were mixed into a quarter teaspoon of applesauce.
So, I pushed off the task for a couple of days, sorting out my own feelings as a mother, and thinking about when would be the “right” time to begin. I worried about Chaim Boruch not wanting to eat after the experiences he had recently gone through. I worried about the possibility that he would want more than two teaspoons of food a day. How could I explain all of this? Would he understand? Would every bite lead to a tantrum and a meltdown?
There have been many wondrous moments in Chaim Boruch’s life that have occurred on Shabbat, a time when extra holiness exists in the world. And again, it was on Shabbat that we experienced something special.
The candles were lit, illuminating our faces at the table with a warm glow. The kids were eating challah and their favorite salads, and sipping grape juice, savoring the tastes they await all week.
I turned to Chaim Boruch and asked him if he would like to eat a little applesauce, just “small bites” like the doctor said.
He nodded with excitement and a grin that stretched from ear to ear. I said the blessing for him while he dutifully swayed back and forth, mimicking the motions of prayer.
Then his little shaky arm spooned one-It’s been six months since he tasted food quarter of a teaspoon of applesauce slowly into his mouth. I could see the effort he made to close his lips on the spoon, push the food back into his mouth and then swallow with concentration.
Wow! It’s been six months since he tasted food. As tears filled my eyes, I could only imagine how very sweet applesauce could taste and how very good it must feel to eat.
After his first swallow, Chaim Boruch erupted with a magnificent “Aaaaaahhhhhh,” while pointing to each of the other kids, who were still holding their breaths. And then, as if on cue, the kids all burst into cheers and laughter and congratulations on this very special occasion.
We were so proud of him, and so grateful to G‑d for this day.
One-quarter teaspoon.
One-quarter of my heart.
Filled to the brim with hope and trust.
Chana is a proud wife and mother living in Mill Valley, California. She is inspired by the colors and textures of everyday life, and loves sharing her creative ideas with her community. Chana writes DIY projects, crafts and recipes celebrating her Jewish life and shlichus on her blog Chana’s Art Room, and is the co-director of Chabad of Mill Valley with her husband, Rabbi Hillel Scop. To read more about Chaim Boruch, and Chana’s journey, take a look at her personal special-needs blog, Life of Blessing.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish Life
The Double Amputee Who Skis and Plays Soccer
Yinon Cohen lost his feet, but not his determination by Shlomo Rizel Place: A military training facility in the Golan
Time: Winter, 2003
Event: A heavy explosion shook the entire building, and when the smoke cleared, it was clear that not a single one of the 24 soldiers present had escaped injury. An RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) had gone off inside the classroom, leaving all the soldiers injured and in shock. It was a miracle that none of them had died.
If you were to see him today, married and the proud father of a child, teaching civics and giving lectures, standing, running, swimming, sky diving and skiing, you would never believe that Yinon Cohen had sustained the worst injury that day, losing both his legs.
The scene of the explosionThe Fateful Mistake
“Of course, I’ll never forget that day. It was a cold winter day, eight months after I had been drafted into the IDF. The drill sergeant called us into one of the classrooms to get a close look at an RPG. He stood in the middle of the room with the deadly anti-tank weapon, which was mounted on a platform, and we were all sitting on the floor in a semicircle around it. I was sitting directly in front of it.
“Since this lesson was taking place after many days of hard training and difficult hikes, I was exhausted and started dozing off in the middle of the lecture. At first the sergeant kept waking me up, but after a while he got frustrated and made me stand up, even though everybody else was sitting. And then he loaded the weapon and accidentally pressed the trigger. I and one other soldier were badly injured, four soldiers were moderately injured, nine were lightly injured, and there were nine others who had to be treated for shock.
“It happened in seconds. First there was a deafening explosion and a fireball that filled the entire room; then I felt something piercing me, cutting me in two. The rocket flew directly at me, hit me and partially exploded. My body flew to the right, and my legs flew to the left. It was fortunate that, because of the short distance, the rocket didn’t completely explode (otherwise there would have been at least ten casualties). I was injured by the partial explosion and by shrapnel from the rocket.
“After the explosion, there was a second or two of quiet, and then cries for help from every corner of the room. One soldier approached me and then went to help other soldiers instead. He thought I was dead and went to help the ones who could still be saved. Every part of my body was in unbelievable pain, and it felt as though my legs were on fire. In spite of this, I was conscious, and when I heard calls to evacuate the room in case other ammunition exploded, I dragged myself out of the room with what I can only describe as supernatural strength. Only then, when I was outside in a safe place, did I let myself pass out.”
When I ask Yinon why he calls this event a miracle, he doesn’t hesitate. “People can’t understand this, but as far as I’m concerned it was an absolute miracle. If I had been sitting, the rocket would have hit me straight in the face; it would have been the upper half of my body that would have been injured, and I wouldn’t be talking to you today. It’s a miracle because, in spite of my injuries, I’m alive and breathing. I got married and started a family. I eat, drink, travel and of course try to do what I should as a Jew, to serve G‑d.”
RehabFriday Night Kiddush
After the accident, Yinon hovered between life and death for a day until, on Friday night, he opened his eyes. He saw his parents standing around his bed, eyes red from tears, worry and sleep deprivation. The first words he said to them were, “Thank you G‑d, that at least I’m alive.”
“My parents were so thrilled to hear these words. That moment is one I will never forget. My father immediately made Friday night kiddush, which for him was a prayer of thanks to G‑d that I was still in this world.”
But together with the happiness, there was an awareness that he was facing the greatest challenge of his life. The recovery was long and hard. He needed extensive medical, physical and psychological treatment. Within a short time he endured 35 operations, due to numerous infections of his burns.
Accepting his new condition was even harder. “I knew my feet were gone, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at my legs and to see exactly what had happened. Until then, I had never seen a person without legs. I couldn’t imagine how a person could live like that, and I couldn’t bring myself to accept that this was going to be the rest of my life. I lived in denial, telling myself that this was just a bad dream and that I would soon wake up. Every morning, when I woke up and my legs still weren’t there, I would realize that this bad dream wasn’t going to go away, and I despaired. It was only after a month that I finally brought myself to look at my missing feet and start thinking about what I was going to have to deal with.”
A number of people who had also lost their legs visited Yinon to to try to comfort him and reassure him that he could still live a normal life.
“The truth is that these people, with all their good intentions, didn’t really manage to encourage me. None of them were missing both legs. They only had to live with one missing limb. I was certain that for me it would be impossible to manage. Unlike them I didn’t have either leg, and I didn’t see how I would be able live a regular life.”
By the seaRecovery
There were two things that eventually helped Yinon on his path to recovery. “The first and most important was faith. In a state of depression like that, no one can really help. People can talk, comfort and encourage, but if they haven’t had the same experience, they can’t really appreciate what you’re going through. In the end it was just me and G‑d. I spoke with Him often, and in spite of the anger and hurt I was feeling toward Him, I knew that in the end I believed in Him. I knew that, in spite of all the pain and frustration, He was the one who had brought me to this state for reasons I couldn’t understand. And I knew, too, that He was the one who would give me the strength to deal with the situation I was in. He was the one who would help me cope with my limitations and my path forward. As I spoke to Him, I realized that despair and depression would only destroy me, and that if I wanted to make anything out of the rest of my life, I couldn’t give in to endless self-pity. In the end, my strong faith in my Creator kept me sane.
“The other thing that helped me recover was a visit from Yossi Hochman. As we were talking, he removed both his legs. When I heard Yossi’s story, which involved a terrorist attack in which his wife and two daughters were killed, I realized that I was far better off than him. Compared to Yossi, who had been able to continue and remarry after losing the people he cared for most, my problems seemed relatively small. I still had a warm and loving family.
“But even with my renewed determination, moving on was not easy. After the initial healing came the process of reconstruction, which included getting fitted for prostheses, and a long and difficult adjustment.
“These were extremely hard months, full of ups and downs, a small step forward and then a long fall backward. I knew I couldn’t let myself give up, that if I gave in and let myself collapse, I wouldn’t be able to cope anymore, and I would lose the battle.”
In the army, before the accident“I Wanted to Be Invisible”
Another, no less difficult challenge, was coping with the stares of people around him. When his sister took him out to get a bit of fresh air for the first time after the accident, he turned and hid his face so that he didn’t have to see all the pitying looks. But in the evening, when he returned to his hospital room, Yinon realized that if he couldn’t bring himself to let people see him, he would never be able to go out. “I realized I had two choices, either to wilt away in my room and suffer between the four walls, or to go wherever I want, as I am, and let the people around me decide how they were going to cope with my disability.”
After a long period of treatment and physical therapy, Yinon was able to walk with his prostheses. It was easy to learn to walk, but then his scabs opened up and started hemorrhaging. This was because the explosion hadn’t amputated his legs evenly; there were bumps and hollows in the amputated areas, and the prostheses didn’t fit exactly as needed.
As I’m sure you’ve realized by now, Yinon is a real fighter. The fact that his sister, who was the one escorting him everywhere, was getting married in two and a half months, motivated him to push through the whole process yet again. And so, when the wedding day arrived, he did the impossible and showed up walking.
