This Is Not a Test - Vayeitzei 5771

We learn that Asarah Nisyonos the greatness of Avraham Avinu is mentioned in a Mishna in Pirkei Avos 5:3 (ה,ג  עשרה נסיונות נתנסה אברהם אבינו, ועמד בכולם, להודיע כמה חיבתו של אברהם אבינו). Why Avraham more than Yaakov? Yaakov had his on Nisyonos. He had with Eisav, Lavan, Elifaz, Dinah, Yosef… He had many many difficulties. As a matter of fact if you really want to add them up and you take the Midrashim too, you easily have ten. Why by Avraham Avinu it is called a Nisayon and by Yaakov we say he had Tzoros or difficulties? What marks a Tzoroh as opposed to a Nisayon?

Before this is answered, let me point out that every Tzorah really is a Nisayon. What we mean here is something that stands out as a special Nisayon. What is special about Avraham Avinu’s 10 Nisyonos and how does that influence our lives about when is something a Nisayon and when is something a Tzorah?

There is a Baal Shem Tov that is quoted in numerous places. The Chasam Sofer at the end of Parshas Vayeira says the same idea and Rebbi said it over in 5769 and I have pasted it here.

22:1 The Chasam Soifer in Toiras Moishe, on וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם, addresses why Akeidas Yitzchok is a Nisayoin for Avraham, more so than a Nisayoin for Yitzchok Avinu? L’choirah, it was a Nisayoin for both of them?

The Pashuta Teretz would be that it is easier for someone to give his own life than his child’s life. The Chasam Soifer is still bothered why the Posuk only mentions that it is a Nisayoin only for Avraham. The Chasam Soifer answers, when Hashem gives someone a Nisayoin, part of the Nisayoin is a Hester Panim of Hakadoish Baruch Hu. Sometimes when we are in middle of a Nisayoin, it is hard for us to understand what Hashem wants from us. When the Posuk says וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם it was a time that Avraham was Richuk from Hashem. It was difficult for Avraham.

The Chasam Soifer says this is P’shat in Maseches Sukkah 52b (third line from the top), “שנאמר (תהילים לז) צופה רשע לצדיק ומבקש להמיתו”and “ולא ירשיענו בהשפטו  שנאמ' (תהילים לז) ד' לא יעזבנו בידו.” The Gemarah Darshuns, “ואלמלא הקב"ה שעוזר לו אינו יכול לו.” Which means when a person has a Nisayoin, he has to be Margish Hakadosh Baruch Hu, because if you are not Margish Hakodosh Baruch Hu, it is hard to get through a Nisayoin.

The Chasam Soifer says, that is P’shat in our Posuk, וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם. Avaraham had the Nisayoin, Yitzchok didn’t have this Nisayoin. When Yitzchok understood that he was the Korban, it wasn’t so hard for him. He felt that if the Boirei Oilam wanted this from him, he would do it. However, the Posuk saying וְהָאֱלֹקִים, נִסָּה אֶת-אַבְרָהָם is Dafka telling you this idea, that for Avraham Avinu it was a Nisayoin.

One of the Chasiddishe Seforim Taitshes along these lines, the Posuk in 22:4, “וַיַּרְא אֶת-הַמָּקוֹם--מֵרָחֹק.” That Avraham Avinu saw Hamokoim (Hashem) as if he were distant. Our Avoidah when we have a Nisayoin, is to not view Hashem Mairachoik, it should be Maikaroiv, with closeness. As soon as the Nisayoin was over, the Malach calls to Avraham, as it says in 22:11, “יא  וַיִּקְרָא אֵלָיו מַלְאַךְ יֶרוֶָר, מִן-הַשָּׁמַיִם, וַיֹּאמֶר, אַבְרָהָם אַבְרָהָם; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּנִי”. Rashi says (אברהם אברהם: לשון חבה הוא שכופל את שמו) it is a Lashoin Shel Chibah. However, in 22:1 at the Beginning of the Parshah Akeidah, it only says Avraham once (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו, אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי)?

The Lashon Chibah is when there is a Hiskarvus to Hakadosh Boruch Hu, so after the Nisayoin it was Avraham, Avraham. At the beginning of the Nisayoin it was B’davkah Avraham once. In יְשַׁעְיָהוּ 51:2 says, “הַבִּיטוּ אֶל-אַבְרָהָם אֲבִיכֶם, וְאֶל-שָׂרָה תְּחוֹלֶלְכֶם:  כִּי-אֶחָד קְרָאתִיו, וַאֲבָרְכֵהוּ וְאַרְבֵּהוּ”. That Klal Yisrael should look at the example of Avraham and Sarah, כִּי-אֶחָד קְרָאתִיו. The Drush of that is, Hashem called Avraham once when he went through this Nisayoin. Then Hashem was Marbeh him and he was Zoiche to all the B’rachois because he was able to be Oimed in the difficult Nisayoin of Akeidas Yitzchak. The lesson to be learned is, every Nisayoin that comes up in life, the difficulty of the Nisayoin is equal to the distance that a person feels from the Boirei Oilam. The Avoidah is to feel a Hiskarvus which is always difficult.

