SHABBAT SHUVA DERASHA SHABBAT, SEPTEMBER 27 3 TISHREI Boca Raton Synagogue

Transcription

1 SHABBAT SHUVA DERASHA SHABBAT, SEPTEMBER 27 3 TISHREI Boca Raton Synagogue BRS #KiddushHashem Campaign: Do Your Part To Repair Hashem s World And Heal Our People Rabbi Efrem Goldberg Sponsored by Dr. Avraham and Elana Belizon as a Zechus for a Refuah Shlaymah for Avraham s beloved father, Dr. Yitzchak Belizon.

2 1. Berachos 20a Dying Al Kiddush Hashem 2. Torah Reading Rosh Hashana Day #2 Akeidas Yitzchak 3. Mussaf Yom Kippur Eileh Ezkera Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #1

3 4. Emek Ha Bacha R Yosef HaKohen Haunting RH/YK Aleynu tune composed by Jews of Blois when killed by Crusaders 5. Rama (o.c. 132) R Moshe Isserles Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #2

4 6. Teshuvos Mi Maamakim Rabbi Ephraim Oshry ( ) Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #3

5 Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #4

6 7. Haftorah Rosh Hashana Day #2 8. Derashos El Ami R Moshe Avigdor Amiel ( ) Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv Live Al Kiddush Hashem Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #5

7 9. Tanya Sefer Shel Beinonim R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi ( ) Now, chochmah (wisdom) is the source of intelligence and comprehension, and it is above binah (understanding) which is intellectual understanding and comprehension, whereas chochmah is above them, and their source. Note the etymological composition of the word ה"מ ח"כ החכמ ("the potentiality of what is"), that which is not yet comprehended and understood, or grasped intellectually; consequently there is vested in it the light of the En Sof, blessed be He, Who can in no way be comprehended by any thought. Hence all Jews, even the women and the illiterate, believe in G- d, since faith is beyond understanding and comprehension, for "The simple believeth every thing, but the prudent man understandeth...." But with regard to the Holy One, blessed be He, Who is beyond intelligence and knowledge, and Who can in no wise be comprehended by any thought all men are like fools in His blessed presence, as is written, "So brutish am I, and ignorant: I am as a beast before Thee; yet I am continually with Thee,..," meaning that "Because I am brutish and as a beast, I am continually with Thee." Therefore even the most worthless of worthless and the transgressors of the Israelites, in the majority of cases sacrifice their lives for the sanctity of G- d's Name and suffer harsh torture rather than deny the one G- d, although they be boors and illiterate and ignorant of G- d's greatness. [For] whatever little knowledge they do possess, they do not delve therein at all, [and so] they do not give up their lives by reason of any knowledge and contemplation of G- d. Rather [do they suffer martyrdom] without any knowledge and reflection, but as if it were absolutely impossible to renounce the one G- d; and without any reason or hesitation whatever. This is because the one G- d illuminates and animates the entire nefesh, through being clothed in its faculty of chochmah, which is beyond any graspable and understood knowledge or intelligence. Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #6

8 10. Midrash Rabbah Lech Lecha 11. Vayikra 22:32 Defining Kiddush Hashem? 12. Yechezkel 36:19-23 Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #7