“Until today they tease me, saying that I stole the show from my sister and her husband. It was supposed to be their big day, but when I showed up walking, people just stood there and cried. Then they started clapping and cheering. I don’t know if there was a single dry eye in the entire hall.”
Skiing with his new feetIn the Merit of Tzitzit
“Before the accident a lot of soldiers made fun of the way I refused to be without my tzitzit for even a moment, even though it doesn’t fit with the standard army uniform. I had to keep defending myself and arguing with them, telling them that in my opinion the tzitzit were the best protective vest you could find. Before being drafted into the army, I wasn’t so careful about tzitzit. I put them on mostly out of habit and for my parents’ sake, but once I was in the army I started to think about the fact that tzitzit are our reminder to keep the mitzvahs, and that it was my responsibility to be a good Jew and wear them every day. After the accident everybody started asking me the same question: How is it that you, who prays three times a day without fail, was the most badly hurt of all? What happened to your ‘special’ protective vest? The answer was clear to me: Were it not for the mitzvahs I do, I would not have survived the explosion! And the fact is that the upper part of my body, the half that was covered by the tzitzit, wasn’t affected at all. It was only my legs, where the tzitzit threads end, that got hurt. In my opinion, we’re talking about a big miracle. The tzitzit did their job and protected me.”
Before you start pitying him, Yinon wants to make it clear that in his opinion he is truly fortunate. “Every morning I say Modeh Ani, ‘I gratefully thank you, living and eternal king, for You have compassionately returned my soul to me. Your faithfulness is abundant.’ This prayer means a lot to me. I know how easily a person can die and how much thanks we owe the Creator for every morning that He continues to have faith in us and give us back our lives.”
Yinon also says that he is no longer jealous of anybody. “I found unbelievable strength inside myself, and I found that I can do almost anything. Nothing can hold me back. I do everything that everybody else does, just in a different way.”
In Rambam HospitalAn Unbelievable Wedding
This incredible story comes with a happy ending. After some unsuccessful efforts to find his soulmate, Yinon met Meirav, now his wife, through mutual friends.
Meirav does not suffer from any disabilities, but after she met Yinon and saw what kind of person he was, she wanted to marry him. “It wasn’t easy for her parents to accept, and they nearly called it off, but we were meant for one another. Most of the girls I went out with backed off when they saw how disabled I was, and each time I thanked G‑d that they were backing out early on and that the feeling was pretty much mutual. Meirav accepted me the way I am, mostly because of my personality. I always told my parents that in a way I’m lucky, because the girl who marries me will do it because she’s attracted to me as I am and not for any other reason. And that will show that she herself is a good person.
“Make no mistake, it wasn’t an easy decision at all, and there was a lot of uncertainty along the way. What caused her to decide was the awareness that just like I could become an invalid overnight, so could she or any other person. Nobody has a promise of safety, and there’s no use thinking about what will be decades from now.”
The wedding itself was, of course, an incredibly happy and emotional occasion. The guest list included many of the doctors who had treated Yinon, as well as prominent public officials, military officials and his friends from the army. One of the highlights of the wedding was when dozens of disabled soldiers, who had become friends with Yinon over the years, danced around the young couple in a circle of wheelchairs.Incidentally, Meirav’s parents, who had been so set against the idea of the marriage at first, became two of Yinon’s closest friends.
It would have been nice if after the wedding there were no further problems and everyone could settle into happily ever after, but real life doesn’t work like that, and new problems arose with Yinon’s legs. Thankfully, this proved to be the last stretch. The young couple moved to New York for about a year in order to find the proper prostheses for his legs, ones that would allow him to live without scabs causing problems every couple of months. After a lot of effort, and at the cost of $150,000 (donated by three organizations: Return Israel, Advancing to Life and Refuge for the Injured), he received three sets of prosthetic legs for three different needs. These let him return to the activities he enjoyed before the injury: running, swimming, skiing, playing soccer and basketball, and carrying out daily activities with almost no sign of his injuries.
The most touching moment for him was when he managed to run again for the first time in 12 years. “I cried like a baby. I just couldn’t stop crying. I found myself running, and the wind was rushing past my face. It was a very special moment. By the way, if any of the people reading this article would meet me in the street, I’m convinced they wouldn’t recognize me as the double amputee they’re reading about.”
Always Have Faith
Yinon and his wife now live in Moshav Maor, a little to the south of Hadera, and Yinon tells his story in lectures he gives all over Israel. “The most important thing for me is to send the message that a person should always have faith; faith in the Creator and also faith in himself. Each person needs to know that he has inner strengths far beyond what he knows.”
Yinon tries to see the good in everything. He half-jokingly says that he’s got it better than other people: he can walk around in puddles all winter without worrying about getting cold feet, and if he knows that he has an important meeting early the next day, he can prepare his feet and put his nice shoes on before he goes to bed.
“I have no doubt that I am where I am today because I didn’t let myself give in to depression. Always pray to G‑d to give you strength, and don’t give up hope. Look ahead and see the light at the end of the tunnel. That light is always there, even if the path through the tunnel is longer than you expected. If right after the explosion you had told me, my parents, the doctors or fellow soldiers that I would marry a woman with no disabilities at all, and that I would stand on my feet, play every sport I wanted to, and be able to travel and support my family, no one would have believed it. Start believing in yourself and in the Divine strength you have within yourself. Limitations are just in the head, and one who breaks through them can go anywhere.”
Shlomo Rizel is a Chabad chassid who works for Radio Kol Hai in Israel and speaks on behalf of charitable organizations.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish Life
Touring Alaska: Shabbat in the Inside Passage by Faygie Levy Holt
(Photos: Faygie Levy)My husband loves going on cruises. Me, not so much. But there was one destination we both agreed we had to see from the deck of a ship: Alaska’s Inside Passage. While I looked forward to the majestic scenery, I wasn’t exactly excited by the frozen kosher meals I had arranged for us to dine on during our Alaskan adventure. And if the meals we received the first night onI was more than a little excited! board our cruise were any indication, it was going to be a long trip with us feasting on nothing but peanut-butter sandwiches, fresh fruit and veggies.Thankfully, G‑d had another plan.
The next morning, as I was standing near a bank of elevators, someone came over to me, and asked if my husband and I were the other “kosher” couple. I answered that yes, we keep kosher.
“We’ve been looking for you!” he said, explaining that there were five other couples on the cruise ship who were Shabbat- and kosher-observant, and they were eating their meals together. Not only that, but a tour group from Israel was also on board. The group, which numbered about 30 or 40 people, had arranged for daily minyans and kosher meals. We were invited to join them for breakfast and dinner every day—meals that included freshly baked bread, salmon and eggs.
Needless to say, I was more than a little excited to relay this information to my husband. Goodbye, peanut butter! Hello scrambled eggs, roasted veggies and toast with butter!Still, the food didn’t compare to the beauty that we enjoyed during our one Shabbat at sea. Just after lighting Shabbat candles (though we could not light an actual candle at sea), my husband and I went down to join the Friday-night prayers. I ended up standing by the door to a card room that the tour group had transformed into a makeshift synagogue.
Throughout Minchah and Kabbalat Shabbat, the door to the room remained open, drawing some curious glances from cruise-goers on their way to dinner or a show. A few people peeked in and smiled. One woman broke off from her group and asked if she could join us for services. I didn’t hesitate to welcome her and share my siddur.
A few minutes later, a man came in with his children and asked if he could pray with us. His two daughters sat behind me, while he and his son joined the men. An extra siddur was somehow found for father and son.
Then there was the older gentleman. Well-dressed and obviously on his way somewhere, he was drawn to the doorway by the Jewish tunes and Hebrew words.
He stood quietly, sadness in his eyes as he listened to the prayers. I asked him if he wanted to join us. He shook his head. “It’s been many, many years since I’ve been inside a synagogue.”
I assured him it would be fine if he came inside the room, but he turned and left. The look in his eyes said it all: His Jewish soul had called out and, for those few minutes, he had answered it.
It wasn’t just the praying that turned into a welcoming gathering for Jews on board. As our little group settled down for Friday-night dinner at our usual table—where, to my delight, loaves of fresh-baked challah were waiting for us—I happened to glance around the room. Sitting right behind us, at the very nextThe door to the room remained open, drawing some curious glances table, was the father who had brought his children to our services. The rest of his family was there, too.After a little chit-chat and the recitation of Kiddush by one of the men in our group, the mother at the other table said: “I didn’t even think of getting challah for Shabbat.”
I reached into the basket on our table, pulled out several challah rolls and passed them to the other family. They were unbelievably happy to have this little taste of Shabbat on vacation.
Needless to say, what was supposed to be a cruise full of packaged meals and solo praying became one of the most moving, inspiring and amazing Shabbat experiences of my life.
Editor’s Note: If you will be traveling on a cruise over Shabbat, consult a competent rabbinic authority. Also see: May I Go on a Cruise on Shabbat?