Yaakov Avinu on the other hand, when he is heading to the house of Lavan, the Ribbono Shel Olam comes to him in a dream and says 28:15 ( וְהִנֵּה אָנֹכִי עִמָּךְ, וּשְׁמַרְתִּיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר-תֵּלֵךְ, וַהֲשִׁבֹתִיךָ, אֶל-הָאֲדָמָה הַזֹּאת:  כִּי, לֹא אֶעֱזָבְךָ, עַד אֲשֶׁר אִם-עָשִׂיתִי, אֵת אֲשֶׁר-דִּבַּרְתִּי לָךְ) Meaning, I won’t abandon you. If a person has a sense of the Ribbono Shel Olam being with him it is a Tzarah, a type of Nisayon, however, it is not on the level of a Nisayon of Avraham Avinu.

It is an important Yidi’a to have. There are times that a person feels that Hashem is hiding from him and his unhappy with him, a time of (וַיַּרְא אֶת-הַמָּקוֹם--מֵרָחֹק). When it is that time you should know that it is a time that you can achieve greatness. This is because that is a real Nisayon like the Nisyonos of Avraham Avinu.

What Yaakov Learned At Shem & Ever - Vayeitzei 5770

28:10, 11 (י  וַיֵּצֵא יַעֲקֹב, מִבְּאֵר שָׁבַע; וַיֵּלֶךְ, חָרָנָה יא  וַיִּפְגַּע בַּמָּקוֹם וַיָּלֶן שָׁם, כִּי-בָא הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ, וַיִּקַּח מֵאַבְנֵי הַמָּקוֹם, וַיָּשֶׂם מְרַאֲשֹׁתָיו; וַיִּשְׁכַּב, בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא) Vayeitzei Yaakov, we know that Yaakov learned in the Yeshiva of Sheim V’eiver for 14 years. Rav Yaakov asks why he felt the need to learn there if he had learned by Yitzchok for so many years. By Yitzchok he learned the Torah of someone who grows up in the house of the Avois. In Yeshivas Sheim V’aiver he learned a different aspect of Toirah. He learned the Toirah of one who is out amongst the Goyim. Sheim V’aiver lived during the Dor Hamabul and Dor Haflaga and did not grow up in a sheltered home. That is a different aspect of Limud Hatoirah.

Today we should also be doing that. However, we learn from Kindergarten all the way through Kollel in a sheltered environment. Suddenly we all go out into the world in which we desperately need the Torah of Yeshivas Sheim V’eiver. We currently don’t have this type of Yeshiva in existence. What did Yaakov learn from the Yeshiva Sheim V’eiver that he did not learn from Yeshivas Yitzchok?

The only clue we are given is the Rashi on (וישכב במקום ההוא: לשון מיעוט באותו מקום שכב, אבל ארבע עשרה שנים ששמש בבית עבר לא שכב בלילה, שהיה עוסק בתורה)Vayishkav Bamakoim Hahu which says that the 14 years that Yaakov learned in the Yeshiva of Eiver he didn’t sleep on a bed because he was so busy learning. In the Yeshiva of Yitzchok he did go to sleep in a bed at night. What changed?

When Yaakov was in Yeshiva learning all day, he made sure to get a good night’s sleep and to be well rested. However, in Yeshivas Sheim V’eiver where Yaakov is getting ready to go out into the world, he was going to be busy with the Tzoin of Lavan and many other things, he has to be trained that late at night you must push yourself to learn later. This is the opposite of what many people do, as they stay in the Bais Medrash until midnight while in Yeshiva, however, while they are in middle of the working years they go to sleep earlier. During your working years you should be learning later into the night.

Thursday nights which is a Leil Mishmar, especially since you know you can make up sleep over Shabbos that is coming up soon, you should have extra Sedorim. If you have a Shabbos Chavrusa, make it a Thursday night and Shabbos Chavrusa. That is Yeshivas Sheim V’eiver.

Segulos - Vayeitzei 5770

Leah got a hold of Duda’im and Duda’im are a Segulah to have children. Obviously if the Imahois thought it was a Segulah than it was a Segulah. When she gave them to Rochel than it took effect and she was able to have children. However, the Dudaim didn’t help Rochel. We some from here that the best Segulois are not the Segulois, but to show your devotion to Torah and Mitzvois. She got pregnant now because she got Schar when she showed how important it was to her to be with the Tzaddik Yaakov. She named Yissocher after the fact that she gave them away.

Rav Nissan Kaplan once said in a Shmuz that once he had lost something and after awhile he said to himself, they say that if you put money in Rav Meir Baal Haness that you find the lost object. Then he said no I am not doing that because I don’t go for Segulois. He went back and forth should I put in or not. He then a came to a conclusion not to put money in the Pushka. As soon as he came to that decision, he found the lost item. From there he learned, a Segula to finding things is to refrain from Segulois.

We live in a Dor that is to into the Segulois. Some of them are Narish and some of them a Goyish. The real Segula is to hang your Bitachoin on the Boirei Oilam.