9 Halacha 1 The entire house of Israel are commanded regarding the sanctification of [God's] great name, as [Leviticus 22:32] states: "And I shall be sanctified amidst the children of Israel." Also, they are warned against desecrating [His holy name], as [the above verse] states: "And they shall not desecrate My holy name." 13. Rambam R Moshe b. Maimon ( ) Hilchos Yesodei Ha Torah 5:1-3 What is implied? Should a gentile arise and force a Jew to violate one of the Torah's commandments at the pain of death, he should violate the commandment rather than be killed, because [Leviticus 18:5] states concerning the mitzvot: "which a man will perform and live by them." [They were given so that] one may live by them and not die because of them. If a person dies rather than transgress, he is held accountable for his life. Halacha 2 When does the above apply? With regard to other mitzvot, with the exception of the worship of other gods, forbidden sexual relations, and murder. However, with regard to these three sins, if one is ordered: "Transgress one of them or be killed," one should sacrifice his life rather than transgress. When does the above apply? When the gentile desires his own personal benefit - for example, he forces a person to build a house or cook food for him on the Sabbath, he rapes a woman, or the like. However, if his intention is solely to have him violate the mitzvot, [the following rules apply:] If he is alone and there are not ten other Jews present, he should transgress and not sacrifice his life. However, if he forces him [to transgress] with the intention that he violate [a mitzvah] in the presence of ten Jews, he should sacrifice his life and not transgress. [This applies] even if [the gentile] intended merely that he violate only one of the [Torah's] mitzvot. Halacha 3 All the above [distinctions] apply [only in times] other than times of a decree. However, in times of a decree - i.e., when a wicked king like Nebuchadnezzar or his like will arise and issue a decree against the Jews to nullify their faith or one of the mitzvot - one should sacrifice one's life rather than transgress any of the other mitzvot, whether one is compelled [to transgress] amidst ten [Jews] or one is compelled [to transgress merely] amidst gentiles. 14. Yehoshua 9:18-19 Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #8

10 Halacha 10 Whoever consciously transgresses one of the mitzvot related in the Torah, without being forced to, in a spirit of derision, to arouse [Divine] anger, desecrates [God's] name. Therefore, [Leviticus 19:12] states, regarding [taking] an oath in vain: "[for] you are desecrating the name of your Lord; I am God." If he transgresses amidst ten Jews, he desecrates [God's] name in public. 13. Rambam R Moshe b. Maimon ( ) Hilchos Yesodei Ha Torah 5:1-3 Conversely, anyone who refrains from committing a sin or performs a mitzvah for no ulterior motive, neither out of fear or dread, nor to seek honor, but for the sake of the Creator, blessed be He - as Joseph held himself back from his master's wife - sanctifies God's name. 14. To Heal a Fractured World Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Former Chief Rabbi of UK Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #9

11 15. Ramban R Moshe ben Nachman ( ) Shemos 17: R Aharon Lichtenstein Living Al Kiddush Hashem H. The Two Sides of Chillul Hashem Beyond the categorization discussed, we may speak as well of two different sides of chillul Hashem. The first is the essential aspect: in certain contexts, a person's actions - such as in the case of a false oath - desecrates God's Name. The second aspect is more external. It relates not to the sinful action itself but rather to its result, involving primarily the impression created vis-?-vis God's Kingship. One must exercise care in both directions. First, at times, out of concern for the "public relations" issue, one forgets or ignores altogether the inherent problem and impropriety of the action itself. It is not infrequently that we confront this spiritual danger. We are prepared to ignore the wrongdoing of a tax evader, for example, and offer him the honor of Maftir Yona on Yom Kippur, all so that no one will, Heaven forbid, write about him in the secular press, in which case "it will be a chillul Hashem." Indeed, such publicity would be a catastrophe. But the catastrophe begins not with the publicizing of the act, but with the act itself. One must ensure that the wrongful act does not get lost or become forgotten in all the concern for tomorrow's headlines, from the worry over what they will say in this city or that city. We may never forget the need for keen awareness of values and morals. The second direction of which we must be aware relates to the inherent significance of the external impression created. When we speak of the "impression," of "what will they say," we tend not to afford too much importance to the issue itself. What does it matter to us what they say in Shanghai? We live in our world, so why should we care about what this one or the other says on a television program? The essence is of far greater importance than the image. Do we really need a "positive image?" Are we shoe salesmen, that we must worry about the image of our "product?" And yet, we find even in the halakhic realm concern for this element of "what will they say," of the image, and we must not disregard it. One of the main sources for this concept, for the positive side, is a wide array of verses that speak of the need to disseminate God's word throughout the entire world. Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #10