Faygie Holt is an award-winning journalist and regular contributor to Chabad.org and other media outlets. She is also the author of “The New Girl” and “Trouble Ahead,” the first two novels in her Achdus Club book series for girls. Learn more at her website.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved. -------
Story
Fire in the Courthouse
It was an unusual job for an Eastern-European Jew at the turn of the 19th century, but Aryeh did his job faithfully. As the mayor of his town, he was responsible for recording births, deaths and other important events.It once happened that the son of a non-Jewish family decided to convert to Judaism, an offense that could cost him dearly in those days,The man could not use his official papers when it was illegal for a Christian to leave his faith. But he was determined to follow the G‑d of Israel, and the Jewish nation welcomed him warmly and sheltered him from any harm.
There was just one problem. The man could not use his official papers, where he was identified as a non-Jew, since his Jewish appearance would give away his “crime.” But neither could he request Jewish identity papers without raising suspicion.
Finally, a solution was found. A Jewish man of approximately the same age had passed away. If Aryeh “neglected” to record his death, the convert could simply assume his identity and live openly as a Jew.
Seeing the man’s distress, Aryeh agreed to turn a blind eye.
But things went horribly wrong. Someone (possibly a relative of the convert) exposed the plot, and Aryeh soon found himself in the thick of a legal battle for his life.
Distressed, Aryeh made his way to Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi and poured out his heart.
After hearing the date of the impending court hearing, Rabbi Schneur Zalman advised him to request a deferment.
When the second court date loomed close, Aryeh once again came to Rabbi Schneur Zalman, who again advised him to delay the case, which he was able to do once again.
When he was no longer able to push off the trial, the rabbi advised him, “Soon my granddaughter will marry the grandson of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev. The wedding will be in the town of Zhlobin. See to it that you attend the wedding and try your hardest to speak to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak. He will surely be able to help you.”
But things were not so simple. The town of Zhlobin (halfway between the hometowns of the two illustrious rabbis) was packed with thousands of visitors who had come to witness the spiritually charged nuptials. Every time Aryeh tried to approach Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, he found his way blocked by hordes of others who also wanted to spend a few precious moments in the presence of the holy man.
Feeling desperate, he decided to present himself at the door of Rabbi Levi Yitzchak’s room, ensuring that he would be the first one to be allowed in the following morning.
(As he waited, he observed how the great sage lay in bed, and two assistants read to him simultaneously, one from the Mishnah and the other from the Zohar. The rabbi lay motionless, appearing to be asleep, but whenever one of the readers would stumble, he would call out, “Nu, nu!” This lasted for two hours, until Rabbi Levi Yitzchak was refreshed.)
When Aryeh was finally ushered in, the holy man asked him, “Who sent you here?”
“My rebbe,” was the reply, “Rabbi Schneur Zalman.”
“Oh, my new in-law, he is a righteous man, a sage, a G‑dly person,” repeated Rabbi Levi Yitzchak a number of times, each time enumerating the fine qualities of his colleague. “Nu, sertze,” said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak (using the endearing Slavic term for “heart”). “What can I do for you?”
“I am a mayor of my town,” began Aryeh, briefly outlining his problem.
“What is a mayor?” wondered Rabbi Levi Yitzchak aloud.
After Aryeh explained his duties, he asked, “What? A Jewish mayor? Who ever heard of a Jew being a mayor? How can that be?”
“My rebbe himself told me to accept the position of mayor,” replied Aryeh.
“If it is indeed the case that you took the job with the"Who ever heard of a Jew being a mayor? blessing of my in-law,” said Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, again waxing eloquent in his praise for Rabbi Schneur Zalman, “you have nothing to fear. G‑d will surely help you and guard you from all evil.”
With that, the audience drew to a close.
Upon hearing what had taken place, Rabbi Schneur Zalman said to Aryeh, “Nu? Did I not give you good advice? Was it not a good idea to go to Rabbi Levi Yitzchak?”
The date of the trial came steadily closer, and Aryeh still had no idea how he would defend himself. After all, he had indeed allowed the poor convert to use the identity of the deceased man.
But then, a day before the trial, a fire broke out in the courthouse, and all the records were burned to a crisp—including all incriminating evidence against Aryeh.
(From the stories of Rabbi Leib Edelman, Shemuot Vesippurim II, pp. 91-03.)
From Shemuot V’Sippurim by Rabbi Rephael Nachman Kahan.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshah
The Inner Woman of Beautiful Form by Menachem Feldman
One of the most puzzling commandments in the Torah is the commandment regarding the “woman of beautiful form,” which opens this week's Torah portion. The Torah states that when an Israelite goes to war and captures a beautiful gentile woman, and he desires her, he may marry her providing that he follows the conditions stipulated by the Torah.When you go out to war against your enemies, and the L‑rd, your G‑d, will deliver him into your hands, and you take his captives. And you see among the captives a beautiful woman and you desire her, you may take [her] for yourself as a wife. You shall bring her into your home, and she shall shave her head and let her nails grow. And she shall remove the garment of her captivity from upon herself, and stay in your house, and weep for her father and her mother for a full month. After that, you may be intimate with her and possess her, and she will be a wife for you. And it will be, if you do not desire her, then you shall send her away wherever she wishes, but you shall not sell her for money. You shall not keep her as a servant, because you have afflicted her.1
This law seems strange. Isn't the purpose of the Torah to lead us toward greater moral heights, to elevate us to a life of spirituality and holiness? Yet, this commandment seems to give permission for man to follow his most animalistic instincts?
The conventional answer is that the Torah understands the nature of man and is “speaking to his evil inclination.” In other words, the Torah recognizes that the person's evil inclination is so powerful that if it would prohibit all possibility of marrying this woman, the person would disregard the prohibition, ignore all morality and exploit the vulnerable woman. Instead the Torah prefers to give a “road map” to a kosher marriage, thus ensuring that the captive woman be given the protections of marriage.
There are, however, mystical explanations that interpret this law, not as a concession to human weakness, but as a deep lesson into the nature of a Jew’s spiritual journey on this earth.
The Kabbalists read these verses as an analogy. What if the “woman of beautiful form” who is in captivity is a metaphor for the soul? What if this commandment is a lesson in appreciating the pain of the soul, which is often trapped and unable to express itself while in the confines of the body? What if this commandment is teaching how to set the captive free?
Then the verses would read as follows:
When you go out to war against your enemies: When we enter this world, we must know that the journey we are embarking on is not a spiritual cruise, but rather a spiritual battlefield. Every step of the way we will be challenged by our evil inclination, the enemy of spirituality.
the Lord, your God, will deliver him into your hands: Although at times it seems that the evil inclination is exceedingly powerful, nevertheless, G‑d gives us the strength to be victorious over the evil inclination.
you take his captives, and you see among the captives a beautiful woman: The beautiful woman is the soul, which was taken captive by the evil inclination. When the evil inclination entices us to do something wrong, we invest the energy of the soul into the negative act, which in turn places the soul in captivity in the hands of the evil inclination.
and you desire her: The key to releasing the soul from spiritual captivity is desire. We need to awaken a passion and desire to connect to and bond with our own soul. The desire, which was previously directed toward earthly pleasures is now directed toward the inner soul.
you may take [her] for yourself as a wife . . . You shall bring her into your home: The soul will then enter the home, i.e., the soul will now be able to express herself in the body and in our life.2
After that, you may be intimate with her and possess her, and she will be a wife for you: Once the soul is freed from captivity, you may be intimate with her; you may enjoy the great spiritual pleasure of bonding with the soul.3
And so, according to the mystics, this puzzling commandment is a lesson in being sensitive to the pain of the beautiful soul which is in captivity within the body. Only we have the power to release her from captivity and allow her to express herself. Only we have the power to set her free.4
Rabbi Menachem Feldman serves as the director of the Lifelong Learning department at the Chabad Lubavitch Center in Greenwich, Conn.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deuteronomy 21:10-14.
2.Once the soul has been freed from captivity, it can work on purifying itself from the unholiness of the captivity . . .and she shall shave her head and let her nails grow. And she shall remove the garment of her captivity from upon herself, and stay in your house: The soul will then remove the negativity attached to the it from the time of the captivity in the hands of the evil inclination.
and weep for her father and her mother for a full month:The soul experiences the pain of being distant from it's father, G‑d, and mother, the collective Jewish people.
3.And it will be, if you do not desire her, then you shall send her away wherever she wishes, but you shall not sell her for money. You shall not keep her as a servant, because you have afflicted her: Even if we do not feel a desire to bond with the soul in a particular moment, we must still make sure to set the soul free and not send it back to spiritual captivity.
4.Based on the writings of the Or Hachaim Hakadosh. © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshah
The Inner Meaning of the Fallen Donkey by Yitzi Hurwitz
In the portion of Ki Teitzei, we read: “You should not see your brother’s donkey or his ox falling on the way and pretend as if you don’t see them. [Rather] you should pick up [the load] with him.”The simple meaning here is to help someone in need.
On a deeper level, it is about seeing someone who has fallen spiritually.
What lessons can we take from here for helping pick up someone who has fallen spiritually? Many view those less observant than them negatively. They may ignore them or even worse, tell them off and denigrate them.
This is a terrible mistake and not the Torah way.
The first thing is to realize that he is your “brother,” not an enemy. Treat him with love and brotherhood.