Slow Down - Vayeitzei 5769

Yaakov Avinu has Kefitzas Haderech when he travels. Then we find that Yaakov Avinu comes to Har Hamoiriyah and that he is early, so Hashem has to set the sun early. Why not slow down the Kefitzas Haderech and then there would be no need for the second miracle of setting the sun early?

Mezuza On An Angled Post - Vayeitzei 5769

The Noidah B’Yehuda has a shaila, whether there is a need to put a Mezuzah, on a door which is on an angle. He brings a Raya from this weeks Parshah. The ladder is called standing, however, Rashi explains that the ladder was at an angle. This is a Raya that an angle is also considered standing.

א"ה צ"ל מנחת אלעזר סימן לו.

Thank You & Please - Vayeitzei 5769

29:35 The Tur Al Hatoirah and Rabbeinu Bachye brings it as well. When Leah gives birth, she names her fourth child Yehuda. It says in the Posuk, “הַפַּעַם אוֹדֶה אֶת-יְרוָר.” Chazal say, she was the first person to give true Hoida’a to Hakadoish Baruch Hu. The same Posuk says, (וַתַּעֲמֹד, מִלֶּדֶת). After that she stopped giving birth. This is unusual, as by other women the Torah doesn’t say they stopped giving birth. Therefore, the Tur understands as follows, there was a Chisaroin here that when she gave Hoida’ah to Hakadoish Baruch Hu, that there should be a Bakashah as well for the future.

We find by Rochel later when she says in 30:24, “(יֹסֵף יְרוָר לִי, בֵּן אַחֵר).” Since Leah didn’t ask for additional children, therefore, (וַתַּעֲמֹד, מִלֶּדֶת). It is a Davar Peleh, as she hadn’t requested additional children by Reuvein, Shimon or Levi either?

The answer is, all Hoida’ah has to have in it a Davar Shel Bakashah as well. Something which at first glance is illogical. Normally when you thank someone, you generally don’t say thank you, give me more. When we talk about the Siddur, you see that every Hoida’ah has in it a Davar Shel Bakashah Al Ha’asid. In Hallel, we say Ono Hashem Hoishia Na, Ono Hashem Hatzlicha Na. It is not just a Posuk in Hallel, it seems to be the most significant Posuk in Hallel. In the Beis Hamikdash, they circled the Mizbayach, during the recitation of this Posuk. What is Ono Hashem Hoishia Na doing in Hallel? It would seem that Hoida’ah always needs to have a Bakashah Al Ha’asid as well. In Nishmas, where it says Ad Heina Azarunu Rachamecha V’loi Azavunu Chasodecha. Then we say Al Titsheinu Hashem Elokeinu Lanetzach which is a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. Moidim D’rabanan starts with praise and ends with a Bakashah. We say a Moidim at a Siyum Mesechta.

In Mizmor L’soidah as well we see this concept. Toidah is Hoida’ah which is what it is all about. Yet we end, Ki Toiv Hashem L’oilam Chasdoi V’ad Dor V’doir Emunasoi. We ask Hakadoish Baruch Hu to continue in the future. Most significant of all, in Shemoneh Esrei, we say Moidim and then Sim Shaloim. What is Sim Shaloim doing here; we know that there is no Bakashois in the first and last three B’rachois in Shemoneh Esrei?

Sim Shaloim is most probably the most all encompassing Bakashah of the whole davening. Uchsoiv L’chaim Toivim is in the Hoida’ah section of Shemoneh Esrei. Shir Hama’alois said by some congregations during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, is recited during the Hoida’ah section of Davening, Pesukei D’zimreh. By Birchas Hagoimel, we respond Mi Shegemolchoi Kol Toiv Hu Yegomolchoi Kol Toiv Selah. We repeatedly see this concept that whenever there is a Hoida’ah there is always a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. Why is it that one always follows the other?

We find in Nefesh Hachaim, the Yesoid that we Daven is in order that we have everything as tools to serve the Ribboinoi Shel Oilam. Otherwise it is a Chutzpah. We ask for so many things because we look at them as tools to serve Hakadoish Baruch Hu. If that is the way Tefillah is supposed to be, that it is a Tefillah Bakashah to serve Hashem, then it is very Geshmak, that every Hoida’ah has a Bakashah. Hoida’ah is we are praising Hakadoish Baruch Hu. The reason is, once we are Davening for things in order to serve Hashem better, it is not a contradiction. It is not lacking in Derech Eretz, this is the way it is supposed to be. So we find that always is a Hoida’ah followed by a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. There is a M’koir for this by Bikkurim as well.

Someone who looks at the Mitzvah Bikkurim in the Rambam, Siman Kuf Lamed Beis (132), the wording is that the B’rachah should continue. The Chinuch has a similar Lashoin in Parshah Ki Savoi. In the Parshas Bikkurim, it doesn’t say a word regarding Bakashah Al Ha’sid, so it is a Peleh that we have to do this. It seems that it is understood. The Torah says, a person must give Hoida’ah, and Hoida’ah must have a Bakashah Al Ha’asid. For example, Hoidu Lashem Ki Toiv Ki L’oilam Chasdoi. That the Chesed should continue.