12 I. Chillul Hashem as an Affront to Divine Kingship Let us take a closer look at the verbs used by the verse: "le-challel," to desecrate something, and, in the positive direction, "le-kadesh," to sanctify something. We speak here of a process which produces results, that leaves behind footsteps. It builds sanctity, sets it into the ground, and deepens its roots; or, Heaven forbid, it does the opposite: it detracts from it, chips away at it, and gnaws at its flesh. We may assume that the severity of chillul Hashem lies not only in the process itself, but rather in the results. On the purely halakhic level, and not merely on the mystical level, man possesses the power to exalt God's Name or, God forbid, to lower it. As daring and paradoxical as this may sound, God's Kingship is a kingship upon which we have the power to impact, and not only on its external status, in terms of how people relate to it, but even inherently. The Name, as it were, is the reflection of, and the means of achieving, the Almighty's presence in the world, in the midst of all existence, nature and history This verse, which appears in the gemara in Yoma and serves as a basis for the Rambam's comments, relates to both kiddush Hashem and the Shekhina's presence in the Temple. This shows that the sanctification of the Name, or, Heaven forbid, its desecration, involves more than positive or negative publicity, the creation of an impression, building a popular image for the Almighty, His world and His values. Kiddush Hashem means affecting the very essence of that "Shem" (Name), which, as it were, contracts or expands according to our behavior. The same concept emerges from a familiar verse in the Book of Shemot (17:16): "Hand upon the Throne of God! God will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages." Chazal note the rare use of the shortened Name of God - "Y-H" - in the first clause of this verse, rather than the more common, full Name of four letters. As Rashi quotes, they explain that "the Almighty swore that His Name is not complete and His Throne is not complete until Amalek's name is entirely eradicated." This passage expresses the notion of a deficiency in God's Name: there is a "complete Name" and an "incomplete Name." In a world of evil God's Name is incomplete, whereas in a world of righteousness His Name is complete. Ultimately, "on that day, God will be one and His Name will be one." On the extreme level, the embodiment of evil stands at one pole while the embodiment of righteousness stands at the other. But this concept applies not only in the extreme, in either direction. At times we "add" to the Name, while at others, when committing a transgression, we detract from it. Thus, although we find clear, grounded halakhic models regarding the prohibition against chillul Hashem, we must understand that all this entails something we may view as revolutionary or daring: we, human beings, determine, as it were, the status of God's Name in the world. This points to the immense power given to man. The person living within a physical body is capable of affecting God's Name, to detract from it, to damage it, or to expand it and deepen it. This granting of power and determination of destiny on one level focus on Benei Yisrael - "Yisrael, that through you I am glorified," while at the same time reflect a universal value, as well. Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #11