The next thing is to realize that it is his animal that has fallen—not him. His neshamah is pristine. He is essentially holy and wants to be G‑d’s. It is only his “animal”—his circumstances, nature and upbringing that put him where he is today.
Then the Torah warns not to pretend that you don’t see him. This is not only hateful, but you will cause him to fall even further.
Finally, help pick up his load with him. Show him love, and you will lift his spirit and strengthen him. Then he will start to pick himself up, and you will only need to help.
Now, in the month of Elul, we must increase our love towards each other. Overcome and destroy the walls that divide us. Embrace your brother, sister or friend that you are at odds with. Let us enter the new year united. G‑d loves most when we are together.
Together, our prayers are powerful. Together, we will be granted a good year. Together, we will be given our greatest wish: He will send Moshiach and put an end to this painful, bitter exile.
Rabbi Yitzi Hurwitz—father of seven, husband of Dina, and spiritual leader at Chabad Jewish Center in Temecula, Calif.—has been rendered immobile by ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Unable to speak or type, he uses his eyes to write heartfelt thoughts on the weekly Torah portion.
Artwork by Sefira Ross, a freelance designer and illustrator whose original creations grace many Chabad.org pages. Residing in Seattle, Washington, her days are spent between multitasking illustrations and being a mom.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshah
Respecting the Earth, and Our Part in It by Karen Wolfers-Rapaport
We live in a world where eating clean, living green, recycling and biotechnology have become commonplace jargon and practices. The majority of people have come to understand that only so many resources in this world are available for human consumption. To keep these resources feasible and viable, we need to support, cultivate and protect them.Well before environmental spokespeople were echoing a call for greater sensitivityDoes it not sound like the Torah is advocating for sustainability? towards the planet planet, G‑d had formulated the concept in Parshat Ki Teitzei.
Here, we read of a most curious situation. When we see a mother bird hovering over a nest that contains chicks or eggs, and we wish to eat them, we must send the mother bird away first. The mother bird must not be part of our bountiful catch.
There are several beautiful explanations for this, one of which is the following: People have the right to take and consume the eggs in this scenario, but they cannot kill an entire species. And even though they are not actually doing that in this example, it is as if they are, for they are extinguishing two generations of birds.
There is something cruel about killing a mother together with her children—something that sounds a lot like over-consumption. Indeed, there is something ethically corrupt in pursuing practices that may lead to extinction1.
Here, not only do we see a touching sensitivity towards animals, but we hear language that sounds like the forerunner to some basic environmental principles!
Does it not sound like the Torah is advocating for the concept of sustainability?
Sustainability, in the modern sense of the word, means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Or, in simpler language, don’t take more than your fair share.
The Torah was an environmental trailblazer, way ahead of its time. It teaches us that in order to perpetuate the fragile balance of our ecosystem, we cannot exploit it, and we shouldn’t take more than we need.
When we capture animals faster than they can reproduce, we endure too many losses to maintain a healthy population. That over-killing can drive a species to extinction. Ultimately, this can collapse the ecosystems that we depend on.
More than that, the act of sending away the mother bird—like all acts of compassion—teaches deep lessons. A person can only be compassionate by shelving self-centeredness and considering the entire situation he or she is part ofOver-killing can drive a species to extinction before acting. When we send away the mother bird, we are being sensitive to her needs, to the earth’s need and to the greater future needs of humanity.
G‑d gave us the right to eat and not deplete. We have a right to the eggs, but not a right to the mother.
To be attuned to the needs of the mother bird is to be attuned to something larger than ourselves; in doing so, we elevate all that is part of this most delicate, timely and universal message.
Karen Wolfers-Rapaport is a psychotherapist specializing in Narrative Therapy. She holds a BA from UCLA, and an MA in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She received her training from Tufts University. In addition to her therapeutic work and freelance writing, Karen works with families from Israel’s Prime Minister’s office and Ministry of Defense, teaching them English in preparation for their diplomatic posts abroad. A proud mother, she is blessed to live in Israel.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deuteronomy 22:6-7 © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Parshat Ki Teitzei In-Depth
Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19
Parshah Summary
The Parshah of Ki Teitzei (“When you go out”) contains a significant portion of the Torah’s laws: no less than 74 mitzvot (out of a total of 613) have been counted by the halachic authorities as deriving from our Parshah. The first of these is the law of the “beautiful captive woman”:
This law is followed by two others—the law forbidding giving precedence to the son of a favorite wife:When you go out to war on your enemies, the L‑rd your G‑d shall deliver them into your hands, and you shall capture from themcaptives.If you see among the captives a beautifulwoman, and you desire her, you may take [her] for yourself as a wife. You shall bring her into your home, and she shall shave her head and let her nails grow. She shall remove the garment of her captivity from upon herself, and stay in your house, and weep for her father and her mother for a full month. After that, you may come to her and possess her, and she will be a wife for you.It will be, if you do not desire her, that you shall send her away wherever she wishes, but you shall not sell her for money. You shall not keep her as a servant, because you have afflicted her.
—and the law of the “wayward and rebellious son”:If a man has two wives, one beloved and another despised, and they bear him sons, the beloved one and the despised one, and the firstborn son is from the despised one,then it will be, on the day he bequeaths his property to his sons, that he may not give the son of the beloved [wife] birthright precedence over the son of the despised [wife] who is the firstborn. Rather, he must acknowledge the firstborn, the son of the despised [wife], and give him a double share in all that he possesses, because he [this firstborn son] is the first of his strength; the birthright is his.
This is followed by laws legislating the dignity of the deadand the obligation to bring a body to prompt burial, the mitzvah to care for and return a lost object (if the owner can provide identifying signs), and the duty to help lift up a fellow’s beast of burden that is “fallen on the road.”If a man has a wayward and rebellious son who does not obey his father or his mother, and they chasten him, and [he still] does not listen to them,then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city and to the gate of his place. They shall say to the elders of his city, “This son of ours is wayward and rebellious; he does not obey us; [he is] a glutton and a drunkard.”All the men of his city shall pelt him with stones, and he shall die, and you shalleradicate the evil from amongst you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Also: “A woman shall not wear a man’s articles, nor shall aman put on a woman’s garment; for all that do so are an abomination to G‑d.”
Sending Off the Mother Bird
It is your responsibility to ensure that you, or your property, do not cause damage for a fellow: “When you build a new house, you shall make a guardrail for your roof, so that you shall not cause blood [to be spilled] in your house, that the one who falls should fall from it.”If a bird’s nest chances before you on the road, in any tree or on the ground, and [it contains] fledglings or eggs, and the mother bird is sitting upon the fledglings or upon theeggs: do not take the mother bird together with the young.You shall send away the mother, and [then] you may take the young for yourself, that it may be good for you, and that you may prolong your days.
Hybrids and Tzitzit
You shall not sow your vineyard with diverse seeds. . . . You shall not plow with an ox and an ass together. You shall not wear a garment of diverse kinds, of wool and linen together.You shall make for yourself fringes upon the four corners of your garment, with which you cover yourself.
Sexual Crimes and Restrictions
A person who libels his wife, claiming that she was unfaithful to him because he desires to divorce her, is fined a hundred shekels of silver, and he can never divorce her against her will. Adultery (relations between a man and another man’s wife) is punishable by death, both for the man and the woman; a woman taken by force, however, is blameless. If a man forces himself on an unmarried woman, he is obligated to marry her (if she so desires) and cannot divorce her “all of his days.”The Torah also specifies a number of forbidden incestuous relationships, as well as a list of persons who are precluded from marrying into the community of Israel (e.g., a bastard). Ammonites and Moabites “shall not enter into the congregation of G‑d, even to their tenth generation,” but Egyptians and Edomites who convert to Judaism are accepted after three generations.
More Laws
Also in our Parshah: regulations to ensure the hygiene and spiritual purity in a military camp; the rule not to return an escaped slave to his master; the exhortation that “there shall be no female prostitute of the daughters of Israel, nor a male prostitute of the sons of Israel”; the prohibition against borrowing on interest from a fellow Jew; the obligation to keep one’s word and fulfill one’s vows; and the commandment to allow an employee working for you in food production to “eat on the job.” (Later in the Parshah, this rule is extended even to animals—“You shall not muzzle an ox when it is threshing [the grain].”)
Divorce and Marriage
she may not remarry her first husband if she has been married to someone else in the interim.When a man takes a wife and is intimate with her, and it happens that she does not find favor in his eyes because he discovers in her an unseemly [moral] matter, and he writes for her a bill of divorce, and places it into her hand, and sends her away from his house,and she leaves his house and goes and marries another man . . .
Many of the laws of marriage are derived from the verses legislating the rules of divorce, which are also followed by the following rule:
When a man has taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business; but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer his wife whom he has taken.
Kidnappers, Debtors, Paymasters
Kidnapping a person to sell him into slavery is a capital crime.When taking possession of an object as security for the repayment of a loan, certain restrictions apply. It is forbidden to impound the debtor’s tools of trade, such as his millstones, for then you “take a man’s life as security.” Also:
Pay your employees on time. Day workers must be paid within 12 hours of the conclusion of their workday or worknight (hence a night worker must be paid before sundown)—“for he is poor, and sets his life upon it; lest he cry against you to G‑d, and it be a sin in you.”When you lend your brother anything, you shall not go into his house to fetch his security. You shall stand outside, and the man who is in your debt shall bring out the security to you.And if the man is poor, you shall not sleep with his security. You shall return the security to him by sunset, that he may sleep in his own garment and bless you; and it will be counted for you as merit before the L‑rd your G‑d.
Also to be left to the poor are the “gleanings”—the solitary grapes, olives, etc., that remain on the vine or tree after the larger bunches have been harvested.Fathers shall not be put to death because of sons, nor shall sons be put to death because of fathers; each man shall be put to death for his own transgression.You shall not pervert the judgment of a stranger or an orphan, and you shall not take a widow’s garment as security [for a loan]. Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and the L‑rd your G‑d redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this thing.When you reap your harvest in your field, andforget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to fetch it. It shall be for the stranger, for the fatherless and for the widow, so that the L‑rd your G‑d may bless you in all that you do.
The active transgression of a biblical prohibition is punishable by 39 lashes.
Levirate Marriage
If yibbum is not performed, the legal bond between the dead man’s wife and brother must be released through the ceremony of chalitzah (“removal of the shoe”):If brothers reside together, and one of them dies having no son, the dead man’s wife shall not marry an outsider. [Rather,] her husband’s brother shall be intimate with her, making her a wife for himself, thus performing the obligation of yibbum (levirate marriage) with her.It shall be that the firstborn which she bears shall succeed in the name of his brother who is dead, that his name shall not be wiped out in Israel.
But if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, the brother’s wife shall go up to the gate, to the elders, and say, “My husband’s brother has refused to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he does not wish to perform the obligation of a husband’s brother with me.”Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and he shall stand up and say, “I do not wish to take her.”Then his brother’s wife shall approach him before the eyes of the elders and remove his shoe from his foot. She shall spit before his face and answer [him] and say, “Thus shall be done to the man who will not build up his brother’s household!” And that family shall be called in Israel, “The family of the one whose shoe was removed.”
Remember Amalek
The last of Ki Teitzei’s 74 mitzvot are the commandments to remember the deeds of the most vile of Israel’s enemies, the nation of Amalek, and “blot out their remembrance from under the heavens”:From Our SagesYou shall remember what Amalek did to you on the way, when you were coming out of Egypt.How he met you by the way, and cut off all the stragglers at your rear, when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear G‑d.[Therefore,] it will be, when the L‑rd your G‑d grants you respite from all your enemies around [you] in the land which the L‑rd your G‑d gives to you as an inheritance to possess, that you shall obliterate the remembrance of Amalek from beneath the heavens. You shall not forget!
When you go out to war on your enemies, the L‑rd your G‑d shall deliver them into your hands (Deuteronomy 21:10)
The Hebrew phrase al oyvecha, “on your enemies,” can also be understood in the literal sense of “on top of your enemies.” In every battle, the way to achieve victory is to gain the higher ground. We must never stoop to the level of evil to fight it on its own terms; in the words of our sages, “One who wrestles with a filthy person becomes dirtied as well.” Rather, we should rise above it, affirming our belief that there is no true existence other than G‑d, and that nothing contrary to His goodness and truth has any real power. When our going to war is in a manner of “on your enemies,” we are guaranteed that “G‑d shall deliver them into your hands.”
(The Chassidic Masters)
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If you see among the captives a beautiful woman, and you desire her, and take her as your wife . . . (21:11)
The Torah is speaking only to counter the yetzer hara(evil inclination). For if G‑d would not permit her to him, [the soldier] would take her illicitly. [In essence, however, the Torah views this as a negative thing, and]if he marries her, he will ultimately come to despise her, as it says after this, “If a man has [two wives, one beloved and the other despised] . . .” (verse 15). Moreover, he will ultimately father through her a wayward and rebellious son (see verse 18). For this reason, these [three laws] are juxtaposed.
(Midrash Tanchuma; Rashi)
Sometimes a most holy soul is imprisoned in the depths of the kelipot (the “husks” which conceal G‑dliness in our world). Thus it comes to pass that the Jewish soldier is attracted to a captive woman, because his soul recognizes the “beauty” imprisoned within her. (This is why the Torah refers to her as a “beautiful woman,” even though—as the Sifri derives from the verse—the same law applies if one is attracted to a physically ugly woman.) Hence the Torah provides the procedure by which she is to be cleansed of the impurity of the kelipot and “brought into your house”—included in the holy community of Israel . . .
(Ohr HaChaim)
moreAlso from one’s spiritual enemies one must “capture captives.” Anything negative in man or in the world can be exploited for the good, if one can derive a lesson from it in the service of the Creator.
(Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov)
I learned seven things from the thief: 1) What he does, he keeps to himself. 2) He is willing to take risks to attain his goal. 3) He does not distinguish between “major” and “minor” things, but takes equally exacting care of each and every detail. 4) He invests great effort in what he does. 5) He is swift. 6) He is always optimistic. 7) If at first he fails, he is back time and again for another try.
(Rabbi Zusha of Anipoli)
The law of the “wayward and rebellious son” applies only if he steals [money] from his father and consumes at one meal a tartemar of meat and half a log of Italian wine. Rabbi Yossi says: A maneh of meat and a log of wine . . .
The wayward and rebellious son is executed on account of the future, as the Torah penetrates to his ultimate intentions. Eventually he will squander his father’s money, seek what he has become habituated to, not find it, and stand at the crossroads and rob people [killing them, thereby incurring the death penalty]. Says the Torah, “Let him die innocent, rather than have him die guilty . . .”
(Talmud, Sanhedrin 70a, 72a)
Both his parents must bring him to the court. If his father wants [to have him declared a “wayward and rebellious son”] but his mother doesn’t want to, or if his mother wants to but his father doesn’t want to, the law cannot be applied . . .
Said Rabbi Shimon: Because he ate a tartemar of meat and half a log of Italian wine, his father and mother will take him out to be stoned? Indeed, [a case of a “wayward and rebellious son”] never was, and never will be. So why was it written in the Torah? So that it should be studied, and we should be rewarded [for studying it].
Rabbi Yonatan says: I saw such a case, and I sat at his grave.
(Talmud, Sanhedrin 71a)
This is a degradation of the divine King in whose image man is created, and the Israelites are G‑d’s children. This is analogous to a case of two identical twin brothers. One became king, while the other was arrested for robbery and hanged. Whoever saw him would say, “The king is hanging!”
(Talmud, Sanhedrin 46b; Rashi)
moreOur masters taught: There was a “dealing stone” in Jerusalem. Anyone who lost something would go there, and anyone who found something would go there. This one would stand and announce [his find], and the other would stand up, give identifying signs and take it.
(Talmud, Bava Metzia 28b)
If one finds scrolls, he should read in them once in 30 days [to air them out]; if he can’t read, he should unfurl them. But he should not study something in them for the first time, or read from them together with someone else. If he found a garment, he should shake it out every 30 days, and spread it for its needs—not for his own honor . . .If he finds wooden utensils, he should use them, so that they should not rot. Copper vessels can be used with hot food, but not over fire, which wears them out; silver utensils should be used with cold, but not with hot, which blackens them. Gold and glass utensils should not be touched until the coming of Elijah . . .
(Talmud, Bava Metzia 29b)
A man once passed by the doorway of Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa’s home and left behind some chickens. Rabbi Chanina’s wife found them, and Rabbi Chanina said to her: “Don’t eat their eggs.” The eggs and the chickens multiplied and became a bother for them. So he sold them and bought goats with the money. One day the man who lost the chickens passed by, and mentioned to his friend: “Here’s where I lost my chickens.” Rabbi Chanina heard him, and asked him: “Do you have an identifying mark?” Said he: “Yes.” He told him the sign and received the goats.
(Talmud, Taanit 25a)
Alexander the Great came to the king of Katzya, and was shown much silver and gold. Said he: “I didn’t come to see your silver and gold; I came to see your laws and customs.” As they were sitting, two people came for litigation before the king. Said one of them: “My master, the king! I purchased a ruin from my friend. I demolished it and found a hidden treasure inside it. So I said to him: ‘Take your treasure. I purchased a ruin, not a treasure.’”And the other one said: “Just as you fear the punishment for theft, so do I. I sold you the ruin and everything in it—from the depths of the earth to the heights of heaven!”
The king summoned one of them and asked him: “Do you have a son?” Said he: “Yes.” He then summoned the second one and asked him: “Do you have a daughter?” Said he: “Yes.” Said the king to them: “Let them marry each other, and the treasure shall belong to the two of them.”
Alexander was amazed. Said the king to him: “Did I not rule well?” Said he: “No, you did not.” Said he: “If such a case came before you in your country, what would you do?” Said he: “I’d cut off both their heads, and send the treasure to the royal palace.”
Said the king of Katzya to Alexander: “Does the sun shine in your country?”
Said Alexander: “Yes.”
“And do rains fall upon you?”
“Yes.”
“Perhaps there are cattle and herds in your land?”
“Yes, there are,” said Alexander.