13 17. Nefesh Ha Chaim 3:8 R Chaim Volozhener Power to impact Hashem s name 18. Moreh Nevuchim Rambam R Moshe b. Maimon ( ) KNOW that in some instances by the phrase "the name of the Lord," nothing but the name alone is to be understood; comp. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (Exod. xl. 7); "And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord" (Lev. xxiv. 16). This occurs in numerous other passages. In other instances it means the essence and reality of God Himself, as in the phrase "They shall say to me, What is his name"? Sometimes it stands for "the word of God," so that "the name of God," "the word of God," and "the command of God," are identical phrases; comp. "for my name is in him" (Exod. xxiii. 21), that is, My word or My command is in him; i.e., he is the instrument of My desire and will. I shall explain this fully in treating of the homonymity of the term "angel" (II. chap. vi. and xxxiv.).--the same is the case with "The glory of the Lord." The phrase sometimes signifies "the material light," which God caused to rest on a certain place in order to show the distinction of that place, e.g., "And the glory of the Lord (kebod adonay) abode upon Mount Sinai and the cloud covered it" (Exod. xxiv. 16); "And the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle" (ib. xl. 35). Sometimes the essence, the reality of God is meant by that expression, as in the words of Moses, "Show me thy glory" (ib. xxxiii. 18), to which the reply was given, "For no man shall see me and live" (ib. xx.). This shows that the glory of the Lord in this instance is the same as He Himself, and that "Thy glory" has been substituted for "Thyself," as a tribute of homage; an explanation which we also gave of the words, "And they shall say unto me, What is his name?" Sometimes the term "glory" denotes the glorification of the Lord by man or by any other being. For the true glorification of the Lord consists in the comprehension of His greatness, and all who comprehend His greatness and perfection, glorify Him according to their capacity, with this difference, that man alone magnifies God in words, expressive of what he has received in his mind, and what he desires to communicate to others. Things not endowed with comprehension, as e.g., minerals, may also be considered as glorifying the Lord, for by their natural properties they testify to the omnipotence and wisdom of their Creator, and cause him who examines them to praise God, by means of speech or without the use of words, if the power of speech be wanting. In Hebrew this licence has been extended still further, and the use of the verb "to speak" has been admitted as applicable in such a case: things which have no comprehension are therefore said to give utterance to praise, e.g., "All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto thee?" (Ps. xxxv. 10). Because a consideration of the properties of the bones leads to the discovery of that truth, and it is through them that it became known, they are represented as having uttered the divine praise: and since this [cause of God's praise] is itself called "praise," it has been said "the fulness of the whole earth is his praise" (Isa. vi. 3), in the same sense as "the earth is full of his praise (Hab. iii. 3). As to kabod being employed in the sense of praise, comp. "Give praise (kabod) to the Lord your God" (Jer. xiii. 16); also "and in his temple does every one speak of his praise (kabod)" (Ps. xxix. 9), etc. Consider well the homonymity of this term, and explain it in each instance in accordance with the context; you will thus escape great embarrassment. Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #12

14 19. To Heal a Fractured World Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Former Chief Rabbi of UK Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #13

15 20. Pirkei Avos 4:5 21. Kiddushin 40a Severity of Chillul Hashem 22. Maharal R Yehudah Loew ( ) Derech Chaim Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #14

16 Halacha Rambam Hilchos Teshuva 1:4 Even though Teshuvah atones for all [sins] and the essence of Yom Kippur brings atonement, [there are different levels of sin and hence, differences in the degree of atonement.] There are sins that can be atoned for immediately and other sins which can only be atoned for over the course of time. What is implied? If a person violates a positive command which is not punishable by karet and repents, he will not leave that place before he is forgiven. Concerning these sins, [Jeremiah 3:22] states: "Return, faithless children! I will heal your rebellious acts." If a person violates a prohibition that is not punishable by karet or execution by the court and repents, Teshuvah has a tentative effect and Yom Kippur brings atonement as [Leviticus, loc. cit. states "This day will atone for you." If a person violates [sins punishable by] karet or execution by the court and repents, Teshuvah and Yom Kippur have a tentative effect and the sufferings which come upon him complete the atonement. He will never achieve complete atonement until he endures suffering for concerning these [sins, Psalms 89:33] states: "I will punish their transgression with a rod." When does the above apply: When the desecration of God's name is not involved in the transgression. However, a person who desecrated God's name, even though he repented, Yom Kippur arrived while he continued his repentance, and he experienced suffering, will not be granted complete atonement until he dies. The three: repentance, Yom Kippur, and suffering have a tentative effect and death atones as [Isaiah 22:14] states: "It was revealed in my ears [by] the Lord of Hosts, surely this iniquity will not be atoned for until you die." 24. Yuma 86a 25. Berachos 19b Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #15

17 26. Rambam R Moshe b. Maimon ( ) Hilchos Avoda Zara 1:3 Spreading message of Hashem Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #16