“By my life!” said king of Katzya. “It is for the sake of the cattle and herds that the sun shines for you and the rains fall upon you . . .”
(Jerusalem Talmud, Bava Metzia 2:5)
One who says (in prayer), “Your mercy extends to a bird’s nest . . .” should be silenced . . . since this reduces the mitzvot to humane laws, when in truth they are divine decrees.
(Talmud, Berachot 33b)
Notwithstanding the above citation from the Talmud, both Maimonides (in his Guide for the Perplexed) and Nachmanides (in his commentary on the Torah) give logical and humane reasons for this mitzvah, and the similar commandment (in Leviticus 22:28) not to “slaughter an animal and its young on the same day.”Maimonides writes that the reason for these mitzvot is so that “one should not kill the child in sight of the mother, for the animal has great pain from this. There is no difference between the concern of a person and the concern of an animal for their children, because a mother’s love and compassion for the fruit of her womb is not a function of the intellect or speech, but a function of the thought process that exists in animals as in people.”
Nachmanides takes issue with this explanation, arguing that if that were the reason, it should be forbidden only to kill the young before the mother, not vice versa. “It is more correct to say,” he writes, that the reason for these commandments is “so that we should not have a cruel heart that is devoid of compassion”—since, in any case, killing a mother and its young on the same day is an act of cruelty. He also offers another reason: “Because the Torah would not permit a practice that could cause the destruction of the species, though it permits the slaughtering of a single member of the species.”
Both Maimonides and Nachmanides point out that their explanations seem to contradict the above-cited passage from the Talmudic tractate Berachot, which warns against explaining the mitzvah of “sending away the mother” as deriving from G‑d’s compassion on the mother bird. Maimonides also cites Midrash Rabbah, which states: “Does it make a difference to G‑d whether one slaughters an animal from the throat or from the back of the neck? In truth, the mitzvot were given only to refine the human being.”
Maimonides explains that there are, in fact, two opinions as to the nature of the mitzvot: a) that the mitzvot are supra-rational divine decrees; b) that there are reasons for the mitzvot, even if the reasons for certain mitzvot have not been revealed to us. The passage in Berachot, says Maimonides, expresses the first opinion, “that the mitzvot have no reason other than that they are the divine desire, while we believe according to the second opinion, that every mitzvah has a reason.”
Nachmanides takes a different approach, arguing that there is no contradiction between his explanation and the Talmud’s statement. The Talmud objects to explaining the reason for the mitzvah as G‑d’s compassion for the bird or animal; rather, it is to teachus compassion and prevent the trait of cruelty from taking root in our hearts. In the words of the Midrash, “the mitzvot were given only to refine the human being.” In this connection, Nachmanides also cites the verses (Job 35:6–7), “If you sin, how have you affected Him? If your transgressions multiply, what do you do to Him? If you are righteous, what do you give Him? What can He possibly receive from your hand?” The things that G‑d commands us to do are not anything that He wants or needs, nor are the divine prohibitions things that “bother” Him—He is above that all. The “reasons” for the mitzvot are the ways that they are beneficial to us, sanctifying our lives and refining our characters.
The Torah calls him “the falling person” because it was ordained from heaven that he would fall, in any case. Nevertheless, you should not be the one to bring about his death, for meritorious things are executed through meritorious people, while things of ill fortune are executed through guilty people.
(Sifri; Rashi)
There was once a man who was very scrupulous about the precept of tzitzit. One day he heard of a certain harlot overseas who took four hundred gold dinars for her hire. He sent her four hundred gold dinars and scheduled a day with her. When the day arrived he came and waited at her door, and her maid went and told her, “That man who sent you four hundred gold dinars is here and waiting at the door,” to which she replied, “Let him come in.” When he came in she prepared for him seven beds, six of silver and one of gold; between one bed and the other there were steps of silver, but the last were of gold. She then went up to the top bed and lay down upon it naked. He too went up after her in his desire to sit naked with her, when all of a sudden the four fringes of his garment struck him across the face, whereupon he slipped off and sat upon the ground. She also slipped off and sat upon the ground and said, “I swear by the Roman Caesar, I will not let you go until you tell me what blemish you saw in me!”
“I swear,” the Jew replied, “that I have never seen a woman as beautiful as you. However, there is one mitzvah which we were commanded by our G‑d, andtzitzit is its name. Concerning this mitzvah it is twice stated in the Torah ‘I am the L‑rd your G‑d’—‘I am the one who will seek retribution, and I am the one who will reward.’ Now the four tzitzit appeared to me as four witnesses, testifying to this truth.”
“I still will not let you go,” the prostitute said, “until you provide me with your name and the names of your city, your rabbi, and the school in which you study Torah.”
He wrote down all the information and handed it to her.
The woman sold all her possessions. A third of the money she gave to the government (as a payoff so that they would allow her to convert to Judaism), a third she handed out to the poor, and the remaining third she took with her—along with the silver and gold beds—and she proceeded to the school which the man had named, the study hall of Rabbi Chiya.
“Rabbi,” she said to Rabbi Chiya, “I would like to convert to Judaism.”
“Perhaps,” Rabbi Chiya responded, “you desire to convert because you have taken a liking to a Jewish man?”
The woman pulled out the piece of paper with the information and related to the rabbi the miracle which transpired with the tzitzit.
“You may go and claim that which is rightfully yours [i.e. the right to convert],” the rabbi proclaimed.
She ended up marrying the man. Those very beds which she originally prepared for him illicitly, she now prepared for him lawfully. Such was his reward for meticulously observing the mitzvah of tzitzit.
(Talmud, Menachot 44a)
Our sages tell us that when when the children of Israel assembled at the foot of Mount Sinai, “G‑d held the mountain over them like a jar and said to them: ‘If you accept the Torah, fine; if not, here shall be your grave’” (Talmud, Shabbat 88a).
But the Jewish people had already expressed their desire and willingness to enter into the covenant with G‑d. Why did G‑d coerce them? But perhaps G‑d desired to ensure that their bond would be eternal and irrevocable. By forcing Himself on them, He was binding Himself with the law that “he may not divorce her all his days.”
(Maharal)
An Ammonite or a Moabite . . . even to their tenth generation shall not enter into the congregation of G‑d (23:4)
From here we learn that someone who causes a person to sin does worse to him than one who kills him, for one who kills him kills him only in this world, whereas one who leads him to sin removes him from both this world and the world to come. Therefore Edom, who came forth against them with the sword, was not [completely] despised. Similarly Egypt, who drowned them. The Moabites and the Ammonites, however, who caused them to sin (with the daughters of Midian—see Numbers 25), were completely despised.
(Sifri; Rashi)
But the L‑rd your G‑d would not hearken to Balaam, and the L‑rd your G‑d turned the curse into a blessing . . . (23:6)
Said Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: They all reverted back to curses, except for the blessing regarding the synagogues and houses of study. As it is written: “and G‑d turned the curse into a blessing”—“the curse,” in the singular, not “the curses.”
(Talmud, Sanhedrin 105b)
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If a man takes a wife . . . and it come to pass that she does not find favor in his eyes, because he has found a matter of unseemliness in her, he should write her a bill of divorce . . . (24:1)
The School of Shammai rules: A man should not divorce his wife unless he discovers in her an immoral matter . . .The School of Hillel rules: [He may divorce her] even if she burnt his meal.
Rabbi Akiva says: Even if he found another more beautiful than she.
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Certain opportunities and potentials are so lofty that they cannot be accessed by the conscious self; they can come about only “by mistake.” An example of this is the mitzvah of shikchah, which can be fulfilled only by forgetting.
(The Chassidic Masters)
Thus, if a person drops a sela, and a poor man finds it and is sustained by it, then he [who lost the coin] will be blessed on its account.
(Rashi; Sifri)
[The Hebrew word karchah, “he met you,” can also mean “he cooled you.” Thus the Midrash says:]
What is the incident (of Amalek) comparable to? To a boiling tub of water which no creature was able to enter. Along came one evildoer and jumped into it. Although he was burned, he cooled it for the others. So too, when Israel came out of Egypt, and G‑d split the sea before them and drowned the Egyptians within it, their fear fell upon all the nations. But when Amalek came and challenged them, although he received his due from them, he cooled off the awe in which they were held by the nations of the world.
(Midrash Tanchuma)
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Lifestyle
Sticky Orange-Glazed Carrots by Miriam Szokovski
It's customary to eat carrots on Rosh Hashanah. There's Tzimmes, which is very traditional, but I've enjoyed playing around with some alternatives like my (very popular!) Ginger-Infused Roasted Carrot Soup, and these sticky, orange-glazed baby carrots.
Why carrots? Well, there’s the sweetness factor—we try to eat sweet foods to symbolize our wish for a good, sweet year ahead. But it is also customary to eat foods whose names in the vernacular allude to blessing and prosperity, and the Yiddish word for carrot, meren, also means to multiply.
This recipe is about as simple as they come. You're just cooking the carrots down slowly in fresh orange juice, olive oil (or butter, if it's a dairy occasion) with some salt and thyme, until the liquid has been completely absorbed. No need to even peel the carrots. Just buy good, young carrots (like Dutch baby carrots), cut off most of the greens and wash them well.The slow cook gives the juice time to thicken and become syrupy, and the end result is carrots that are tender and glazed with a sticky, almost-caramel-like coating.
Ingredients:
10 Dutch baby carrots
1-2 oranges, juiced
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
5 sprigs fresh thyme
salt
Directions:
Cut off most of the greens and wash the carrots well.
Place the carrots in a frying pan or wide pot.
Juice the oranges and pour 2/3 cup juice over the carrots. Add the oil or butter, a sprinkle of salt, and the thyme sprigs.
Simmer over a very low flame until all the carrots have absorbed all the liquid, feel tender, and are starting to look sticky and caramelized—approximately 30-40 minutes. Jiggle the pan every 10 minutes to make sure the carrots don't stick to the bottom. Serve warm.
Are you thinking about the High Holidays yet? What will you be cooking? Miriam Szokovski is the author of the historical novel Exiled Down Under, and a member of the Chabad.org editorial team. She shares her love of cooking, baking and food photography on Chabad.org’s food blog, Cook It Kosher.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Lifestyle
Art: A Shabbat Meditation by Fabian Lijtmaer
I invite you to experience this painting which explores the theme of Shabbat, one of the crowning jewels of Jewish experience. Thank G‑d for Shabbat!
Breathe in as you gaze into the painting and access the incredible tranquility, peace and power available to us during Shabbat. Breathe out and explore the undulations, the flowing water-like movement, the vibrating structure of G‑dliness and the tiny dots of silver, red, and gold. The 36 actions of creation and destruction that we do not engage in on Shabbat free us to see the perfection of the world that G‑d is creating for us in each moment.
Notice all the tiny white, blue, and silver dots which allude to the dynamic structure of this world, which is reborn and sustained moment to moment. The oval space in the center of the painting represents our perception, with which we can align ourselves to perceive the light of G‑d sustaining all things. Our consciousness is the movement of paint flowing outwards and inwards into the oval, as perception is the lens through which experience everything. The white of the canvas, which can be seen beneath the color, is an expression of G‑d. G‑d is a foundational level which is behind everything we see. The blues represent the shechina, the female aspect of divinity, which comes down and envelops the world on Shabbat. Manifest the light of Shabbat inside you, in your perception, and in your soul. Shabbat shalom!
Fabian is a spiritual abstract expressionist painter, leader and educator born in NYC with Jewish parents from Argentina. He meditates to bring light down from the upper realms, shaping that light into movement and color.© Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish News
Hinckley Release Recalls Rebbe’s Correspondence With President Reagan by Menachem Posner
President Ronald Reagan working in his residence study on April 15, the day he wrote the letter to the Rebbe. (Photo: The Reagan Library)John Hinckley, 61, who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981, was released Saturday from a psychiatric hospital in Washington, D.C.
The assassination attempt took place on March 30, and the president was discharged from the hospital on April 11. Just four days later, on April 15, Reagan wrote a letter to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, congratulating him on his 79th birthday, which he (as had the president before him and all after him) had declared “Education and Sharing Day USA.”
President Reagan displayed a profound respect toward the Rebbe and his teachings. He was an early and enthusiastic adherent of the Rebbe’s call to make all people aware of the Seven Universal Laws, based on the belief in a Supreme Being. The Rebbe’s call for a moment of silence in the public schools, and his persistent belief that America must export to the world faith-based moral values, were among the themes that found a welcoming ear in President Reagan, who wrote:
“I am delighted to join with your many friends and followers in wishing you а very Happy Seventy-Ninth Birthday.
“Your dedication and devotion to the spiritual and intellectual well-being of the Jewish people are an inspiration to all Americans.
“For more than two centuries, the Chabad-Lubavitch Movement has been а vital force in Jewish life and culture and а source of hope and sustenance during many difficult and tragic moments in Jewish history.”
On the following day, the Rebbe replied to the president. In his letter, the Rebbe noted that:
President Regan's letter to the Rebbe“ . . . your kind and thoughtful congratulatory message is doubly reassuring. While all of us are still under impact of the recent trying days for you and the Nation, in connection with the demented attempt on your life (Heaven forefend!), it is remarkable, and most gratifying, that the President has been able to give personal attention also to matters which, under the circumstances, might have justifiably been postponed, or overlooked.
“Your message, particularly in reference to the importance of emphasizing moral and ethical values in education, is as meaningful as it is timely. It is heartening to know that you, Mr. President, and your administration are committed to upgrading the education of all the citizens of this country.
“Please be assured that we in the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, along with all good citizens of this country, continue to pray for your rapid and complete recovery, and for your robust health consistently thereafter, so that you can carry out the awesome responsibilities of the President of this great and leading Nation in the world. In keeping with our basic belief that everything is by Divine Providence, how much more so being elected to the highest office in the land, we are convinced that G‑d has endowed you with the capabilities and strength to carry out your G‑d-given responsibilities in the fullest measure, with joy and gladness of heart.
The Rebbe's letter to President Reagan following the assassination attempt“There is no better way in which I can reciprocate your good wishes than by reiterating the Divine promise to our Patriarch Abraham: ‘I will bless them that bless thee’ (Gen. 12:3). May you and the First Lady and all your family be blessed with all good from the Source of all blessings.”
Below are subtitled videos of the Rebbe’s talks following the assasination attempt, which include his penetrating analysis of what brought Hinckley to his debased actions and what courses could be taken to remedy the malaise that had affected the nation.
The Rebbe began by wishing the president a complete and speedy recovery, and expressed his appreciation for the president’s letter, which he saw as an expression of his good will toward the entire Chabad movement and the Jewish community in general. He also explained how the government’s mandate was given by G‑d himself, as expressed in the motto on the country’s currency—“In God We Trust”—which is emblematic of the faith-based underpinnings of the United States. The Rebbe went on to explain the symbiotic relationship of social action and religious devotion.
Turning his attention to the assassination attempt, which had been blamed on the poverty that struck the nation, the Rebbe said that poverty was no excuse for violence and crime. On the contrary, it could be a powerful motivation for achievement. In fact, Hinckley himself was raised in comfortable circumstances. Rather, the Rebbe argued, it came from a lack of guidance and firm moral education both from home and school. Instead of teaching children that criminal acts should be avoided since this invites punishment at the hand of government, the Rebbe urged that children be taught that there is “an Eye that sees and an Ear that hears” all one’s actions. If the awareness of G‑d would be properly instilled in students, it would prove to be the most powerful deterrent from crime.
Turning his attention to the rehabilitation of the perpetrator, the Rebbe pointed out that the common response is to lock him up. Instead, the Rebbe made the case for education permeated with belief in a Supreme Being as the most powerful preventative measure, which would have avoided the unfortunate incident, and precluded the need for hospitalization, treatment and rehabilitation. © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish News
For Rabbi Stationed at the Western Wall, Days Filled With Inspiration by Shlomo Rizel
Rabbi Yossi Halperin directs one of the busiest Chabad-Lubavitch centers in the world: the one at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Thousands of Jews approach the Chabad stand on an average day looking for spiritual help, physical help and everything in between. (Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)“I’m melting in this heat; I almost feel like I’m going to pass out,” says Rabbi Yosef Halperin. Jerusalem is in midst of a heat wave. I ask him if he would prefer to talk a different day, but he quickly answers that this is the way it’s going to be for a while, so we might as well do it now.
“Rabbi Yossi” is a Chabad-Lubavitch emissary in one of the most unexpected and least remote of places. Not Thailand, not Romania, not Peru, not India; he is in Israel, at the Western Wall.
“On the face of it, it’s surprising that at the Jewish people’s holiest place—where people come to pour out their hearts in prayer—there would be need for a Chabad House,” he says. “But when you realize that we’re also talking about the central place of Israeli tourism, with more than 10 million visitors a year [the number is taken from police estimates and includes repeat visits], and when you also realize that many of them do not have a religious education and don’t come with a guide who can describe the significance of the place, the need for a Chabad House becomes clear.”
He and his wife, Miri, have eight children and live in Beitar Ilit, near Jerusalem. They began their all-important mission of providing a Chabad House—with all its requisite services—in 2004.
The Halperins wanted to do outreach, and the coordinator of Chabad Houses in Israel suggested the Western Wall. “At first, we didn’t understand the need, but after he advised us to take a trip there to check out the situation, we realized the need was urgent.”
Chabad emissaries began outreach at a makeshift stand at the Wailing Wall (Kotel) more than 49 years ago, shortly after the Israel Defense Forces recaptured the Old City of Jerusalem in 1967 during the Six-Day War. But the position had not been consistently filled, and it lacked a “father figure” who could make sure that the site would be continuously staffed so that services would be provided year-round.
Wrapping tefillin in Old City Jerusalem, with Jewish access renewed as a result of the 1967 Six-Day War.‘All Hours of the Day and Night’
“I recognized even before we came that there were non-religious Jews who needed us—just about every Jew who visits the Western Wall probably realizes that—but I never tried to do anything about it myself. Today, the situation is completely different. The wall is surrounded by people at all hours of the day and night, and with a lot of effort, we were able to raise awareness of the need for religious services even for the semi-religious communities. It turned out that there are many people, especially Chabad Chassidim, who are ready to help when they see a person in need of spiritual assistance.”