18 Halacha 3 After this mighty man was weaned, he began to explore and think. Though he was a child, he began to think [incessantly] throughout the day and night, wondering: How is it possible for the sphere to continue to revolve without having anyone controlling it? Who is causing it to revolve? Surely, it does not cause itself to revolve. He had no teacher, nor was there anyone to inform him. Rather, he was mired in Ur Kasdim among the foolish idolaters. His father, mother, and all the people [around him] were idol worshipers, and he would worship with them. [However,] his heart was exploring and [gaining] understanding. Ultimately, he appreciated the way of truth and understood the path of righteousness through his accurate comprehension. He realized that there was one God who controlled the sphere, that He created everything, and that there is no other God among all the other entities. He knew that the entire world was making a mistake. What caused them to err was their service of the stars and images, which made them lose awareness of the truth. Abraham was forty years old when he became aware of his Creator. When he recognized and knew Him, he began to formulate replies to the inhabitants of Ur Kasdim and debate with them, telling them that they were not following a proper path. He broke their idols and began to teach the people that it is fitting to serve only the God of the world. To Him [alone] is it fitting to bow down, sacrifice, and offer libations, so that the people of future [generations] would recognize Him. [Conversely,] it is fitting to destroy and break all the images, lest all the people err concerning them, like those people who thought that there are no other gods besides these [images]. When he overcame them through the strength of his arguments, the king desired to kill him. He was [saved through] a miracle and left for Charan. [There,] he began to call in a loud voice to all people and inform them that there is one God in the entire world and it is proper to serve Him. He would go out and call to the people, gathering them in city after city and country after country, until he came to the land of Canaan - proclaiming [God's existence the entire time] - as [Genesis 21:33] states: "And He called there in the name of the Lord, the eternal God." When the people would gather around him and ask him about his statements, he would explain [them] to each one of them according to their understanding, until they turned to the path of truth. Ultimately, thousands and myriads gathered around him. These are the men of the house of Abraham. He planted in their hearts this great fundamental principle, composed texts about it, and taught it to Isaac, his son. Isaac also taught others and turned [their hearts to God]. He also taught Jacob and appointed him as a teacher. [Jacob] taught others and turned [the hearts] of all those who gathered around him [to God]. He also taught all of his children. He selected Levi and appointed him as the leader. He established him [as the head of] the academy to teach them the way of God and observe the mitzvot of Abraham. [Jacob] commanded his sons that the leadership should not depart from the descendants of Levi, so that the teachings would not be forgotten. This concept proceeded and gathered strength among the descendants of Jacob and those who collected around them, until there became a nation within the world which knew God. When the Jews extended their stay in Egypt, however, they learned from the [Egyptians'] deeds and began worshiping the stars as they did, with the exception of the tribe of Levi, who clung to the mitzvot of the patriarchs - the tribe of Levi never served false gods. Within a short time, the fundamental principle that Abraham had planted would have been uprooted, and the descendants of Jacob would have returned to the errors of the world and their crookedness. Because of God's love for us, and to uphold the oath He made to Abraham, our patriarch, He brought forth Moses, our teacher, the master of all prophets, and sent him [to redeem the Jews]. After Moses, our teacher, prophesied, and God chose Israel as His inheritance, He crowned them with mitzvot and informed them of the path to serve Him, [teaching them] the judgment prescribed for idol worshiper and all those who stray after it. Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #17

19 27. Sha arei Teshuva 3:158 Rabbeinu Yonah 28. Mr. Ruby Schron 29. Shemos 19:6 30. R Avraham ben Ha Rambam Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #18

20 31. R Ovadia Sforno In this fashion you will be the treasure of all humanity by being a kingdom of priests to understand and teach the entire human race to call on the name of God and serve Him with one accord 32. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks Future Tense 33. Ha amek Davar Netziv R Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin ( ) to be an illumination to the nations to cause them to arrive at knowledge of the Lord of the universe. Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #19

21 34. R. Samson Raphael Hirsch ( ) Horeb #613 Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #20

22 35. R Yosef Dov Soloveitchik ( ) Abraham s Journey Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #21

23 36. Yuma Smag Sefer Mitzvos Gedolos R Moshe b. Yaakov of Coucy (13 th c.) 38. Nechama Leibowitz Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #22

24 39. Berachos 6a 40. Sfas Emes R Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter ( ) 41. Rabbi Uri Pilichowski Florida rabbi finds seven pairs of tefillin being sold in unclaimed airline baggage store in Alabama He then posted photos of each bag on Facebook explaining that he was looking for their owners. Within hours the post had been shared nearly 2,000 times and six of the owners have been found. Four live in New York. Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #23