The Chabad House established by a single person now has no less than six individuals working there. They man the tefillin stand from a bit before sunrise (the earliest time for morning prayers) until the last moments before sundown. During the busy hours—from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.—there are at least four people there, each of whom speaks at a minimum one language besides Hebrew.
“Since Jews come from all over the world,” notes Halperin, “an extra language is a requirement. We can talk to people in English, French, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.”
During the long summer days, as many as 1,000 Jewish men and boys over the age of 13 put on tefillin. (Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)In addition to helping Jewish men and boys 13 and older don tefillin, Halperin and his helpers give thousands of people the chance to fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the shofar blown on Rosh Hashanah. During Chanukah, they hand out menorahs and candles; on Purim, they read the Megillah every half-hour. The only days of the year they aren’t there are Yom Kippur (“There is no special mitzvah on that day”) and Passover (“It’s not feasible to make a public seder there”).
And if you think that only a Chabad emissary in Nepal or Hungary has to leave his family to travel to distant places, the Halperins experience a similar challenge. Every Rosh Hashanah, Sukkot, Simchat Torah and Shavuot, the rabbi and his wife packs their bags and travel to an apartment they rent in the Old City (“Each time, a different place”) so they can supervise the Chabad House. “Originally, we went together, and the children were farmed out to their grandparents for the holiday, but we quickly realized that that wasn’t good. So for the last 12 years, we’ve all been celebrating the festivals together by the wall.”
Informational brochures are given out at the stand, as well as Shabbat candles and for Chanukah, menorahs. (Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)What started as a part-time position has arguably become the busiest Chabad House in the world. Thousands of Jews enter the stand on an average day looking for spiritual help, physical help and everything in between. During the long summer days, as many as 1,000 of them put on tefillin. “Thanks to several kind donors, we have more than 10 sets of tefillin, and people are using them one after another. There isn’t a quiet minute.”
The Chabad House also provides kipahs, printouts of the Shema prayer in different languages, brochures describing the Seven Noahide Laws, fliers about upcoming holidays, and, of course, plenty of personal attention and love for all.
‘Religion Is Not Business’
When asked about expenses—tens of thousands of shekels are needed every year to provide these services—and the idea that payment could come from those holding the many bar mitzvah ceremonies that he helps arrange every Monday and Thursday, he responds determinedly. “One word: No! For Judaism, we don’t charge money. People come here to get close to G‑d in the place that is closest to Him; should I charge them money for it? Religion is not business!”
The expenses, he notes, are covered mainly by “generous, inspired Jews who care about us.” He says that he doesn’t put collection boxes out, so as not to give the impression that he’s doing what he does for the money. He also notes that many of the visitors are students and other young people, who are in no position to help in a financial way.
No less than six individuals speaking a variety of different languages work with Halperin. (Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)In addition to the priceless opportunity of giving so many Jews the chance to put on tefillin, they also have the opportunity to reach out to Jews who didn’t even know they were Jews. “There isn’t a day that we don’t help put tefillin on a Jew that never put them on before. Not just youths either; many times we’re talking about Jews who are 80 or 90 years old, some of whom came from distant countries and never set foot in a house of prayer. But besides all this, we sometimes have a chance to reach out to people who never even realized they were Jews.
“This is a place of thousands of touching stories. Many times, non-Jewish tourists come to us, curious about what we’re doing, and during the course of the conversation it becomes apparent that they themselves are Jews—the children of Jewish mothers. There have been Christian priests and Buddhists who were surprised to discover that they were Jewish. Many tears of deep emotion have been shed here. We also set up a connection, for those who want it, between the tourists and the Chabad Houses in their home towns, so that they can continue to tend to the flame that was lit in their hearts.”
Ezer Weizman, left, wraps tefllin at the Kotel; he would become president of Israel in 1993 and 1998.A Way to Counteract Terror
Like many stories about Jerusalem, terrorism inevitably comes up. It’s something that has a direct effect on the number of people who visit the wall, especially on foot. In terms of the multiple stabbings and attacks that have occurred within the past year, the rabbi affirms that it has been a time that “wasn’t easy or simple. We saw a significant decrease in the numbers of people; they were afraid to come, due to the security situation.
“Only a couple of months ago, Rav Yisroel Lublin, one of our regular workers, was stabbed in the stomach while going through the Muslim Quarter. He was rushed to the hospital, and they managed to help him in time for him to experience a full recovery. He attributes his survival to his work at our stand, helping to draw Jews closer to G‑d. This place is so important in his eyes that the day after he was released from the hospital, he came back here to continue helping Jews reach out to G‑d.”
Very soon, visitors will also have the chance to fulfill the mitzvah of hearing the shofar blown on Rosh Hashanah. (Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)
(Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)“It’s worthwhile to read what the Lubavitcher Rebbe [Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory] wrote regarding tefillin—that it has the power to instill fear and dread in our enemies,” continues Halperin. “If we would put more time and more energy into seeing to it that all Jews put on tefillin, terror would become a thing of the past.
“I call out to everyone who reads this to join in performing this great commandment—by putting on tefillin, by encouraging others to, and by helping to sponsor it in every part of the world, especially in the holy city Jerusalem, and especially here, with us, in front of the Kotel, the Western Wall, the remnant of our Holy Temple.”
(Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)
(Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)
(Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall)
(Photo: Chabad of the Western Wall) © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Jewish News
In Honor of 9/11, Campus Chabads Encourage Good Deeds by Faygie Levy Holt, Chabad.edu
Students honored victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks by visiting a table at the “Good Deeds Mitzvah Marathon,” sponsored by Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Student Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville.For many college students, the Sept. 11 terror attacks that rocked the world in 2001 are barely a memory. Incoming freshmen were just 2 or 3 years old when the World Trade Center and U.S. Pentagon were hit.
That’s just one reason that student leaders from the Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Student Center at the University of Florida in Gainesville spent Friday asking their fellow students, faculty, friends and staff to pledge to do a good deed in memory of the victims of the 9/11 terror attacks.
“I think this is incredibly important,” said 21-year-old Julie Bailes, a University of Florida senior who recalls watching the towers burning on TV while sitting in her first-grade classroom. “A lot of people younger than me don’t have any memories of it; it has no personal connection for them. And that kind of demeans the day and what happened. I think it’s a great idea to turn that around and help make something beautiful from that horrible day.”
The goal of the “Good Deeds Mitzvah Marathon,” according to Rabbi Berl Goldman, executive director of the Tabacinic Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Student Center, which organized and sponsored the event, is to “honor and remember the victims, and turn darkness, negativity and evil into light, goodness and holiness.”
Noting that the “Good Deeds” table was set up in the middle of Turlington Square, a central point on campus that was filled with other groups promoting other events, Goldman said: “There are so many people vying for the students’ attention that for them to stop and spend a few minutes to contemplate what 9/11 was, and then choosing to do a mitzvah” is quite amazing.
Signing up to perform a good deedArik Ben-Levy, 20, doesn’t hold memories of that day, but says that’s why it’s even more important that he commits to doing a good deed. “I think in a sense that’s the most important thing—that’s why we are out here. So people don’t forget; so we can remind them that those who lost their lives didn’t lose them in vain, and we can do these kinds of deeds to remember them.”
Among the good deeds students have been choosing are some that are uniquely part of the college experience, including helping a fellow student prepare for an exam, volunteering on campus and calling home more often. Other pledges focused on giving charity, supporting a friend and greater involvement with Jewish life.
‘Random Acts of Kindness’
Chabad at UF, Gainesville, has been hosting the marathon as a way to honor the victims of Sept. 11 for a number of years now. And they are not the only Chabad on Campus to do so. Similar mitzvah events are being hosted by the Rohr Chabad Center for Jewish Student Life at Binghamton University; Chabad at Arizona State University; and the Rohr Chabad House at California State University, Northridge.
The university’s Albert and Alberta Gator mascots spent time at the Chabad on Campus table, which was set up in the middle of Turlington Square, a central point on campus.Because the message is universal and nondenominational, the event appeals to many people. As Goldman said: “It’s an all-inclusive, universal message of random acts of kindness that everyone is being encouraged to participate in.”
UF sophomore Andrea Murciano added that “it only takes 30 seconds. You write down your name and then the good deed that you will do or have done today, and then put that message on a foam board,” which was hung between a model of the Twin Towers.
Murciano found that once a person pledged their good deed, he or she tended to bring over their friends to sign up for mitzvah as well.
“Even if I wasn’t part of Chabad, I would still come by because it’s 30 seconds to reflect and think,” she said, “and then do good deeds.”
Students mingle before a foam board with pledged mitzvahs attached, hung between a model of the Twin Towers.
Standing in line, waiting to sign up.
Rabbi Aharon Chaim Notik, program director at the University of Florida's Chabad on Campus, talks about the significance of the day and how Chabad can add positive memories to it. © Copyright 2016, all rights reserved.
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Chabad.org Magazine - Editor: Yanki Tauber
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