25 42. Michtav Mei Eliyahu 1:22 R Eliyahu Dessler ( ) Kiddush Hashem is essence of every mitzvah 43. Michtav Mei Eliyahu 1:138 Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #24

26 44. Kedusha We are God s Angels 45. Stephen Carter Professor, Yale Law School Civility 46. Ishei Yisroel, Introduction RH Davening Vilna Gaon Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #25

27 47. Ramchal Ma amar Ha Chochma 48. Yeshayahu 43: Yeshayahu 5: Rashi 50. Radak R Dovid Kimchi Kaddish is prayer for Kiddush Hashem 52. Shabbos 119b Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #26

28 53. Rebbe: The Life and Teachings of Menachem M. Schneerson Joseph Telushkin Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #27

29 54. Shulchan Aruch o.c. 122:3 55. Chicken Soup for the Soul on Aaron Feuerstein Aaron Feuerstein is the third generation of Feuersteins to run the Malden, Massachusetts, Textile Mill. Almost every other textile mill has moved out of New England to Mexico, Asia or the South where the owners of the mills could get cheap labor. Aaron s grandfather had started the mill ninety years ago in Aaron s father went to work in the mill when he was thirteen. Now Aaron, aged seventy, is the head of the mill. 57. Noda B Yehudah y.d. 2:29 R Yechezkel Landau It was obvious that Aaron was in the dusk of his career, but eighteen hundred workers were still working for him in Malden, and another fourteen hundred were working for him around the world. The company had seen its bad days but now it was producing Polartec and Polarfleece and doing about 400 million dollars in business a year 56. Netziv Bereishis 13:6 Avoid Chillul Hashem 58. Yom Kippur Machzor Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #28

30 59. Webster s Universal Dictionary Jew to cheat in trade; as to Jew one out of a horse. To practice cheating in trade; as he is said to Jew. To Jew down. Christian colloquial, a decent, civilized, or presentable person, characteristic of the Christian people, kindly. 60. Igros Moshe R Moshe Feinstein Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #29

31 61. Aleynu L Shabeiach Pekudei R Zilberstein in name of R Elyashiv Chillul Hashem consideration in psak halacha 63. Sefer Chassidim R Yehudah b. Shmuel of Regensburg 12 th c. 62. Teshuvos Ha Rambam Techumin 25 Chillul Hashemin Psak Halacha Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #30

32 65. Rav Ovadia Yosef Yabiah Omer 8, e.h. 12 Kiddush Hashem is antidote 66. Sha arei Teshuva Rabbeinu Yonah 67. Rabbeinu Bachya Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #31

33 68. R Avraham Pam Kiddush Hashem through small gestures 69. Berachos 17a 70. Story from R Aryeh Kaplan Reflections of the Maggid In Argentina there was a ritual slaughter complex, comprised of several buildings. There was a building where the animals were fed, a building where they were slaughtered and the meat packed and loaded onto trucks, and an office building with dressing rooms for the shochtim (ritual slaughterers). The entire area was surrounded by a tall chain link fence and everyone entered through a wrought iron gate in the front, near the parking lot 71. Story from Yaffa Eliach Hasidic Tales of the Holocaust Near the city of Danzig lived a well-to-do Hasidic Rabbi, scion of prominent Hasidic dynasties. Dressed in a tailored black suit, wearing a top hat, and carrying a silver walking cane, the rabbi would take his daily morning stroll, accompanied by his tall, handsome son-in-law. During his morning walk it was the rabbi's custom to greet every man, woman, and child whom he met on his way with a warm smile and a cordial "Good morning." Over the years the rabbi became acquainted with many of his fellow townspeople this way and would always greet them by their proper title and name Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #32

34 72. Halakhic Positions of the Rav R Aharon Ziegler 73. Ba al Ha Turim - R Yaakov b. Asher 75. Pirkei Avos 1: Meshech Chochma R Meir Simcha of Dvinsk Michtav Mei Eliyahu 3:117 Boca Raton Synagogue - Page #33

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